As I sit here, asking the toddler not to tackle her infant sister, I recall a time not so long ago when I escaped the world of stay-at-home mom to become the stay-at-home-beach-rental-mom. That time? Last week. It's always nice to take my nagging-and-scolding show on the road, for a change of scenery, and the North Carolina coast is a lovely place to administer a time-out while rocking on a porch in front of the sand dunes and sipping iced tea.

I also did these 13 things (and took a break from grammar, as you can plainly see in the title of this post ... sorry Di), which I thought I would share with all of you lovely people.

1. I actually finished reading a book. A whole book. This is a big accomplishment for a person who had been reading the same book (not Loving Frank, another one) since December. I couldn't be more proud of myself. Thank you, thank you. Please be seated.

2. While traipsing about the streets of Wilmington during a day trip, I resisted the temptation to mention "Dawson's Creek," even though Pacey was in my thoughts.

3. While driving through Wilmington and past Whitey's Restaurant, I resisted the temptation to mention, for the 157th time since I met the husband, that "Michael Jordan once worked there." (Voice of Husband: Um, no, you didn't. Voice of Me: I mentioned it? VOH: Yeah. It was mentioned. VOM: Oh. OK. But, I mean, seriously: Greatest basketball player of all time! VOH: Yeah. Whatever. I'm from Canada.)

4. OK, but I did resist the temptation to smack the 7-year-old kid at the pool who told me, "Your granddaughter is in my way." Stupid skirted bathing suit. Thirty-five, people! I am only 35. (VOH: You do not look a day over 28. VOM: You are so smart.)

5. I went a whole week without Internet. Almost. There was one moment of weakness at the McDonald's WiFi midweek. It wasn't easy, people, but I did it. Almost.

6. I didn't watch a single kid's television show. In fact, I barely watched any grown-up television. Did I mention that I finished a whole book? Proud.

7. I gained a pound. (OK, maybe not something to be proud of, exactly, but I ate really, really well ... and so my stomach was proud.)

8. I remembered to stop the mail AND the newspaper before I left. Again, thank you for the applause. You're right: It IS quite an accomplishment.

9. Got my toddler to calm down and go to sleep in her travel air bed ... and it only took four days of pleading and driving around after dark to do it! Parent-of-the-year.

10. I took this picture of the husband, which kills me:



11. No sunburn! Thanks, SPF 50.

12. I walked to the pool in a bathing suit in full view, without any cover up or extra-large T-shirt to shield me from the snickering and stares of people who haven't given birth to two children. Although, clearly, given Smarty McSmartypants from #4 above, perhaps that was a mistake.

13. I remembered to listen to the waves crashing on the beach as I fell asleep at night, as I rocked Little L to sleep, as I sat on the porch. Life's little pleasures, people, life's little pleasures.