I realize there are times when I'm too hard on myself since I haven't shown the discipline to keep up with this blog. However, there is some benefit in allowing some time to pass before writing about an experience. After some delay, the best memories sink in and the dreck can be forgotten. At least that's what I'm going to tell myself. After posting my last series of pictures during my Cape Cod vacation, I figured it was time to bring this dramatic story to a close.
After an evening of dinner, drinking, music and late night wading, followed by an early morning expedition to hunt down my elusive cell phone, I was hoping to have some time to recover. Alas, it was not meant to be as the family plan was to go to Coast Guard Beach for the day. I was hungover and in a piss poor mood as we loaded into two cars and headed north to Eastham. My mood improved when we stopped at Dunkin Donuts and I got an iced caffeinated beverage in my system.
My euphoria didn't last long as most people on the Cape decided to go to Coast Guard Beach that day. The line of cars waiting to get into the parking lot, which was so far away it required a tram to take us to the beach, was discouraging. Fortunately, we had season parking passes and the ranger on duty waived us through. We had to go through the exit lane to get to the parking lot, much to the indignation of some woman trying to leave. She made some shithead remark, which we heard since the windows of both vehicles were down. My sister-in-law was quick with a scathing retort. We parked at the far end of the parking lot and when we trudged to the tram waiting area, we were met with a line reminiscent of a Disneyland ride.
The day was hot, the line was long, and my hangover was only mildly better. Once we made it onto the beach, though, we were treated to marvelous views.
We got our day's worth of the beach and soon after lunch we headed back to the cottage. We had only a little time to change and to rest before having a family night at the drive-in movies, another quintessential Cape Cod event. We arrived at the theater in the early evening, just as grey clouds starting darkening the sky. We brought dinner with us and enjoyed a pseudo cookout before the movie.
We finished just in time as the clouds opened up and let loose a steady downpour. We worried the movies would be canceled, but the rain abated and we watched "Despicable Me 2" and "RIPD." We could have left after the first one.
The clouds from the night before were a foreshadow of how the rest of the vacation would be, which wasn't all bad as we had squeezed a lot into the first few days and only had a couple more remaining. The group separated by gender for Thursday morning and afternoon with the ladies doing some shopping and exploring. The guys lazed about until lunch time, when we went to the Nauset Grill so I could get my official Cape Cod lobster roll; this one had a twist, bacon! The roll was just as good as it sounds.
Just by happenstance, the other half of our group arrived there for lunch, but since the male contingent was done eating, we elected to meet the others later at Skaket Beach as my brother and his boys wanted to try out their new inflatable tube in spite of the grey and somewhat chilly weather. I decided to join them on the walk to take some pictures, but wasn't in the mood to swim. As usual, my brother outlasted us all.
That night was the Tutus Night Out, so the rest of us ordered pizzas and watched Tom Cruise ply his trade in "Jack Reacher," a much better movie than "RIPD." Afterwards, everyone was left to their own devices, playing with toys, ping pong, or reading. I think all of us were getting ready to wind down the vacation.
I know I was, as I insisted on having a day to myself on Friday. While the others did more exploring and shopping, I had a "me" day. I slept in, had a little lunch, and made my first blog post about the trip. When the others returned, we did some prepping for our eventual departure the next morning and readied ourselves for our final dinner together at the Lobster Claw.
The last time we were in the Cape, we ordered prepared lobsters and had dinner at the cottage. Although I enjoyed the official send-off, I preferred the food from that trip than what I ordered from the Lobster Claw. We finished the night shopping for doodads at the restaurant and one more stop at a Cuffy's near the cottage.
Saturday morning was spent packing our cars, cleaning the cottage, and having a group breakfast before heading to our respective homes. We can chalk up yet another successful Cape Cod vacation!
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