I am convinced that the Atlantic Ocean beaches are a gift. They are God’s way of reminding us to slow down, breathe in, and take time to savor life. When you walk on the beach, the pounding of the waves drowns out all other sound so that you can listen to your heart and quiet your mind. The shoreline in the early morning is a great place to think.
More importantly, a summer beach vacation is a great place to make memories with family. Pat, Lisa, PJ, Emily and I enjoyed a lovely start-of-the-summer week at the shore June 21-28. Since our beach house has all the amenities except a reliable internet connection (horrors!), this one essay will report our entire trip.
Our beach house was terrific – with a wide front porch that looked out over a small garden right along the boardwalk (2117 Wesley). The garden had a lovely set of steps up to the boardwalk, and the beach was just over the dunes on the other side. (The garden view reminds me of the painting I have over my fireplace at home. J) The breeze was fabulous, and the whoosh of waves, and snatches of conversation from the bike-riders and people walking and running by made for a great soundtrack.
Our itinerary was totally flexible and lazy – it felt like time just stopped moving forward. Beach time, boardwalk trips, porch-sitting, easy meals, games and more games. We had a great time!
Saturday – On the road again
I met up with Pat, Lisa, PJ, and Emily just over the Delaware Memorial Bridge for a late breakfast at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant. Emily almost bought a new hat, but we decided it was a bit much for the beach. Then it was down to the shore in a two-car caravan. I cranked up the Osmonds’ 50th anniversary tour CD and relived my childhood all the way down. Those guys (and one gal) still have it after all these years! After picking up keys, we checked out our digs with some trepidation, since we’d selected the house over the internet (a little bit of a concern). But the place was great, and we chose up rooms and moved in. PJ and I went down to see what the beach looked like for a short spell. We started a tradition of ordering crabs for our first night at the beach, and they were delish! After the kids tucked into bed, Pat and I took a long walk on the boards, almost to the other end.
Every girl needs just the right hat – check out the tiara!
I started the day witha walk on the beach with PJ. The storms have carved out a little lake in the sand at 22nd Street beach, which is perfect for the kids to play in. PJ and I saw a para-boarder – a guy on a surf board pulled by a big parachute – and man, he was FLYING across the waves.
We went back up to the house so that we could pack up with the rest of the family and head on down to play on the beach. Quite the production, but Lisa brought a HUGE beach bag that holds tons of stuff, including a little pool for Emily. I took another long walk while Lisa played with PJ and Emily. Lisa took Em up for her nap, Pat took PJ up on the boardwalk to get a boogie-board, and I got to sit out and just read for quite a while. PJ got a boogie-board with a cool frog on the front.
Emily and PJ enjoying the beach
After a long day at the beach, sausage and peppers over penne pasta made a perfect dinner. We played a couple of games and then walked over to Aunt Betty’s for some ice cream. Back home, we played a game of Pirates of the Carribean Life – which I won (by a mile). Pat says that’s just because I was the banker and bankers always cheat! But I know it’s because I got the captain that paid $900 every time I got a share of the loot! Pat and Lisa went for a long walk on the boards on Sunday night.
Monday – Perfect after the rain
The day dawned foggy, but PJ and I still braved a walk on the beach. I finally remembered to bring my camera! We saw some crabs fighting in the sand, and got to check out the empty lifeguard stands. We also got to sit in a “hot tub” (now dry) that some folks had carved into the sand the night before.
Making discoveries early morning on a foggy beach
We decided to head on up the boardwalk for some put-put golf, and we played the Congo Queen course. (Pat won, but I was a close second.) By the end of the game, we were playing in the rain, which happened to us last year as well. I hope it doesn’t become a tradition!
Fearsome foursome! 
Pat and PJ went to see Kung Fu Panda (which PJ loved), and Lisa, Emily, and I set off for home – we were drenched by the time we got back to the house! After a lazy afternoon on the porch (PJ and I finished the Dragon Slayer’s Academy book we were reading), we decided to go for Chinese for dinner and drove uptown. By then, the skies had cleared and the whole family took a fabulous walk on the beach. Just gorgeous after a day of drizzle! PJ andEmily both loved the little rivulets andponds left behind by the low tide. Monday night was Canasta night – and I won again!
A boy and the beach – picture of summer.
Sparkling after the storm… 
Lessons from dad.. in toddling, in skipping stones.
A Lombardozzi family portrait… PJ, Lisa, Emily, and Patrick. 
Tuesday – Carnival night
Gosh, it feels like we’ve been here forever. No schedule, no alarms, no requirements. Just whatever we want to do, whenever – the best kind of vacation. I started the day with an hour’s walk on the beach, all the way down to the 32ndStreet life guard stand.
Tidal pools and morning waves – gorgeous.
We went for breakfast at Uncle Bill’s and had some terrific pancakes. Pat got to try out Rye toast, which he said he’d never tasted. Later that morning, in one of those “funniest home video” moments, PJ got launched off the back of the rocking chair on the porch. He was standing on the back rung while Pat put suntan lotion on Emily, but when Pat got up, the chair went flying and PJ woundup crashing into the wall behind it. He came up assuring me he was alright, but it was a bit of a shock. I started laughing and hugged him close, getting him to laugh by telling him it was better than a rocket launcher. Even now, I can’t help but laugh (that helpless, can’t-breathe laugh) whenever I think about it.
Pat, Lisa, and PJ then headed down to the beach and Emily and I took a boardwalk walk and then came back home for her nap. Em was not feeling too well; she ran a little temperature. So the afternoon was totally lazy, Pat and PJwatching some TV, me out on the porch reading (including Stanley in Space with PJ), andLisa napping with Emily.
We decided to stick with our plan to head up to the boardwalk for dinner and rides. PJ loved the bumper cars and the race cars. Emily got to ride on Dumbo, but she was a little under the weather still. On the way back, we stopped for gelato. But that turned out to be a small mistake because we wound up with a parking ticket, written at about the time we were munching ice cream on the boardwalk. Oh well.
PJ – our speed racer and boat captain extraordinaire
Emily was under the weather, but I think she enjoyed the ride.
Wednesday – Golf widow’s lazy day
Another beautiful day! It was Pat’s day for golf, so he headed up to Brigantine to meet Mark. I took a long walk on the beach, then took over with Emily so that Lisa could take PJ to the beach. It was mostly a lazy day around the house. I took a long walk on Wesley in the afternoon to see the houses from the other side and see what there was to see past the boardwalk. I can tell you there’s a reason this area is called the golden mile. I just love the architecture and the landscaping in this area. I can imagine having a long spell here to write and read and walk and relax. (There’s a goal for retirement – I can come here in the slightly-off season.)
We ordered Italian for dinner and then Pat, Lisa, and Mark went up to the casinos – no one won big, but they had fun. I hung out at the house and tried to learn to knit. While I made progress, there’s a lot to be desired in trying to learn by reading directions. Still, I do think I’d like to work at it. I want to make some knitted blankets that I can give to shelters, and maybe make some as gifts as well.
Thursday – A chilly day to chill
The day dawned with the realization that we’re now closer to leaving than we are from arriving. The kids were definitely in vacation mode, lots of energy, no attention span. PJ and I walked on the beach first thing, and it was quite foggy – it was like walking in a cloud.
I decided to drive aroundthe island for a bit to get more of the lay of the land and then head uptown to do some window-shopping while Pat, Lisa, PJ and Emily went to the beach. Imagine my surprise when I ran into them walking down the street after lunch! Turns out it was a bit chilly at the beach, but not a good idea to hang around the house so they came into town for the same reason I did. We continued on our separate ways. I wound up with a few new additions to my snowman collection, and the rest of the family got books. PJ’s encyclopedia of insects kept him busy all afternoon as he tried to find and identify bugs in the front yard.
We went out to the Island Grille for dinner. (I really wanted BBQ ribs, but they were out of them! L) After dinner, we took a walk on the beach, which was finally warm (except for the water) and sunny (albeit on the way down). It was a TV night – Pat and Lisa love Last Comic Standing. I worked on the computer for a while, uploading pictures and adding to this blog.
Love Pat… 
Emily Catherine 
I don’t want to go home, either.
Friday – Winding down with a real taste of summer
Friday was our hottest day – perfect for the beach and then for hanging in to start to pack up. I walked on the beach (as usual) in the morning, and even the breeze was warm.
More waves… Never get tired of them.
Pat, Lisa, PJ, and Emily headed down to the beach early (before the lifeguards!). I hung out at home reading in the cool living room with a view of the action on the boardwalk. PJjust had the time of his life at the beach playing in the tidal pools with an inner tube and a boogie board. Pat and PJ also took a long walk on the beach checking out all the tidal pools along the way. Lisa came up to feed Em andput her down for her nap, but wanted to get back down to continue playing with PJ. Pat came up to get lunch and went back again. PJ, of course, never left. They were at the beach for hours – it was a hot day but perfect for playing in the water.
Our resident baby bunny rabbit… 
Me? I just kept reading… finished an academic book called Productive Reflection. I also wrote an entry for my Learning Journal blog. We hung out and played games in the afternoon. The breeze kicked up and I went for a short walk on the boards before dinner. And PJ and I finished reading Stanley in Space. We had a simple dinner of hamburgers, and started packing up for home. Oh, and I beat Patrick at Canasta again. 🙂
Saturday – So hard to say goodbye
PJ –(in his own words) My favorite part was walking on the beach ‘cause I got to jump in the water. And I really liked it on Friday because it rained and that makes little puddles. And I want to say when you grow up you should go to American Idol. I love Aunt Cathy.
Emily – (judging from her reactions) Emily really liked walking on the beach after dinner and she loved falling asleep listening to Aunt Cathy’s ipod.
Lisa – I loved watching PJplay in the water with his boogie board, andwatching Emily stumbling aroundon the sand.
Pat – I loved relaxing, I didn’t feel much stress at all. My favorite was just hanging out with my boy.
Cathy – I LOVED the early morning beach walks and playing games with the family. The weather was beautiful and it was very relaxing.
This is the life…
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