A blog post.......

Wow, it has been ages since I have blogged... not counting book reviews. I guess I just haven't had anything to say. At least nothing I want the general public to read, nor would they want to.

Today I turned a day older. #42. At this stage of my life, that number doesn't just represent another year lived. To be brutally honest, I view myself as a failure, and each year that comes is just another signpost to remind me of that fact. But enough morose talk.

I started out the day by reading several birthday greetings from facebook friends. A nice gesture, and it made my day. Sadly, I have already opened all of my gifts a day early. I got some clothes and books... what more could I ask for? ;-) Also sadly, I work today on my birthday. There should be a law against such things......

But on the bright side, today is the last day I will work for a little over a week. I leave tomorrow afternoon for a week at the ocean... The Outer Banks, NC. I and my parents will travel to Breezewood, PA, where we will meet up with my little sister, her husband, and my three nephews. We will travel together to a motel in Maryland, where we will spend the night. On Saturday, we will head on to North Carolina and meet my other sister, her husband, and my three nieces somewhere and have a 3 mini van caravan the rest of the way.

Traditionally, we stop around Nags Head at a really cool Ben Franklin store. It isn't your average BF. They have all kinds of souvenirs and things pertaining to the beach. A pretty cool place to shop. We will most likely eat in that area.. pizza is on the menu from what I hear. Then we will head on to The Outer Banks.

The vacation house we rented, Beach Haven, has 6 bedrooms, 4 1/2 bathrooms, game room with a pool table and Foosball table, a private heated pool, and a hot tub. We will be joined from Saturday through Monday by my cousin Barry and his wife, Dorsie, and their family: twins Bowen and Brianna, age 16, and Barry's other daughter,  Natasha and her husband, making a grand total of 19 of us under one roof for three days. Not sure where everyone will sleep. :-) After the cousins leave, we will actually have an extra bedroom, as all 6 of my nieces and nephews will be in one bedroom. Hopefully not too close to mine.... ;-)

This vacation we take is pretty much a glorified fishing trip. If my one brother-in-law couldn't fish, there would be no ocean vacation. The same might hold true for my dad.... but I am still happy to go, though I am not much into fishing. Not enough to pay to fish. Nah. It is enough for me to sit on the beach and view the might and beautiful ocean, walk in the sand and feel the warm sand under my feet, watch small crabs scurry for cover, see shells lying on the sand, feel the cold ocean lapping at my feet as I walk along the edge of the massive body of water. It makes me want to stay and open up a small shop on the beach.

And of course read. I usually get a lot of reading done at the ocean. I have at least 10 books, possibly more, that I am taking, and will most likely read all of them, or at least most of them next week. Some of them while sitting on one of the decks on the house. Sounds like paradise.

Beach Haven.... I may not want to leave.