Friends

When I was younger, I used to think my grandmother was really cool because she had so many friends in Deltaville and she didn't even live there.  Of course, she did live there when I was very small, before my grandfather began having heart problems.  But to a kid, to have friends in a far away land another state that took days hours to get to seemed like the coolest thing ever.  I dreamed that when I was older and worldly, I would have friends when I went to Deltaville too.  Imagine my delight in meeting some great people who live in nearby environs.  I was even able to plan a lunch while on vacation.  WITH FRIENDS.

We ate here:

Cocomo's in Deltaville is a great restaurant right on Broad Creek near all the marinas.  The food is good and since the new owner has taken over, the service is fantastic.  (I want to say I think this might be a good stop for Blogfest 2011 because of the drunk bus and courtesy limo)

(we don't get out much)

After a lunch filled with goom food, goom friends and goom conversations* (including an extensive discussion of horror movies... was Attack of the Crab Monsters mentioned?  Perhaps steamed crabs and this movie with some wine, beer or other alcoholic drink would be good at Blogfest too), we all left the restaurant with our bellies full.  And some left a little too giddy- and without the aid of alcohol

It is great to be able to offer information to my parents that I've learned from my local friends (like what  the CH on the Gloucester CH  sign means...).  Or mentioning some new beach or restaurant.  

I miss my grandmother terribly, but I feel close to her because I have attained the awesomeness she possessed... I have friends in a far far away galaxy another state. 

My Aunt Joyce is in front with the hair, I'm hugging on Sheba the dog, my cousin Kelly is in red, our cousin Jeff in the green shorts, my sister Carrie is the baby and my Grandmother on the end

*goom is of course a Brat Child word and thanks to Chesapeake Bay Woman, I find myself saying it more and more.  And to those friends who couldn't make it because they were on vacation or listening to their beautiful daughter sing in church, I'm sorry I missed you on that trip, but I'm in for the Oyster Festival.

The Incident

Down Deltaville, we spend a lot of time playing on the pier with the dogs.  My dog Bailey is a water nut and launches herself off the end of the pier for sticks, pine cones or sometimes even for the joy of jumping off the pier.  While my mom and I were out at the store, my dad, Big Sis, Big Sis' friend and the Brat Child were at the house.  The kids were throwing sticks for the dogs while my dad chilled in the hammock. 

Unfortunately, the Brat Child thought it was okay to run down the dock carrying a handful of sticks.  He didn't realize that this made him dog bait.  The dogs went running after him, and Bailey knocked him off the end of the pier.

Big Sis ran down the pier, tossing her cell phone on the dock before jumping in after the Brat Child.  My dad was right behind her, though I'm not sure how he made it from the hammock up at the house down to the pier in the time span he did. (I'm wondering if he might be Flash in retirement or something.)

Anyway, back to the action... when Big Sis went in, she realized the Brat Child was actually treading water and keeping his head afloat.  Not something he had really been taught, just something he knew how to do from being in the swimming pool and not wanting his ears to get wet (he has ear issues).  Big Sis grabbed the Brat Child and helped my dad pull him up onto the dock.  My dad tried to pull Big Sis up, but he nearly went in too so she swam down to the shallow end and climbed out. 

Yes, Big Sis got stung.  She also lost a pair of white flip flops.  Our dog Bailey actually went and retrieved it, but my mom's dog Bindi took it from Bailey, swam further out and then let go of the flip flop.  The other flip flop is apparently still stuck in the muck of Sturgeon Creek.  She broke her cell phone when she threw it, but thankfully I was smart enough to have it insured so she had another one waiting for her when she got home from vacation (being the second phone she has broken, she can't get another replacement for a year).  I'm proud of her quick response and smart thinking.  My dad said it was god she went in because he didn't see where the Brat Child went in, just heard the splash.  I'm also proud of the Brat Child who was able to tread water and, while scared, did not panic.

The Brat Child must always wear a life jacket on the pier from now on. 

And he isn't happy about it.

Dream House

There is a house I pass on the way to the beach that I simply adore.  It isn't in the best shape, but I see the potential.

Some new siding, new shutters, removing some of that overgrown brush and throw on some window boxes and it would be awesome.

Conversations with the Brat Child and More Dock Diving Dogs

One afternoon while driving down the road....

BC: Oh My GAWD!

Me: Ethan, we don't say God, we say gosh.

BC: Is God a bad word like {bleep}

Me: Uh, no, God is, well, He um, He made all the trees and stuff and it just isn't nice to use His name like that, it's rude.

BC: oh, does He have a dog?

Me: Does God have a dog?

BC: yeah do Him have a dog?

Big Sis: Yeah, Mom, does He have a dog? (please note teenage sarcasm)

Me: I'm sure He has one.

BC: What's his name?

Me: The dog?

BC: Yeah, him have a name?

Me: I don't know, what do you think God would name His dog?

BC: I don't know, Mom, I never saw Him before. (note 4 year old imitation of teenage sarcasm)

Another Beach Walk: Haven Beach

I enjoy going to Haven Beach for a couple of reasons.  One is that it's haunted- always a plus in my book.  It also has a ton of things to look at...  lately though (since the "hurricaneasters" came through) it hasn't been that great for swimming.  A severe amount of erosion has occurred to take away large amounts of sand covering some mud flats.  Rocks from the jetty also washed into the swimming area.  Because of the exposed mud flats, there is a lot of brown particles on the beach and in the water.  And it is a rather isolated area... But, it does offer some excellent photo ops.

I though this driftwood looked like a hermit crab. 

I'm pretty sure that the Haven Beach Overlook is available for use by people visiting Haven Beach, despite the fact that I'm also pretty sure the pier/boardwalk is connected to the nearby house.  However, the sign on the boardwalk looks like a brown municipal sign (like the state parks use) and there were no trespassing signs. 

Beach Walk: Aaron's Beach

Thanks to my new friend Chesapeake Bay Woman, I was able to find a new place to explore: Aaron's Beach.  I love it!  So many things to see and photograph and discover!

Ethan heading to the beach with the "noon-ells"

 

Totally love this tree.  It's like driftwood that's planted.

Storm clouds

Looks like a turtle

Not sure where he's going, but he's determined.

Gorgeous sunset as the storm clouds began building and the rain started moving in. 

The Vultures

There are about 7 vultures in this photo.  Take my word for it, or try to find them for yourself like one of those Find-a-Picture things, but there are at least 7.  There were more than 7 in the trees, but it's not easy to get a decent shot of vultures in the trees when you are hanging out the passenger side window while your mom is driving down the road in a moving car.  I will give my mom credit, she recognized it was something I would want to photograph and willingly turned around to try to get a shot (we drove by 3 times... people were staring).

Not only were the vultures in the trees, they were sitting on the ground on the opposite side of the road, except this one who was perched on a dead tree.  My mom supposed that there was a dead animal or something in the weeds.  "You mean something like a dead body?" I asked (key dramatic music and a some thunder and lightning).  It wouldn't be the first dead body in Mathews.  But seriously, you can typically nose those things out in August in record heat.  And I wasn't nosing nothin'.

So, apparently, just outside of town heading to Haven Beach, there is a vulture hang out.  They were there each day we drove down the road.  they never startled, never flew away.  Just watched us drive by.  

Makes you hope they don't possess a sixth sense.

When I do my posts on the VA Living Museum you can learn why vultures have no feathers on their head and neck.

Simple Pleasure: Choc-it Shakes sans Whip Cream

On one of our many excursions during vacation, we opted to stop at a fast food joint grease hole restaurant to get something to drink.  Of course the Brat Child wanted chocolate chip cookies.  Because lunch was planned in the near future, I didn't want his meal spoiled by empty calories, so to tempt him away from the cookies I suggested- a Chocolate Milkshake (as any good mother would because if you suck those empty calories up in a straw they aren't as filling as if you actually chewed before swallowing or something like that).  Brat Child was not easily swayed until I explained that it was chocolate ice cream you eat with a STRAW. 

"This is Goom.  I like choc-it shakes!"  He was a fan at the first sip.  (why he can say "amazing" with precise clarity but can't get that "good" has a d not an m on the end of it is beyond me).

So a few days after the shake initiation, we were headed home from the beach.  Passing the Hardee's in Mathews (also know as the World's Slowest Fast Food Place- seriously I think it's in the Guinness Book of Records), my mom asked if anyone was thirsty.  Being tired, we opted to just go home.  Until the Brat Child started yelling (please note any capitalization or enlarged font denotes extreme volume), "Go Back! Go Back! I want a CHOC-IT SHAKE!"  So my mom turned around, and Brat Child's head stopped spinning 360 degrees and was no longer vomiting pea soup. 

We ordered our drinks and 2 shakes (Big Sis also wanted one) and of course Hardee's, while slow, makes a damn fine shake complete with whipped cream.  Unfortunately, the Brat Child doesn't think whipped cream is appropriate topping for choc-it shakes. 

BC- I don't wike cweam
B Sis- It's good
BC (now sobbing) I don't wike it!
BS- I'll take it off
BC- stoopid wady! (referring to the woman at the drive thru window)
Me- Hey! Ethan that isn't nice we don't call people stupid!
BC- She is! She a STOOPID WADY she put CWEAM on MY CHOC-IT SHAKE AND I DON'T WANT IT!
BS- Here's your shake I took the cream off
BC- 'Anks Didget mmm, dis gooom.

Crisis averted.  The next night, we ordered 5 shakes, one without "cweam". 

And they were GOOOOM!

*Wait until you hear about the vultures, the sausage discount and the guy who mooned everyone in the Hardee's parking lot.... and CBW says Mathews is dull and boring!