Almost time to start packing for my upcoming trip back to Florida! My dear husband has a business trip to Cocoa Beach coming up very soon, and was sweet enough to get me a ticket to tag along with him. As many of you know, I grew up as a child in Titusville, Florida (pictured above) and always enjoy going back "home" again. I love going back to Playalinda Beach in Titusville which is very near Cocoa Beach where my husband and I will be staying.
Playalinda Beach has looked the same forever! I love that about it! In the 50's, there were some houses along this beach, but the government bought the homes from the people who owned them and demolished the houses at the beginning of the space race. They did this because you can actually see some of the launch pads from this beach. For safety reasons and for fear of sabotage at the time, the government took over the property. I am glad they did because this beach has remained in the natural state with the dunes and palmettos surrounding the beach.
Playalinda Beach closes down when there is a launch but is open to the public at other times. When I was a child, the wooden walkways were not there. In order to get to the beach, you had to walk over dirt paths and sandbags that went up over the dunes of palmettos. There was some improvements made several years ago and the wooden walkways were part of this process.
Each section of this beach, or each walkway, has a number to identify the area. This section shown in my photographs is known as "Number 5."
When I was a teenager, I spent a lot of time on this beach. There was a section on the beach where you could still see a bit of a slab from one of the old houses that once stood until the government bought them. The kids referred to this area as "the houses" and everyone knew exactly where this spot was. Sometimes, people would tell you to "meet me at the houses" as a way to identify where you would meet along the beach.
I have fond memories of being in highschool and hopping into my "VW Beetle" and driving to the beach which was a short drive from my parents home in Titusville.
Armed with my blanket, my small radio, a bag of chips and a container of water and maybe my camera, I would find my perfect spot on the beach and plop myself down. After that, the slathering of baby oil would begin. In those days, we did not know that the sun was so bad for you. I am lucky that I have the skin I have today because we never wore sunblock in those days, and we spent hours and hours in the bright Florida sunshine at the beach. Getting a dark tan was important to us in those days. I even, like many gals, combined iodine with my baby oil for optimum tanning. Our bikinis were small and our tans were dark in those days of the late 60's and early 70's. Thank you, mom and dad, for the good skin genes I got from you......because, based on my long days of tanning, I should look like a dried up prune today who spends a lot of time at the dermatologist's office in surgery. I have been very lucky but I cannot help but think that if we had known about the sun damage then and I had protected my skin, I would probably look a lot younger than I look now! Luckily, I started wearing hats and sunblock when I was in my early 30's....thank you to Dr. Kronberg in Houston....and have, at least, saved myself some additional aging due to sun damage in the second part of my life. But, can I say............and be honest..............that I MISS those days of sitting there for hours in the sun on the beach getting a dark tan. Alas, those days are gone but I have very good memories of sitting on the beach with that baby oil on with my girlfriends while watching the guys surf and waiting on my boyfriend, who is now my husband, to come in from hours of surfing. The gals didn't mind waiting on the shore. We had fun chatting and walking the beach together.
After all these years, I still love going to the beach. My sister, Jeri, and I used to collect shells and place them in a bucket when we were kids. It is something we still love to do....
My sister, Jeri, and I used to spend hours walking the beach looking for shells. We still love to do this together after all these years....
My sister and I joined by memories...
And in our old hometown....no matter how old we get....always known as "the Thompson girls."
Playalinda Beach will always be a special beach to me...
(Pictured above beyond the palmettos....the VAB...Vehicle Assembly Building at the Cape Canaveral/Cape Kennedy)
I am so looking forward to being in Cocoa Beach with my sweet husband in a week. Looking forward to being back on the beach together. Can't wait to walk the beach together and look for shells...
I am looking forward to walking the beach just like we did when we were young.....and will continue to do as we get older....
Hope you have a beautiful day today. Thank you for visiting my blog. xoxo Kim
Oh Kim, I do enjoy your posts so. I totally related to this one today. Playalinda Beach is lovely with the blue sky embracing it. I bet you had such fun when you were young at "the houses." You look so cute as a teenager. I spent alot of time at the lake too. I remember going with friends and laying on the beach with my red bathing suit trying to get the perfect tan. Jeri is so pretty, and looks exotic looking. I love her long brown hair, as I also have long brown hair. I bet the Thompson girls were loved back then. I think my favorite picture of all was the one of your feet painted with the red nail polish enjoying the sandy beach. Thank you for sharing a bit of your childhood with us, as it brought back sweet memories of my own childhood. We do have so much in common, my friend. Enjoy your time with your husband, and I can't wait to see pictures of it all later.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley
Posted by: Red Rose Alley | Friday, April 13, 2012 at 10:53 AM
I love seeing your photos to this special place. We go to New Smyrna beach and drive into Canaveral National seashore from that direction when we go to the beach. It would be my dream to have a beach cottage in Bethune beach. I love that whole area! It's fun seeing you with your sister. Hugs!
Posted by: Lavender Dreams | Friday, April 13, 2012 at 10:58 AM
hiya, thank you for your lovely comment on my blog. Your blog is very nice, I liked the photos. I also miss summertime a lot, the beach is fab !
Posted by: Rainbow Gtaherer | Friday, April 13, 2012 at 12:28 PM
Hi Kim'
I've missed you! Glad to hear the card arrived. You were in my thought and prayers. I know how difficult it must have been to lose your aunt. Loved this posting. I bet you Thompson girls were the hottest chicks at the beath! I agree with Sheri that Jeri looks exotic looking. I have to say though, that you have those great dimples and a gorgeous smile. I remember those days of hanging at he beath lathering up with baby oil with iodine. Man, I'm lucky I didn't end up like a prune. I stopped sun bathing when I turned 30. When we had our boat I made sure I wore lots of suncreen, a hat, and big sun glasses. Your skin looks great! I love the photo of you and your sister with the shadow and heart! How nice to be able to travel with your husband. Looking forward to hearing about your trip. Is little miss Sadie Mae going with you?
Lots of love and hugs,
~Sandy
Posted by: Sandy | Sunday, April 15, 2012 at 07:15 PM
Hi Sandy!
Thank you so much for the sweet comments. I am currently in Florida enjoying time with my step-daughter, Ashley, and her family and my sister. My dear hubby arrives tomorrow night, and we are heading to Cocoa Beach on Saturday night. I hope that you are doing well, dear friend. Hope to see you back to blogging soon! I am enjoying a little family time and a short vacation and hope to have some photos posted on my blog sometime this week. Love you lots and thank you, again, for your sweet card! Love you! xoxo Kim
Posted by: Kim @ Bluebirds and Butterflies | Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 08:05 PM