Beach Trip, Chapter Three, 19 April, 2011

Oh, what a beeeeea-utiful day it is here in Ocean City! The sun made more of an appearance today and the temperature was a bit warmer. Not too bad for April, I think. The sunrise was much more spectacular this morning:

So pretty!



Early dawn

This captivating scene is well-worth getting up so early for! It wasn't long before children were squealing and dogs were barking and the beach came to life. We headed out a bit later to have breakfast at Denny's. We only have one in our area and it's about an hour away, so while it isn't gourmet dining, it's a great place to get breakfast and good coffee. Jim was on a mission that encompassed more than just breakfast. He was determined to try the bacon and maple syrup ice cream sundae! Hmmm...not exactly breakfast fare, but what the heck? It's vacation, right? I have to tell you, the idea of bacon on ice cream seemed weird, odd and unappealing to me, but I did give it a try. The maple syrup on the vanilla ice cream was good but the bacon didn't add anything to the frozen treat. It was crunchy and salty and, well, as much as I like ice cream, one taste was enough. Still, I had to capture this momentous scientific experiment for posterity:

"Mr Wizard" and his sundae of weirdness

It must have had some magical qualities because after he ate it, Jim won me this adorable fluffy stuffed Easter duck from one of those almost impossible to beat claw machines. He's such a sweetheart!

Our plan for today was to seek out treasures in the local thrift shops, that I could use for art projects and revamping. We came prepared, with a list of locations and directions - AND NEVER FOUND EVEN ONE! Many were in Delaware. We were in search of "Uncle Sugar's Thrift Store" and found all of the streets as per the directions, but not the actual location. We drove and drove and discovered that this area of the country has the weirdest house numbering system. One mailbox would be labeled 34908, yet the one next door was 32007. They went back and forth, up and down and made absolutely no sense what-so-ever. I did spot something interesting, other than the numbers that even defy my poor math skills; two large dragon-winged gargoyles wearing Easter Bunny masks. Gave me a good giggle, that's for sure!

I don't want to see the size of the eggs these things bring!

Finally, I saw an old building with what appeared to be furniture and things inside. I am sure it must have been Uncle Sugar's, even though it had no address or sign posted and appeared to have been closed for quite some time. OK, on to Plan B - going to Sea Shell City! I love this shop. It has the nicest beach-themed goodies. We pulled up and "What????" They are only open on weekends during the off season? Since when? Argh! Stay calm. Let's try Plan C - going to the large souvenir shop and buying the little grand babies some treasures. When we asked Jamison what he wanted us to bring him, he said sand. Not sure what he intends to do with the sand, but he is getting a little bottle filled with sand and shells. The top is sealed but I wager he'll figure out how to open it. He's also getting a T-shirt and a couple of little figures from one of his favorite television shows. He will be absolutely thrilled with these and act out the life lessons that the show teaches, which is a bonus. He's such a smarty! Abigail, being only a year old, would chew on a bottle of sand and shells, so she's getting two T-shirts and a cute little stuffed pink and purple crab. She'll say, "Awww" when we give it to her, hug it tight and probably walk away giggling and smiling. She's such a cute little goober! 

Many folks opted to fly kites today, which was very entertaining to watch. If you've ever tried this on a windy beach, you'll know what a work-out it can be for your arms! I foresee a whole new fitness craze in the near future. We've even seen guys surfing while holding onto huge kites, whipping across the waves! Extreme kite-flying!

Well, time to get some dinner and see what else the evening holds in store.....more soon!