Monday, October 12, 2009

secret beach

My Sunday got off to a rocky start because a certain fool child of mine foiled the plans I had for a really good lunch. I won't bore you with all of the gory details, but suffice it to say that items complimentary to a certain bowl of leftie chili were purchased during a hungry, post-gym grocery run, yet what did I find upon my return? Someone had helped himself to the chili, which is annoying but forgiveable... but then he didn't eat it, and instead of putting it back in the fridge for me or any other person on this earth to enjoy, he put it in the sink where it was promptly filled with water. I nearly killed him. And then I yelled at him for telling me that he'd used up all the halloween blood and we needed to buy more. I angrily told him that he was a very wasteful person and suggested that he steer clear of me for a while. At least until I found something acceptable to eat.

Later, the kids cautiously approached me and asked if we could go to the beach. I assumed that this was a peace offering, because my kids know that nothing soothes a savage mommy like sand between her toes by the big, blue sea. Then they reminded me that last weekend I had promised that the very next time we went to the beach, we would set out to find the secret beach.

I might be mean when they eat my chili, but I'm usually good for a promise. So we parked at the beach in the usual spot, but instead of ambling down toward the sand and surf before us, we headed south in search of the secret beach that my boy had visited one day when he was at the beach with friends.

We started off toward the pier


and then continued right past that bad boy, pausing to look back at our regular stomping grounds


Secret? Yes. Secluded? Not so much. This area of the cliffs was crawling with peeps, perhaps due to the conspicuous absence of booze prohibiting life guards. And me without my cooler.
.
While we traversed the moon-like, criminally damaged cliffs, my boy eagerly described the passageways we would soon encounter. I was dubious.
.

But then we arrived here...


and emerged here:

The Secret Beach!


Always strategizing, these two
.


What a great spot. So what if it is just as easily reached by street and staircase ... our route was so much more adventurous! The kids swam and jumped and scrambled and gave me heart attacks and then went back and jumped some more. It was a really special, unexpected afternoon.

We celebrated our triumphant return with fish tacos, fries, and a screwdriver.

Chili? What chili?

4 comments:

  1. So Green here in Central PAOctober 12, 2009 at 6:46 AM

    oh JEALOUS can't even begin to describe my feelings right now...did you have to end it with fish tacos?!?
    that's just cruel and unusual punishment for someone stuck in central PA with neither a body of water nor a great, local mexican place in sight!
    I now believe that I would be a much better mother if all my frustrations with stupid child errs could be followed by an afternoon like yours...
    I guess I should tell my kids to start saving their $$$ 'cause we need to spend their teen years in San Diego! :)
    (just make sure my 9 yr old doesn't end up with Beth's 3rd grade teacher)

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  2. Oh, Jacquie, I love this. I love the Secret Beach! What a great day. Except for your lack of a cooler. What up wid dat? What has happened to you?

    We had fish tacos yesterday, too, with leftie blackened mahi-mahi from our big anniversary dinner out on Saturday night. Is there anything better? No, there is not.

    I'm so glad your day was salvaged in such a spectacular way. Maybe your boy had it all planned it. Maybe their strategizing on the beach was about ruining Mommy's lunch next weekend as well, forcing her to take them on another fabulous outing.

    Smart kids.

    Ellie

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  3. The secret beach -- what a good mama!

    I dread the day the girls start edging in on my lefties. My husband is already making it difficult, competing with them too? I'll stand very little chance.

    Nice photos, J!

    Beth

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  4. Yes, it's a pretty beach. But you wouldn't get me into that rockhole for a million bucks. I'm getting a little queasy just seeing the photos.

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