Annual Beach Vacation #mypredictablelife

Our rental house in Southern Shores, NC.

This is our first beach vacation without my mother-in-law. You may recall that she died only a month after we returned from the Outer Banks last summer.  We wondered if it would feel strange to be here without her energy and humor, but it's not.

Not really.

Well, maybe a lot.

In any case, we are at the beach.

Edgar Allen Poo is with us, of course.  At home he sleeps with my father-in-law, but here at the beach house he is sharing a bed with Josh and me. The first night we were here, I reached down to tenderly pat him before I fell asleep and was rewarded with a sharp nip to my hand. I'm suing, of course. Edgar's defense attorney pointed out that he has arthritis and is tender in certain areas, but my lawyer countered with, "Well, April had much WORSE arthritis and never ever EVER nipped anyone in her entire life. GOD!" 

I will let you know how it turns out.

Oh, and fyi, in case you wanted to know how the doggie diapers are working, they're NOT. So now we're just taking Edgar outside every 30 minutes or so to try and prevent accidents. With mixed results, I might add.

Sophie and Edgar. She's a huge help with him, fyi. He's a damned pain in the ass.

When I am not catering to Edgar's every need, cavorting in the ocean with my family, or eating something delicious that #1 Future Son-in-Law Paul has prepared, I am usually getting my ass kicked playing Boggle with Emma and Nathanial.

I think my score in this game was 27. Nate's was probably around 90-something and Emma likely topped 130. Brats, both of them.

Emma encouraged me to download the Scramble app to my phone, which I did, and now I am obsessively playing Scramble and getting my ass kicked there, too. Any minute now I will uninstall it in a huff and reclaim my life.

We had some excitement last night when #2 Future Son-in-Law Nate, who was gallantly helping my niece and her girlfriend get the coals going on the grill, stepped on some stones that had been super-heated by the charcoal chimney and sustained serious burns on the sole of his foot.

IT WAS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY AND I LIVE FOR THAT SHIT!!!

I may have gotten a little bit hand-flappy, I'm not sure.

I know the basic first aid for burns, which is immersion in cold water for at least 15 minutes. But I was certan this was a 2nd degree burn (large blotchy white areas, blisters forming quickly, foot swelling).  Small 2nd degree burns can be treated at home, but this was 2/3 of the sole of his foot. A little hand-flapping followed by some swift Internet research revealed that this injury required professional medical care.

Josh and Emma took him over to the urgent care center where they inspected, bandaged, and prescribed. He came home looking pale and in a lot of pain, but seemed to relax when the pain meds began to work their magic. He has to go back in this afternoon to have the blisters cleaned and scrutinized.

Oh, and may I just say? Nate was cheerful and uncomplaining throughout it all. Apologetic even, for causing such a fuss. I love that boy!

More developments as they occur.

Josh and Nate goofing for the camera in the waiting room. Picture courtesy of Emma.

Comments

[Tina]

Sorry to hear about your future son-in-law. I hope recovery is swift.

For Edgar, have you tried a wrap? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=22906&cmpid=01csegpl&ref=6111&subref=AA&CAWELAID=743635388&cagpspn=pla

There are a couple of dogs in the family that use them and they seem to work pretty well. They're used with disposable liners that can be tossed if there's an accident.

[Margaret]

Dang--it sounded so calm and peaceful there until the medical emergency. Due to my situation, I don't blink an eye now when we have to traipse off to the ER. Sadly. Hope you're getting some nice weather. I'm pretty good at word games, but a few friends and my older daughter can kick my butt!!

[Liza Lee Miller]

I'll play Scrabble with you, Mary. Everyone who plays with me ends up feeling REALLY good about their Scrabble abilities . . . and, if you don't, then maybe it will help ME feel good about my abilities. Which I currently don't! :)

If all else fails, Draw Something is much more fun!

[blackbird]

I'd play Scramble or Scrabble!
Oh, please!?
I suck at Scramble and if you email me I'll send you my screen name.
(I only play on the train rides!)

[Karenth]

Josh and Nate are the BEST! Speaks volumes, even before you realize that Nate has allowed Future FIL to consult on the purchase of the eyeglass frames.

This photo is an absolute treasure! And the blog entry going up TODAY is like balm for my soul. Thx.

[FC]

It's good to have a hand flapper around when things go bad. That boggle playing photo is artsy!

[kris (lower case)]

http://cavex2productions.tripod.com/bellybands.htm

bellybands.. works better than diapers on a male dog.

[Cathy S.]

Sigh. Things have really changed, haven't they? Glad to hear you take it all in stride. Nate sounds like a keeper. You know they tell young men to check out the future mother in law as a preview of what they will eventually get. Must mean you are a keeper, too.

[robin andrea]

Hope you future SIL is feeling better. Burns are so freakin' painful. And also hope everyone has a grand time on this beach vacation!

[Mandy]

Do your towels actually dry when hung out on the balcony like that? Down here on the Texas coast the air is so damp that it seems like nothing--especially wet towels--ever really get dry outside.

[Bella]

Hello???? How about an up date, please.

[kris (lower case)]

must have been a heck of a vacation!! still recovering are you..

[kris (lower case)]

so, can you at least put a different picture up so i can pretend you updated?

[Elizabeth Lopez]

Playing Boggle with other family members is in fact a very nice idea to bond. Every vacation we used to play Frisbee at the beach and a great exercise indeed.

[Elizabeth Lopez]

Playing Boggle with other family members is in fact a very nice idea to bond. Every vacation we used to play Frisbee at the beach and a great exercise indeed.

[kris (bitch aka lowercase)]

ok..you missed all of august and now you are going to miss all of september.. and sorry.. facebook does not count...

[Mike]

To bad the dogie diapers didn't work. My mom wanted to do this with our dog but figured she would just bite it off. Poor guy I hope his burns are getting better.

[Bella]

How about a few words telling us you're O:K.

[Margaret]

Yes, please.

[Karen]

Okay...I really miss you!!!

[Karen]

I'm just about to remove your site from my favourites, because I guess you're not posting any more, but I wanted to say goodbye and good luck. I don't think I've ever commented before, but I've been reading for a long time. As a fellow teacher, and parent of older "children", I enjoyed your writing and a glimpse into the life of an American family. Thanks.

[Heidi]

Switching browsers and choosing who gets to come along for the ride. Hoping beyond hope that you'll come back, yer coming with me.

[Laura/DaPFG]

Mary! :) Happy belated anniversary. Hope you let the sake do it's "thang".

[Countess]

I.miss.you.

[Margaret]

Miss you too.

[Margaret]

Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.