unexpected joy and dress up with Tito Chuchi

Kelly and Adrianne

My phone rang on Thursday, I believe, and what I heard but no way, two Atlanta girls from back in the day were Florida bound and oh yes we had to hook up. So off Augustus, Magdalena and I went to Flagler Beach/Palm Coast for a mini random roadtrip reunion with Adrianne and Kelly from the Bridgetown Grill days. But things are just a little different these days, uh, yeah. It was a bit like the Southern Tour Roadtrip, redux. Once again, me hanging out with two old friends who I used to, how shall we say ..., go out on the town with, but now who I stay home and watch our children hang out with. What a difference a day or actually 10-13 years makes.

Kelly getting some Barnas love

Magdalena, Sophia, Jacob, Augustus

It was one of those classic Florida beach days. We move in our regular heard of turtles fashion out of the house around 11am, stop by the grocery store for lunch for the beach, finally get to the beach, set up camp, start swimming and generally playing and having a lovely time when all of a sudden, I turned around and out of nowhere these huge black clouds were upon us. Not fifteen minutes before Kelly and Adrianne were commenting on how this was by far the hottest sunniest day since they' d been there and then BAM! the wind picks up and the sand starts to blow. I say, well, let's just start to consolidate our stuff so if we have to bolt we'll be ready and by the time I finished that sentence, we were bolting. Three beach chairs, two coolers, beach blanket, towels, boogie boards, beach toys four children and three mamas and all in less than ten minutes up the stairs to the boardwalk and barely in the car when the torrential rain starts. Classic. We'd been at the beach maybe an hour.

the crew awaiting our dinner feast

But as with all things, perfection was the order of the day. We went back to the house, had lunch inside sans sand, which was lovely of course, hung out, played games, talked and then it cleared up so we decided to go back and arrived back at the beach at the time that I had originally planned on leaving, around three pm, which is personally right around my favorite time to arrive at the beach to begin with to enjoy those long stretching shadows and the afternoon breeze with the sun at our backs. Which was exactly what we did. We built sand castles, Magdalena had her first wipe-out on a boogie board, Augustus fell for Kelly, Sophie was the master of burials in the sand (which I did for the first time, get buried in the sand that is, and it is strangely relaxing, I assumed it would drive me crazy. Who knew?). We hung out on the beach until almost sunset, 7:30 or so, then found the most amazing restaurant in Flagler Beach, I promise. Kelly, like a true restaurateur, ordered specials for the table and there was food to be had by all and food to feed me, my two littles and Tita for two days almost. Quite lovely. Quite unexpected. Quite perfect.

Magdalena dressing up with Tito Chuchi

A few days after we returned home, on one of our decompress-and-go-nowhere-days, we had a lovely visit from Tito Chuchi. We were having our first craft night for the mamas and abuela and auntie, without children, and Aunt Susu had forgotten her knitting so Anthony had a perfect excuse to stop by. It was so awesome. M. and A. and Frida all danced and dressed up and played and M. kept saying, mama! Tito Chuchi is here to play with us, not talk to you. Well ok then. But maybe in the midst of all the spinning and tying on of capes there can be a little conversation, just maybe.

Augustus, so proud with his first match box car, a la MaryBeth, our favorite New York Auntie

Magdalena and Augustus, in their natural state. Totally fabulous