There is a good reason why our family is at the beach. It’s the same reason Nate is naked. (And, yes the reason he is playing some sort of celebratory air guitar.).
We are celebrating fall on the Gulf Coast. October is (secretly) the best time to go to the beach.
The tourists from Italy, Indonesia, and Illinois have all gone home. We have the shore to ourselves. It’s time to free our inhibitions and race each other along the vacant coast. There are no panicky sunbathers, so our greyhound can dive into the waves without the tether of a leash. I don’t care if my belly pokes out over my bathing suit because there are no strangers here to see it.
Along the deserted sand, our kids burn off their pent-up energy from the past two months of our hectic school schedule. M and I need to see them lying in the sand and stripping off their bathing suits, with no worry about spelling tests or reading levels or playground politics. This is Columbus Day on the Gulf Coast.
We don’t have piles of leaves or crock-pot recipes. But we do have gorgeous beach weather and peaceful waves.
We do have the perfect beach day. At least for our family.
Our beach house was rented solid from Memorial Day to Labor Day, which was fine for us. During these months, the beach is filled with families three rows deep. Seaweed blankets the coast. And, oh my goodness, it is so hot.
But in October? The weather is cooler and the humidity isn’t quite so oppressive. The days are shorter, so it’s easier to drag ourselves out of bed in time to watch the sun rise over the waves. In the evening, we are always eating dinner outside just in time to watch the sun set over the bay.
For all of you in colder climates, wearing jeans and boots and watching football by blazing fires, I’m happy for you.
We’ll also do that down here on the Gulf Coast.
In December.
