Tag: vacation

Packing Lists #SOLC26 21/31

Things that never made it out of my suitcase:

  • 4 pairs of socks
  • the “nice” shorts
  • 1 “decent” t-shirt
  • my least comfortable swimsuit top
  • airpods
  • 2 bras
  • mascara
  • student writing that needs to be graded by Monday
  • my second & third books

Things I found exactly where I dropped them the day we arrived

  • one pair of lightweight pants
  • one sweatshirt
  • shoes with laces
  • compression socks

Things to put in my backpack

  • book #2
  • a few scavenged seashells and three small pieces of sea glass
  • water bottle
  • journal – the seats are too small for a laptop
  • sand, whether I want it or not

Things I will not bring home

  • sunscreen
  • a half-full bottle of moisturizer, now empty
  • travel razor
  • regrets

A day with the boys #SOLC26 19/31

Some days these boys just chill, but other days they cram in as much as they can. Today – to my surprise – was the latter when I was expecting the former -which is why I’m writing (again) after 10 pm. Ridiculous.

Context: I am with my son and four of his buddies on their March Break trip. Four of the five of them graduate at the end of this year, so this is their grade 12 grad trip. They are delightful & I am really enjoying them; I am also the only one who can drive here – which is why I am here.

Despite their general delightfulness, they are still 17 and 18 years old, so their organizational skills are,well, not fully developed. My original understanding was that today was going to be a chill day at the beach. Instead, we…

woke up reasonably early (why? the sun? the screeching children next door? who knows?)
decided to go to Starfish Point and went on a moment’s notice. It was amazing.
hung out with the starfishdiscovered there were almost no cruise ships coming into port today, so decided to go into town to do some shopping.
decided to eat “a little” breakfast before heading out. Ate a significant amount (from my perspective).
finally got in the car to go – and decided to stop at a restaurant for lunch. The power was out at the restaurant, but the food was still pretty good.
drove the rest of the way to town. Stopped at one of my favourite shops. Purchased many gifts for moms & girlfriends – and even grandmothers!
went to the main drag – bought t-shirts and stuffies and who knows what else. (I window shopped.)
realized they were hungry again and stopped for smoothies and sandwiches
went to my aunt’s house to see my cousin and “chill”.
went to Smith’s Cove and swam.
got cut on the coral.
got bandaged up by me.
went to the grocery store for more food.
drove all the way home – 45 minutes, even though the island is small.
ate.

The boys are downstairs laughing and listening to music. I did my Duolingo & remembered to write. I’m counting that as a win because I am exhausted. Now I am going to bed because I am not built the way 17-year-olds are. Sheesh!


Locked out #SOLC25 9/31

We are locked out of my aunt’s house. She and my spouse left about an hour ago to go see my nephew (really my cousin’s son, but big families get confusing) in a swim meet. My boys and I stayed behind, too happy in the ocean to go with them. Eventually, I traded the Caribbean for the heated pool, and soon my kids followed.

While they roughhoused in the pool, I made my way back to my aunt’s place to write today’s post – only to discover that the key she left behind didn’t turn in the lock. So here I sit, poolside, writing on my phone and watching my teens. They’ve had me film them in slo-mo as they do various wild tricks; now they’re playing something akin to baseball with a pool noodle and a beach ball. My writing keeps getting interrupted by gales of laughter and giggles.

The sun is starting to set, so I have finally texted to admit that we can’t get in – but we’re in no rush. When we left this morning it was snowing and gray; we can stay here, locked out together, and be happy for a long time.

My view as I write