2010-07-18 - 3:14 p.m.

I am still very tired.

We had a lovely day at Bethany Beach in Delaware.

I am grateful for Pocahotas who had promised to take the kids to the beach and insisted on following through.

She had intended on taking ALL the kids during the summer for a day trip.

Instead she took the oldest two and I for the excursion yesterday as we all agreed it was a good idea to have a day of rest after the drama of the week.

I actually read a stupid novel by Nora Roberts much of the day. It was theraputic.

Although I admidt the interest in it when I found it on the $3 clearance rack at Borders really is as the protaganist reminds me of my Ex, and the fact the story is about a controller who dies and STILL controls what happens with his family by leavining it to all three of his daughters is rather amusing and funny and entertaining as its TOTALLY the kind of thing the girl's Dad would do!

Also amusing it takes place in Montana and the dude is a rancher.

I thought it was absolutely ironic when we got a post card in the Mail from Katerina's good friend (who had been her teenage boyfriend) that he "arrived in Missoula!"

Made me laugh heartily that he is in Missoula Montana of all places! (Considering that LAST Aug that was the location of my now Ex's excursion when he had the Match profile seeking Women in Montana on his vacation last summer he had been acting so weird about! I figured out the source of his weird behavior...seeking a fling! )

Although they are not teenage loves... (which makes all their parents happy actually... such great kids and wise to know they are no ready really for that and the pressures of being a "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" in this day and age in 11th grade I think were a reason for the break up and back to BEST FRIENDS!); I look forward to Katerina's "friend" and another girlfriend of theirs coming to visit us here in August.

Once again it will be fun in the summer to have the teenagers in our home, with friends to show around D.C.

We will definately have to make time for the Kayak tour of D.C. which the International Guests loved.

The beach was a great escape.

Pocohontas wanted to leave early AM (as in shortly after midnight Friday after sleep) in order to avoid the Friday night traffic jams to the beach, and to get their early and enjoy the peaceful calm of the EMPTY beach.

I have to admit that was a GREAT PLAN!!

I did have to get over the initial anxiety of the thought of driving that time of night. Never had that particular anxiety before but after the accident of my beloved Marine who was hit at 3am by and 18 year old driver on HIS night drive to N.C just 22 days ago; my initial fear and panic was understandable.

But as Pohohantas was doing the driving I decided to submit and go on the trip.

I am glad I did.

She insisted it was her gift to us to bring us which was lovely. We ALL NEEDED IT!

So we arrived around 7am and enjoyed sleeping on the beach much of the morn, reading, swimming and relaxing.

It was fun to see the transition of a calm beautiful beach to the bustle of the tourist crowd come in.

It was fun to comb the beach in the AM and clean up what random trash we found and collect random found items that resulted in a take home of beach toys for the little ones. Two buckets, a variety of toys the highlight of which was a tiny donkey.

We got more laughs playing with the found "ASS!"

It was a great source of play therapy for US ALL DAY!

Pocohontas was hilarious and said at the onset "I am going to take a day for ME TO ACT LIKE I AM 5"

The "MINE MINE MINE" developmental phase...

The one we have joked that Westely is stuck in.

So Katerina and Soren and Pocohontas had a blast literally PLAYING IN THE SAND as if they were little kids.

I read while they delighted in the wind down and fun.

It was just a nice needed day to DO NOTHING on the beach!

I was struck by how TIRED I was at swimming in the ocean. I don't remember it ever being SO HARD to swim.

I am just drained at this point.

WE enjoyed the WHOLE DAY and then ended with the highlight of ice cream at an ice cream shop that had THE BEST CHOCOLATE MOOSE Cake with coffee liquor enrobed in dark chocolate.

It was just WONDERFUL with a cup of cofee!

The others had ice cream and after a fabulous day we drove home- leaving at 11pm.

The ride home was puncutated by long naps for the driver.

I was HAPPY about that as it is MUCH SAFER.

She laid down for a nap and when waking later seemed annoyed I had NOT woken her after a 15 minute cat nap.

I just COULDN'T

With my Marine friend fighting with every bit of passion and determination he such a strong stubborn person is- HAS TO RECOVER

Which I KNOW HE WILL DO

I just was NOT going to wake her after only 15 minutes to drive.

So we got home at 6am. ( I think it is a 4 or 5 hr drive)

Sleeping in the car does not hurt anyone. Falling asleep at a wheel or being tired and not at your best peak responsiveness when there are OTHER DRIVERS OUT WHO ARE NOT ALERT FOR WHATEVER REASON IS A DANGER.

We got home and I went to bed at 6:30 AM and awoke at 1:30 pm.

My big effort of today will be to go to church this evening and write a letter to the homeowners association to get pool passes issued for our household.

WHOO HOOO!! Our new home has the use of a pool!

It really is wonderful! Nice pool and nice playground and orchard next door so until they give up the fight and submit paradise should not become a parking lot for a little while...

It is a GREAT HOUSE!

I am SO THRILLED.

My realtor rocked! She found me this 4 bedroom home that was Bank Owned and therefore they really just didn't know enough about this particular market. They ran a zip code search and listed it as HILLSBORO!

I made an offer the day it went on the market, sight unseen as it was so clearly listed at a good $20,000 LESS than the homes here have been selling for at open market.

It again seems nothing less than miraculous to me to be in this home now and to consider the purchase price and my mortage payment and how amazing it is!

The decision to make that offer sight unseen was the best I made !

I had already looked at three different townhouses in this development and knew what they looked like.

I am SO BLESSED as I ended up with the largest floor plan of living space with four bedrooms and four bathrooms.

Three are full bathrooms which WE REALLY NEED!

What is best of all is that ALL THE KIDS without exception have said they like this home BETTER Than the other one we were in!

They all LIKE the coziness of it.

I PREFER that it is NOT TOO BIG as it makes it easier to keep track of the girls and know what each are up to when I am cooking or otherwise occupied.

The downsize was a good thing.

We have a nice backyard and back porch and it was perfect for the birthday party- Just big enough and easier to keep track of everyone and manage. I LOVE THE FACT IT IS FENCED!

I think I am ready for another nap before church.

Nice weekend of sleep.

Boy I NEEDED THAT!

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