I recently completed a list entitled “101 things to do ON the beach” and dedicated it “to my grandchildren.”

In the 17 summers we’ve owned our beach house in Moody Beach (which is the northern part and private part of Ogunquit Beach) I’ve never tried anything related to golf.  As I was creating my 101 things to do list, it occurred to me this would be a good addition under the category of mini golf.

Last week I went to Dick’s and bought three kid-size putters (real ones) and a box of Angry Bird golf balls – each one with a different character.

So when I heard you and your family were visiting us yesterday, I was ready to go.

I told you to go check under the deck for something new – you guessed what i had bought for some reason and ran off with Emma to claim the prizes.

We built a fine course together in the hard sand of low tide (my favorite time at the beach).  It featured chutes, drops and obstacles.  As we were constructing one of the holes together with Emma – on our hands and knees – you said to me in a very excited, happy voice, bursting the words at a rapid pace:

“I just love the beach.  It’s so much fun.  You always come up exciting new ideas for us to try.  I think you’re the best grandpa in the whole world…

 

“Do you think we can try all of the 101 ideas this summer? We’d have to come here a lot to do that!”

I told you how much that meant to me and thanked you.  Nothing, and I mean nothing, means more to me than what you said today.  You’re such an important part of who I am and there isn’t a day that goes by without my remembering how lucky I am  to have you in my life.

We had a blast with the miniature golf course on a very hot day… and others joined in. You and Emma and me played the first game, then later on your Dad tried out the course, then Camden came, then Uncle Tim.  Our favorite of the 10 holes was the long, downward-sloping ramp we made by digging the tip of the shovel hard into the sand for 20-feet or so into a hole.  The golf ball sped down the chute and dropped right into the cup when we hit it perfectly.

I wonder which of the 101 ideas we’ll try next!

I don’t know what Apple thinks about this new dog of yours, but I do know you & the rest of your family are excited. No wonder.

You brought her to the beach today, the day after picking her up in Nashua. She’s a fine looking specimen – light skinned in contrast with Apple’s eager darkness.  A distinctive white streak runs from forehead to the tip of her nose.  She looks like a combination collie and  deer – head like a collie, but gangly body like a deer.  She’s only four months old, so we’ll have to see what she turns out to be in final form.

She was a good girl during his first-ever visit to the ocean. She sat on the beach and never barked once.  She seems to be even-tempered – a true Southern Belle.  Your Mom said she’s from Tennessee – a stray transported and transplanted to New Hampshire.

After checking out the beach scene a little while, Allie dug a hole in the sand under the umbrella, rolled up in a ball and fell to sleep.

This reminded me of you because on many occasions when you come to the beach on a hot day you lay on the warm, soft sand.  A few weeks ago, you fell asleep there.  There’s something about the experience that’s inviting and definitely relaxing.

I know where you’re coming from.  I don’t lay on the sand often, but the beach is the only place in the world where I can fall asleep during the day – usually in a beach chair.

We made a fort, dug a puddle, played frisbee, went boogie boarding, tossed the ball around and constructed a gravity-driven tennis ball dueling ramp out of sand.  Later on, you sat in my new kayak and I took you for a few wave rides in the shallow water.  You, Emma and Jack couldn’t get enough!

After showers, we all slummed it eating Jake’s burgers, fries, chowder and chicken fingers.  After that we all headed over to our favorite ice cream stand. It was a perfect way to end a fantastic summer day.

I bet Allie will even remember it too.