Leaving the Jersey Shore

August 19, 2013

Leaving the Jersey Shore

Summer ended leaving me feeling like a fat cat wondering where the rest of the food was, "There is more, right? What! No more food?! How dare you...." then sulking off to the most remote part of the house to contemplate revenge.

"Turn that flash off. You know where my food is just as well as I do. A second breakfast would sure hit the spot. Get to it!" Ah, I know where my summer is just like your food and we will both do without a second portion.

Summer driving away into the sunset.

The thing is, that you really can't get revenge against the weather. I sat and wondered for days, no, weeks how to prepare for this next marathon winter. I was hot during the two weeks of the inferno-like heat that smacks NJ still thinking "What kind of down blanket should I buy? 650 power fill or 750 power fill and is it warmer if it is heavier or if the goose was plucked dead and not alive and lighter?" Those where the rambling questions trolling my mind this summer. Like the foreign bee queen who takes longer to adjust than a local queen bee, I am dazed like the foreign queen bee still asking myself all the questions that a local queen bee knows the answers to. "Why are NJ highway exists on the left?"

"Why are there so many turns to get in the direction you want to go?"

Seriously? seriously.

Carefully follow the instructions of the nice lady on the GPS.

"Why can't you pump your own gas in NJ?" and "Why do they call mozzarella 'muzzarell'? I bet the cow called Muzz' is named for...I got it. formaggio."

After weeks wasted contemplating how to prepare and stay warm this winter a light finally came off in my head. Yes, that empty head of mine took long and hard to think of this one, she whispered, "Face the north winds like a Norwegian would." Aha! And considering I have never been to Norway, how is one to accomplish such a task? Well, I have been to Sweden, in January, and was able to have a little glimpse at their crystal cold winter ways. They dressed in bright colors, some wore ice picks under their shoes, they were blond (I don't think I can do that one), made fish soup (questionable smell but tasty) and they sat for hours on end drinking hot things and talking with friends. The thing that impressed me the most were the bright colors and patterns. It was like Miami but with ice around. The thing that scared me the most was seeing a few people slip on the ice and hit their noggins.

But this winter we will face it like Vikings from the Scandinavian countries! We will boil our pasta! Wait, well, I'm sure in Scandinavia they could love some pasta. But I will dress with bright colors inspired by spring! I will sing the songs from "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"! and I will not let winter depress me and kick my ass!

On that hopeful note here are the pictures from the last rays of my first summer in NJ...

Oh, before I do the pictures. The best part of the summer?

Discovering electric blue linen pants with an elastic waistband that totally do not look like they have an elastic waist band! My grandma and I could wrestle for these bad boys. Elastic waist bands in neon colors were her thing.

Worst part of summer?

Too many hats

Not enough sunny days to wear all the hats

And now, the last moments of summer:

Making panini for the beach. Feta with prosciutto crudo.

lightly toasted

all alone

and along came Polly

Then Polly made a friend, fell in love and lived happily ever after.

He brought the food? Even better.

Hurricane Sandy drift wood

Not only did he bring the chairs and food but he brought a glass cup! Life is getting grand.

And a coke! What could possibly be next?

Coke meet glass.

Why are we reading about snow on the beach? why...

Leaving the shore for the last time this year.

The view from between.

Climbing down over the sand dunes.

Goodbye wrecked house! Hopefully your FEMA money is on it's way!

Goodbye new beach construction. Hopefully we wont get any more hurricanes. They should have built you in concrete but they know you will be destroyed one day so are building you for insurance.