Stop Laughing

Ok, the SB and I enjoyed our vacation immensely! Except for this one teeny thing. About twenty minutes after we got there, after we had unloaded and embarked on our first foray onto the beach to check out the scene, er... I got us stuck in the sand. I didn't realize it, really, as the SB kept saying "you're going to get us stuck in the sand," and "don't stop!" and it was counter intuitive to keep going so I just got fed up like any half of a couple who is unhappy with being told how to drive, and said, "ok, you drive" and I stopped the car, not realizing I'd already gotten us stuck. Luckily, someone drove by and bailed us out. Unfortunately, while he was pulling us out via the rear of the car, the force of the sand pulled the bumper off the front. You can see that it fit in the trunk so we could take it to the shop the next day.


(Ok, stop laughing.) SB was driving and I was watching from a few yards away -- she looked over at me when it happened -- and said she hadn't seen that look on my face since the glass dining table fell over and broke while we were rearranging the dining area several years ago.

STOP laughing.

BTW, this is the part where I mention just how absurdly light such a piece of a vehicle can be. I lifted her entire bumper with one hand. Effortlessly. I was surprised that it didn't just blow away in the coastal breeze.

So, on the first day of our vacation we spent a couple of hours handling that.

We landed a handsome silver Chevy Silverado for the rest of our vacation -- a behemoth of a vehicle for which we must never reveal our enjoyment. We turned it in for a Pontiac Grand Prix (better on gas mileage) and drove the Pontiac home.

Uh, yeah, this means we have to go back to get the Veedub.

We think Zeta had a good time but we can't be sure. It was her first trip away from home without other furry friends, and her first visit to the beach. Do you think she enjoyed it? We think she enjoyed the truck -- a safe haven after being made to swim in the gulf.



We spent a day at The USS Lexington, as I had never visited the ship, even though I go to the coast every summer. Interesting... but not as fun as shopping. I ate french fries I hadn't tasted as good since I visited my sister in Germany. I loved those things, but I digress -- what do fried potatoes in Germany have to do with the USS Lexington, really? Nothing.



There's a great Pearl Harbor exhibit. People were so much smaller, even in the '40's, than we are now. This is a uniform donated by a tiny real live WWII soldier.


Zeta and the SB.



I surprised the SB with the necklace below before we left. FINALLY, I surprised her with a gift. She usually gets me -- but this time I am pleased to report, I trumped her in the surprise gift department. Not that you can see it above that hysterical shirt.


The trip was good. Very good.