When my kids were still very little, vacations weren’t exactly vacations, at least for me. Somebody has to make the arrangements, that’s me. Somebody has to pack, that’s me. Somebody has to make sure everybody’s okay, still me. So when we get home from the vacation, I need a vacation to recover from the vacation. Such is the life of a mom. Mwahahaha!

With the kids all grown up though, going on vacation has become a real pleasure, and we were very fortunate to enjoy a few days out of the city, by the sea, in between hard lockdowns a few months ago.

Wary of staying in resorts and/or public places, we booked a villa in a gated community by the sea. It was some kind of heaven actually: three floors, three bedrooms, two of which had an attic for a more cozy bed space, three living areas, a foosball table, and a little garden with a barbeque grill. If it had a bigger kitchen it would have been perfect!

We didn’t do much, which was what we were hoping for. We slept, ate, drank, walked, played games, and enjoyed the beach.

Feeling sand on my face and salt on my mouth was almost a religious experience. It felt so good to be one with the elements. The sky was the most beautiful blue, and on our first night it turned into a glorious pink at sundown. The sky gave us a light show of sorts. It was fabulous!

One of my favorites in this particular vacay: I didn’t have to cook! I asked the kids to be in charge of food, and they agreed. Our meals ended up being a showcase of their greatest hits. We had chicken barbeque, baby back ribs, mashed potatoes, pasta, fish, and seafood care of Mom. We had the best times at the dining room, which turned out to be the most used spot.

I do so hope to go on vacation with my kids once again, I could name a couple of places. But until then, we have memories of this one, and they are good.

Take care.