Happy Birthday to Mimi!

Mimi's birthday was on Sunday. To celebrate, Mimi requested a day at the beach, and so that is what we did. As you know, two days before the New Year, Mimi tripped over Teddy (their dog) in the kitchen and broke her hip. So we are thrilled that she is now walking without a cane and was able to do the stairs over the dunes and navigate the sand and surf, for which we are truly thankful to God. It was a lovely day. We took lunch with us, arrived around 10:30 a.m. and stayed till the skies turned grey and we made tracks for home. These are a few photos of the day to keep the memory fresh...

Judy did the lion's share of the work getting us ready, from ordering and picking up the lunch, to filling the coolers and even buying and guiding the set up of the canopy, which Anne and Steven are helping to accomplish. I helped by taking this lovely photo... (and by actually manning one end of it when it went up. I think Anne's quote was: "Dad, when you are done taking the picture, we need your help.")

I also kept watch for sharks, as you can see. Sara, one of our friends, wants to know if I keep bees in my spare time. Ha! Well, the pith helmet comes in handy if I get the urge to seek the source of the Nile or look for Dr. Livingstone, I presume!

Birthdays are extra special when there are grandchildren on hand. And when the grandchildren are old enough to drive and help carry the beach stuff, too! Tara and John and Anne and Steven were in the front car. The "senior set" were in the second. We were told by the ranger that since Mimi and Papa are 62 plus they qualify for the lifetime senior citizen National Park pass, so they got one, and will I am sure use it in future ramblings.

Papa oversaw the shelling; Mimi has perfected "The Sanibel Stoop" even though we were at the Canavaral National Seashore, the northern end by New Smyrna.

Tara and John enjoyed the waterline.

Pithy sayings through the years:

"Without pith helmets the expedition will collapse. Why? The heat, sir! It's deadly! I know it!" (1879)

Another missionary, Elsie Clark, described the obligatory pith helmet: "It looks very heavy and clumsy, but in reality is very light and cool; at any rate we must put looks aside and wear it." (c. 1899)

"In the middle of the day the sun is hot, and those who are unaccustomed to it must wear pith helmets, carry umbrellas, and take the shady side of the street." (1904)

"A pith helmet is the safest headgear, and it must project enough at the back to shade the neck, and also be carried high enough behind to admit of shooting in the prone position without its tilting forward over the nose." (1905)

"None of his coworkers at the Central Square branch had opted to wear the pith helmet, which Walt couldn't understand. It was the pith helmet that had made him want to be a mail carrier in the first place." (1999)

"In his khaki pith helmet he looked like a gym teacher playing Teddy Roosevelt in the faculty production of 'Arsenic and Old Lace'." (2001)

"If the quicksand gets me, at least you will know what happened when you find no trace except, of course, my pith helmet..." (2012)
Papa and Mimi enjoy "A Waterside Supper with Riparian Entertainments"...!

Steven and Anne smile for Mom's camera...