Beach Baby . . .

For the next few days, I'll be blogging from Amelia Island, Florida, where we are taking a combination business trip/vacation.  Yesterday, we got up at 2:15 a.m. (that's in the morning!), left Green Acres at 3:15 (still a.m.!) and were on the plane at Kansas City International at 5:40 (still very a.m.).   Next time, I'm booking the flights.

In the twenty-four hours we have been here, I've learned this much:

• My back problems are not caused (as I had thought) by our old mattress.  The deliciously comfy, king-sized bed here didn't help.
• You can't watch the sun rise over the ocean when it's overcast - a thought I should probably have had before getting up, dressing and walking to the beach.
• A gray ocean with violent waves, slowly lightening as the sun comes up behind the clouds, is still a beautiful sight.
• A blazing fire pit on the hotel patio, which affords a view of the raging ocean, is the perfect spot for early morning coffee and devotions.
• "Resort people" are not early risers.  I pretty much had the beach and patio to myself at that hour.
• It's difficult to paint a gray ocean with whitecaps if your travel-size watercolor kit does not include black or white.
• Resort prices are beyond ridiculous - $10 drinks, $20 hamburgers, and $165 sun dresses - and they don't accept cash.
• And most importantly:  humidity-proof hair spray isn't.

This evening we are headed south along the coast for my most anticipated part of the trip.  My uncle and cousins, who have lived in Jacksonville for over 60 years, are taking us to Singleton's Seafood Shack - a local hot-spot for fresh seafood.  I'm told that the shrimp trawlers and fishing boats dock right at the restaurant to deliver the day's catch.  Doesn't get any fresher than that. Part of the drive will involve a ferry between islands - something a land-locked Kansas/Nebraska girl has never done.

Not the colorful sunrise I was expecting, but beautiful none the less.

The warmth of the fire against the chilly early-morning breeze was perfect.
 The ocean is just beyond the rock wall in the distance so,
though it doesn't show in the picture, I still had a great view.

The sun eventually peeked out from the clouds.
Maybe tomorrow I can see the sunrise.