Sometimes The End Just Makes Way For New Beginnings

Life Lesson 36: 

It is NEVER a good idea to start drinking at 9:30 in the morning past the age of 21.

When my alarm went off at 3 a.m. I would like to tell you I sprung out of bed. In reality I fell out of bed, grabbed my Monster, and stumbled to the 4Runner. Perfect example of why I had been smart enough to pack the car the night before!

Giggles was late of course because she is, a bitch in the, not a morning person.

Vixen is smart though and had thought ahead and met us with Waffle House in hand. The way to Giggles heart is thru her stomach and after four bites of hashbrowns the anti-morning-she-devil had been replaced by our lovely friend.

Now I admit when Vixen called me last Thursday morning and demanded requested that we go to the beach for the weekend instead of having the planned bachelorette party I was ready to kill her!!! And that is putting it mildly. So last minute I cancel the few plans that were already set, uninvited people with a vague excuse of rescheduling, and started looking for beach locations anywhere within a 6 hour drive.


Maybe murder would be a better word....

Of course it was so last minute that not everyone could go and the large bachelorette party dwindled down to three; Vixen, Giggles, and myself.

By 5 a.m. we were easing our way thru traffic and laughing at the morning radio personalities.

Due to the forgotten time change when crossing into the new Time Zone we arrived a little earlier than we had planned. Like 10:30 a.m. early. Thank goodness the hotel receptionist was nice and let us go ahead and check into the room.

We dropped our bags and changed into swimsuits and headed for the beach.

Vixen and Giggles were hell bent on getting a tan and me and my 70 SPF and umbrella was hell bent on not getting sunburned. Yes, I am a pasty white girl. I don't tan, I burn.

Lunch time arrived and we walked to the beach-side restaurant located next to our hotel and promptly ordered seafood and frozen drinks. I mean what is a beach vacation without a frozen drink?

Now here is where I said my stupidest comment of the trip:

Giggles: "How's your pinacolada?"
E: "Here try it... It's almost to sweet. To pineappley."
Giggles: "Pineappley?"
E: "Yeah."
Giggles takes sip of my offered drink.
Vixen: Pineappley?"
E: "Yeah!...... What do you think pinacolada's are made of?"
Giggles and Vixen in unison: "Coconut!"

All three of us burst into laughter! Yeah that was just one of the dumb things I said over that weekend that I'm sure I will never live down.

After lunch we headed for the store to get some snacks and other grocery items. Our hotel room had a kitchenette so we planned on buying cereal for breakfast and snacks...... well because let's face it we are "snack" type of people.

Giggles is pushing the buggy and of course she heads straight for the beer aisle; she beelines for her beer of choice (Yuengling) and Vixen and I stand debating what will be our poison of choice for the weekend. I want Landshark but they don't have it in cans (gotta have cans to take on the beach) so we go with Bud Light Lime. We are trying to deciede between the 12 pack and the 18 when I glance behind me and do a double take.

I tap Vixen who is mid-sentence and point to the buggy. Giggles has 2 yes 2 - 12 packs in the buggy. "If she's planning on drinking 24 surely between the two of us we can drink 18!" I laugh.

"What?" Giggles responds to our laughter and glances at her beer, "We're at the beach!"

18 it is.

We returned to the hotel, unloaded our goodies and returned to the beach.

Where we spent the rest of the day.

Diner was Little Caesars Pizza and Bread-sticks eaten on the beach by moonlight. Like always over pizza and beer late at night is when we contemplate life. We talk about the past, the present and the future. I was sad none of our other friends could go but as I sat there with two of my best friends I realized it was kinda symbolic. Like beach trips of the past it was just the 3 of us. We've grown from the 15 year old girls we once were but our friendship remains the same. This would be the last trip we would all take before tying the knot.

Saturday was much the same--- wake up, head to the beach, go out for lunch, return to the beach.

From the safety of the umbrella and 70SPF shield I snapped pictures. Then like kids we threw care to the wind and, despite the cool temperature of the water, plunge in. Koozies with beer in hand of course. WE HAD A BLAST!! Trying to stay afloat while dodging waves and keep our beer from getting submerged. Being short the ocean pretty much had it's way with me, tossing me wherever it felt like. End score - Ocean 2 : E 0. The amount of sand found in my bathing suit afterward left me feeling totally violated. Thanks Ocean most action I've had in 3 months. lol ;)



For lunch we headed to Margaritaville . Best food eaten on the vacation hands down! Two frozen drinks later I feel a little buzzed. I get up to leave and realized that I may be more than a little buzzed. We had started drinking beer at 9 am.

Stupid?

You betcha!

But as Vixen put it, "It's my Bachelorette weekend!!!"

So it's 1:30 p.m. and I've reached the fun part (as my friend Red would say).

Yeah unless your 21 it's really not a good idea...... and even at 21 I really don't remember it being a good idea.

Needless to say back at the room I took an hour refresher nap before once again joining Vixen and Giggles on the beach.

By this point we hit the harsh reality we aren't the alcoholics we used to be and the fact we are getting older is almost a happy reminder.

We went out for diner. This point sober and Giggles saying, "I remember now why I don't drink much anymore."

After diner we head back out to the beach and under the light of the moon we pop the top on a bottle of champagne to celebrate the last night.

The last night of vacation.

The last trip before the weddings.

The last night before we embark on the next chapters of our lives.

But this wasn't an ending it was a toast to new beginnings. Somethings in life change. Things come and go. But friends never fade.

So together we bid farewell to the past and welcomed the future and discussed what it may hold; kids, jobs, and marriage. One day we're going to be the little old ladies that still get together for drinks, lunch, and gossip. I see many more vacations in the future, but this was the last one just us. Next year our husbands will be with us. And then who knows summers after that may bring kids. But no matter what happens we will always have each other.

Oh and in case you're wondering, It takes 3 people to open a bottle of champagne... :)

"Growing up, does not mean growing apart."
~ E. ~

Quotes from the trip

E, "If I sit to long in the direct sun I die."

********

Vixen, "In this light your hair looks kinda blonde."
E, "My hairs kinda like a mutt."
Vixen, "A mutt?"
E, "Yeah such a mixture of things your not really sure what it is. I mean is it blonde? Is it red? Is it brown?"

********

Giggles as she takes the bottle away from Vixen who is pointing the champagne bottle right at her face, "Ok let's not go home with a cork black eye....."

***********

Vixen, "Ok who's ready for beer!!!???"
Giggles, "It's 9 a.m."
Vixen, "Ssooooo.... It's my Bachelorette weekend!!!!"............................ "and you got 24 to finish in less than 48 hours." tosses her a beer, "Drink up bitch."

Photos From The Trip

And my pic for Marine....