So, tomorrow we depart for our trip to Rosemary Beach, Florida in that state’s panhandle. We stayed there last year with our son John and his wife Erika and grandkids Isaac and Abby. We loved it. In fact, we loved it so much that before we left, we reserved a place for this summer, where we’re headed on Friday.
Rosemary Beach is a planned community. Owners use their homes in the winter and rent them out to people like us in the summer. I am sure they make out well.
The facility is well-policed and maintained and has a marvelous community pool—huge—where you can lounge poolside, play with the kids in the water, visit the snack bar, and indulge in adult beverages (no glass containers, please). Within the community a golfcart transit system is available (no charge) to shuttle people to the beach. And what a beach! The sand is snow white and the water is delightful (80 degrees). Last year, we alternated between the pool and the beach, hardly getting enough of either. Just wonderful. Within the community, there’s a village with shops and restaurants. But nothing is more popular than the ice cream parlors, at least reliably so for our grandkids.
The houses are well appointed and stocked with all of the cooking devices one would need, which is good since we plan to cook-in most evenings. While the restaurants are great, they are also expensive. So, the parents and grandparents (two sets this year) will each do two nights of meals and all of us will make a trip together to a seafood place we like one of the nights during our stay.
So, what does an old Colonel do with his time at Rosemary Beach?
0600: Stumble to the nearest cup of coffee. Read scripture, check news.
0630-0730: Go for a jog, however in my case it’s more like a fast walk…
0730-0830: Breakfast with the family and grandkids, while the latter instruct us on their priorities for the rest of the day.
0830-1200: Do what the grandkids want.
1200-1300: Lunch (somewhere).
1300-1500 (planned): Hide from the grandkids in hope of a nap.
1330: After a brief discussion, do what the grandkids want.
1330-1500: Play at the beach or the pool
1500-1530: Return from the beach or pool.
1530-1630: Hide from the grandkids.
1630-1700: First round of adult beverages for the evening.
1700-1930: Dinner.
1930 -2030: Help put the kids down for bed.
2030-2100: Read bedtime stories to the grands.
2100: Realize they have fallen asleep during the story that already put me to sleep.
2130: Nightcap….
2200: Hop in bed, say prayers, open my current read, and read three pages until my face collapses in the spine of the book…I hate pages stained with drool…
Overall, I love every minute of this. Next week, I’ll fill you in on our trip, gas prices, what people are saying and thinking, interesting events along the way, and what actually transpired despite out best plans.
In the meantime, order a copy of my book. If you don’t like it, I’ll buy it back from you. But I’m not worried about that. You’ll love it. Really…
Hope you’ll be off on a vacation soon!
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