The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

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Otherwise known as, My Summer Vacation


The Good?

We drove to Grand Haven, Michigan a day late.  It's beautiful there.  Seriously beautiful.

The beach was postcard perfect.  The water was heavenly.  Just cool enough to avoid being a bathtub, just warm enough that the kid's lips never turned blue.  The waves were gentle, the sand... the sand was fake.  It had to be, it was clean and soft and identical-  curving down the beach into infinity.

The town of Grand Haven is populated by gardeners.  I think you have to have pictures of past successful flower gardens before they allow you to buy property.  Just walking to the beach was a treat because I got to ogle beautiful houses surrounded by flowers while walking in the shade of gigantic beech trees.

The locals thought it was a hot weekend.  I can only wish for such "hot" weather.

Poppa and Oma were a treat to get to visit.  They fed us well and took us on tourist outings.  Their dogs enjoyed us, their cats (barely) tolerated us.  Now that I know that Oma is a perennial flower junky christmas gifts will be oh, so much easier and fun to purchase.

We walked to the center of Grand Haven where my 8 year old discovered Nirvana- a toy store that was all things wonderful.  Wooden machine guns that fire rubber bands- cool!  $49?!?

I think not.

I did discover a new toy that was (much) less than $49 and almost as cool- it's a kite that fits in a small pocket sized zip-up bag.  Even my 2 year old was able to get it to fly.  It doesn't have any sticks or rigid parts so the whole thing just folds up.

I love kites.

Poppa and Oma had a wagon for the little boys that Poppa pulled everywhere we walked.  I hope I'm that fit when I'm Poppa's age.  It was perfect.  My 4 year old was able to save and expend all his energy playing in the waves and running after Poppa's dog.  In fact all weekend my 4 year old did an amazing imitation of a child without any health problems.

The Bad?

My 2 year old.  My small Master of the Universe did not spend the weekend behaving in a way calculated to win friends and influence people.  Oh, and he decided that while in the state of Michigan sleeping at night was superfluous.

Not to mention that unlimited access to grapes is not the best thing for a 2 year old's digestive system...

The Ugly?


Stomach virus- part II.  Sunday morning in the wee hours my 14 year old got sick.  She seemed better by van loading time.  We absolutely had to leave that morning- my 18 year old had to be home for his work.

And then?  and then...

Well let's just say that more than one member of the van became ill.  Pass the bowl.

I've lived for 43 years without being in a moving vehicle with ill people.  Wow!  What a blessing I now consider that 43 years.

 A 10 hour drive with vomiting people and the only other driver too sick to drive.  At one point I started laughing.  What other viable choice did I have, besides insanity?  Insanity wouldn't have gotten us home.

I'm glad our exchange student got to see more of the country.  Only think of the valuable cultural lessons she learned: extended families and how Americans behave while sick.  I wonder how her summer vacation essay will read.