Another year of good fortune finds us together again with the Riegles at a gorgeous home in Sandbridge. This year, we chose a location on the Bay side, and we were welcomed with a gorgeous sunset Saturday evening. Move in for those here on Day 1 went smoothly, and we brought home delicious pizza from Shorebreak. As a special treat, the girls decorated for a celebration of Maggie and Travis. Congratulations on your engagement! ❤️ We had a very nice night of love and laughs, and we look forward to the arrival of more Framily today and in the next couple days. Cheers to another week together by the sea. 🌊
I found quite a nice spot outside the bedroom for coffee with an amazing view of the bay this morning. We moved a couple chairs in to accommodate more coffee lovers here on the third floor! After breakfast, Stacey and I took Charlie on a nice walk on the beach where we saw dolphins and lots of other dogs enjoying a sunny day. Our return home found a thin crowd, as the girls all took a walk of their own with Ranger and Dallas. Tim and Travis found themselves a good spot on the deck to stare out at the bay as we all settle in for a lazy Sunday.
There was plenty of football watched between naps, but Tim took the prize for realizing the arms went up on the seats in the Theatre Room. He took full advantage by adding a pillow and a blanket for a dreamy siesta. The first puzzle was unboxed, with the edges being set by mid-afternoon. Abbie made some of us question our fitness by taking a walk followed by a bike ride followed by a run. I would say ‘oh to be young’ but who am I kidding? I’ve never done all three of those in the same week – forget the same day! Ryan and Melissa arrived from California and settled right in to the Framily ribbing in good fun. Poor Maggie had to return to Pittsburgh to work, but will be back Wednesday. Emily also left to teach her children well, but she at least got to stay for an amazing taco night first. We share dinner responsibilities, and Sunday was covered by the lovely and talented Juulliieee. What a spread she put out that included everything you could want and more. DELICIOUS! I particularly enjoyed an avocado dip/sauce that she made from scratch. Recipe to be provided separately! 😉
The calm of the bay was mesmerizing this morning. There was barely a ripple as far as the eye could see. It was like a mirror.
Tim and Abbie went out early for a game of pickleball on the local courts. They both love the game, and the weather was perfect – sunny and 62! Ryan and Stacey headed out for provisions in her car, but quickly returned. Her front right tire was completely flat. 😞 When Tim got back from pickleball, he helped me put the spare on Stacey’s car and we dropped it off for repair.
After lunch, I took a walk by myself after Charlie made it crystal clear that she preferred napping again. It was a gorgeous walk on a perfect November day in Virginia Beach. As I came upon a flock of seagulls resting near the water’s edge, I was surprised at how long they waited to take to flight for safety.
I walked down to the pier and stood beneath it to enjoy a favorite view. When I was 8 years old, we lived on base in Keyport, WA during my Dad’s last tour on Active Duty. My brothers and I would walk to the pier at the marina and climb down under it among the pilings. I loved the smell of creosote mixed with barnacles and seawater. We were free to do as we pleased until it started to get dark, and sometimes we chose to explore this world beneath the pier. Kids today don’t know that kind of freedom.
Sandbridge fishing pier
I thought I’d share a brief moment beneath that pier with you…
The beach was nowhere near as crowded as it gets in the summer, but there were more than a few folks out enjoying the day. A lone couple fished the pier while people sat and took in the atmosphere and warmth of today.
I decided to walk home along the street so I could check out some of the whimsical names of the “cottages” along the shore. I love to read those names along Humarock in Scituate. If I ever own a home on the beach, I plan to steal a name I saw there years ago – Well Scituated. PERFECT! I’ll share a few of the ones I enjoyed on my short walk back to “Baybreeze” this afternoon.
Ryan caught a spectacular sky with his drone. Enjoy!
Tuesday was a lazy day for some, but still a workday for others. Again, the weather was spectacular – sunny and 60 with a light breeze coming off the bay. I took advantage with time just sitting on the back deck doing nothing.
It was a day of arrivals, with Tim’s Mom “Mommom” joining the crowd after some time in Myrtle Beach. She was followed quickly by Tyler who battled many others on I-95 from DC to settle in with us by the sea. The dogs went nuts when he came in!
Emily returned for good after two days of teaching, but not before she and Abbie met up for an eternal surprise. They got matching tattoos! A home with two hearts inside of it. ❤️❤️
Ryan & Melissa were in charge of dinner, and made delicious homemade lasagna and meatballs! It was a truly scrumptious meal shared together in this cozy home. Maggie returns tomorrow and we’ll have a full house! 😍
Tim hooked everyone up this morning and went out early to get special donuts from the market that we all love. Years ago, we learned that if you don’t get there early, pickings are slim. These are worth getting to the store first for, especially if you aren’t the one that goes! Thanks Tim!
A group of overachievers went to burn off the extra calories by playing pickleball. I’ve yet to take up the sport, though it seems I should. They had a blast! Emily re-learned that you get what you pay for in life, as she easily broke the cheap racket she had. Reinforcements are expected this evening. There was much relaxing to books while working the puzzle and cuddling with puppies before realizing the lasagna might actually taste better the next day!
Emily & Abbie treated us all to soup night, and the sausage tortellini variety went quite quickly! Tim correctly declared that you’d better get that one first if you actually wanted any. Everything was great! After a few hours in the kitchen, Emily declared that next year they might host Pizza Hut night instead. I sat outside and took in the view while they labored over our awesome soup.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 🦃
There were some serious troopers that braved the rain and ran in the Turkey Trot. Outstanding job girls!
Tim and I went to cheer them on. Shake and Bake!
Thanksgiving is obviously a wonderful tradition for everyone. You each have your favorite thing to do, your favorite side dish made by somebody else, and your favorite dessert (not desert) to overindulge on. But for all of us, we also have our family and friends to enjoy those things with. Sadly, we can’t always have each of them with us physically every year. But of course, they are always with us in our hearts, and some are fortunate to at last be a phone call away. Today was filled with more games, puzzling, lounging and laughing together. These are good days with great people that we continue to cherish.
While we aren’t completely positive of the year this tradition with Framily at the beach started, we know it goes back at least as far as 2011. Back then, we would rent 2 or 3 cottages at Dam Neck, and we played a tag football game on the beach. Those games never resulted in serious injury, but they were starting to get risky! Abbie would like us to never “beef” with each other, hoping this tradition never wanes, so eliminating the football game a few years back was probably a wise move! Tim, Julie, Stacey and I have been getting along exceedingly well for over 30 years, so hopefully we can do it for another 30!
The puzzle was finished at 2:51 PM on Friday! Everyone contributed! We will be gifting it to the “Baybreeze” home – very difficult.
Friday was a day of crafting and lounging. Pickleball was played by a few with the weather cooperating before colder air moves in over the weekend. One final sunset reminded us how truly blessed we are to spend a week out here together every year. Tomorrow we head our separate ways, but we all leave with more fond memories of our beloved Framily. 😍
