Hopefully by the time my pecking hits some of the evilness around the world have been stopped or at least lessened. While it seems like some things will never end we can only hope for better times to come and somehow keep faith in something bigger than our mere selves. If you’re reading this and have a loved one in pain please know prayers are being sent.
Being time once again for the celebration of my latest trip around the sun, (I still wonder how the heck they all came and went so swiftly) my thoughts have turned to previous such occasions…
My idea of a perfect birthday dinner is shrimp and mango enjoyed on a lawn chair wiggling my toes in the Atlantic Ocean somewhere in the Florida Keys. I have been so very blessed to have done just that more than several times sharing my elation with loved ones. Sometimes freaking said loved ones out…through no fault of my own.
The time I jumped off the opposite side of the snorkel boat as everyone else to avoid Michael – as in “Michael stop!” “Michael don’t!” “Michael sit down!” “Michael stop jumping on everyone!” alone in my own quiet world surrounded by little fish of every color I noticed a movement in the corner of my mask. Hoping to meet a sea turtle I slowly turned my head and came face to eye with the biggest shark I have ever seen! In the ten seconds before I almost drowned I watched his eye look me up and down. Totally forgetting how to swim I flailed my way back to the boat and a frantic husband.
It was my sister-in-law who freaked the year we read the poster listing the fish we might see snorkeling around our campground and learned the fish I had been playing ‘you move forward and I’ll move backward’ all afternoon was a Barracuda protecting its nest, one of the meanest fish in the ocean.
I can’t say I actually freaked myself out the year we were once again camping at Bahia Honda, possibly my favorite place on earth, and rushed to grab a coffee and my bike to experience the sunrise on the other side of the island. My ever-helpful husband reminded me I have enough problems walking while carrying something and he didn’t consider it a good idea for me to try riding a bike while doing so. Remarking he should consider pulling his ever-present hat down over his mouth I situated myself on the bike, coffee in hand and pushed around the corner…promptly wrecking and covering my left arm and leg with coquina road rash. Since it was our last day there I only had to wear the sweat pants and shirt for one day. But never had to hear “I told you so”
My sister’s birthday is close to mine, so one year we arranged a sister weekend in Key West to celebrate. Coordinating dates is the problem with Carol and I doing anything together, on this particular year our August birthdays were held on the end of October. I can only promise we did not have any inkling that’s Fantasy Fest week. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall the first time a couple walked past us clad only in body paint, our expressions must have been hilarious! Stumbling on the seemingly mile long line of mostly naked, but oh-so funny and nice, fantasy costumed party goers we overcame our embarrassment fairly quickly… mostly by keeping our eyes at head height…While Carol and I stayed fully clothed the whole trip meeting and spending those moments with them turned out to be the highlight of our trip. I think this was the first time her kids and my kids got together and agreed we shouldn’t be left alone together.
These and memories of snorkeling with grandkids, jet skis with my kids, my daughter-in-law’s use of the Robert Doll in dealing with my smart alack son, most of my family sitting around a fire late into the night will probably have to do me this year but Carol and I are already planning next year, with no intention of advising our kids.
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