Chowda Dreams

We've been staying at the same beach house every year for the past four years. We go with our close friends who have kids with similar ages. It's been a good ride. We love the fact that it's a block and a half from the beach, and that it's close to the "main street", and that there is a screened in porch. We also love the fact that the kids have a large bedroom, and another room that is very large that lets them have a play area. We love that it's within walking distance to the local "chowda" place where we pick up many quarts of New England Clam Chowder. Yum. We're addicted to the chowder.

It's a nice house and all, but it has its problems. The A/C isn't powerful enough and does not get to the bedrooms, especially with the doors closed. It's small and the furniture is old. Yeah, it's a block and a half from the beach - but we could be EVEN CLOSER. But most of all, I like variety. Change. New things. Adventure. The husband likes the same-old-same-old. Security blankets. So I was glad that he was OK with looking into something new this year.

I took a trip with my friend down to the beach today. I have never been to the beach in the wintertime. Can you say ghost town? Kind of spooky. Our favorite weird thing: A diner with a HUGE sign that said "OPEN YEAR ROUND", but on the door was hanging a red "CLOSED" sign. Nice.

We looked at five houses with the realtor. None were perfect. After the fourth house, we were starting to feel that we would not be able to find a house better than the old standby (in our price range, anyway). The fifth house gave us some hope. It didn't have that big playroom, or a screened in porch. It was pretty far from the "main drag", and didn't have a pool or hot tub or anything cool like that. But it was across the street from the beach, and had a view from the roof, even. It was much newer and cleaner, and had A/Cs in every room. It had TWO outdoor showers with changing stalls. We might book it.

The important part, though? We got some chowder. And brought some quarts home, too.