R&R?

Rest and relaxation -- we all need it, and I had every intention of getting it last week at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.  Bob and I traveled there, as did my daughter, Dori, her husband, John, their kids, Luke and Cami, and my son, Nathan, his wife, Bernette, and their three little boys, Niland, Benny, and Julian.  We rented a 4 bedroom/3 bathroom 2-story house about 2 blocks' walking distance from the beach.  Fully furnished, we had only to provide sheets and towels. 
Ocean Isle Beach is developed with rows and rows of houses and condos, as well as a few hotels.  Many of the houses and condos are rented by their owners, allowing thousands of people to enjoy living there for how ever many weeks they want during the summer months.  They range in price from $1000 to $8000 per week, and the large houses can sleep up to 24 people.  Naturally, the more expensive the house, the more amenities, such as inground pool and hot tub; most are located on the beach and have unobstructed views of the dunes and ocean, as well as fenced yards with boardwalks across the dunes to the beach. 
The trip from Durham takes about 3 hours as long as there are no accidents or road construction, but on Saturdays during the summer, the same trip can take up to 5 hours.  We left early to avoid the crush of traffic that funnels toward the coast as thousands of people go to their rental houses for the week.  Check-out time is 10 AM and check-in time is 4 PM, so there is always a flood of people leaving the coast late morning and a flood of people going to the coast in early afternoon.  By leaving mid morning, we were able to avoid the crush of traffic until we got close to Ocean Isle.  There is only one bridge over the intercoastal waterway, and that's where the bottleneck occurs.  It took Bob and I almost 45 minutes to go the last 2 miles to the island.  Once over the bridge, we ate lunch at Sharkey's and then headed to the house on the western end of the island, where we met up with Dori and John.
Our house was one of dozens that are identical, making it necessary to check house numbers to ensure that you've got the right place.  The kitchen was fully equipped.  We brought food for the week and cooked and ate at the house, eating out occasionally, to keep the cost of the trip lower.
I quickly discovered that being in a house with 5 children ranging in age from 2 months to 12 years is a challenge.  It is everything BUT quiet!  Little Benny, who will be 2 on July 20, runs on batteries!  The child is so inquisitive, so captivated by life, so interested in everything, that he refuses to sleep any more than absolutely necessary!  He's afraid he might miss something when he's asleep!  He'd never been to the beach yet, and when I took him into the pounding surf at the water's edge, I didn't know if he'd like it or be afraid.  He LOVED IT!  He laughed as each wave broke and came rushing toward him in a surge of white foaming bubbles, and when the waves pulled back to the sea, he wanted to run with them.  His older brother, Niland, also loved the water, and soon all of the adults were taking turns at closely watching Benny and Niland.  Luke was also a fabulous help with the little ones.
As the first day at the beach progressed, Niland and Benny were introduced to the joys of making sand castles and searching for shells.  The wind was off the ocean, and the sound of the crashing waves was a constant drone.  Because of the pounding waves, I got in only to my knees where the waves broke around me and got me wet up to my waist; it was simply too rough for me to attempt to do any more due to my back.  No boogey-boarding for this nana this summer!  But I immensely enjoyed being there and watching my grandchildren having so much fun. 
Even after over 2 hours playing at the beach, Benny did not nap -- God forbid that he should miss something!  He finally did sleep for a few minutes late in the day, and the next day he fell asleep while sitting on Luke's lap and slept for almost 2 hours!  It was so quiet in the house!  We waited hand and foot on Luke while he served as Benny's bed -- we so appreciated his help!
The house was located adjacent to a lagoon, so fishing was right out the back door.  Turtles thrived in the lagoon and came when they saw people, hoping for food, which they usually got.  Some of the turtles were as large as dinner plates.  One morning when I was up early, I saw a water moccasin that was about 3.5 feet long on the edge of the water, but I never saw it again.
Nathan and Bernette stayed until Monday evening, leaving after dinner.  Monday was July 4, but local fireworks weren't available, so we watched the national ones on television -- but it's not the same as being there!  I have to give a bunch of credit to Nate and Bee for all they have to do with their 3 little boys -- it wore me out just being around them!  Niland and Benny are so active, and I can't imagine what it will be like in about 10 months when Julian joins them in their explorations.  The house was noisy and chaotic; mealtimes were a challenge, to say the least; getting the kids to bed, especially Benny, was almost impossible.  They didn't want to miss anything.  I never knew who I'd find sleeping in the living room when I got up. 

After Nate and Bee returned home, things quieted down.  I guess I'm getting old -- the energy of my young grandsons wears me out.  I'll be better prepared next time and understand that rest and relaxation doesn't happen with little ones running madly about -- but that's what makes life fulfilling.