(Li'l) Son Of The Beach Returns!

Oh, Dauphin Island. I just made it back there one more time - and as usual I feel a better person for it. I feel a need deep within every year or so, calling me back to the ocean. The tide, the wind, the open sky and stars, shrimp boats and seagulls....it puts me at peace. It is amazing. This year I once again met my parents down there to spend a few days in a rented beach house. Like Samuel Adams, always a good choice.


The island has been hit over the last6 or 7 years by waves of hurricanes - usually right about the time my parents are trying to get down there. After years of anxiety over last minute cancellations due to incoming storms, the folks thought it over and decided to rent in May. This meant we didn't have to sweat hurricane season - but what would be left from the last few? We hadn't seen the island in 2 years and last year's trip was cancelled due to one of the worst storm hits in a while (and yes that includes Katrina).
Well, the island still stands, I tell you what, and it seems to be thriving in some odd way. There are LOTS of lots, empty that is, where houses used to be. And the drainage ditch beside the main road is completely filled in with what used to be beach sand. And a few of the restaurants are blown away. BUT wherever there used to be a 60's/70's style house, there is now a modern, pimped-out house or a lot where there will be one. Also, there are two public beaches now which i have to think pumps some steady money into the island economy without jeapordizing what makes staying at a private house so special (and private).

All the staples are still in place, though. Seagulls steadily fly past the deck. For an investment of $2 worth of bread, you can have afternoons of pleasure feeding them. And they recognize you and remember, too! After day 2, they would stop by our deck just to see if I was feeling generous!

Dolphins were jumping around in front of the house, shrimp boats were puttering up and down the shoreline, a blue heron walked around in front of our deck, sand crabs skittered under our steps digging their holes to hide in.
The Estuarium which has the saaaaaame crap year after year (much like the Pink Palace, but with more living things) shocked me this year with this awesome dinosaur hanging in theier lobby - he's even gonna eat that bigass turtle! Yowza! They had a kid's book about sea dinosaurs on display at the counter which said to look in the gift shop. There was some difinite perpetratin' going on however because I saw no signs of dinosaur anything - and believe me when i tell you i looked!! Oh well, this picture of this dinosaur will have to do.

While we were there, we got to enjoy Mother's Day on Sunday which was very cool. Folks close to me can tell you my Mom and I can get into it with the best of em. But my Mom is great - especially in a mellow environment like Dauphin Island. And just to explain the title of today's blog, she and my Dad had a conversation concerning my nicknames and which came first. To my Dad, I have always been Cozmo or Coz. Dunno quite where that came from but its been there since before I can remember. His brother was Jitter (real name, Bill) to everyone he knew til the day he died. Go figure. Anyway, my Mom calles me Li'l Son. I cant say when this started but it seems to me it was well after I ceased to be li'l anymore. So it was meant more in a familiar, humbling sort of gesture - like to your Mom you will always be little and their son.
Also, while we were there, these two celebrated their (drumroll please)...31st Anniversary!
I love these guys! And we had a lot of fun - golfing with Dad, shopping with Mom, eating oysters and shrimp, watching monster movies, talking music in the waves....moments to cherish, for sure.
The house we stayed in was WICKED bad. 4 bedrooms with king sized beds, 4 big bathrooms, the covered deck, great kitchen with an island, high def flatscreens with cable and built-in DVD players in EVERY room. The houses have come a long way since my parents took Aaron and I long ago. Hopefully I will be back there next year - maybe you'll join me?