Every year I pack a suitcase and head to Virginia Beach for a long weekend with some of my closest friends.  It’s always a much-needed respite from family and farm responsibilities, and it’s wonderful to have my meals brought to me for a few days!

Unfortunately, it rained much of the time we were there this year, but we did manage to take part in our yearly Stand-Up Paddle Boarding tour and spend a little time on the beach before retiring indoors.  Besides, just being out with your besties makes everything better!  I’ve known for quite a long time how important it is to find your tribe, and it means so much in my life that I have found mine.

That’s Elizabeth and Gabi under the blue umbrella.  It definitely came in handy for the smaller rain showers (I took this from the balcony of our room; those ladies are early risers. Me? Not so much when I don’t have to worry about feeding the animals!)

The theme of our weekend was “Looking on the bright side”, since I had just lost Jerry and we were essentially rained out.  Gabi showed us how to have fun walking to dinner in the rain with crappy ponchos.

The bright side of rainy beach days?  No crowds!

The morning before we left there was a pod of dolphins just offshore.  It was hard to get any pictures from where I was, but it was such a wonderful and calming sight to behold.

As every year, the time goes by far too fast.  The ocean is such a calming and recharging force, I wish I could spend more time there throughout the year.

Thankfully I have my friends close by, even if we aren’t always in a swanky hotel room overlooking the beach!