Category: Sand Castles on the beach

It was so nice to be back on the beach! I went a little after 1pm, and was welcomed by Molly, Colin, Jameson and their mom, Michelle (from Toughkennamon, PA) whom I had taught last year, and also Laurie, Steve, Georgia and Heather Grab, from West Chester, PA.
Although it was very hot (97 f), there was a strong wind coming out of the West.
My ‘cabana boy,’ Jack, came down to the beach around 3:30pm, and brought another bag of sand tools for me. (There are two more bags that need to come down tomorrow.)
We stayed till 4:30pm, with a promise that we could go to Irish Eyes, to have the supper that I declined on our first night. After showering, we went early to Irish Eyes at 5:30pm, and we were ahead of the crowd who started filing in around 6pm.
I had their Vegetable Spring Rolls and some steamed shrimp; Jack had their burger with crumbled blue cheese.

This is one of my grandchildren (Jonah – just turned 2), inspecting the ‘fish tank.’

My neighbor, John, had a wonderful wooden sign on his outside shower that said “Whalecome”, but it was so worn and chipped, you could hardly read it.

I decided to ‘sneak over’ with my paints, and give it a bit of life!
John hinted that I should sneak over again, and paint some seagulls on his white flower barrels….

Yesterday, I built my last castle of the summer of 2014. It was my favorite, by far (of course almost every day I have built a castle, I said it was my favorite.) But this one really is. Jack sat with me, as I built (which is unusual for my favorite beach vampire – who only goes there early morning or late afternoon.) I finished building in about 2 1/2 hours, and left, looking back, so I’d remember.

Very nice building on the beach – a nice breeze and sunshine made it very pleasant.

I haven’t been to the beach since Sunday, and just didn’t have the energy to build. But I did today!

I went to the beach yesterday (Saturday) and worked slowly in the heat and humidity, accepting help for carrying water. But I didn’t get beyond the top towers. I’m hoping this congestion and crazy heart stuff will dissipate, and I’ll get back my energy soon.

I got up to the beach a little after 12:30 (thinking that I would try to get there earlier, when it wasn’t as hot.) The key words there are ‘thinking’ and ‘try.’ I’ll keep thinking positive, and maybe I will!
It’s such hard work to carry 40 pounds of water (5 gallons), again and again! And scoop up the sand (I know water weighs 8 pounds per gallon – but NO idea what sand weighs!) Today, a very gracious bystander who admires my work offered to carry water for me, and of course, I accepted most appreciatively!
Once I start building, it’s fun (but I have to remember to unfold my body, lest I get ‘stuck’ in a position I can’t get out of!
Here’s my castle today – I like it, and hope you do, too.

I had tried to build on the beach on Tuesday. It was very hot and humid, and I started having problems being light headed. I left everything, and tried to get home, stopping to sit down in tiny places of shade on the dune crossing. Not sure what got me. It hit me hard – and I couldn’t go to the beach yesterday, but I’m pretty much back on board now.
Unfortunately, Jack had my camera today, and I had to wait till 7:30 to get a picture of my castle. (By then the South wind had blown almost all the detail away. God willing, I will build again tomorrow – and take my camera with me!)
Here’s the windblown South side of the castle

The North side fared a little better.

Here’s the East side, showing people fishing behind the castle.

The sunset made up for not getting a picture of my castle before the wind got it!

We walked down to the beach this morning around 7:30, in a little bit of a drizzle. Not much wind, and what little we felt was coming out of the South West. Sun came out, and the beach was hot! Not crowded at all.
Some old friends came in for this nice quiet Labor Day week. So nice to see Stephanie and Piper, and Mom. Great to see Ellis and his sister, Kathy My castle today (I left yesterday’s standing.)

Piper (3), from Philadelphia, and Tatiana (7), from Washington, DC working on their castle. Mom, Stephanie supervising. The girls worked ALL day today!

A shot of yesterday’s castle, today’s castle, and my sign – click on the thumbnail, and you’ll see the Kalmar Nykel out in the Bay.