Our Island

 

The people behind me in the line at the grocery store have been coming to Tybee Island for 14 years.

“We informed our children we’re spending their inheritance buying a house here,” the man told me, a smile in his eyes. I understand completely. I’ve all but begged my own parents to spend my inheritance buying a house here.

It’s a magic place, one that now holds five summers’ of memories for us. When my husband and I first chose Tybee for our tenth anniversary getaway, we didn’t know how it would capture our hearts. From the simple, cement-floored ice-cream shop where we first ate a burger, to the pastel-colored cottages that line the narrow roads, to the always packed IGA grocery with aisles too small for two carts to fit through, Tybee’s charm is in the small things.

I’m sitting on a wraparound porch, looking at palm trees, and somehow the island breeze and sound of cicadas enchants me. My feet are bare and still slightly sandy, even after a shower. Bikes pedal down the roads, sometimes with children attached in trailers behind. If there are college kids and parties going on, I never hear them.

I rode the waves on a boogie board with my 9-year-old daughter today, and collectively we decided we didn’t need screens for a happy summer. All we need is family, the ocean, sand in our toes, good books, and fresh seafood.

It’s year five of our trip here. We almost didn’t come this year, as we’re taking another trip later in the summer to the East Coast. But no one could imagine a year without Tybee.

Musings from the Woods

I wrote this ON PAPER while on vacation this past week. Enjoy!


I went to a pretty prestigious and expensive university (on a scholarship from the Baptists, for which they receive my lifelong loyalty). When I came home after my freshman year of school, I vividly remember one of my parents--likely my mother--telling me I'd turned into a snob. That some of that Rich Northern Girl mentality had perchance rubbed off one me.

While I don't think I'm a snob, I do fancy myself cultured in some things. I really enjoy good food and being waited on at nice restaurants. I full-out confess that I'm a grammar snob and bad spelling makes me cringe (hence, my job is perfect for me).

But being here in the woods, eating hamburgers and being disconnected from reality and the Internet, reminds me that I'm a simple girl. I really like weak Folgers coffee. I can eat a whole jar of dill pickles and I hate blue cheese. I'd rather have cherry coke than fine wine any day, and I love anything cooked in a campfire.

Life is good without pretentions. I hope I'll raise Libbie to just like what she likes, no matter what people think. I hope we'll go camping so she'll know the perfect taste of a Hershey-bar s'more. I hope she'll learn the pure joy of a few days of rest, pajamas, and no phone or Internet. I've sure enjoyed the revitalization.

Vacation Food

We're headed out to Gatlinburg tomorrow with my parents and sister. We are actually staying in "Scenic Wear's Valley," more toward Pigeon Forge. I am SO looking forward to it. Especially to this:



In case I haven't mentioned it one or, oh, 100 times, I am a major bath girl. I love my long, hot baths with a good book. And a hot tub is like a good bath PLUS extra goodness. I plan on spending a lot of time in that baby.

The great thing about renting a house, cabin, condo, whatever, is that there is a kitchen so you don't have to eat out every meal. Mr. V and I are bringing Pop-Tarts (only brown sugar cinnamon, of course--his breakfast of choice for the last 5 years), cereal, and strawberry muffins (assuming I do actually make them tonight). I'm also bringing all of the maple pork chops we made for my share of the Once a Month Cooking. That should be enough for all five of us and great to throw on the grill.

My mom and I have been going back and forth on other easy vacation meals we could make. I love these Aussie Meat Pies from Rachael Ray 365, but wonder if they are too heavy for summer fare. I keep thinking fresh, in season, grilling ... hmm. We don't have a grill at home so that's not my forte, but it sounds SO good for a vacation in a cabin in the woods.

So. What are your suggestions?

[P.S. For more food linkage, come back tonight/tomorrow for Family Recipe Fridays! I'm sharing an awesome summer cake recipe this week & Mr. Linky is back in business.]

Preparation

Instead of getting ready to leave for our cruise on Sunday, I am laid up on the couch with the worst cramps I've had in this pregnancy. The nurse swears nothing is wrong if I am not bleeding and that I need to drink water. That's great and all, but lady, I am in pain! And pain, Mr. Vanderbilt will attest, makes me EXTREMELY GRUMPY. And I don't think you want to see that.

While I would like to have the house neat and tidy and be bringing everything I could possibly need with me, I will be lucky at this pace to get a bag packed since I can't bear to bend over a lot. My stinking fifth graders proved once again tonight they are incapable of cleaning up after themselves and left me to stoop to the floor after their discarded Bible, pieces of felt, pencils, leftover literature, etc. I should tell their Mothers. That would be trouble.

Tomorrow night we will hopefully solve our car problem for at least two years. A $50 part every two years isn't so bad to keep the car running. Please join us in praying that this will work so I can stop having a mental breakdown every three days when said car won't start in the morning.

Despite my grouchiness, I am SO, so ready to leave on Sunday. We're going on a cruise and my entire plan is to bake in the sun and read tons. And eat. A lot!!