Beach Vacation Memories Smashes Blues

Part one began when grandma got the vacation blues

Part of the fun of vacationing with little ones is working around their nap time. Why fight cranky kids when it is easier just to plan around their schedules. Up early I checked email, dispatched the trucks and booked several orders for customers wanting to ship their cars. It all boils down to being prepared and preparing your clients about limited office hours. Everyone had their needs met and I had a wonderful vacation romping in the tide while earning money, too. 

After Poppy made the kids their favorite breakfast of eggs and sausage, my daughter and I cleaned up and changed the kids into beach clothes. Grabbing the buckets, shovels and sand molds off we went hiking to the beach.

It was a perfect day to spend outdoors. The sun shone like a 200 watt light bulb, bright and clear. A slight breeze was blowing the salty water particles through the air hitting our faces and cooling our bodies. The kids could have cared less one way or another. I wonder what intrigues them so much about sand sliding through their little fingers.

After building sand castles, molding turtles and octopi we decided to walk awhile and search for the treasures washed ashore by the tide. What has been your biggest find on the beach, was it a sea shell, sand dollar or sea urchin in a tide pool?

The kids were busy picking up broken shells, rocks and bits of driftwood. We had learned why there were so many crab shells sprinkled around the beach. Did you know that as the crab grows he sheds his shell; it is like a toddler outgrowing his clothes. You can tell if the crab shed it or died by searching for the eyes. If the shell is just that, a shell it is simply an outgrown shell and the crab got a new home. If there were eyes left with the shell the crab was a victim to a seagull, sea otter or bigger fish. We were amazed at the little knowledge we really possessed after so many trips to the beach.

Time for snack and the playground

There were many things we adored about this timeshare and its location. One of the deciding factors was the children’s playground they had available. There was a covered building for barbecuing, plenty of swings and teeter-totters. The main attraction was the big play set that included slides, rock climbing wall and a tire swing underneath the fort above. Playgrounds have come a long way since I was a kid, back in the day we were excited about swings, slides and monkey-bars.

Preparing for our trip my daughter and I made a list of snacks, drinks and a menu to follow for ease in shopping. The snacks were mostly fresh fruit and crackers. Since I am grandma…my treats (I know, do not write and scold me) were Tootsie Pops. The kids do not get much candy, they prefer fruit. However, this treat was special and they absolutely loved them. After about an hour playing, we gathered up the kids and headed for the room.

Shopping like a tourist

Next on the agenda was a short trip into town to pick up a few items we ran short of and check out the tourist shops. We had heard a great shop to visit was Sharkey's. At the top of our list it was our first stop. Sometimes local recommendations are the best and sometimes not so much so. On a scale of 1 to 10, Sharkey’s received about a 6 from our family. The inventory was low, the prices were high and considering there were many other stores with similar items to purchase we were disappointed in our visit. However, we did snap a quick picture to remember the merchant who did not fulfill our shopping desires.

Instead we visited the local grocer picking up fresh vegetables for my lean and green meals, fresh fruit for the kids and a renewed supply of bottled water. After only five days at the coast we had completely drank more than a case of water and needed more.

Once back at the house I decided it was time to bring out our gifts to the kids. We made them sit quietly on the floor as I ran upstairs and grabbed the gifts out of the closet (we always surprise them with unwrapped gifts…who needs all that wasted paper). As I found my way back down the stairs I could hear them talking amongst themselves. Each wondered what cool surprise Grammy would present them with this time.

Making sure their little eyes were closed I handed each their present. For our granddaughter “My Little Pony”, the giant one; her reaction said it all. Jumping up she ran to hug her Poppy and I and thanked us about a million times. It was just the pony she had wanted and mommy would not let her have (yep, I was smiling).

The boys were next and were more than excited…they each received a wind up race car. Uncle Dan and Poppy got in on the action as they taught them how to wind them up, push the button and race each other across the floor. The cars were loud and the boys louder, but they sure enjoyed their gifts and had a blast the rest of the time at the condo.

This was the first vacation that my auto transport business did not interfere one moment with enjoying my family. Sharing our part-time business and how we turn back the clock was fun, lucrative and simple when visiting with other baby-boomer grandparents vacationing too.

If the story of our first few days has been fun, relaxing and entertaining, join us for the conclusion of our trip next time.

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Helping Turn Back the Clock,
Carla J Gardiner
 
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Carla Gardiner is an auto transport broker, dispatcher, health coach and a fiery baby-boomer grandma. Her passion and purpose lies with the people she works with daily; the client, dispatcher, broker and truck driver. Her frustration within the industry has birthed a new division of her company; one to properly train, encourage and mentor others in regaining their health while building a part time business, too.
 
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