A Long Walk on the Beach that Failed

My new home in BC is less than a kilometer from the beach called Maple Bay.  It is one of the most beautiful places in the world.  It's peaceful.  There are no words to describe how amazing it is to live here.  I try to make the best of it.  I try to get down there for long walks as much as I can.  Today was no exception.

It was after school.  I picked up the girls and decided they could use a cold drink.  So we went to the corner store for 'slushes' and drove down to the Maple Bay beach.

We unleashed the dogs and walked down the beach.  Girls are enjoying their rare treats as they told me about the a cappella group that came to perform at the school.  Sun is shining.  Water is cool.  Rowing club is training on the water.  All in all, it is a very good day.

My middle child is running ahead with the dogs.  "Come on  guys!  Hurry up!!"  She is beaming.  She wants to show me the tree she climbed the last time she was here with her dad.  I wave.  As I get closer, I see her frowning.  "Mommy, I got to go....oh wait, I am already going....."   By the time I have caught up to her she was drenched, no chance of turning back and a little embarrassed.  I tell her to go in the ocean and get her clothes wet.  I burst out laughing.  She laughs.  She is wading in the water laughing.

The oldest turns to me and says nonchalantly , "well, I got to go too...." and drops her pants and goes on the beach.  Fortunately, she know how to do this without getting herself wet.  I see a lady with a dog in the distance.  She pulls her pants up quickly and all is well.

I sat on a drift wood to take in the beauty of my world.   Sailboats are bobbing on the sparkling water.  It's so beautiful.  I breathe in deeply.  I love the smell of salty air.  That is when the youngest said, "Mommy, I got to go number two".  "No, you don't"  I dismissed her.  She is the youngest.  The copy cat.  She has to do everything the older sisters are doing.  I have taken many trips to the bathroom when it was 'urgent' but with nothing to show for.  "I really do have to go, mommy"  "Okay, if you do have to go that bad, take off your pants and do it."  She is starting to take off her shorts, forgetting that she has a pair of sneakers on.  The pants get tangled with shoes and she is falling, rolled up like a ball with her bare bottoms hanging out.  I tell her she should take off her shoes first.  She gets up laughing and pulls up her pants.  She says, "I actually don't have to go".  See, I knew it.  Copy cat.  We start to walk again.  Two seconds later, she has to go again.  Okay, if you really have to go, you know what to do.  This time she takes off her shoes and pants and she is squatting.  She DID have to go.  Real bad.  I think it was the 'slushie' that gave her the runs.   Oh dear God.  I have no tissue.  I used up the last poop bag.  I tell her to put her clothes back on and we will give her a bath at home.  She is obeying me beautifully.

I am looking for some drift wood to scoop up the 'number two'.  That is when Penny, our 6 months old weimaraner puppy jumps off the tree and lands right in my child's poop and starts eating it.  I chase the dog into the ocean and grab the nearest tree bark and successfully scoop up everything and toss it into the ocean. I even had enough time to gain my composure back to say a friendly hello to that lady with a dog in passing.

"Good thing I love you guys so much".  We laughed until it hurt.  It WAS a good day after all.