Life's A Beach: May 2009

I haven't blogged in a while. Sorry. Spring has sprung and so have I. I have been out and about, enjoying the beautiful weather. I've also been out meeting people and promoting the Inn.

Not a lot of time for writing in the interim. But . . . I'm back.

In the last few weeks, I've started walking every day. Playing my piano. I joined a walking group of twenty six women who walk a different spot every Tuesday. Last week we walked the Arcadia Dune area. More to come on that! I joined the Paul Oliver Hospital Women's Auxillary group and signed up to chair their Holiday Gala. (I haven't learned the "just say NO" thing yet). I set up a women's luncheon to be held here in June. Helped my best friend decorate her apartment and oh gosh - I'm exhausted just thinking about it. Nah - not really. The activity is awesome after a long, slow winter.

I've also been out and about finding great spots on Lake Michigan. That way I can tell guests first hand about some awesome hot spots to visit while here.

Yesterday afternoon after school, however, was girl's time with my youngest beach baby, Chandler.

We rented a host of movies, the first of which was Marley and Me. Yes, it's a tear jerker. Yes, it's the modern day 'Old Yeller'. Yes, I balled my eyes out. Duh - this is ME we are talking about. Chan was sobbing right along with me. She is sooooo my daughter.

What hit me though was the quote at the end of the movie so I thought I would pass it along to you all here:

"A dog loves you every day of your life - no matter what. He doesn't care how much money you make, what you look like, what kind of house you have. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How awesome to have someone who thinks your are rare and pure and special. Someone who thinks you are extraordinary."

How wonderful if people were that innocent, that unafraid to give love, that true.

Love,

The Lady of the Lake

I did my part to boost the local economy this week. We hosted a wine tasting party for a friend's client appreciation party, had guests stay with us, booked more reservations and last but not least . . . went bowling.

A group of friends gathered at the Inn last night with their awesome kids for a night of pizza and bowling. The children, ages 3, 6 and 8 had never been before. Well, with the exception of Wii Bowling.

There is a bowling alley right on the corner of Benzie Boulevard behind the Inn. So, being a gorgeous sunny evening we decided to order pizza from the Hungry Tummy, bring it back and eat it on the porch overlooking the lake and then walk over to the bowling alley for some good, old fashioned fun.

The kids arrived in anticipation of the evenings activities. We walked to get the pizza, looking for fish in the Cold Creek on the way there and back. We dined in high fashion on paper plates and gobbled up the ultimate chocolate brownies I made that afternoon for dessert.

"Can we go bowling now?", the children pleaded . . . wiping the chocolate crumbs from their adorable faces.

Camera in hand, off we went. Three children, three adults. A caravan of little kids and "big kids". To play.

There is something about being around children. It keeps the kid in you alive. It's times like these that I am the happiest. Their innocence, their excitement, the unconditional love. Contagious. Everything is an adventure, filled with wonder and curiosity. How wonderful to see things through the eyes of a child.

Now outfitted with lovely florescent orange and yellow bowling shoes, we searched out the perfect balls and headed to our lanes. For a Friday night, we were astonished to find we had the entire place to ourselves. Two lanes. One (with the gutter guards) for the little kids and one beside the first for the big "kids".

We showed them how to hold the balls and roll them down the alley. "No, you don't run down the lane honey". . . "just roll the ball from here". HA - that went over big with the three year old.

Actually, we saw more strikes from rolling the ball between our legs with the kids. We called it slow motion bowling.

They would jump in the air, high five us and twirl around with pure joy at the site of the pins dropping. We would applaud, jump with them, high five them back. Even the three year old - "high five me Miss Becca". Awe - the tug on the heart strings.

Soon, the kids were not only bowling for themselves, they were bowling for the adults as well. They'd also take well needed breaks from all the excitement. Here is "J" with a front row seat to the action. Check out those fantabulous bowling shoes. Oh yeah baby! Stylin!

"Miss Becca, can I do yours?" "Aunt Gretchen, can I do it for you?" All smiles, the children pleaded and we obliged.

The big kids were having fun as well. When we started, my friend Chris told me he was going to beat me. I said, "you're on". After the kids took over, all bets were off. Next time - he's goin down!

When all was said and done, we'd eaten three pizza's, 1/2 tray of brownies and each bowled one game . . . well the kids did most of the bowling.

Three large pizzas - $42.00 (thanks Chris). One round of bowling - $39.00 (Ouch). The looks on the kids faces - PRICELESS.

As a post script - the next time I bowl . . . forget about those florescent yellow and orange shoes . . . I'm going to where these: