One year ago...

Last year at this time, I was sitting on a beach, sipping a Dirty Monkey, and enjoying the last full day of a week-long vacation in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Two years ago, I was working at the pool, getting ready to start a new job in a new school district in the fall.

Three years ago, I was working on my application to meet the July 2 deadline for a job as an Aquatics Coordinator in Breckenridge, CO.

Five years ago, I was finishing my practicum for a master's degree in gifted education.

Ten years ago, I had just graduated from high school and was planning on leaving for the Air Force in September to be a crytologic linguist.

Today, I am sitting on the couch, watching Sparky snoozing in his swing. The closest thing to a vacation in the near future is a road trip in the new mini-van to my cousin's wedding in Connecticut this September. I am currently unemployed and working on yet another master's degree.

This is not a lament. Just an observation of the way that life meanders. I wonder where I'll end up in another ten years.

Traveling the World

Okay... Well, maybe not the world, but having just returned from Mexico, we are now (at 2:40 a.m., and well into our second bottle of wine) visiting a good friend of Dave's (also named Dave, only the last name is Steele) in beautiful Youngstown (okay, Poland) Ohio...

God, can I just tell you that hanging with two voiceover guys is freakin' the time of my life!!!! Dave Steele is now playing samples of his voiceover work for (my) Dave... And examples of his outtakes, which, I have to admit, are pretty funny.

(Hang on, I need to refill my glass of wine. We quickly went through a bottle of Marquee Shiraz and I'm now finishing off the last bit of Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin... After the eight hour drive, not counting the time change, wine is a welcome relief.)

So, I apologize for not keeping up on commenting on other blogs and updating my own. Summer has been a wonderful experience so far, and I have been spoiled. Instead of reading blogs and the Internet, I've been gardening and reading. Since we left for Mexico, I've finished Middlesex (recommended by Blogarita), The Starter Wife, and The Memory Keeper's Daughter. Next on the list: The Devil Wears Prada. All of these are compliments of (my new addiction) to Bookmooch.com.

Okay, the boys are now listening to the narration of Dr. Suess' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (in which I narrated the part of Cindy Lou Who) that Dave and I made for Ella (Dr. Mike and Paula's baby) and Dave Steele just opened an $800 bottle of Grand Marnier that he told us was for his (now 5-year-old daughter's) wedding. Goind to be a fun (and rather intoxicated) weekend. Beautiful.

Thinking of you all now... I promise I will be around over the next couple of days to read and catch up on everyone's blogs.

Word... To your motha...

Back to the real world...

So, the vay-kay was a blast... And now we're back, to somewhat gloomy, although equally as hot and humid, weather. While we only saw a few drops of rain in Playa del Carmen, it poured for much of the day yesterday and is still looking like rain today.

And because I know that everyone really loves to look at other peoples' vacation pictures, here's a little photo essay of our trip

The waiting shots of tequila!

Parts of the beach outside our hotel weren't exactly the greatest for swimming... Ouch!

The view from one of the upstairs bars we stopped at in downtown Playa del Carmen.

Did you know that the second largest barrier reef in the world is located off the coast of Mexico? It is great for snorkeling...

Every night at the 24-hour beach bar, we were greeted by these Mexican racoons. They had no fear of humans.

The trip was a success... We actually made it through with no injuries while we were out of the country! That isn't to say that we didn't try... And so we return, tanner (or redder) to our normal lives.

I can't wait to do it again!

Please Leave a Message After the Tone...

Wednesday is the departure day for our trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

One full week of our toes in the sand and cocktails in our hands.
One full week of friends. (I'm sure I'll know more about them than I ever wanted to by the time we return home.)
One full week of no cell phone, no working, no laundry.

Life is beautiful.

**********

Last night, Dave, Dr. Mike, Paula and I figured that there probably wouldn't be any good Chinese down in Mexico, so we opted for take out for dinner. Dave performed his ritual of assigning the fortune cookies, using his mystical powers.

The cookie that he gave to me HAD DOUBLE FORTUNES!! Two little pieces of paper were stuck to each other inside the same fortune cookie - I'd never seen that before!

Here they are:

I don't think I've ever had a fortune that was as accurate as those!

**********

Sorry if I don't blog while I'm gone, but I'll fill you in on all the details once we get back. (Although Dave is insisting on bringing his laptop, so there may be a posting here or there to keep you updated on our progress.)

Here are the lyrics to Kenny Chesney's "Beer in Mexico" - - the anthem for our trip. This song has been going through my head consistently for the last three weeks.

Starin' out into the wild blue yonder
So many thoughts to sit and ponder
'Bout life and love and lack of
And this emptiness in my heart

Too old to be wild and free still
Too young to be over the hill
Should I try to grow up
But who knows where to start

So I just ...
Sit right here and have another beer in Mexico
Do my best to waste another day
Sit right here and have another beer in Mexico
Let the warm air melt these blues away

Sun comes up and sun sinks down
And I seen 'em both in this tourist town
Up for days in a rage
Just tryin' to search my soul

From the answers and the reasons why
I'm at these crossroads in my life
And I really don't know
Which way to go

So I just ...
Sit right here and have another beer in Mexico
Do my best to waste another day
Sit right here and have another beer in Mexico
Let the warm air melt these blues away

Maybe I'll settle down, get married
Or stay single and stay free
Which road I travel
Is still a mystery to me

So I'll just ...
Sit right here, have another beer in Mexico
Do my best to waste another day
Sit right here and have another beer in Mexico
Let the warm air melt these blues away

Down in Mexico ...

The Last Day

Today is the last day of vacation.


I sat poolside and finished my vacation book (Fall On Your Knees - watch for the book club discussion soon!), had a wonderful dinner at the Melting Pot with my family, said good-byes, and am now packing and getting ready for a 7:00 a.m. departure back to home.

How soon it is over... But, I must admit, it will be nice to get back to my own home and my own bed. You know how that is. I'll be back to my regular blog commenting by Sunday, so I can catch up on what your lives have all been like for the past week. You know you've missed me!

True Story

When we left the hotel room, we decided that we would grab a bite for breakfast, head to the beach and walk around down there for a bit, then head back to poolside in Ocala. The weather in Vero Beach was somewhat overcast and pretty windy... not quite beach weather.

Once we travelled the few miles to the coast, the sky had cleared up, although the wind was still strong. Tommy, Dave, and I grabbed our towels and reading material and made our way over the small hill onto the beach. We were determined to make the most of our proximity to the ocean, wind be damned.

We settled in and lotioned up. The lotion acted as adhesive for the sand that was being blown across the beach. We marvelled at the brilliance of the blue sky and the large waves in the surf. They must be at least three or four feet high, we commented to each other.

After a while, I suggested that we walk for a bit down the beach at the edge of the water. The three of us left our towels and headed down the small incline to where the waves slid up the sand and then receded into the ocean. The cold water shocked our feet; a larger wave soaked the cuffs of my capris. We watched several surfers and boogie boarders bob on the waves a bit further down the way. A swell would rise behind them and they would paddle furiously and hop on their boards, swaying to stay upright for more than a few seconds. The waves were large, but they were cresting to quickly for any long rides.

"I'm kind of tempted to go change into my suit and go in for a bit," Tommy said.

Me, too, I thought.

"Yeah, but we need to be in the car on the way home in about thirty minutes if we are going to make it home by the time everyone is expecting us," Dave reminded us.

I looked at Tommy and I looked at Dave. I decided to indulge my little brother. We walked out to the vehicle, got our suits, and changed into them in the bathrooms.

"I haven't been swimming in the ocean in several years," he told me. "That's part of why I want to go today, even though it will be cold. I don't know when I'll get another chance."

I like being the big sister that gives Tommy the opportunity to do stuff he normally wouldn't get to do. As we walked back up to the beach, I played with the idea of what would happen if something happened to Tommy and me while we were in the water. Would Dave say that he had told us not to go? Do people have premonitions if something bad might happen? I dismissed the thoughts thinking that even if people do have premonitions like that I felt perfectly secure in going out into the ocean today.

We ran into the surf, applying the theory that it isn't as cold if you just go in all at once. We jumped over the waves and began to dive under them as the water got deeper. We got out past where the waves were breaking so we could float along the top of the waves. It was too deep for either of us to touch. We treaded water and laughed as the waves picked us up and dropped us down behind them.

"I've never been in waves this big," Tommy said to me.

I toldd him about when I'd lived in Jacksonville and a time when I'd been in the ocean in San Diego and I'd gone boogie boarding and had ridden waves these big into the shore. I had to tell the story in short spurts, between the waves and between trying to catch my breath from treading water for so long.

"Let's catch this next wave and ride it in," I said to him. He nodded.

I began kicking my feet as the wave rose behind me. As the tips started to froth white, I stretched my arms out ahead of me and gave a couple big kicks before streamlining my body. About twenty feet closer to shore, I looked back at Tommy, who was still in about the same location as we'd started. I hopped along a bit and rode a few smaller waves in until I could stand in about knee-deep water and turn back to watch Tom.

I admired him as I watched him dive under another wave. I had been getting tired and I had needed to come in closer to where I could stand to catch my breath. Tommy, only seventeen years old and an athlete, had so much more endurance than I.

"Vi!" he called and waved, letting me know where he was. I waved back.

"Vi!" Tommy's voice came from behind a wave. I started to hop a little further out so he could see where I was. I wished that he wouldn't call like that; his voice was scaring me because it sounded like something was wrong.

"Vi!" Something wasn't right. I started back out into the surf towards him. I remembered a friend who had talked about her niece getting bitten by a shark on this very same beach.

His voice came to me again, "Vi!" I was close enough to clearly see his face now and I could tell that he was scared.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I reached him.

"No," he said. His face was white. His voice sounded like that of a child who has just woken from a bad dream.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't get in. The waves are too big."

"Okay," I told him. "It's okay." I grabbed his wrist with my right and and started pulling. "Come on, we're okay. Let's swim in."

We started swimming towards the shore. The waves were coming in shorter intervals now. As soon as we would get over a wave another one would be on top of us.

"Dive under this one," I instructed. As soon as we did, I could feel the turbulent water try to tear his arm from my hand. My head surfaced and my hair was in my face. With my free hand, I pushed it out of my eyes and gasped for a breath.

I could feel myself getting more and more exhausted. We couldn't reach the bottom. We couldn't relax and catch our breath. We were both trying to stay afloat and swim to shore using only one hand. At one point, I tried to release his hand so I could get myself high enough above the water to get a breath and see where we were. I stared up at the sky, grasping my brother's arm, kicking towards shore and feeling another wave get ready to push us where it wanted us to go.

Oh, God, please just let us make it to shore.

Finally, we reached water that was shallow enough for us to stand. We staggered toward the sand, waves still shoving us in the back, keeping us off balance. We held onto each other's wrists until we made it and sat down on the sand. I felt like I was going to vomit from the physical exertion. Tommy still looked scared.

I stayed in rescue mode as the lifeguard came down to check on us and then Dave walked down from where we'd set up camp. I guided Tommy back to our towels, where he laid prone, face inches from the sand. I took his pulse, rubbed his back, instructed him to drink sips of water. After he'd vomited sea water and orange juice from breakfast, we walked back to the car. His pulse had slowed, his stomach had settled.

As the immediate danger receded, the reality of the incident hit me. My lack of common sense had put my little brother in danger. Anytime I've been in waves like that, I've had a boogie board to float on in order not to get exhausted. Tommy isn't as experienced a swimmer as I am; I was on swim team for years, he plays soccer. He's never been in waves that big and I left him out there alone. I should've known better.

I shake my head in disgust on the drive home and blink back tears as I stare at the book I am trying to read. I am grateful that we both escaped unharmed, but I beat myself with guilt for having put him in that position. I should've known better.

Poppy Dogs

Every family has some type of delicacy that when others see it, they raise an eyebrow and think to themselves "eeeewwww..."

My family has Poppy Dogs.

They came by their name after my grandfather, who we called, of course, Poppy. Poppy Dogs are hotdogs, but the way they are prepared is what makes them special. They are also always served with real baked beans - cooked in the oven with salt pork, not out of the can.

They are delicious. They are also a staple of our menu while on any family vacation.

To prepare Poppy Dogs, simply slice the hotdogs down the middle and stuff them with brown sugar, yellow mustard, and horseradish and top them with slices of American cheese. Broil them in the oven until the tops get all browned and crispy.

I know it may sound odd to you, but they are delicious. I believe that they are unique to our family, but I guess it is possible that other people have something similar. You know that your family probably has interesting recipes like this, too... Admit it!

**********

One of my favorite things to do on vacation while lounging at the pool or beach or even inside on a cloudy day is to read a book. Some friends may remember a particular float trip when I sat at the edge of the river the day before the float reading a book. May sound dorky, but nothing says leisure and luxury like lounging with a book.

I'm having lots of time on this vacation to immerse myself in the current book that I'm reading: Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald. The book is excellent and it is the current read of the Check This Out book club blog. For those of you that are reading along with us, the discussion topics will probably be posted on the site by April 1st. Even if you've already read the book and want to add your thoughts, feel free!

Also, the next book we will be reading is Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. It was recently made into a movie that looks pretty interesting. I want to give everyone a heads up so if you think that you'd like to read along with us, you can get your copy. You've got plenty of time to find a copy and read it; we probably won't post about it until the beginning of May since we haven't even posted about the current book yet. The more the merrier over at the book club blog; please join us!

Spring training, sand, and sun... Here we come!

4:15 a.m. - ALARM!!! Blink eyes in the dark, try to convince self that getting up in the middle of the night is worth the extra couple of hours on the beach.
4:45 a.m. - Estimated time of departure. After loading up the HUMMER, Dave and I will head to pick up the other two passengers travelling with us: My mom and little brother.
5:15 a.m. - Hit the road, heading south and east. Dave will drive, the rest of us will sleep until the sun is above the horizon.
7:30 a.m. - Wake up somewhere in Illinois to Dave rocking out to Brooks & Dunn. Switch the radio station to XM Radio 28. Enter discussion about whether it is the right of the navigator or the driver to choose the radio station.
7:40 a.m. - Bathroom break. Give up on the argument about listening to my choice of music in the vehicle. Switch seats with my mom so little bro and I can watch "Talladega Nights" in the backseat.
8:45 a.m. - Fall asleep halfway through movie.
10:00 a.m. - Wake up when the car stops to add fluids to the gas tank and empty fluids from bladder.
10:05 a.m. - Resume drive. Restart movie.
12:00 p.m. - Meet friends Susan and Carrie, who are also driving to Florida, in Chattanooga for lunch.
12:45 p.m. - Offer to drive for a while to give Dave a break. When he refuses the offer, ask him if the reason he feels like he has to drive is a 'penis thing.'
12:50 p.m. - Pretend not to notice the silent treatment that Dave is now giving me.
2:35 p.m. - Stop for a fill up on gas. Wish that the HUMMER was a hybrid.
5:00 p.m. - Hit Valdosta, Georgia. Hit the wall. Curse ourselves for not splurging to on plane tickets.
5:30 p.m. - Revert to speaking to each other in only movie quotes. "But my lips hurt real bad!!!"
6:30 p.m. - After running out of movie quotes, revert to singing camp/drive songs. "Up in the air, Junior Birdmen. Up in the air, upside down!" (Hey... Is that song about the BirdMan?)
7:30 p.m. - Arrive local time 8:30 in Ocala, Florida... Where did that hour go anyway? Visit with grandma and other family members, eat dinner, and prepare for a week of rest and relaxation.

I can't wait!