How Much I Love The Off Season

Many of you know I am not a beach person. I don't like the way I worry about Gwen getting sucked out in a rip tide. I don't like the way the waves knock her over. I don't like sand all over me making me feel nasty.

Gwen, on the other hand, IS a beach person. She could spend all day in the waves and sand. She doesn't even mind an hour drive home still covered in salt and sand. Last summer at the beach after she spent 4 hours straight in the water I finally made her get out and she sat on her boogie board reading a book until it was time to go. It was the first time I had ever seen a 7yr old reading on the beach!


Well, the other day I got a flashback to when I was a little girl and we went to visit a friend of the family. He would take me down to the beach, 3 blocks from their house, early in the morning, no matter what season it was and I would LOVE it. I would play tag with the waves and run around and have a blast (looking back I realize he did it to give my mom a break :) they're good people). So I decided that I should take Gwen to the beach...

Yes, I know it's October and I don't like the cold or the wind. I wanted to go anyway. So we grabbed some snacks and hit the road. I have to tell you, it was the most enjoyable drive to the beach I have ever had. No traffic!! I put on the cruise control and turned up the radio and had a pleasant drive.

When we got there I easily found a parking spot close to the boardwalk and did not have to put money in the meter! We were able to walk around without people running into us and look in stores without people getting in our way. I had more fun then I have had at the beach in a very long time! I think our friends had a good time too!

It's not just the beach that I enjoy more in the off season! The zoo is wonderful without the crowds and the noise too. We took our nature journals to draw pictures and make observations of the animals and actually saw a lot of the animals doing things we don't get to see very often.

The tiger who usually hides was out pacing around, the bear was in his hammock, and the cockatoo, singing dog and donkey were trying to answer us when we spoke to them! I don't know if it was the cooler weather or the lack of screaming children, but the kids were enchanted. The surprised look on Gwen's face is when the swan made a strange hiss/bark/growl at her. I guess she made it nervous! It made her a little nervous too!

What can I say, I just love being able to enjoy what we are doing without being crowded. It's not as much fun when you're worried about losing a kid in the shuffle, bumping into someone, or getting run over by a stroller!