A shore cure, part II

“A Shore Cure” is the name of an ocean front vacation home in Kure Beach, North Carolina, about 20 miles south of Wilmington, where my mother-in-law grew up and where her family inevitably returned for family vacations whenever the opportunity presented itself. That tradition continued on after my wife and I were married and had our own family.

In fact, during one of our visits back in the summer of 1991, we made an offer on the house that sat on the same ocean front lot that “A Shore Cure” sits on. We owned it and used it whenever opportunity allowed (which was infrequent because we lived in Canada at the time). Then over Labor Day weekend of 1996, hurricane Fran decided to take our treasured home, which we called “Ocean Spray,” out into the Atlantic Ocean.

Even though we only owned it for four years, the family missed that home more than I realized because during one of our family dinners a few years ago, one of my sons suggested we rent a home there for a family vacation. Before we finished dessert, we had booked “A Shore Cure ” for a week of family frolicking at the beach in 2015; that was “part I.” Part II will be next week.

As I was thinking about it this morning and making my plans to get all my farm chores covered next week, I mentioned to my wife what an incredible blessing it is to be able to take such a vacation with our family. Think of it, two of my sons are not only neighbors and business partners, but they want to go on vacation together, too! I never had that kind of relationship with my brother.

It’s been interesting to see the excitement building over the last few weeks as my daughters-in-law and wife have gotten together to plan activities and meals for the week. Speaking of meals, how do you shop, cook and clean up for a crew of 15 hungry vacationers three times a day and keep your sanity? Easy. Each couple gets assigned one day of the week to plan, shop, cook and clean up . For the most part, everyone pitches in on the cleanup, but one couple is responsible. That way the burden gets shared in a way that everyone perceives as fair; and there’s even a little competition to see who can come up with the best meal of the week.

The reality is that it takes a lot of planning and work to pull off a successful family vacation, but that’s a part of what makes it so special. Building family traditions one memory at a time is a wonderful thing. Years ago, mom’s dad got them started in Wilmington fishing from Johnny Mercer’s Pier and crabbing in the sound. Her husband-to-be started his entrepreneurial career at Carolina Beach renting bicycles by the hour.

I’m sure I’ve heard the story a dozen times or more of how he made more in one summer than his father made all year selling motorcycles. We’re now into the fourth generation of this beach tradition. I wonder what kinds of stories my kids and grandkids will be telling about us? I hope they’re good and I hope they’re funny! And I hope you get to take a family vacation this summer, too.

Thanks for reading All About Seniors. See you next week!

Bill Milby is a certified senior advisor and a director of Visiting Angels of Macon, a non-medical, living assistance service for seniors. If you have questions or comments about this column, you can reach him at william.mercylink@gmail.com or search for us at www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsMacon.

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