Relax?

I just put this as my fb status...

To the spring blizzard that is causing no school: Since you are going to take a day away from our Easter break, I'm going to hide plastic eggs around my house tomorrow while wearing flip flops and sunglasses. And then I'm going to see if I can find them. Take that. I might even turn a lamp on and put my face under it.

My view out of my house right now.  It's uglier than a rotten strawberry.  Doesn't matter where I look.  The powers that be have already called school off for tomorrow.  That's serious.     

 
Here I sit.  Having a moment of --did that really even happen-- when remembering that last week these were my views and I was where it never blizzards.

Because this is my place where I tend to keep my thoughts, I'm going to do some vacation recapping because I want to remember all of the everything I experienced last week while on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.  For some, reading another person's vacation recaps might equate itself to watching paint dry.  For others, maybe it will provide an opportunity to delve into different for a few minutes.  Either way, I'm going to do it.  

As I said before that first morning, I grabbed my tennies and ipod and hit the sand.  Perfection.  It was perfection.  Then, I showered and was all, "What are we going to do now?  What are we going to do now?" while jumping up and down.  Everyone else was all, "Ummmm, well let's just hang out for a bit."  

That is an interesting concept to me.  Relax.  Hang out.  Chill.  Kick it.  Veg.  Roost.  Shoot the breeze.   Whatever you want to call that time where you just be is plain hard for me.  So last Sunday I decided to make a decision to relax for the day and not think I needed to see everything and meet everyone and do everything that first day.  

I had to tell myself approximately seven times in the first hour span that it was going to be okay to just relax.  And slowly but surely, I found myself truly relaxing and letting go.  Being on vacation...I was actually on vacation.  What a thought!

And besides a minor distraction time when I realized Sister Pister's sunglasses were completely reflective, I really did sit still.  Of course, it helped I was laying in the sun by a swimming pool reading. 

It also helped that everyone else I was with...

Which I feel I should step in here and say I was a lucky girl last week because my parents, aunt&uncle, and Sister Pister allowed me to creep in on their vacation.  I'm not always the easiest person to be around so I'm thankful they were ready to accept the challenge of being with me for a whole week.  I tried very hard to not be the Type A that I am and let others take the helm.  Sometimes I succeeded and sometimes I didn't.  But I tried.  

Anyways, it also helped that everyone I was with was also relaxing.  Playing games, reading, laying in the sun, whatever it was.  We all relaxed.  For the whole afternoon.

I even found myself sitting on a swing by a serene pond for a spell just watching birds and having a conversation with my uncle about growth and self improvement and letting go of control.  Swinging your legs back and forth and back and forth and watching bird after bird spread their wings and take flight is conducive to thinking and speaking reflectively.

Before I knew it, it was time to throw on some jewelry and head for dinner out.  Well, not before a brief moment of what I refer to as --hold the camera up to a mirror and snap to see what you get.  Sister Pister is never annoyed by me.  Never.  In all seriousness, it was so amazing to have a whole week to be with my sister.  Between both of our busy schedules, I don't think we have spent that much consecutive time together since we were 7 and 17.   

The whole bunch of us went to an Italian restaurant and the waiter and I immediately clicked.  He was a true southern boy and I got right in his business.  We even came up with a new pasta dish; I thought we should call it "Amy's Penne Zita" but he was pretty convinced "High Maintenance-oni" was the better option.  My high maintenance creation was just as good as his accent and that's pretty darn good.  Dad-o also ordered something that resembled a mini octopus and we all ate some.  Sister Pister dove right into that business and I had to give myself a little pep talk.  I must admit, it was tasty. 

On Monday after another perfect morning of beach running, coffee in the sand, peanut butter honey toast, and laying in the sun...the four of us ladies went for manicures and pedicures.   I tend to be indecisive when it comes to decisions that don't really matter.  Big decisions?  I can make those.  Nail polish color?  That's tough.  Sample testing was required.  I went with the pinkie color.

I always find it funny when there is a man doing nails.  And he really did not know what to do with himself when, after taking a picture of my aunt and Sister Pister,  I declared to the whole place "Mmmhmmm.  That turned out cute.  But, you are the cutest thing in here."  I might have been telling a little white lie, but I think it made his day.  He was flustery the whole time he did my nails but I figure he'll get over it.  Sister Pister and I also overheard a most hilarious conversation between two verrryy southern women.  It requires its own story; it was that memorable.  I'm saving it for later.     

Then, the men joined us and we all hopped on a boat for a harbor cruise.  Boat, water, sun.  Let's just have a moment.

I found the differences between one side of the harbor to the other side quite startling.

And I found my true dream house.  It called my name.  I heard it.  In actuality though, I'd be living on the other side.  Maybe they'd let me clean the floors in this house.  I have a lot of experience in that area.    

This dock here belongs to a man who owns his very own little island.  The whole thing.  Is his.  Well, isn't that just special?  He lives on Wall Street in NYC but pops down when he can.  Again, special.  He has a replica of the Statue of Liberty right off his dock.  Our boat driver man also said he throws amazing parties.  I wonder what one has to do to get invited? 

There were birds everywhere.  I mean everywhere.  Rare birds.  Used to be extinct birds.  Pooping birds.  I lost track really.  But birds there was.

After the afternoon on the boat, we once again cleaned up for dinner.  We went to Hudson's which is located right on the water and their specialty is seafood; while waiting for our grub, my inability to sit still kicked in and I popped outside to do some exploring.  It happened to be my favorite light.  The right before the sun sets light.

A picture can create an emotion.  My belief in that principle is strong and these stir something in me.

I went back in and took pictures of the food because it's what I do and the manager was wondering if I was doing a play by play or what.  Fish on a plate.  It was about the actual fish on a plate.  The whole fish.  On a plate.   

     
Momma Debi and I decided we would have after dinner pictures every night.  Isn't it everyone's idea of a good time to stuff yo' face and then pose for a picture?  I wish that Brother, Sil, and the kiddos could have been along because then Christmas cards for next year would surely be taken care of.  I also missed them; it was like we were a part-of family.  Wasn't quite the same.  And think of the Christmas card.    

Earlier in the day after the boat ride, Sister Pister purchased some Sperry "boat shoes" and she was pretty darn sure she would fit right in with the Hilton Head culture.  I'm pretty darn sure she could fit right in anywhere.

When we arrived back at the condo for the night, I put on a lovely southern skit.  Compliments of being around my very southern friend Shelby at work every day.  Let's just say I had plenty of material and the laughter was rolling, but the one that stuck for the whole vacation was saying, "Well, what had happened was..." in the best accent we could all muster up so it sounded more like this, "Well, wha haa-haaappened waaas." 

During a wild round of the card game Golf later on Monday night, Momma Debi said something witty like she always does.  I don't remember exactly what it was but I turned to her and said, "I heart you."  And without missing a beat like she always does she replied right back, "I liver you."  Then without missing another beat, my uncle said, "I large intestine you."

That's a lot of family love right there.  A whole organ system worth.   

Stay tuned to hear the rest of "Well, what had happened was..."

If you felt as if you were watching paint dry, I apologize.  Maybe you'll want to stop back next week.