A post in which it is a flea market day

The morning dawned bright and clear - for me anyway. Mom had a rough night. The hotel we’re staying in used to have Murphy beds in the front room of the ocean front suites, but no longer. They’ve removed them and installed apparently un-sleepable fold out sofas in their stead. Mom always takes the ocean front room because she likes to crack the door and sleep with the sound of the ocean; but apparently she tossed and turned a good portion of the night before just moving the mattress to the floor. The air conditioning is also kind of uneven, so while I was too warm in the back bedroom, Mom was too cold in the front. She’s a trooper though, and by the time we had coffee and bagels on the balcony she was almost back to her old self.

There were flea markets to do. Whatever else we do when we’re off together; we always hit both flea markets when we’re at the beach. The one south of the strand, in Surfside, is open 4 days a week (this time of year), so that was the destination today. There is a lot of kitchen stuff at this one, and usually one or both of us are looking for something in particular, but not this trip. We still had a good time going over it. I was looking for a hat since I had neglected to bring one. I visited the Depression Glass lady here who has lots of pretty things, but has lots of pretty prices on them. As usual, I didn’t buy anything from her. I did pick up some Mary Kay skin stuff (for some reason I usually only buy this stuff when I’m off with Mom), and a glorious pair of Freddie Mercury mirrored aviator sunglasses with which I was most pleased.

I need more sunglasses like I need a hole in the head, but Mom was looking for some so I was lured in. These were so spectacular that I really just couldn't resist. Mom also found some lovely ones, faux tortiseshell with amber lenses and a tasteful smattering of sparklies on the frames.

Since we’d made it through in such record time (not lingering as usual over all the kitchen places) we had plenty of time to go through the indoor flea market also. This one isn’t really a flea market so much as an amalgamation of various junk dealers. You can pick up old souvenirs, jewelry, and stuff like that. I did score a (supposedly) real pair of Crocs flip-flops though. I can’t usually wear them, but the t-strap (the part that goes between your toes) on these is made of cloth, and they don’t seem to hurt my feet.

Well pleased with our finds, we adjourned to the local 120+ item Chinese buffet for a celebratory luncheon. Lovely. Following that, replete with bargains and Chinese food (if still no hat) we retired to the hotel for a nap.

Since we had an early lunch today we went out for ice cream this afternoon. Mom loves ice cream, and apparently I have recently come into my inheritance of this passion. I had a mint chocolate chip hot fudge sundae with nuts - the first sundae I have eaten in years. It was perfectly proportioned as to the ice-cream-to-hot-fudge ratio, and I very much enjoyed it. The woman working there seemed rather underwhelmed to see us, but then you can't have everything.

While we were strolling through beach shops on our way back to the room, Lisa called with the emergency du jour. Apparently Ava has decided that she wants to have a tea party at her birthday party, next Saturday, and Lisa was passing on the charge to find a china tea set. For a three-year-old. I thought this a bit much, frankly, as much as I adore Ava, but we agreed to look around. A subsequent trip through the local pottery warehouse, however, was fruitless.

We headed back to the hotel, where I took a dip in the pool. It was surprisingly un-refreshing. The pool heater is apparently working overtime, and the water is almost hot. Plus a bunch of people were down there with kids running around and stuff. Not very relaxing. Still they have as much right to enjoy their vacation as I do. It is diverting to watch the various vignettes unfold. We have a Muslim family staying; the mother was in the pool covered from head to ankles in cloth, as was her husband in an impressive amount of body fur. A redneck couple billed and cooed in the pool; he obviously younger and fairly attractive, with a tip-tilted Irish Rick Astley nose, she obviously higher-mileage and no beauty IMHO. He apparently has a predilection for the Ample Woman, and she was pretty shamelessly fishing for compliments. I was thinking she should probably be grateful and not press her luck, but hey, what do I know?

For dinner tonight, we decided on Mexican. There’s an excellent place here called Abuelo’s. We have eaten there several times and really enjoyed it. The problem is that we couldn’t seem to find it. We drove out to where we remembered it being and drove all around, but couldn't seem to quite get there. We wondered if it was even still open. Eventually, we gave up and went to another Mexican place nearby. We had a quite serviceable meal (Mother’s seemed to be better than mine tonight), but it just wasn’t as good as Abuelo’s. (We didn’t know the name either, and it had been two years since we had been there. I did look it up when I got back, and am delighted to tell you that they are still in business.)

By the time we got back, it was getting late, and we were both tired. Mom hadn’t slept well, and I had walked her a lot today. I was tired too. We sat and looked at the waves for a bit, then turned in, after carefully fixing Mom’s mattress on the floor. She was determined to sleep in the ocean front room.