Spring Break, 2011

Several years ago, during a busy, stressful (yet child-free) time in my life, I decided to take a vacation for Spring Break.

I love living by the rhythms of the academic year.  But up until that time, Spring Break meant a time to catch up on grading from midterms and a chance to try to get ahead for the remainder of the semester.  Once I became Division Chair, Spring Break often meant meetings to work on schedules and room assignments and other administrative issues.  This particular year, however, we had no meetings scheduled, we had already started on the schedule, and the one obligation required of the administrators could be accomplished if you had an internet connection.

I decided I was going away.

I wanted to go to the beach.  I hadn't been to the beach in a very long time, and that sounded like an ideal vacation.  I had done my taxes, and had money coming to use on the vacation.  I started searching the internet, and found a condo that I could tell was, in fact, directly on the beach, and was in my price range.  I booked it immediately.  (Yes, it's huge.  But also?  On the beach.)  Topsail Beach, North Carolina.

I mentioned it to the drunk womanizer, and he insinuated that he would go with me.  Later, I asked him, and he said that he would go with me.  So when my parents hinted that they would love to go, I basically blew them off, since I would already have "company".  About a week before time to leave for our "vacation", he started making some excuses.  I ended up getting fed up with it, so I told him he was uninvited.  My parents still wanted to go, but I was looking forward to some truly alone time.

So Darby and I packed up, I printed directions and pored over the atlas, and at 3 am one morning with a cooler full of snacks and dog treats, we hit the road. 

It was the best vacation I have ever had.  Ever.  Hands down.  Best thing I have EVER done for myself, was to take that vacation alone.

Despite the frigid March waer temperature, she did a little swimming and generally wore herself out on the beach.

I took tons of books, some cokes (of course), ham and horseradish cheddar cheese sandwiches, and an extra blanket from home.  And the camera, of course.

That was March, 2007. 

I want to go on vacation for Spring Break this year.  This time, I'll take the 'rents.  I'm thinking about going back to the same place.  Or that place that Jellybean Mama showed, holy cow that place was nice.

It will mean about 13 hours in the car with my parents and the Wee One.  We will argue about driving straight through versus stopping in a roach motel on the way.  We will argue about places to eat or taking food for the car.  The toddler will alternately scream and sleep badly and be off schedule the entire time we are there.

But I don't care, as long as I see this again:

Yea, so, never mind.  I finally realized that "green" on their legend doesn't mean "available", it means "BOOKED".  Ooops.  So, I'm taking suggestions.