Some old and new vacation traditions

While I was on vacation last week, our family observed some vacation traditions that had been going on for some time, and one that we hope is not repeated. As I have mentioned earlier, I'm kind of new to the family traditions for the week in Myrtle Beach, so I am learning the things that "we've always done."

Monday was Hospital Day, a new event that we hope does not become an annual tradition. On the drive down, my father had not been feeling well, and had a cough that just would not quit. By Monday morning he decided that he needed to get it checked out, so he presented himself at the Emergency Department of the nearby hospital. Having overseen an emergency department himself, Dad had some understanding of what was happening, and made the simple observation that this emergency department was "very busy." During the middle of this day my sisters and I sat in the waiting area while my father waited in one of the examination rooms. We discovered that a hospital waiting room was as good a place as any other to catch up with each other. By mid-afternoon an X-ray had confirmed that our father did not have pneumonia, and he left the hospital with a prescription for the rest of the week.

Tuesday was Tolerate Stewart's Cooking Day. I fixed supper for twelve that evening, and we had leftovers to consume over the remainder of the week. This was a new tradition I introduced last year. No local lizards were harmed in the preparation of this meal. Although most of the meal was "normal" food, I did fix a small dish of chicken gizzards. I suspect that one of the reasons some were wary of trying the gizzards is that they rhymed with lizards. Or they might have had other reasons ....

Wednesday was Waffle House Day. Nine of the twelve of us descended on the Murrells Inlet Waffle House for breakfast, and we took up two booths. For some reason this friendly restaurant serves each item on its own plate, so we had a contest to see which table could end up with the most plates. The table with only four guests won. By the way, Waffle House makes a very good cinnamon oat bran waffle.

Friday was Donut Day. Donabeth and Gil went out before breakfast and brought back two dozen assorted Krispy Kreme donuts, two dozen Dunkin Donuts Munchkins, and a muffin. I was told that one of the explicit, long-standing rules of Donut Day was that you didn't have to eat a donut if you did not want to. Somehow I don't think any of these donuts were sugar-free, but I hoped I was mistaken.

Friday we also brought in a take-out Italian dinner from Carrabba's. The food was delicious and the quantities were enormous, so we made a note that next year we will do the dinner from Carrabba's earlier in the week.

Saturday was Start Saying Goodbye Day. Over the course of that day two contingents from our group headed out in different homeward directions. We made a note that next year it would be better to get our group photo earlier in the week so that it would be easier to get everyone into one spot when not preoccupied with the trip ahead.

File under : vacation