"she's not on vacation'

(about me) "She's got the three kids..."

My Mom, on the phone to someone-or-other today. It made me laugh.

We had a rude-awakening moment today. When we finally got to the beach today, the parking attendant turned us away because "This is a resident-only beach, and you need a sticker."

I know, we have a sticker, I said, gesturing... to the empty place on the windshield.

Someone stole the beach sticker.

Forty-five minutes and ten dollars later, we were back at the beach, replacement sticker firmly affixed to the windshield.

I must've left the car unlocked out front, or perhaps someone swiped it in the beach lot, the last time we were there -- we usually leave the windows open so it doesn't turn into an oven.

So now I know to make sure that the car is locked and all the windows rolled up. In spite of the two-lane roads and small-town feel of this place, there are still creeps and jerks around, even if they are most likely tourists. Locals wouldn't steal a beach sticker, they wouldn't need to. At least, I like to think that.

Our time at the beach was cut short by the sticker-replacing detour. Any other day, we would've just stayed later until we were beached out, but today was Friday and I was on deck to make pizza. But the forecast is good for tomorrow, too, so we should be able to get in a good long day. The pizza was worth it.