A post in which we have to go home :(

So I woke up this morning and had one last buddy visit for the road.  I ate some dibs and dabs of stuff I had left over in the room (we had again bought too much food) and started getting things together.  We found out yesterday that the hotel offered late check-out for $5, and the boys of course jumped on that - they are slugabeds. It was nice not to have to rush around. 

I had all my stuff packed and was pretty much ready to roll by the time their eyes were open.  We said our goodbyes and headed out, sadly.  I went downstairs with a maintenance guy in the elevator, who said "We sure are sorry to see ya'll go - you've been a fun group."  This was the maintenance guy.  And he pretty much typified the whole staff, who were superduper nice the whole time we were at the Ocean Park Resort.  I don't think I've ever felt so welcome by the staff at any place I have stayed for an event.

But before we left for home, we had a couple more things to do.  I wanted to pick up some cheap Croc-style shoes (I just refuse to pay $30 for plastic shoes).  I didn't think that would be difficult because they were all over the freakin' place the last time I went down.  Of course, since I was looking for them, they are no more.  We had done a perfunctory look the second day we were here, and one of the store owners had told Russ that since the Crocs outlet had opened down there, he couldn't make any money on them, and apparently all the store owners agreed.  After looking through five or so stores, I finally found one pair that would fit me tucked away in a dusty corner of one of the shops, and bought them. 

Then it was on to Abuelos's for lunch.  I found the place a couple of years ago, and Mom and I fell in love with it.  Then I drug the boys there, and they did too.  So it's kind of become a tradition for us to eat there now when we go to the beach.  It is a great place, and the food didn't let us down, it was as delicious as always.  Since it was the last gasp of the trip, we had dessert too, which was just as terrific.  It was a great end to a great trip, and we left town content and happy.

We ran into rain that was at times torrential on the way back, and it rained on us pretty much all the way home.  Sigh.  But the weather was pretty nice while we were there (if unseasonably cool), and it really didn't matter on the way home, except that it was harder on Russ.

We got the boys home, and then I helped them unload and got my stuff home.  I unpacked everything and got a load of wash in so I could wear my new t-shirt tomorrow.  I looked tired.  I was glad I took tomorrow off.  But what a great trip.