Sentimental Sunday: We Love the Beach

July, 1978, Heather and her grandpa at the beach in RI

Happy Father's Day

When my grandson, Anthony was a little over two years old, my daughter brought him to the beach. He'd been before but he didn't remember it. After a few hours of playing in the sand, eating lunch on the beach and stepping in and out of the tiny waves, he'd had enough.

She told me that when he got in his car seat he said, "Thanks, Mumma for the beach!" and fell asleep. It was as if she made the beach just for him.

Being Rhode Islanders, we are "beach people". This is a photo of my daughter, taken in 1978 when she was three, sitting happily playing in the sand next to my father who was known to just sit near the water and watch the surf. She just chattered away at him but of course, we knew he couldn't hear her. World War II shelling took away my father's hearing in both ears but especially in his right ear.

My mom, hubs and I sat back further on the beach watching this being so mesmerized that we just left them there for a long time. I like to think about this day, on a beach in Rhode Island every summer.

Happy Father's Day to my son-in-law and my husband!