Firstly, let me say how proud I am of my niece and nephews for their many years of service to our country. They and their families have endured several deployments during critical and dangerous times, and their unwavering commitment to their branch of service is more than admirable. They are the role models we need for the generation they lead. So, thank you to Chris, Josh, Ryan, Shaunna, and to Cousin Christopher, as well. You are bragged on often!
Back in the day when I had young kids, Memorial Day was celebrated with a parade down Main Street stopping to honor our Veterans at the Memorial, then cookouts at the State or County Park with as many family members as could make it, and, weather permitting, swimming, laughing, eating, and fun.
Now that I’m a thousand miles away from that both in distance and in years and with just Thom and I and our few friends around us, these holiday weekends are decidedly different. But that doesn’t mean they’re any less enjoyable. With so many outdoor activities to be found here, sometimes it’s just fun to not follow the crowd. Early mornings at the Atlantic are incredibly special. Knowing that the crowds were imminent, we arrived Saturday morning at 9:00, set our chairs in the sand at the foot of the walkover, and made ourselves comfortable. Thom of course headed immediately into the water while I waited. After about a half hour watching the throngs of pelicans soaring north and south over the water, I joined him for about an hour in the warm, salty water and watched the beach slowly begin to fill. Around 11:00 we decided it was time to leave and give our prime spot up to some in-lander who probably needed it more than we did.
Sunday was spent with my ‘Neet who saved me from myself in my current knitting project by stopping me from assembling it before it was ready. Even afters years of knitting, even owning a yarn shop, I had more to learn about prepping and blocking and steaming.
Monday morning found Thom and I at the beach at 5:00 a.m., this time in the hopes that we might spot one of our incredible sea turtles making her way back to the sea after a night of arduous labor laying her eggs. We had no luck spying one, but we did see her tracks with her nest newly protected by our wonderful Turtle Patrol. We’re going to try and do this every weekend during the season until we spot one. These are truly amazing creatures, and the opportunity that presents itself every summer is not to be missed. By the end of the season there will be thousands of nests along our Florida coastline, so our odds are pretty good we might encounter this amazing miracle of nature.
A cookout at the Beach House Beanery with sangria, hot dogs, and brats, visiting with friends and enjoying the ocean view seemed like a good end to a lovely long weekend.
I think Memorial Day weekend is a great way to begin another memorable Florida summer!
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LiviKnit 
Sounds like you had a great weekend! Hopefully you’ll get to see one of your turtles soon.
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