The Aftermath of Callie and Arizona - Volume II

Summer On The Shore Part IV

Callie's POV:

Why is it that vacation days seem to fly by when most work days feel like they are twice as long as they should be? 

In fine form, our trip to the coast that year was doing what I expected and was cruising by at what felt like, breakneck speed. It was already Wednesday morning and we were at the halfway point in our time away. Don't get me wrong though, I was happy for the time that we had spent at the beach thus far, and for what was still to come.

By now, we had all settled into a groove around the rental house. Our mornings and evenings were spent together as a group, but during the days, we all just took things as they presented themselves. Generally we'd hang out around the house and go for walks on the beach, relax on the deck, play games, watch movies, you name it. We were all living a hedonistic lifestyle and were loving it.

Becca and Anna showing up early had been a wonderful surprise for all of us, but especially for Sophia. Since Anna's arrival, Sophia and her friend had become inseparable. And, they were enjoying their week of slumber parties for sure. They played catch quite a bit, among many other activities. Statistically speaking, they probably did everything they could possibly do, during their vacation on the shore.

With Renee's help on Monday night (the Optometrist was our chef for the evening) they turned our dinner into a, "restaurant." It was very sweet and definitely showed what a patient and kind person Renee is, as the two girls directed her while she worked on their menu. She would tell our group later on, "Our daughters were tough, but fair." From my vantage point, they seemed like task masters, but Renee handled it with grace.

On Tuesday, the group of us decided to drive to the largest city on the Pennisula and its namesake, Long Beach. My description of the city is very stereotypical of most coastal tourist destinations along the Oregon and Washington coasts. It is filled with tacky tourist gift shops for cheap souvenirs, an arcade, lots of restaurants and places to grab sweets and snacks. Mixed in, you'll find some art galleries and other businesses that locals frequent.

One of the cool things about the Long Beach Peninsula, is the fact that it's the longest contiguous beach in the U.S., at about 28 miles. The first time I saw the beaches in Washington during my residency, it surprised me. 

As a girl that grew up around Miami, my idea of an ocean beach involved palm trees, light colored sand and warm, blue water. Tourists on my hometown beaches were everywhere and as far as you could see. Washington state beaches were vastly different I quickly learned when I moved.

The coastline along Washington, Oregon and Northern California are very similar in terms of their landscape. Generally, the beaches tend to have more rocks, and sometimes jagged coastlines and the water is freezing! On a good day along the Oregon and Washington stretches, we are lucky if it gets into the 70's. So, the water never has a chance to warm up in the Summer and forget about playing in the water in other months. Prolonged exposure will give someone hypothermia in record time.

Still, despite how inhospitable these beaches sound, they are truly some of the most incredible landscapes I've ever seen. There is an innate beauty to the rugged terrain that makes me feel at ease when I'm a part of it. It has it's own symphony of sounds and can show a person all types of weather, all in the same day at times.

I know Arizona feels the same way I do about our coastline, and in years past, we've loved coming to stay in December and January when the rain dumps and the winds howl. It may sound strange, but there is something romantic about being snuggled safely by a fire with the woman I love as we've storm watched over our years together.

It was just after 10 am that Wednesday morning. Breakfast had already been long consumed and cleaned-up by that point. I decided to take a shower after breakfast and then got dressed for the day. After returning to the main level, I surveyed the kitchen to find something to drink. As I was rummaging through the overly full refrigerator, I managed to find a sparkling water that I immediately opened and took a sip from.