We had a wonderful relaxing beach vacation last week.  A mix of sun, clouds and rain, just like I like it.  The clouds and the rain give me a “break”…a good excuse to curl up on the sofa with a book and stop going so fast.  Anyway, on our last day on the beach, my dear husband informed me that the trusty umbrella, our protector from the harsh sun’s rays, the umbrella that I am always in charge of carrying (since he is carrying everything else) did not make it home the day before.  Which meant that I had LEFT it, the poor little defenseless umbrella was left to the ravages of the ocean’s waves all night alone.  We scoured the beach house, the dunes, the decks, the stairs in vain…no umbrella.  Meanwhile, I am feeling low and pitiful for myself…not only did I forget the only thing I was in charge of, but the sun was beating down unmercifully and I could practically feel myself burning despite my sunblock.   As I sat in the beach chair, I sent my daughter on one last “scouting” expedition down the beach to see if she saw it.  And lo and behold, there it was…lying in the sand incognito.  We reclaimed/asked the nice man whom it was sitting with if he had found it, and Presto!  He gladly gave it back to us.

I have never been so happy to be sitting under an umbrella.  Which goes to illustrate the song lyric, “You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.”  Of course, as things go, it was cloudy and pouring rain within the hour, but those few minutes were precious!    Here is a picture of our lovely umbrella, in the rain of course, back at the beach house.  This time I was extra careful to bring him home.  🙂  Slainte, Lisa

The Outer Banks