Arc of a Beach Vacation

Day 1: You’ve arrived! Decide that was the easiest 6 hour drive ever; totally worth it. Look at that water! Feel the sand in your toes! Unpack with vigor.

Day 2: The week stretches out before you filled with endless days of sun, sand and waves. You are completely relaxed.
 
Day 3: Only Monday? Think of friends and colleagues returning to work. Not you! Your only job is to relax. This is totally the longest week ever!

Day 4: Have you been at the beach forever? Seems like it! Pick up a local real estate listing and dream of owning a beach house.

Day 5: The realization creeps in that you are more than half-way through the week. Push it out of your mind. It’s only Wednesday! There’s still plenty of time left.

Day 6: Rain? Rain? How dare it rain!! This is your second to last day. Time is critical. Each moment must be savored. Rain. Is. Not. Allowed.

Day 7: How can this be the last day? This was the shortest week ever! You try to enjoy each second of the sun, sand and waves but are unable to do so. You are already thinking of everything that needs to be done before dropping the key off tomorrow morning. Decide to do a load of laundry to lessen the number of loads upon return home. So much pack. Why in the world did you bring so much stuff? Did it multiply?

Day 8: Home. Ugh. That was the longest drive ever. Sort mail. Start first of a million loads of laundry (one million minus one, that is). Get annoyed that you’ve somehow tracked sand into your house. Put beach chairs and umbrella away for another year. Realize fridge is empty, go to grocery store.

Day 9: Decide you need another vacation!


Original post to DC Metro Moms. When Aimee Olivo isn't dreaming of another week at the beach, she's writing at Smiling Mama and Out by Ten.