Day 62: Fire Island Retrospective/New Pics

Dudes - this is my third try today at writing a retrospective post about our time in Fire Island. First try was all fun stories and pictures. Second try was an attempt to verbalize how hard it was to be on the PCP in that environment. Just now, I went back and read my last few posts from before and during our trip...and realized that I'd already verbalized this conflict as it was happening. SO - for my third and final try, suffice it to say that, PCP + social-y vacation with husband, friends and kids = HARD. I don't think I handled it as well as I could have, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I still managed to have lots of fun times with everybody.

Now that we're home, I'm overwhelmed with relief, so happy to be back in my own space, in my own kitchen, in charge of my own destiny, as it were. I've had the best couple of days of workouts and cooking - in fact, I think I've had 3 PPCPD's in a row!! Interestingly, the kids are also reveling in being back in their own space. They both spent the entire day yesterday creating elaborate "hide-outs" in their rooms, and today was more of the same - building and expanding their hide-outs, playing games in there, listening to music. Even the dog has been in rest and recovery mode. Home sweet home!

I do want to share some pictures of the gorgeousness that is Fire Island. First, my early morning jumping spot: the Fair Harbor ferry dock.
Check out that swan floating by. Almost every morning, a crew of swans would be out in the bay, all in a line, on their way to work, I guess. The earlier I got out, the better chance I'd have of seeing them - too late, and I was treated instead to the garbage barge dropping off the trash taxis for their daily rounds.

I totally forgot to take pictures from the roof deck where I did most of my exercises. Our friend Doug the photographer took one of me doing lunges up there, but for the life of me, I can't get it to load from his flickr set. Maybe later.

One night, we saw the moon rise over the ocean, an enormous orange orb rising up from the horizon, creating orange moon-shaped reflections on the water. Incredible! The next morning, we ran out to the beach to see the sun rise in the same spot:

A very Fire Island tradition - the wagon sale. Kids load up their wagons with stuff to sell - mostly homemade stuff like baked goods or painted shells (though this year, there was more and more random street-fair type junk being sold) - and haul them out to the dock during "sixish". Sixish is when everyone brings their boozy drinks to the dock to watch the sunset - usually more like 7 or 8 o'clock. Here's Stella with her wagon sale of handmade shell necklaces:

She made $12!

An hour or so later, sunset over the bay

Last but not least, the beach. We had a LOT of awesome days at the beach - one of the big reasons we love Fire Island.

The kids on their boogie boards
Stella and I relaxing in the shade
Milo doing some serious sand excavations
Dan and I soaking up the rays - well, except for Dan who doesn't like the sun ;)
Clyde jumping around in the surf like a madman
Stella and I making muscles on a red flag day
Wave jumping
Fire Island family portrait

New weekly pics are up! You'll recognize a bunch, but there are a slew of other new ones taken "on location". I'm pretty happy with how my upper body is shaping up - I kinda can't believe the muscle definition in my chest and arms, and external obliques. Abs and hips/buttocks still need some work. Good thing I have another 28 days to put my butt to the grindstone!

'Til tomorrow...