Day #6 at MB - Saturday, Sept. 21

This is it.  The last day.  Why did the week go so fast?

In some ways it seems like we have been here a long time, and actually our stay is longer than our usual when we go places.

But as always...time speeds by quickly when you want it to go slowly.

What was on today's agenda?

Broadway at the Beach.

We went there for lunch at Margaritaville.   Our waiter was excellent---very personable, very friendly, laughed a lot, acted like he was enjoying his job.  This is contrary to the gal who seated us and the one who 'greeted' us when we walked in. Both of them acted like it was a chore to do what they were supposed to do.  Slow plodding to our table.  No smiles.  No conversation at all.

We enjoyed, or rather I did because Gary just tolerates this because I like it, an appetizer of fried pickles. Yum!  They were really good.  I ordered the fresh catch of the day which was mahi mahi, grilled,with broccoli, and rice.  All of it was excellent and I was so full I had to leave part of the rice and broccoli on my plate.  Gary ordered the fish and chips.  Of course we stopped at the little store after we ate and picked up a couple of t-shirts, buy 3 and get the 4th one free.

Across from the restaurant was a winery so we stopped in there to check out the wines.  Since the girls didn't want t-shirts as souvenirs, we thought we would bring them bottles of wine instead.  This place had a blueberry wine, but no peach so we bought just one bottle and headed out onto the boardwalk to look for a second winery.

The next place was much better than the first, and I wish we had waitied for the blueberry bottle purchase.  The samples were less expensive here - 7 for $4.  Since Gary didn't really want to taste much of anything, I did most of the sampling and he just  sipped a couple that he wanted to try.  We bought a bottle of peach and one of a summer something or other.  

Our next search was for a 6-pack of Mike's Hard Peach Lemonade, which I had not seen at home and which I really liked.  We had stopped at Krogers close to Barefoot Beach the first night we were here, so we returned to get another one to take home.  I also wanted to try the Bud Light that was flavored with lemon peel and tea leaves.  Another ''I have never seen this at home" find.  Now..before you think that I am really into these drinks, I am not.  I drink very rarely.  But usually on vacation I will pick up something to sip on in the room at the end of the day.  We have several bottles of adult beverages in the fridges at home also for people who stop by.  

Well, guess what?  The shelf at Kroger was empty of Mike's Hard Peach Lemonade.  But there was ONE 6-pack of the Bud Light so that was our only purchase.

Back in the car and pulled out the phone to check on another Krogers.  We drove north to one in North Myrtle Beach.  Nothing.  

We stopped at a liquor store close to Krogers.  Nothing.  They don't sell that type of thing there....just the hard stuff.

We continued on up the road to Walmart.  BINGO!  Not only did we find a 6-pack of Mike's Hard Peach Lemonade, we found two, plus a sale on 6-pack bottles of Sprite Zero, a sale on chocolate chip mini-muffins AND diet peach tea that we can't find anywhere else!  We didn't have a cart, so we had to carry all of this by hand, but it was worth it!  Rarely do we go through the self-checkout but this time it was warranted so we didn't have to stand in a long ling holding all of these items.

And I told Gary that I will probably start checking the shelves at Meijer and Target and Walmart at home and see the same things...but I know that Payless didn't carry the two items I was looking for.

Back at the condo and the process begins to pack up everything and be ready to load the car in the morning.

My task is to determine what I am wearing tomorrow and Monday, pack the overnight things in my hard suitcase, then put everything else in the Vera Bradley bag to stay in the car.  Easy task if it were just what I had brought, but I am trying to stash in some of the purchases also because our space is limited.  We may be filling up the back seat as well on the way home!

Some time this afternoon sitting on the balcony, reading, sipping on Diet root beer, reading my new book, and thinking about ....things.  

I think too much.  I really do.  But I like the reflection aspect of being by the ocean.  It soothes me.  It give me some peace of mind.  I am more relaxed (Gary doesn't think so, but I do).  

Gazing out the sliding glass door at the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, waves slowly making their way to shore.... perfect.