growth & galveston

I miss my Galveston. Daily. Especially at this time of the year. We generally visit in the fall, and I inevitably begin to crave the coast in the spring. Just in time for a looooooong six months of waiting for our vacation. Several years ago, my Aunt B, my mom, and a few other delightful ladies decided to begin an annual tradition. We have since dubbed it the "SWDFF". (Sisters' Wing Ding Fall Fling) The very first SWDFF boasted only five members, and in recent years, our number has grown to as many as 11. The rules of the SWDFF are simple. Rule number one: Ladies only. Rule number two: There are no other rules. I am not alone in my longing for this escape. In fact, just this evening I reminisced with my Aunt B on the phone (she in Dallas, I in KC) about some of our lovely adventures and 'homes'. For the past six years, we have held the SWDFF in Galveston, TX. We would not change it for the world. In fact, the one year we would have been unable to visit in the fall due to the hurricane, we were fortunate enough to have booked our trip for May, or we would have been forced to miss visiting our beloved Galveston for a year. (Galveston, our hearts broke for you when we watched the news and witnessed your losses.)

We always make it a priority to stay as close to the beach as physically possible, and we are consistently amazed at the feeling we get when we pull in to 'our place'. We have not stayed in the same beach house each year, but the feeling remains the same. From the moment 'our' realty company hands us the keys with a warm smile and a hearty welcome, I always know that our stay will be wonderful. I don't know how they do it, and I am a service professional, but they always make us feel like a part of their family. They always provide us with everything we could possibly need, and they make you feel like you are their most important guest. There is nothing like pulling into our sandy drive, climbing a full flight of stairs with arms overladen with luggage, items which we will not even glance at for the duration of our stay (guitar, A? Yes, I remember. :o), and our bag full of Real Simple magazines. My favorite part is the moment AFTER climbing all those stairs. The moment I step into the spotless, charming, welcoming environment of our home away from home. The moment when I drop countless pillows, bags, beach towels, and sunglasses on the floor, and walk to the floor to ceiling windows and glimpse the ocean. The moment I take in the pristine kitchen where we will laugh, talk, make picnic lunches, play games, and discuss American Idol, Desperate Housewives, or darling T's ballet lessons. The moment I realize our 14 hour drive is OVER, and it is time to relax. For the past six years, we have stayed in many different homes, but we continue to use Century 21 Bay Reef Realty. Honestly, we wouldn't dream of going to anyone else. As if the stellar customer service and friendly staff were not enough, they also offer a return guest discount. Many of you may not have visited Galveston, but I would highly recommend it. Given all of the vacation horror stories I have heard from others, I wouldn't risk renting from anyone but Bay Reef Realty. And when you go, make sure to visit the McAlister's on Seawall. We have spent many a leisurely afternoon lunching on their sun deck and enjoying the ocean breeze with some of the best sweet tea around in hand. You can't miss the "Sonic by the Sea", either. The Strand promises many delightful hours of shopping for trinkets, antiques, art, and there is even a life size chess board for the kid in you. Who knows, maybe I'll run into you at the Moody Gardens! :o) To distract myself from missing Galveston today, I ran to Lowe's and picked up a Tiny Bee Asiatic Lily and transplanted it this morning. It's no Kahala Beach, but enjoy!