Beach Friends
This weekend we had exciting beach plans...Davide and Luca and their parents, Maria and Brett, were going to meet us at the beach. That's right folks, three kids, four parents, one train round trip, one tram round trip, two stollers, and five roomijs later we had a ONE GREAT DAY at the beach.
We arrived a bit earlier than 'The Italians' as they like to call themselves because their kids sleep until 8am and they like to arrive fashionably late. It was a little cool and cloudy, but we staked our spot on the beach and Jake enjoyed a swim while elena and I started the traditional excavation for prime sand 'soup' materials. Pretty soon our friends arrive. At first Elena was a bit tentative (even though Davide has already announced their upcoming marriage-don't worry, we'll send a save-the-day soon...) because this might involve sharing her beach toys. It turns out, however, that Davide had an even bigger bucket and shovel. They made up over potato chips while Maria and I alternately pried chips out of their bags to share with Luca. Luckily Luca was mostly interested in eating sand. Finally Davide collapsed wrapped in a warm towel after a cold swim and Luca was already taking his nap. The parent to child ratio was down to 4 to 1! We let elena stand on the side and pretend to 'feed the sea gull' by throwing sand and we had an adult conversation for probably 30 minutes. It felt like an eternity, what bliss. All while basking in the warm sun. I could feel myself getting pink - but I just didn't care...the cold winter months seemed so close...and the sand was so warm. But don't worry, I had on sunscreen. And so did Elena...along with her SPF hat, rash shirt, and swim trunks. Eventually, after 4, we decided that we'd better leave while we were ahead (ie before the exhausted screaming started) and we managed to get us all home on the train. Since they live right next to the new ice cream shop, we stopped for a cone on the way home.
It was a great day. We met Maria and Brett when they lived upstairs for a month while looking for a permenant apartment. When they moved out (above Sissy Boy - location of all future presents for Seth!), Elena was bummed. When we are both in town, we try to get the kids together. Maria is in astrophysics and worries about the crazy little particles that make up the stars and Brett worries about making sure Davide and Luca don't push each other into the canal. They are very cosmopotian, they have lived all over Europe and their kids have dual citizenship. They make us sort of feel like home bodies. But they are tons of fun and Maria is promising to make me real Italian tiramisu! Lekker! But mostly it is nice to have some friends. As we miss our Santa Cruz buddies and family a lot right now.
We arrived a bit earlier than 'The Italians' as they like to call themselves because their kids sleep until 8am and they like to arrive fashionably late. It was a little cool and cloudy, but we staked our spot on the beach and Jake enjoyed a swim while elena and I started the traditional excavation for prime sand 'soup' materials. Pretty soon our friends arrive. At first Elena was a bit tentative (even though Davide has already announced their upcoming marriage-don't worry, we'll send a save-the-day soon...) because this might involve sharing her beach toys. It turns out, however, that Davide had an even bigger bucket and shovel. They made up over potato chips while Maria and I alternately pried chips out of their bags to share with Luca. Luckily Luca was mostly interested in eating sand. Finally Davide collapsed wrapped in a warm towel after a cold swim and Luca was already taking his nap. The parent to child ratio was down to 4 to 1! We let elena stand on the side and pretend to 'feed the sea gull' by throwing sand and we had an adult conversation for probably 30 minutes. It felt like an eternity, what bliss. All while basking in the warm sun. I could feel myself getting pink - but I just didn't care...the cold winter months seemed so close...and the sand was so warm. But don't worry, I had on sunscreen. And so did Elena...along with her SPF hat, rash shirt, and swim trunks. Eventually, after 4, we decided that we'd better leave while we were ahead (ie before the exhausted screaming started) and we managed to get us all home on the train. Since they live right next to the new ice cream shop, we stopped for a cone on the way home.
It was a great day. We met Maria and Brett when they lived upstairs for a month while looking for a permenant apartment. When they moved out (above Sissy Boy - location of all future presents for Seth!), Elena was bummed. When we are both in town, we try to get the kids together. Maria is in astrophysics and worries about the crazy little particles that make up the stars and Brett worries about making sure Davide and Luca don't push each other into the canal. They are very cosmopotian, they have lived all over Europe and their kids have dual citizenship. They make us sort of feel like home bodies. But they are tons of fun and Maria is promising to make me real Italian tiramisu! Lekker! But mostly it is nice to have some friends. As we miss our Santa Cruz buddies and family a lot right now.
posted by Erin K. | 12:18 PM
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