Should we or shouldn’t we?
We batted around since January about going on our annual family vacation on Amelia Island in Northeast Florida. This pandemic was causing everyone to rethink plans. Things were closing down.
People were encouraged to stay at home, which Bill and I did since March 7. When we did venture out, we wore masks which was suggested by the scientific community in order to protect yourself and others. We safe distanced. We did all those things.
COVID-19 began to slow down. Fewer cases were reported. It appeared that the virus was on the way out. All of us in the family decided that Amelia was going to happen. We had already paid for half the stay, which we do months in advance. This is such a lovely place, not crowded and overrun with humanity. It’s family oriented and it’s beautiful.
The virus was slowing down but it was not totally gone. We are a family that uses common sense and we have intelligence. We all decided that we would not be dining at our favorite restaurants in the area like The Marina, Sliders, or Down Under the Bridge. We would not have a family shopping day in Fernandina Beach, the quaint little tourist town near Amelia. It was not practical with so many people and almost no one wearing a mask or even trying to safe distance.
We would forgo our annual trip to the corner ice cream store because of the crowds. Besides Carolyn Gaines Dozier, our daughter-in-law’s mother, made some of the best chocolate and vanilla ice cream I have ever tasted. Who needs to try to get ice cream in a store crowded with all kinds of humanity when it is made right where we’re staying?
We ate “take-out” from favorite restaurants maybe three times, but it really just wasn’t the same. None of us have been in a restaurant to eat a meal in a good while. It isn’t safe and it isn’t using common sense.
I’m sorry folks out there who are reading this and going to restaurants now that our governor opened everything. No matter what, it isn’t safe. Even if employees wear masks, a lot of patrons don’t. I mean, really. Wearing a mask to eat just doesn’t make sense. Wait until it’s actually safe.
Eating foods you don’t normally eat is a treat while on vacation. We didn’t necessarily do that although I did get some oysters and some really good shrimp. Nothing was frozen, which is a good thing. We can get frozen fish in the grocery store back home.
Speaking of grocery stores, our favorite vacation grocery store is Harris Teeter. It has been for years. I’ve had a savings thingy from the Teeter for ten years. It’s worn and separating, but it still works... at least it did last year. I don’t go in grocery stores. Oh, I have a couple of times, but the virus is building again and so I’ll just order whatever we need and use curbside service.
We got some really good seafood, veggies and such from there for a couple of family dinners. Our daughter, Heather, hosted and cooked many wonderful beach staples such as grouper, shrimp, crab cakes, slaw, rolls and other good things. She made a blackberry cobbler and it was wonderful. We didn’t miss restaurant food too much with all her work and others pitching in.
On June 24 at the beach, our Hatcher had a big fourth birthday party. We ate Mexican that evening and it was great. Brad and Mandy Davis, uncle and aunt to Hatcher, made some delicious dishes and Hayden cooked some yummy taco/burrito sauces and refried beans. Gosh, it was good.
The beach at our condo was so much fun. It wasn’t too crowded and people safe distanced most times. I so love the ocean. I love to sit at the water’s edge and let the waves lap at my feet. I like to just stare at the distant waves and watch them as they make their way to shore. I love to hear the laughter of kids as they catch a wave on their boogey boards.
Every year, our son-in-law, Will Ray, puts together what he calls Beach Party Blackout. He get all kinds of lighted decorations for the kids to cover themselves with and wear along with carrying flashlights. This is all for the kids ages baby to teenagers. They make their way to the beach as they laugh and squeal. They dance. Sing. Eat some good stuff and generally have an hour of memory making.
Me? I love to watch the sun come up out of the ocean every morning. Did we do the right thing? I’m not sure. But we really had fun. And we’re already making plans for next year.