How I spent my summer vacation...which I should have taken in winter

Every summer since I moved to New Mexico, my parents have come out to visit. This year, I turned the tables and went to visit them, as well as my sister and brother-in-law. Here is sister, picking me up at the airport in her snazzy red ragtop, on a day the weatherman was calling "extra steamy." The lens fogged up the instant I pulled out my camera.

Once the lens defogged, I busied myself with taking pictures so I wouldn't notice the traffic, and how fast we were going, and how people back east drive assertively like maniacs.

Early the next morning, we headed up the coast in clean, shiny red cars to go to my parents' friends' beach house.

I couldn't help but have a New Mexico flashback.

Beach time was followed by a most hospitable happy hour (think margaritas, followed by key lime martinis) and dinner...


which was followed by a beach walk.

The roar of the ocean drowned out the noise the 80 bazillion no-see-ums must have been making as they buzzed around, chewing on us. Had I known, I could have smuggled a few swallows in my suitcase.

I rolled out of bed the next day in time to hit the beach before the sun came up.

These little guys kept me company.

Sea turtles had come ashore overnight, making their tracks up the sand to their nests.

Watching the pelicans fish for their breakfast was worth the pre-dawn wakeup call.

I left my camera in the bag during all the beach time that involved bathing suits over the next few days. 

Despite oppressively humid weather, a good time was had by all, and these little guys were substitutes for and reminders of everybody waiting for me back home.

Palm trees, shiny cars and waves just don't look right on this blog, so thus ends the show and tell from this year's beach vacation. We'll be back to burros and brown dirt tomorrow.