Surfside Beach Bash

Surfside Beach... just the name brings back so many fond memories.  Some from my own childhood and even more from recent years with my own children.

 It always takes a bit to get me out to the beach.  I usually procrastinate with any excuse I can trying to avoid the inevitable sand penetrating every possible exposed piece of skin. As an adult I have always hated digging in the sand, sitting in the sand and now that I am older I can't stop the rush of panic thoughts in my head regarding exactly what is lurking in the water.  Top all of that off with the thought of sunburns, windburns, sandy wet swimsuits, towels and the pounds of sand laying in the floorboard of the car it's no wonder why I hate the beach.  It used to be so very easy to simply be the kid and have fun.  There was always someone to take care of the aftermath left from a visit to the beach, but now I am the grownup.  I am the one that must deal with the mess.  

Knowing all of this one may ask if I feel so strongly about a visit to the beach then why do I continue year after year to punish myself in such a manner.  The answer is simple.  Once I get to the beach and everything is set up the negativity seems to drain from my body.  It's as if the constant motion of the water crashing to shore grabs my sourness and pulls it back out to the unknown.  With each wave my body begins to relax and a sort of calmness that can't be described by words alone washes through my veins.

I begin to watch the kids laughing and running along the shoreline.  Overhead the seagulls begin laughing at me as if to say you know you like it here!  Pelicans fly past the horizon in formation occasionally taking a quick dive to capture an unsuspecting fish.  I draw a deep breath and all is good in the universe once more because after all another good memory will be created for all to look back on.

With so many people coming in from out of town to experience and share in  Nay Nay's recent accomplishment of her high school graduation I wanted the weekend to end on a good note and therefore the idea of a beach bash was born.  

That particular day the beach was actually quite crowded but we were all able to stake a claim to a small portion of the shoreline and quickly began to set up.  Please don't look to hard because the picture will look more like a mini van convention rather than a trip to the beach!

Throughout the day sand castles were built, waves rolled in and friends enjoyed each others company. 

                                                      

At one point or another everyone had a smile on their face giving a clear indication that the beach was definitely the perfect choice for a good time.

 

At the end of the day all was assured with a small message scrawled in the sand.  

I bent over to read it and knew that yes, it was another good memory at Surfside Beach!