By Georgia Osten
Hurricane Katie and her four young tornados made landfall last Friday. Yep, the whole Kit and Kaboodle, with friends and family from as far away as Louisiana and Colorado joined in the excitement. Katie left the beach a few years ago for the final time, but it’s no wonder her heart is still here in the dunes and swimming in the Gulf for hours. She wears the old straw hat she’s worn for years.
The whole gang set up at the beach with the help of Uncle Tom and his two canopies, coolers and beach chairs. One of the nephews talked him into going back up to the house to get the kayaks. They cleaned away the dust and cobwebs and launched them out into the surf. Everyone using a kayak has to wear a life jacket, so the life jacket box had to go with them as well. Now, we hear a kayak has to be equipped with a whistle, it’s off to The Big Store to purchase whistles. Be sure to purchase a whistle for your kayaks.
We invited them over to the house for dinner on Saturday night. My plan was fajitas, the invitee list began with about 7 which was manageable upstairs. When the list grew from 7 to 17, I figured the addition of another table and 6 more chairs would work. When the list grew to 22, whoa!! We moved the group to downstairs, which wasn’t difficult with all the hands and arms to carry stuff down. Cooked more fajita meat and got more tortillas, threw in some hotdogs anyway for the kiddos, the lemon pound cake disappeared and little dixie cups of Blue Bell. It’s all good, hardly any leftovers, and the beer flowed, gatorades spilled, lots of full tummies.
After a day at the beach and many sunburned bodies, the group fizzled around 10 pm, they were off to their 2 bedroom beach house to sleep it off. Oh my goodness, reminders of the old days where everyone piled in, finding their space on the floor or hanging from the ceiling, any space at all to Hang it Up For the Night.
Safe trips for all as they wandered back home on Sunday. Lucky Katie with all those responsible kids! They’re now able to pitch in to help Mom afford a trip to the beach for a weekend. It’s called “good parenting Katie.” You’ve earned it!
GO’s Sand Bucket is only one beach bum’s journal of life at the beach, probably something each of you can relate to. Please feel free to email me with your thoughts, visions and/or feelings of just exactly what the beach means to you. Email: [email protected]
[7-22-2019]
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