Happy Birthday to me and oh what a week celebrating and vacationing. It is such a good time to get away. With Fiscal Year End and a holiday when our constuients really don’t want to engage….and a great time to “go home”. Putting this post in themes:
Books- reading in the surf is an all-time favorite
thing…and I really enjoyed what I was reading. It was our book club’s “classic”
The
Shell Seekers by Rosemunde Pilcher. For me it was a treat to visit England,
explore family tensions, a walk back in time , connection to art, and I found
the writing truly lovely. I look forward to our discussion! I’m not really sure
it is a “classic” but that lends itself to discussion for our club!
I bought the next book- The Lost Year by Katherine
Marsh at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth! It is such a fun beach shop…it seems
silly but a true highlight of any vacation is spending time in an independent
book store finding the next read…FYI this was is in the middle read section…it
is our YA book.
I’m lucky I can read in the car and will enjoy wrapping up
vacation lost in this tale of history and family.
Family time and Beach Time-Mom and Michael hosted us
so well- dinner party with their friends, hard shell crabs on the porch,
soaking at a friends’ pool, Peter helped with some yard work, dog cuddles and
play time, such a lovely setting!
Sarah hosted us part 2- what a treat to go to the beach with
family. Once upon a time this was a regular part of summer, I’ve missed it. Of course not the same without Matthew and
his girls but that makes us want to be more deliberate in our planning for the
future. Mom took a room on the boardwalk
as we were out of room at Sarahs. It
made it easy to remember fond memories of childhood trips to this area and we made
new ones. I’ve been told how crowded it
is over the holiday there and they’re right – I might recommend September for
our next visit. But I loved it…the morning stroll and as I said above…being on
the beach is a treat- talking. The day
prior we were in Delaware at a lovely cove/jetty with a picnic- heaven!
We wrapped up with DC time and Clare and Caroline time. For my
actual birthday we were in DC for the Nats game and soaked up time together. We
missed our Sally-camp duty calls – proud of her. Praying for the devastating news from Texas
and the flash floods, it is just horrible. Life is so fragile, the continuum of
nature’s wrath, beauty, nurture and destruction has saddened me so much.
Golf!! VACATION- ahhh- we played the beautiful and
special FHCC to kick things off – meeting Mom there on Sunday. Joe and I found the links in Delaware on our
way to see Sarah. It is fun to try new courses, be out with Joe and delight in
progress.
Food! Of course…crabs…great restaurants..Nicoboli…..cocktail
hour and appetizers…being around the table together…Oysters a few times… We wrapped
up the trip with breakfast at Callyourmother in DC- picnic table, perfect temp…and family dinner next door when we returned!
Friends- the week started around a beautiful outdoor table
with delicious food, dear friends and transitioned to many cheers floating and
catching up…Thank you April and Amanda for donating a party for mission,
pivoting it to summer fun and all that came and spoiled me.
Social media makes bdays all the more fun- the messages and
posts were such a treat. AS were phone calls (SALLY) and texts…I’m richer than
rich….luxury…..the book has a beautiful discussion about luxury and what it
truly is and my birthday week certainly defines my understanding of mine….to
have so many memories connected to so many good people in gorgeous places and
be able to feel it like the beauty of a cool soft pool, floating carefree, the
smell and taste of the ocean at the beach or slurping an oyster…this is luxury
and using all of the senses is a key component Rosemunde!!
This is a great week, not only because of birthdays, mine,
our countries, celebrations but work is at a place where disconnecting a bit
easier…The week has lessons and reminders, delights and conversations that
matter.
Now on to 57, to a new year, to the rest of summer. Pictures below inspired by the highlights above…
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