weekend wrap-up

Great time at the beach.

Stayed in a bed and breakfast that pulled off eclectic-but-not-junky perfectly.

It had an outdoor shower. Fun.

Spent the morning talking to a young couple staying at the same place. He is a worship-leader-turned-English teacher, and she is a linguist who grew up in Soviet Russia, as a Christian in an underground (then not-so) Baptist church. Fascinating conversations. Really - way way more interesting than sitting on the beach.

Talked to them for three hours. Would have kept talking, but it was check-out time.

Then went down to the marina, and watched (fishing?) boats dock. We also watched groups of people standing around - literally - waiting for the oil spill to wash up, so that they would be ready to stop it with the millions of feet of boom (isn't it called boom?) rolled up around them. Oil spill was 120 miles away from where I was yesterday, and winds were in their favor. But if the winds blew too much, we were told by the man behind the counter at the marina's convenience store/ gift shop, it would catch the gulf stream and end up on the beaches of the East Coast. Such a strange time in Gulf beach towns. Everyone is waiting to see which way the winds blow, to determine the fate of their livelihoods. Reminders of all the ways we are not in control.

Puttered in town for a few hours. Then we went to a fabulous fancy party for Elizabeth and Kris. But can I just say? Blood sugar has made me not-so-fun during cocktail hour. I can't drink because all that alcohol turns into sugar that makes me feel sick for the rest of the night, I typically haven't eaten in five or six hours, and I am surrounded by other people getting louder with each glass for an hour before appetizers are served. It was a lovely party, but at 6:30 p.m., I am a wholly unlovely beast until I've eaten some protein. Trust me.

Speaking of my ridiculous blood sugar - I bought an emergency can of peanut butter at 10:30 p.m. on Friday night (I don't have diabetes, I just have a body that does not process sugar very well, and needs regular protein or else). I ate nearly half of the can in one weekend. This bed and breakfast was heavy on muffins and fruit with sugary toppings - not so heavy on eggs or almonds. Never have I been so glad to have six ounces of peanut butter stashed in my purse.

Dinner was served, and I ate. Then ate some more.

Best of all, we spent a few hours with Elizabeth and Kris. So so fun, but never long enough.

Woke up early, left at dawn, waited for Starbucks to open, then on the road - to follow GPS down NeverNeverLane for a half hour. Only GPS would take a perfectly normal thing - like driving the same three hours down the same four-lane highway I've driven all of my life - and take us down a county road that turns into a cul-de-sac twenty minutes later. It's like Brian said, I'm sure if you took a ruler to a map, that would be the fastest way home. But since my car does not have great off-roading capabilities, I think I'll stick to the long way. Thanks.

Met my kids at church. So glad to see them.

And they were glad to see us. Grandma's house is very fun, but so is home. Silas was so glad to see his Dad that during announcements he kept saying - in the piercing way all two-year-olds talk - "Hi Daddy!" "Hi Daddy!" "Hi Daddy!" and waving at the stage. Eventually I walked out into the vestibule with him to wait out the quiet parts of the service, and Silas waved behind us and shouted, "Bye Daddy!"

The congregation laughed.

Then it's now. We're home. Two of the four are sleeping. Asher is having a very noisy quiet time in his room, and I am reminded that small children are simply incapable of being quiet. Even his play is narrated. "I can't make this train track fit!" "I'm trying to pick up my ambulance, but I"m not supposed to pick up my ambulance!" "I will take the prickers off, then I blow it up!" (What does that mean?) - are announced to nobody in particular from the next room.

Fascinating weekend. Full and restful, both.

And me without my camera, can you believe it?

Happy Sunday, all.