Today was a not good day, and yesterday was bad, too. Definitely not the sort of Christmas I’d have if I had any say in the matter. My nervous system decided to give me major dysfunction for Christmas. So here I sit, on Veterans Memorial Beach the day after Christmas with my outer right leg telling me it’s being cooked alive while simultaneously being so numb it hurts and my inner right leg is in ice water. When I say in ice water, I mean my nervous system has hit it out of the park as far as fake sensations go. I can feel the water as it moves around my leg and can even feel the ice cubes in the water as they bump my leg. There are other sensations, but none of those are important today. I somewhat have my balance, and I’ve been staring at the inside of the rig for too long. We’re at the beach because I’ll suffer today no matter where I am.
Dean set me up with my favorite camp chair, ottoman, and table in a small copse of trees in the beach, correctly guessing that if everything else with my nervous system was malfunctioning that I was going to have trouble with the heat. He made sure everything I’d want or need was within easy reach. I couldn’t be at the beach today without his kindness and attention to detail. I am incredibly blessed that he can step in so easily and all I have to say is, “My leg is lying to me today,” or, “I’m seeing more things than really exist.” He knows after 23 years with me that it takes a lot for me to utter those words. It’s because of his kindness that I can say them at all.
The kids spent some time in the water, but Nadine quickly decided to read and Elizabeth felt uncomfortable because of the seagrass and said, “I know too much about the ocean to not be afraid of what could be in that.” We decided to rent some kayaks tomorrow so we can explore and swim on the reef around our RV park. That made Elizabeth very happy. Gabriel is still in the water having way too much fun with a small shovel Dean brought. I’m here, taking photos and videos and working on the blog because it distracts me from the lies the right side of my body is telling me.
Veterans Memorial beach is small and family friendly, but most importantly it’s one of the few places in the Florida Keys that will allow dogs in the water. They must be leashed, of course, but they can go in. This didn’t impress Rooster, who kept treating getting out of the water like an escape from Alcatraz. Pika sniffed the water and walked away, head held high, prancing in a manner that said very succinctly that we were idiots to think she’d go in that. Shiba gonna sheeb.
Elizabeth and Dean decided to go back in the water and look for local wildlife, and I’m so glad they did. They found the smallest hermit crab we’ve ever seen, and of course I got pics and video for you. The little guy was shy, of course, but we did get him moving.
INSERT PICS AND VIDEO OF CRAB HERE
There’s also a bonus larger hermit crab, and in this video you can see him at better angles and with more clarity than the tiny crab. I guess you could say I took my family to the beach and all they got was crabs.
INSERT LARGER CRAB HERE
We ended up leaving after a couple of hours because an ice cream truck showed up and started playing just the first few measures of Fur Elise at an alarmingly loud volume. We thought maybe he’d leave when no one approached, but no. After about 30 minutes we couldn’t take it any more. I know he’s making a living, but for the love of all that’s holy in this world play a rotating array of songs or maybe just all of Fur Elise. And maybe respect where you’re at and turn the volume down to a respectable level. He angered people at the beach to the point that no one wanted to encourage his presence.
I’ll be honest. There’s not a lot to this little beach, but it is a great shallow beach if you have small children. There’s a lot to roam without getting overwhelmed or in water too deep for them, and there are tons of hermit crabs to find. Just remember to keep them wet and put them back when you’re done marveling at their beauty. The crabs, not the children…