HOME AGAIN, AGAIN

I don't even like travel, but, since November I've been to Europe twice, Omaha twice, New Orleans, Michigan, Central Illinois, Virginia Beach...

It seems there are perpetual stacks of clutter waiting to be sorted, cleaned, stored, or thrown out. Clean clutter. The kind that accumulates when you are packing or unpacking; getting ready for a trip or digging out from under the stuff you brought home. And, I cart way too much stuff with me wherever I go, accumulating more even as I distribute the gifts and return the borrowed items.

This time I'm supposed to be home for a week. The good news is that we originally had planned a 2+ week road trip with CA ending in Central Illinois for his mom's shoulder replacement (which I'd mis-heard (been mis-informed-?) was to be a rotator cuff repair) and me ending in Michigan with my sister, JL. We've had some good spring days together in the past few years visiting nurseries and planning our perennial beds and annual blooms.

Anyway, sometime during our week at the beach we decided to head straight home for a few overnights before going our separate directions. CA was home for two nights and I managed four in a row. It was a gift. We had so many responsibilities and balls-in-the-air the weeks prior to leaving for the beach, and it felt so good to re-center ourselves in our home environment with some time to connect the dots, make the phone calls, and clean up between the journeys. We both arrived home late yesterday afternoon, and the clutter is definitely our stinking-like-a-fish-after-three-days house guest.

Of course rather than planting the new perennials in our newly cleaned-up landscape beds this morning, I convinced CA to move some furniture around... Sneeze, cough, blow your nose. Where does the dust come from? I distinctly remember a thorough cleaning not too long ago.

This is where we're starting from in the master bedroom.

Many of the changes DV is suggesting are contingent on other projects, so timing is imperative. While we were able to begin to re-arrange the master bedroom as she suggested,  we have not yet ordered the new twin beds that will comprise a much lower-profile king bed configuration than our existing tester queen (with too tall mattress). We can already appreciate that our bedroom appears much larger; can almost imagine how the visual space will open up when we move the tester bed upstairs and our bed is an appropriate height.

We moved the armoire that holds storage baskets and our smallish flat-screen along the same wall to the other side of the bathroom door, on a 45˚angle, as DV suggested--freeing up the space at the foot of our bed. We first thought we wanted the armoire flat against the smaller wall section, but quickly realized that the angle allowed for a visual appreciation of a lovely piece of furniture. The decorator knows best.

And, the two natural pine 4-drawer chests we used as nightstands now exist side-by-side with our smaller tables serving as nightstands. This allows for several improvements: a) our plantation shutters are now fully operational, not blocked by the nightstands; b) we have the option of putting our flat-screen back into the armoire (after we move the cable connection) or on top of the wide-expanse created by these side-by-side chests; c) CA's clutter ends up behind the closed-door on his nightstand instead of on the floor and around his chest of drawers; d) once the new beds are in-place I get to shop for a better nightstand for my side; and, e) the sight-lines for t.v. viewing are vastly improved. To be completely clear here, CA usually lays across the bed with his body in a semi-twisted position in order to be able to watch t.v. in our bedroom, and we virtually never watch t.v. when we're in bed at night.

The wing-back chair is destined for the new morning room (ex-dining room) and we can already tell that my beloved leather recliner will fit nicely into the corner of our bedroom. The leather is wearing well, and I can envision the chair as an excellent addition to our bedroom. It looks comfortable, well-loved, and appropriate. Just can't move it in yet until the 60" round table in our dining room finds a new home, making way for the two wing back chairs.

We're getting our heads wrapped around our redecorating plans, realizing we have to move slowly and have a number of things in-place before we hire the guys to move the furniture around the house for us. And, I'm making some additional decisions about what gets re-purposed and what gets replaced.

This is a HUGE PROJECT, which we'll work through as we can afford, taking our time--with the help of DV--to get it right.

TRAVELING HOME FROM THE BEACH

We have to check out by 10:00am, and we do. Everything was already packed from yesterday morning. We're making a stop at Starbuck's on 31st and then we'll drive north on Atlantic to Ocean Drive and follow the signs for the Hampton Roads Tunnel, rather than taking the closer I-264 entrance.

We're especially happy that we chose this exit route, as it brings back memories of when we lived here and of other vacation journeys. There are lots of familiar sights and much that's new and improved. We're always a bit nostalgic as we head over the causeway and into the tunnel.

The drive north on I-64 is tree-lined and lovely. We've not planned our stops, but end up making a quick, fruitless, visit to Williamsburg Pottery in Lightfoot. There's just not much here anymore; there's also a sign saying that by 2012 there'll be new and improved Pottery Factory shops...

We haven't eaten today, so owe find a BBQ place in Williamsburg, Red, Hot and Blue,  that turns out to be a great choice. I opt for a pulled-chicken salad (mixed greens, veggies, and chicken), while CA can't resist the pulled pork.

Our next destination (besides home!) is Chap's in Charlottesville. Yes, we stopped here on our way down to the beach. This ice cream is the best! The best! Definitely worth another visit. We both are loyal to our previous choices from last week and last year--peanut butter and chocolate for me and some sort of pralines and pecans for CA. YUM! and double YUM!

We decide to stop for dinner at a steak house near Beckley, WVA and then have the energy to press on.

We'd hope to drive to Huntington, WVA, as that's been a good sort-of-halfway spot for us, but we surprise ourselves by making it as far as Gallipolis, OH. Our iPhone GPS suggested that we take Rte. 35 toward Dayton, and while its definitely a secondary route, we follow it just for some variety in our travels.

After just a few false stops, we locate a Hampton Inn. Our room is a king, and outfitted for business travelers--meaning there's an urban vibe with dark woods, white linens, and a smashing spa-like bathroom. A great find!

Funny, I'd just read today in the NY Times that many hotels are opting for shower-only bathrooms, having concluded that most travelers prefer showers. Then, we check in at the Hampton Inn in Gallipolis and find it has just a shower, no tub. A coincidence? I think not. I'm always amazed how these things follow...

We're very thankful for this lovely room tonight. We really only need the basics, but for a few dollars more we get this experience instead of the Super 8 just off the highway. Worth every dollar.

I do, though, manage to dampen the experience by indulging in... wait for it... Almost an entire box of caramel Crunch 'n Munch. A stomach ache. Really. Bloat. Ugh-h-h. Why do I do these things? I've even been planning to cut out high fructose corn syrup (and gluten, which doesn't really apply here (although they do sneak gluten into unlikely things)).

Guess what the number one ingredient is Crunch 'n Munch is? You don't have to be a genius to know: high fructose corn syrup!

O.K. I mean it. Tomorrow is the re-start of my commitment to Weight Watchers. No more fooling around. And, I'm really going to watch out for gluten (which settles around the waist and hip areas of middle-aged women) and HFCS. No matter what the ConAgra advertising blitz campaign says, I'm becoming convinced that high fructose corn syrup is deadly to overall health and vitality. CUT IT OUT!!!!

FRIDAY AT THE BEACH

CA and I start the day by packing up our studio--we'll stay in the one-bedroom unit tonight.

We squeeze about as much into this day as is possible, heading to Pocahontas at 8:30am where we indulge in a fantastic breakfast. We love this place. It's clean, and friendly; great food and wonderful service.

We're determined to spend more time at Croatan Beach. The sun is shining, the sky is blue; and both kiddos have decided they love the beach--surf, sand, and waves. When asked, two-year old LE says her favorite thing this vacation is, "Putting my toes in the ocean!" Took her almost a week to get down off her daddy's shoulders and stick those toes in the water. She still likes to be holding hands, although today JA encourages her, "Let's do it by ourselves."

We're checking for rental signs on these beach-side homes, but find only one with a realtor's name and number. Several others are for rent by owner. Maybe we need to check-out Craig's List. I also think that many of these homes are year-round residences. We'd love to rent here another year.

We have a couple of hours of delight before JE's family needs to pack up and drive back to D.C. They have an early Saturday flight, so will stay in an airport hotel tonight for convenience.

CA and I have ambitious plans for this afternoon, but actually veg-out in the condo, reading and napping until late afternoon. Don't want to waste our last hours at the beach, but we've already done quite a bit today.

About 5:00pm we decide that the sangria at Johnny Manana's sounds very tempting. We're not sure about our dinner plans, but this is a fine start. CA orders the red sangria, but I had a visual the other night of the white and was intrigued. I'm not disappointed. They've lightly flavored the white wine with pineapple and a hint of tropical spices. Lovely.

We eventually order bruschetta, and then decide to get a pizza. We're sitting at the ba,r and staying put has become our favorite option for tonight's entertainment.

A very fine week at the beach. There are many things we didn't find time to do, and places we'd thought we'd go; but, the reality is that we enjoyed our time and feel that each day was perfect. Just the right mix of activity and down-time, with an emphasis on down-time. We were never bored. There're always the sounds and sights of the ocean waves to lull and amaze.

THURSDAY? ARE YOU KIDDING? WHERE'D WEDNESDAY AT THE BEACH GO?

UGH! If this is really Thursday, then that means JA and LE have to leave the beach tomorrow. NO! It's too soon. We've barely begun to run and giggle, and chase the waves.

We loved our afternoon at Croatan Beach yesterday. Both kiddos finally fell in love with the sand, letting it envelop and encrust them while giggling and shouting. Croatan is a quieter beach than the Boardwalk area. The houses are spectacular, in the way real-lfe family houses should be. We want to move in. Almost any house will do. Can we rent here next year? Can we walk to Grommet Park from here? Can we stay here 24/7/365?

I was explaining to four-year old JA that we were going to a new beach. That OBC is on Virginia Beach, and we were taking a short drive to Croatan Beach. He said, Actually, this is Atlantic Beach. Well, technically this beach is on the Atlantic Ocean... I dropped my argument deciding to be impressed that he knows about the Atlantic Ocean. He remembers so much of what he's told.Today he informed his daddy that he wanted to go into the sea.

Last night CA and I hung out in 711 while JE and MA went to dinner at Catch 31. It was raining when they left, and then there was a downpour. Good thing the concierge has umbrellas. They enjoyed a fantastic dinner and a couple of hours of relaxation away from the kiddos.

I've been waging war on the smokers. There're smokers on both sides of our room. The guy in 702a blatantly smokes in his room and our shared foyer reeks of stale smoke. On the other side--703--they smoke on the balcony, which I guess is legal. But, they leave their putrid ashtray on the balcony all the time, and our large window overlooks their balcony! A very weird set-up.

We've had the maintenance people up two different times and they spray Febreze and apologize. We think that's as far as the management goes in trying to curtail the smoking, because it continues. The rules state that if you smoke in your room, you'll be charged a $250 fee for ozone treatment. Seems like 702a has decided smoking is worth $250 for a week.

I'm pretty sure that smoking in hotel rooms is controlled by city of Virginia Beach statutes, and I'm guessing the hotel management has a duty to police it. I'm not that much of a rabble-rouser, but if I was to be here for more than a week, I'd be having serious discussions about smoker-containment with the OBC management. Definitely has dampened our desire to buy a timeshare here.

Today has been perfect weather-wise, and activity-wise. The kiddos are very happy here, which keeps the 4 adults very happy, too. I told CA there'll be tears tomorrow, and he said he hoped I wouldn't cry for too long... JA and LE are NOT going to be ready for a 5-hour drive back to D.C. They love it here.

Each day we've ended up at some point in time at Starbucks at 31st and Pacific. The kiddos are still naive enough to be satisfied with a cup of iced water with a straw... This morning I actually had 4 shots of espresso before 10:00am...

Some mornings we've eaten a simple breakfast in our rooms, and some mornings we've breakfasted at Pocahontas--where we'll begin our day tomorrow. Some days we've had a restaurant lunch, and some days we've skipped lunch and opted for an early restaurant dinner. Every day we let the choices ebb and flow, with the moods and needs of the kiddos. We've spent very little time shopping, and very little time in the cars. We've had tons of beach time, and just the right amount of kid-time.

No complaints. We're having a fantastic beach vacation.

Today has been great vacation-wise. CA and I started our day at Starbucks with the NY Times and espresso. The rest of our crew caught up with us at 9:30am, but it took us until after 10:00am to secure our surrey bike for our ride down the Boardwalk. The bicycle rental place outside the OBC just never opened, and the one at 31st Street had to be negotiated with to get the pricing competitive with what we've paid in the past. Still, traveling down the Boardwalk together pedaling that surrey is one of the most fun group activities of our week. It gets us where we want to go, entertains us, and we even get a bit of exercise with the pedaling.

We had lunch again today at 11th Street Taphouse. The location is perfect for Grommet Park and our biking expedition, and the food is very good.

IF THIS IS TUESDAY, WE MUST BE AT THE BEACH

Threats of rain, but the skies co-operate and give us lots of sunshine with short periods of overcast. Looks like a storm is coming, but none does.

We all go again to Pocahontas for breakfast. YUM! I have the Eggs Benedict Florentine this time, while CA has a humongous stack of pancakes with pecans and tons of whipped cream. LE chooses waffles, while JA has sausage links with pancakes... The sausage links being the important part. The food here is wonderful. A ton of breakfast, and a fun start to our day.

We fly a kite and blow bubbles on the beach. Soon the little ones are at the indoor pool with their mommy and daddy, while CA and I cheerlead and take photos. After baths, LE settles in for a nap, while CA and I take JA shopping. We're looking for a blue suitcase on wheels and some bakery cookies. We strike out on the suitcase--after checking out WalMart, TJ Maxx, and K-Mart. JA is complacent, content to wait until we find the perfect blue suitcase. It doesn't have to be today. He's very patient for four-years old... At least this time he is.

We go to Farm Fresh to check out their bakery; finding a variety of cookies. JA ponders a bit and carefully carries his choice through the check-out and all the way home. He gets lots of smiles and comments in the lobby and elevator, which totally embarrasses him so he turns his back to the people and faces the wall in the elevator.

By 3:30pm we're on our way to RockFish for an early-bird dinner. On-street parking is available, but confusing. The signs seem to contradict themselves. RockFish is on the beach at 16th Street, and is Beatles themed--guitars, photos, and Beatles memorabilia. The sound system loops their music, and when Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds plays, LE says, "It's me in the sky with diamonds!"

MA has a crab cake sandwich, JE has pulled pork, CA has a grilled and blackened tuna sandwich, and I opt for a Mandarin orange mixed green salad, with goat cheese, crispy chicken, and a honey mustard vinaigrette. LE gets her favorite mac and cheese, while JA surprises us all by ordering a fish sandwich. A fine and fun meal.

But, it's only 5:00pm and we've already had dinner! We decide that the early-bird special pricing works best for two people--buy one entree, get the second 1/2 price. When you're paying for six, you hardly notice the savings. And, while this earlier dinner time seems to fit the little ones' energy cycles, it brings the day to a close rather early.

Tonight I'm happy to have some downtime to read and watch t.v. CA hangs out with the kids, and keeps watch when JE and MA head out to Haagen Das for a treat. I end up having to call the front desk as someone is smoking in a nearby room (a no-no, for sure, that'll cost them $250 if they're caught) and we have stale smoke polluting our room. A maintenance guy shows up with some Febreze and we have to decide which smell is worse... The Febreze scent soon dissipates and the air is clearer.

I never get tired of the sounds, smells, and visuals at the beach. I love, love, love the ocean. I would love to be near the ocean 24/7/365.