on vacation

Naturally speaking, you would think that once I'm on vacation, I would blog and blog. For some reason, that isn't the case. In fact, inexplicably, I almost have a repulsion for the computer when I'm on vacation, or on short ones anyway. Perhaps a repulsion is too strong of a word, but for some reason I feel like I never want to go on-line, read a blog or write on my blog. Vacations are a time of isolation, not communication. Oddly enough, my sister is just the opposite.

Anyway, so I'm here. Actually, I'm in Maine, and probably the only reason I'm writing now is because it happens to be my last day of vacation, I'm using DSL, and most of my family is too much in the "early morning" mood to be fighting over the computer (well, if you can call quarter of eleven "early," but of course it's early for New Years Day).

We're staying at the condo that my dad's cousin generously offered to my parents (though I'm afraid he's not aware that most of the family hopped in on it too). Mom and Dad came up here a few days earlier, but us kids joined them just yesterday.

It was kind of hectic getting started on the road. First, I had to do nearly all of my packing right after church before we left. Second, Clyde and Kendra both happened to be all ready way before I was. So of course they decided to wait in the car while I finished up. Come on, I really did want to take my sketchbook, and then I need a book to draw from, I need a ruler, drawing pencils, where's my walkman? Do I have all my cds? Do I want to take the Sharpie? Oh, here's my book, my Bible, I better take some gold fish in case if we get hungry on the road--oh dear there's no time to eat lunch! Pick out the games Mom asked me to bring, now put them in a bag. Okay, so they both had to leave me to turn off the computer, turn down the heat, and unscrew the last candle light bulbs. Now which coat shall I take? Finally, I'm ready. I clambered into the front seat of the Jetta, and we rumbled on our way.

"Well, I hope you remembered an extra pair of underwear," Clyde said, completely joking.

Great. I just knew it. "Oh, that's what I forgot!" I cried. It was true, despite all my training in packing and my thorough job, I had forgotten something important, and we had to turn around. Fortunately we were only by the church, so it wasn't a big deal to just turn around and make a dash for it. But I'm afraid Clyde and Kendra will never let me live it down.

So after a two and a half hour trip we arrived at our destination. It was true, the view of the ocean was just lovely. The windows opened up a wide panoramic sight of the calm waves and the snowy beach right at our doorstep. And the mirrors covered over the opposite wall made us really feel like we were surrounded. We took a walk down the chilly beach, admiring the slightly rosy horizon, the ripply sand at low tide, and sea gulls dotted along the clear water.

Clyde consumed over a roll of film, but I just felt like soaking it in, as I practiced taking giant leaps over streams going out to the ocean. I did finish my roll though, and walking back I reloaded it. You see, when I was in Australia along the Great Ocean Road, sometimes I had to reload my film while walking at a brisk pace. So now I have the experience under my belt, though I was out of practice and I was wearing gloves. But as I snapped the cover shut, my eyes fell on the sand in front of me. And there I saw it. A sand dollar! Allow me to say that I have always wanted to find a sand dollar, but no matter how much careful scrutinizing of beaches I have done, I never managed to unearth one. In fact, it always seemed like someone else besides me was always finding one, but that is probably untrue. So the best I've ever done is when I found half of one in the pan handle of Florida, and I've treasured it as the closest I've ever come to finding the valuable token. So here it was, unlooked for, unthought of: my very own sand dollar! Funny how things turn up when you're not looking for them. . . .

We soon decided to go out to eat. After all, it was New Years Eve, and we were together as a family. Almost everyone was there, so why shouldn't we enjoy ourselves? But as we entered Old Country Buffet, who should we bump into but our Uncle Wally and Aunt Nancy! Talk about coincidences.

So then we went back (did I mention that we illegally put a passenger in the back of the Suburu?). But first of all, Craig called, at about two o'clock in the morning his time, and wished us a happy New Year, since we had tried to call him at his midnight. Isn't it odd to think how ahead of us most of the world is?

Of course we had a sort of watch night service as always. Haven't you heard that we're one of the only families to have church services on vacation? Well New Years is no exception. But we only went for an hour, then took a little over an hour break. Then the last few minutes we prayed together again, but at my request, Daddy released us to watch the ball drop. And I have never seen the ball drop. Most of my family hasn't either, though I might vaguely remember seeing it once. Are you shocked? You shouldn't be. After all, in my case I'm either usually in bed or in meeting. There's nothing shocking about that. But I must say that we were surprised as we watched it slowly descend--if it's "dropping," shouldn't it be a sudden thing? This slow meandering seemed kind of fake. Maybe they should call it the "ball crawl" instead. Doesn't it have more of a ring to it? But I guess it shows what lot we know. . . . .

Finally, we toasted with sparkling grape juice, and eventually, bed found us.