Travels over for now..
This is a BIG country. Driving half-way across this land illustrates that very clearly!
We rented a mini-van to fit all our long-legged boys and to make the trip more comfortable for DCs poor back.
I didnt pay much attention when the rental guy mentioned they were giving us free up-grades. We were already getting an incredible deal over the fourth of July weeksimply because DC is the UPS guy for the car rental place–and they love him.
So about 20 minutes down the road, the boys discovered that we had a DVD player in the van. We had already packed some moviesthinking that there may be evening time on our trip for the boys to vege in front of a TVso there was much elation from the back seats. Later on, DC discovered that we also had satellite radiowhich made him very happy. (We listened and sang along with show-tunes.) I simply loved the beautiful country we were passing through and the long stretches of empty road. The trip was relatively painless over all.
When we arrived at last in this stunning placewe were greeted by most of my adored family (which is heaven enough for me). We missed our brother and his family with pangs of emptiness throughout the week. Our niece Amber had just had delicate hip surgery and could not be moved enough to make the trip. Although we had a memorable and mushy time together, it just wasnt the same without their presence. We sooooo missed you guys! Ouch!
I think I could honestly say that we could happy at a Motel 6 if we were all together–but this beautiful house right on the ocean that J & C own, was truly astonishing.
Here is a view from the deck with a few of the teenager cousins.
We spent time whale-watching–and saw one breech VERY close to shore! I was worried it would get beachedbut I guess they come in close to shore to sun themselves.
and wave jumping
and beach bumming (and girl-watching….)
..and sand-writing.
We had time to read–
..play–
and relax.
We ate, played cards, did puzzles, and talked deep into the night. Wait. Did we do much talking? It seemed more like helpless fits of ugly-laughing as Sue calls it–as we spent late-night sister time regressing back into our childhoods.
We watched fireworks all along the beach for two nights in a row. We wrapped up against the night breeze in cozy blankets and (oh heaven!) cuddled with the excited little ones on the deck chairs. Four year old Ellie was so enamored with the fireworks she exclaimed Santa must have made these!
We rarely felt like leaving the beach housebut did take a three-car excursion to the Aquarium for an afternoon of fun wandering.
These jellyfish were totally mesmerizing to watch—just awesome!
And this Puffin was a total charmer. Very funny antics.
But mostly we felt like being together at the house. We took long walks on the beach, the boys enjoyed the hot-tub, we had lazy talks on the deck or around the dinner table, and all was wonderful. All week long we appreciated the fact that everywhere we looked we were freshly delighted to see a loved one.
The teenage cousins as the little ones called them, were very dear with their younger cousins and spent quite a bit of time with them. The light of adoration was endearingly apparent in those young faces as they gazed up at the older boys.
And when it came time to leave, it was so sweet to see the older boys pick up their little cousins and give them huge affectionate bear-hugs.
It was a week that went too fast. It always goes too fast—and the leaving each other continues to get harder to do with every year that passes. We all dream of living closer together someday but how it could ever happen, we just dont know.
So we said our tearful and gradual goodbyesand felt the painful waves of sorrow and gratitude that deep loving brings.
It was wonderful. Thank you, dear ones.
Much love to you all.
:)xo
Adagio
Oh, I am just green with envy! That looks like a lovely vacation!
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Oh, Welcome Back!!!
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I love this, I just love this. My family is hoping to gather at Christmas time, but I worry that we won’t make it happen out of sheer laziness. I miss them so.
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Fabulous! What a great beach house, and a wonderful vacation with family 🙂 Hugs,
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The Perfect, Idyllic life!! Lymmmm!
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It sounds and looks absolutely marvellous! You’ve given me holiday-fever now, can’t wait to get away!!
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Thanks for sharing such a great vacation so generously!
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Your life is so very beautiful! 🙂 Be well,
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Will you adopt me? Just for the week at the beach house? Please??
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What a fabulous time! How wonderful to have time to spend with those you love so very much.
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Wow… that is a GORGEOUS place to be! What a bunch of cuties too. It’s really nice when people choose to all get along for a little while. : )
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What an amazingly wonderful place to spend a week and with such lovely company.
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LOVE that fireplace!!!! Great home, great beach, great family. **HUGS** RYN: Nope. My friend will eventually forgive her brat daughter, so my mouth remains shut, but I had to put it somewhere, so I put it HERE! 🙂
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Kairs~ As always, you capture the magic and poignant moments so well. We are the fortunate ones who have so many people to be lonely for. I miss you ~ I love you. P
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you seem to have captured some really memorably and precious moments from your journey. Very nice.
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ah it’s just like a dreamy vacation to look at the wonderful pictures. and those leather chairs look divine, I am tempted, but I expect cats and leather chairs dont mix. alas!
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How weird are we ODers, huh? This entry MADE ME CRY because we could have been there. Sigh… I am SO SORRY we didn’t at least call. I meant to, but I can’t even remember what HAPPENED to make me be that forgetful. I wanted to go, but Jim didn’t think we could swing it with all our other commitments. I was mad at him and he knew it too. Bah.
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OK, why don’t I know what you are talking about when you say Boxers Box? Did I get dumped off the turnip truck at the turn?????
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I am so glad that you got to spend time with your wonderful family. Thank you for all of you very kind notes…love, Dana
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ryn: thanks. as long as i’m not stinking! heh. it’s so good to hear from you again. glad you are back.
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OH, THOSE Boxers!!! I wonder if any of her noters are friends, like you and me are here on OD and could be a coconspiritor?
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…you didn’t say nothin’ about no jigsaw puzzles! 🙂 What a wonderful photo essay this was. I have to ask…what was the temp like during the day. I seem to see lots of long pants. I’m glad you had a wonderful time. Does your sister live there year round?
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What a perfect family holiday and in such a perfect setting! I really enjoyed the pictures of some of your highlights!
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Let me know…I’m so in. And I have dibbs on the SpongeBob shorts I spotted today.
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Ryn: I am nowhere near London, but am close to Leeds, which is where the bomnbers lived and planned the attacks. Explosives were found there and a controlled explosion carried out. And I am very close to the third biggest city in the country which has been targetted by (other) terrorists before. Though I still think the risks are low compared to, say, getting hit by a bus or having a heart attack!
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Oh and Madagascar and air conditioning are both great things!! Especially in combination right now!!!
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And RYN: Thank you for your note. All safe and well in my camp. I think London was very resigned to the fact it would happen at some point and seems to just be getting on with it as it does, the rest of the country is being far more disrupted now as the police move foward with astounding speed gathering imformation on the culprits compared to the attempts at tracing bombers of old.
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Everything is magnificently beautiful, the landscapes, the children, the house! What beautiful stay you made… You make photos as a professional, I admire your knowledge a lot. Thank you for your note full of wisdom, what you say comforts me a lot..Much love..
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So, so sweet. A perfect holiday for everyone. You are very blessed, Adagio. I thought of you several times at the Country Fair. The costumes were fabulous — more than I took photos of — you would have been in costume heaven. Thank you so much for your supportive notes and concern. Love,
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A truly wonderful story in pictures and words – memorable days made by memorable people. Your family amazes me. If only all families had hearts as close as you family’s has. I envy you in a positive way. We have a slightly lesser version of closeness in our family, so happily, I also had a mini vacation on the 10th at the beach with one of my sisters and dozens of our nieces, nephew and their kids
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RYN: about how long we’ve had our diaries and your average on entries. You’ve got your priorities straight -who is the success artisan? Hint she’s not Canadian. I have posted a couple of portions of the giraffe painting. The scanning bed’s too small so you can’t get much of an idea of the overall effect, just a hint. http://opendiary.com/entryview.aspauthorcode=C101744&entry=20153&mode=
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Thanks for sharing these lovely, lively (or even calm) pictures! It’s almost like we went along with you! I don’t know how I missed this entry, before…. Love the puffin and the fish, too! 🙂
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we missed you too. love JJ
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