Life at the Beach

After our vacation in May, we decided to try living at the beach for a while, to see if we would like it. I know, you are thinking, what’s not to like? But as is sometimes the case, when you live in a place for a while, you take things for granted and the gulf may not be as transfixing as it is while on a short vacation and a walk in the sand not so inviting. We decided to move temporarily at the beginning of July, to see if we could tolerate the heat at this time of year. John’s partner on the State Patrol, David, and his winsome, lovely wife, Sandra, have rented us their condo on Panama City Beach with an understanding that we would try it for a year. We have a balcony overlooking the beach and gulf and one day is so different from the next. The tides change the sandbars; the sea life comes and goes, as do the sun worshipers. We have had scores of new neighbors and groups and each is unique.
The first group were the little league play-off teams. There is a walk-over Highway 98 from the parking garage and the main building and it was filled with static in the mornings as the teams and their parents left for their game. But in the afternoon, as we approached the walk-over, you could tell by the slumping shoulders and the dejected gait that these were the losers and the skipping and yelping and flushed faces were those of the winners.
When we realized that we didn’t have to rush to go swimming, or read on the beach or play golf, we got into a slow and laid back routine. As luck would have it, the fireworks display on the 4th of July was to be on the pier close to our building. We grilled and sat on our balcony and watched the show in comfort, without having to leave. We decided that night that this is where we want to be.