Category: Life at the Shore

Sights on my early morning walk before work:

1) Winter pale arms and legs finally exposed to the sun (mine)

2) Bare feet finally walking along the ocean’s edge (mine)

Sorry…will leave you with a better visual  😉

I wrote this post in 2011, and decided it deserves a repeat on Father’s Day 2013 .

Thinking of my father today.  He worked 6 days a week, so Sundays were a sacred day…at the beach.

My dad was blessed with hardy Irish skin that turned dark brown in the summer months.  Sunscreen and the giant yellow umbrella with the lethal metal pole were for the rest of us who just freckled and burned!

My mother laughs when decribing all of the equipment hauled to the beach, along with 4 little girls: a large playpen (even heavier than the massive umbrella), beach chairs, buckets, coolers, etc.  And of course, my father’s fishing gear.  At a certain age, my sisters and I were permitted to walk back to the house to retrieve more food and beer for the grown ups (wrapping the beer in foil to trick the lifeguards??)

The Sunday tradition continued with the next generation.  My sons enjoyed beach days with “Pop Pop” and followed the rules at the end of the day: 1) “call” your turn for the outside shower, and 2) hang bathing suits/towels on the line.  All beach items were thoroughly rinsed, set in the sun to dry, and of course, neatly stored by night fall. Even though we grew up by the beach, sand was NEVER permitted in the house!

Long beach days are an ongoing family tradition.  My father’s rules are now enforced at my house (I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown the day this picture was taken…I am my father’s daughter!)

The love of the beach…and family time together.

Thanks Dad.

A beautiful Saturday following a few days of unsettled weather.  We were rewarded last night with a double rainbow!  Enjoy the weekend…

South of 96th Street in Stone Harbor, the warning spray painted along the dredge pipe is consistent: “Danger Keep Off”.

Except on the surfing beach   🙂

Conversation during a social gathering with a group of summer neighbors- after introductions and mentioning which house is ours:

“So where do you really live?”       “Here.  This is our year round home.”

“Even in the winter?”           “Yes, ALL year.”

“Wow (with a confused look)…well, where are you from?”       “Here.”

“No, where are you from originally?”       “Well, I grew up in Avalon, and my husband was raised in Wildwood.”

“Oh.”  More confused looks.  Another neighbor intervened and confirmed that there ARE people FROM here….she has even met a few 😉

I love Twitter.  It has become my go to source for breaking news, on the scene insight, and an interesting (and funny) perspective of the world.

You can sign up just to follow others- there’s no requirement to “tweet” 😉

And you can use a fictitious name (like the very clever @HonestToddler, written from the perspective of a 2 year old).

Visit Twitter.com to learn more.  You can search by interests (news, entertainment, sports, etc).  And of course…follow me!  @AnnDelaneyBeach

The reality of close quarters in a restaurant setting? Listening to the conversations at adjacent tables. We weren’t trying to eavesdrop tonight, yet hard not to with only 2 feet of space between us.

Our ears perked when the subject of living on the island year round was discussed by a large group nearby. Entertaining to hear the reasons why they would or would not consider living here full time.

I’ve often said that local residents are either envied…or pitied 🙂

Sure, I sell and rent seashore homes for a living…yet these views REALLY seal the deal 😉