Beach Blanket Bingo (Days 7 and 8) [a.k.a. Don't Mess With Bill]

On our last full day at the beach, we were joined by one more guest - Hurricane Bill. Despite his presence, the weather itself was gorgeous - hot and sunny. If you look closely, you can see David's freakish sunburn he gave himself by using the end of a can of sunscreen (more on that later).

We got in a good deal of beach time with everyone.

While the weather was lovely, the water was not quite the same. A nice temperature, but the waves were huge, and grew larger and larger throughout the day. I wasn't about to brave the waves (hee, that rhymes!) - I was wearing my good sunglasses and didn't want to lose them - but my cousins did.
The waves were supposed to get so big that the umbrella rental people moved their stuff up to the dunes so it wouldn't get swept out to sea. The lifeguards left their stands there too after they went off duty.

On the way off the beach, we ran into some ever-so-helpful ladies at the foot of the ramp. You all know how I love it when strangers point out my sunburns. Well, one of these "nice" ladies did that to my brother on Friday. You know what? If you know me and you are expressing concern (and not just commenting for the hell of it), that’s fine. If you’re a stranger waiting at the bottom of the ramp for your husband to pick you up so you don’t have to walk? No one cares what you think. Luckily, the freakish sunburn I gave myself that day hadn't shown up yet, so she was just "helping" David. She also told my uncle that he should’ve remembered to put up his handicapped hangtag in his car when he parked in the handicapped spot, after he got a ticket for not doing so. And after he said to us, “Damn it. I forgot to put up the handicapped hangtag and I got a ticket.” Which she was close enough to hear. Grr. Making conversation with strangers because you're all standing around? OK. Commenting on things that they can't change? THOR.

After we left the beach, we ran one more errand - to the Seaside Country Store in Fenwick Island, which is about a mile from Niki's parents' beach house.

This is a great little store, home of awesome cheese dip and very cool decorative things. Despite the fact that they had their Halloween stuff out in October, it was a successful trip. My parents got cheese dip, and I got a crock with a flamingo on it and a Christmas present. That is, unless I keep it for myself. I like it too.

After we got back to Bethany, my mother and I went to the Boardwalk to find dinner. It was an eventful trip, full of exotic wildlife. We saw a poodle with parts of its show cut dyed neon pink (unfortunately, no picture - by the time I figured out what it was, it was too late to dig out my camera), as well as a beach penguin.
We wound up at Five Guys, a happy place. Except it was ridiculously crowded. And hot. Really hot. I think that place has a deal with the beach...they keep their restaurant hot so people don't linger.
We finally got served, and took our food back to the house to continue packing.

We packed as much as we could that night, and then sat on the couch and relaxed and watched The West Wing (if you didn't know, earlier this summer I commenced the Official West Wing Rewatch of 2009). Uncle Fred and Aunt Mary Lou also stopped by to say goodbye, after which we went to bed.

The next morning, we got up bright and early to finish packing the car.

Finished around 7:30, we left our home for the week behind.

Our friend Hurricane Bill had wreaked some havoc over the night, so we drove out past the beach to see. The humidity was crazy - you can see how foggy my camera lens was.

You can also see the water that was still pooled on the beach from the overnight storms.

We bid the ocean adieu, and headed westward.

We dropped off the key at the rental place on the way out,
and also stopped for breakfast at the best donut shop ever invented.
Their donuts are amazing. If you've never been, you must go. There's one in Frederick. Come visit me, I'll take you. They make their donuts fresh, and you can pick the glaze and toppings that they put on it. They have suggestions, or you can mix and match. My mother got a Lemonade donut, my father got a Plain Jane,
and I got a Morning Buzz (and also a vanilla latte that I spilled on my flip flop). It was great, a close competitor to my favorite, the O.C. Sand.
We were lucky not to hit much traffic, although we did drive through some rainstorms. Not too bad, though - and we saw this rainbow when we stopped at a produce stand for watermelon.
Finally, we returned home, and Holly was ecstatic to see us. She was so excited she forgot she was supposed to be angry we left. Although if anything she should be grateful I prevented my mother from buying her a Steelers outfit in Cape May.
A few lingering shots of our friend Hurricane Bill, courtesy of the photos my cousin Chris put on his Facebook page. Those are my cousins playing in the monstrous waves. That tall one? He's taller than I am. THAT'S how big those waves are.