A post in which it is the beach!!*

I woke up at the beach!  Yay!!  I had time to take a leisurely bath in my huge bathtub with some bath salts that Wilenda gave me for Christmas.  Then I gave myself a pedicure and sat on the balcony for a while watching the waves and the people.  I had some time to myself before the day started, and just as well.

When the boys got up it was all go, go, go!  Which was fine.  We got ready and headed out for breakfast.  It wasn't the best breakfast ever, but it was pretty good, and the service was very friendly and jiffy-quick, so you really can't ask for more than that.

The order of the day was - shopping.  I know.  Did I need anything?  Oh HELL no, but I wanted to go anyway.  After going to one fancy-schmancy shopping area (thanks to advice from the desk clerk) we found the Tanger's Outlets and set to in earnest.  The boys had specific things they were looking for, but I was more just along for the ride.  We walked into Lucky Brand, and were immediately approached by a sales clerk who asked if she could help us.  "Yes," Billy said. "I want a pair of jeans that make my ass look good."  I said, "She's a salesperson honey, not a magician!"  But apparently I was wrong.  She got a pair of jeans that did, in fact, make his ass look good.  We liked them so much that we all bought a pair. Along with a bunch of other stuff.  All told, we spent almost $800 (!!) in that one store.  And we weren't done.  We went in several shoe stores, and of course I ended up with a pair of shoes I didn't need, but that were feather-light jogging shoes, were on sale, and which the clerk had brought out to me with nary a snicker.  I also got some fancy shoe-laces, a ridiculously expensive t-shirt that I just had to own, and some no-show socks that Logan swears border on the preternatural.  After the experience with the magic jeans, I wasn't going to be skeptical. 

By the time we finished all that up we were hungry, so we had a quick lunch in the food court and some post-coital ice cream from the Ben & Jerry's shop.  It was SO much better than what you buy at the grocery store.  I was quite surprised. 

We stopped by the grocery store on the way back.  We had a full kitchen in the room, so reasoned that there was no use in going out to breakfast every day when we could just whip it up in the room.

By the time we got back, I was wiped.  I wanted to rest for a while and then go to dinner, but the boys had other plans.  The bear contest was at a bar tonight, and they wanted to go to that.  After the long day I was in no mood to be in a crowded noisy bar.  So the deal was that they would go on to that, and then we would eat a late supper afterwards.  The problem was that I was hungry.  I figured they would give up on the contest pretty early (if last year's bar event was any indication) but about the time I gave up on them and dined on snack foods in the room, they decided to go eat.

I was going to go with them to be sociable when I got a message from Gobibear.  I met him last year, and he was amazing, but I had to wait until the last night of the run to meet him.  We had been in touch and decided to meet again this year.  He was headed back from the bar, and invited me over.  Oh I was SO going!

It was really great to see him again, and he was really more wonderful than I remembered.  We laughed and talked (among other things) until late.  That man can do more to me with one hand (his left!  and he's not even left-handed) than most guys can with their whole body.  I'm just sayin'.

It was one happy lil bear that scampered back to the room and snuggled up in bed.