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Sunday, May 20, 2012

20 Tips for a fun beach trip Phyllis & Jorja Style!

Qunitana Beach, Texas



The Beach can be such a great place!  We are so lucky to only live 20 minutes from our favorite hangout...Qunitana Beach!
We go almost every week starting in March.  We can go up until October, and even have gone in November and December.  We even spent Christmas Eve on the beach in 2010.  Now that was a beautiful day!  


If I were only allowed to take five items with me to the 
beach it would be....
1.  Cooler
2.  Radio
3. Shovel
4.  Umbrella Table
5.  Chair

These five items are always, and I say again "are always in the car", just in case we get the urge to drive down for a few hours, or just to go and have a sunset cocktail!  

 "Beach Trip"
Should you or should you not take the dog?  We have taken Lemon, and she did really well until she decided that she wanted to chase cars more than romp in the sand.  We kept on trying to take her, but the day that she got hit by a passing car we stopped taking her!  It was to much of an aggravation for her and us.  She did not get hurt by the way, as the sand was soft enough that the tire just pushed her down.  Thank goodness....


That is when we decided to start taking "The Bean".  She has gone with us ever since, and behaves quite well.  So ask yourself these questions... Does your Fido behave badly?  Does your Fido bark all the time?  Does your Fido get along with other dogs? If your dog cannot pass these simple question, then for everyone's sake including your Fido... do not bring them to the beach.  If you choose to take your Fido, then by all means take them fresh water and a bowl to drink out of.  You are taking water for yourself, then take some for Fido!  Also take a leash!  If for some reason your Fido does get out of hand you will have something to tie them up with.  Enjoy your day without having to worry or entertain Fido, they are probably more happy at home anyway!


If you are orga-woman-ized like we are!!  
Your "Beach Trip Gear" is in a plastic bin in the garage.  
Loaded and ready to go with the following items....

Zip Lock bags - All sizes 12 or so.
Garbage bags for your trash.
Toilet Paper- You never know!
Meat Tenderizer -  For Bug or Jelly Fish stings.
Small First Aid Kit.
Clorox wipes.
Clips or clothes pins.
Koozies.
Swiss army knife.
Plastic forks.
Strike Anywhere Matches.
Throw away camera.
Dog leash.
Small towel or wash cloth.
Binoculars.
Suntan lotion.
Kids toys.
Water shoes for the whole family!
Insulated cups with lids.
Whisk broom!   
Fold up Chairs .
Small Shovel.
Radio - Inspect your batteries before going!
Small American Flag 
Sunglasses & Hats.
Boogie Boards.
Life jackets for kids that cannot swim.
Safety pins.


Tips & Tricks
1.  Plastic pipe to bury your umbrella pole in the sand or Academy does have the anchors you can buy now.  This will only help keep your umbrella from going air born!  Of course it is fun to watch them take off like a rocket on a windy day!  Use a nail or screw to help keep the umbrella also from flying away!  Pre-drill this before leaving for the beach!
2.  Cut off some old golf clubs - they make great stakes for chairs if the wind is to high, or to use as a pole for your dog's leash.
3.  Remove two batteries from your radio at the end of your day so if for some reason the radio gets turned on, your radio will not run down the batteries!  I keep mine in a plastic bag in my bin.
4.  If you are going to fish then be aware of swimmers!  Nothing worse that catching a kid with your hook!  Do you have your license??  Be prepared to loose all your gear if you do not have that licence!
5.  If you can walk 20 yards away from your car and hear your own music...turn it down!  Not everyone will like your taste of music and it can be quite aggravating to listen to someones else's music over your own music!
6.  Good Golly Molly....Do not under any circumstances forget to put suntan lotion on your feet and ears!!  Please...for the love of god trust me!!  Nothing worse that burned feet!  Remember when you burned your shoulders and how a shirt hurt....well just think what shoes would feel like on burned feet!  Bald guys....cover that head or put lotion on it!
7.  Nothing ticks me off more as when people just throw their trash on the ground.  Fill your bags up and close them tight and dispose of it properly!  If the cans at the beach are full, then take it home!  I could stand on the soap box for hours griping about this subject, but I am respectfully stepping off and lowering my blood pressure!
8.  If the surf is to rough...Do not let your kids swim in it!  What is worse?  Little johnny crying that he cannot swim or burying little Johnny because he drown?  
9.  Stay off the dunes!  First off most of the time they are protected and you will get a ticket, and second...rattle snakes!  Enough said!
10.  Look up your tide reports before you go, so you will know your wind, wave and tide info.  Check out most of the weather channels now have this feature.  Before smart phones we use to jam a stick in the sand where the water is cresting when we would get to the beach, and watch to see if the sea goes out or comes up!  
11.  Feed the birds. Bring all your old bread ends or crackers that have gone stale.  I keep a plastic bag in the freezer just for those items.  Again be mindful of other people if the beach is crowded!  Nothing worse than bird poo from the hundreds of seagulls flying around!
12.  WD-40 your chairs when you get home to help keep the rust down!  We usually wash our stuff off and then spray everything down before putting it back up for the year!
13.  Expect your car windows to get murky from the sea air!  Clean them with vinegar!
14.  If you have a youngster or adult that has to wear glasses, get them the eye holder strap and safety pin the strap to the top of their swimsuit!  Waves have eaten more glasses and sun glasses than I care to think about!
15.  Make your lunch easy!  Pre make PB&J or sometimes we do Tuna.  I make my tuna up and then put it into small sandwich bags.  When we have lunch I cut a hole in the corner of the bag and use it like a pastry bag, and squeeze my tuna on crackers or make a sandwich.  Easy clean up and no messy hands, not to mention its fun for the kids!  Remember to take snacks that do not melt!  Close up any bags with your cloth pins!
16.  Use your whisk broom to knock off all the sand off your chairs and other stuff before putting it back into your car!  Really helps keep the sand down!
17.  I place a water bottle in every door for that "just in case" you need to wash your feet before getting back in the car, or you need to wash an eye out!
18.  We usually will walk the beach after we set everything up and look for glass.  One we have a jar at home with all the glass we have found, and it helps clean the beach, but mostly we do it so the kids or adults will not get a cut foot!  
19.  I keep a towel under my soft side cooler to help catch the water that leaks off and then I use it at the end of the day to wipe our faces with a nice clean cool towel!  Ahhh!!
20.  Last but not least....Forget your problems!  If you did not bring it who the heck cares!  Enjoy your day with your family and friends!  Enjoy the ocean!  Just enjoy!


I find this shoe very interesting!  First... some one left without taking it!  Why?  & Second... these sea creatures decided to make a home on it!  Whole new meaning to the word "House Shoe"!




Now this is what it is all about!












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