vacation half over

In the previous post, I stated that this vacation (the one I’m taking this week) is the first one I’d taken in 18 years without children.  That was not quite true.  This is the first vacation Someone and I have taken together without children in that many years.  Someone has taken a few vacations with his parents or just his dad, and I went by myself to Ireland to visit Sarah when she lived there.  That was probably the best vacation I ever had in my life – lots of adventure.

 

Someone seems a bit restless here without children to occupy his time.  We played golf four days straight which has been great fun, but today he is feeling under the weather with a cold.  He didn’t get up early and run like he usually does.  We went out on the beach for a bit and thrashed around in the waves for a short while.  I sat and read a chapter of my book, but left him asleep on the sand and came back up to the room.  I get bored sitting on the beach, it’s hot, and there’s nothing much to look at besides water, sand, and sky.  Well, and people too…but they all look the same after a while.  Anyway, I don’t want sun exposure doing something that’s not even that much fun.

Yesterday, we picked up a rental car to drive and delivered Someone’s wreck to a place to be towed away.  Now Someone is getting more serious about finding a new car.  I’m loving our rental – it has XM radio.  If I were not such a tightwad, I would subscribe to XM radio for myself.  There is nothing but country music, rap/hiphop/crap, and religious programs to listen to in our area.  I just don’t bother to turn the radio on anymore…there’s no point, really.

Golf has been so lovely this week.  We found a couple of courses very close to where we’re staying (less than 10 minutes away).  These are infinitely better courses than where we usually play at home – so much better maintained, real sand traps, water hazards are marked, rough is manicured, etc., etc….I could sing praises for hours about both of them.  These courses are very expensive to play in the morning, but in the afternoons when it’s too hot for most people, either one costs little more than the course we usually play at home.

The rough is not so rough

What do you suppose is my most favorite thing about these courses?  You might guess the water fountains with chilled water on every other hole, or perhaps that the golf carts have GPSs installed on them, or perhaps the lovely flower beds beside the tee boxes.  These are all features I marvel at, but my favorite thing of all are the friendly and unusual squirrels.  They are looking for a handout and are not a bit shy to come right up to you, sit up on their little haunches, and wait for you to toss them something.  Well, we have no snacks to offer, but even so, they are just very cute little rodents.  Until this week, I’d never seen black squirrels with white noses.

South Carolina squirrel

 

Our condo here has a king-size bed.  It’s easily big enough for three people to sleep in without ever having to touch each other.  I’ve been thinking how nice it would be to have a king-size bed at home.  Gracie usually sleeps between Someone and me.  Most of the time, there’s enough space for all of us, but sometimes we find her stretched out perpendicular to us with both of us being crowded off the bed.  Gracie growls if Someone tries to move her (which pleases me infinitely for some reason).  When I push her to a better place, she goes limp like a dead dog.  It’s kind of funny.  I love that dog.  Our bedroom is just too small for a king size bed, anyway.

The girls report that Gracie is grieving with me gone.  She sits outside on the porch and watches for our car.  They have to make her come in, and encourage her to eat.  If not for Someone’s expectations about vacation, I would have gone home days ago. 

Sweet Gracie