We Have a Lot of Memories.....

I realized this year that we've been going to Bethany Beach in Delaware for 20 years now.  Well, we began in 1998, and missed one or two due to Babygirl's illnesses, but still.....

The majority of those years we've rented the same house.  Some years we've switched out because we couldn't plan ahead, didn't have as much cash, or didn't have as many people, but this year we had "the house" - the one with the under-the-eaves room with 4 single beds where all the girls slept when they were little. 

Except.

All those girls have grown up. And the ones who came on vacation with us all have BOYS.

Not that there's anything wrong with that! I'm just accustomed to girls. (And by the way,  I discovered I rather like boys.  Not as whiny or sneaky as girls, at least based on this limited exposure.)

Boys (big and small) seemed more fascinated by historical outings, generally.  And they loved looking for crabs in the shallow water, and I BIG granny points when I picked up a 12 inch horseshoe crab out of the water.  "Is THAT ALIVE?!?!?!?"  "Sure. Wanna hold it?"  Universal negative responses LOL.

An awesomely funny moment when a grandson shouted out his "Hey, Grandma!" reading of this shot glass in a crowded gift shop.....without realizing the alternative meaning of the phrase.....

Crab Dinner. A Thursday Night Tradition.

                                                                               

Me and Babygirl, Sunshiney and Healthy

We had a week of sunshine when rain was predicted daily. We had lazy days, bike rides, tides, sand castles, and swimming pools. We had nightly family dinners and games, outdoor showers, endless loads of beach towels in the washer, dolphin shows, and sunrises. 

At one point, Hubby looked at me and said, "We've go a lot of memories in this house." 

We do.  I mentioned a couple of years ago that I was going to miss having three generations there, now that my parents are gone.  No more Gramma and Grandpa, getting confused about the color of the Uno cards.

But we still have three generations.  Just....now....I'm Gramma. 

I think back to 1998, and realize that 20 years ago, my mom would have been the age that I am now, and she was not able to get in and out of the ocean.  She couldn't ride a bike anymore. She could walk a few blocks a couple of times a day, and she could eat an all-you-can-eat crab dinner like nobody's business, but her grandkid time was limited to a short walk to to the Candy Kitchen and the purchase of a Beanie Baby, and the nightly games at home.  I'm towing all the beach supplies in the trailer behind my bike every day and showing people how to use a boogie board.  (Makes me feel less guilty about my read-a-book-a-day habit.)

And my girls are grown ups, and their sweeties are grown ups, so the garbage got taken out, and towels were magically folded, and dishes just...got....put...away.  And it wasn't always me or Hubby.  It was a nice vacation.  

DeeDee