Goodbye to Tyler

Sunday-Monday, June 12-13.  Tyler is, unhappily, flying back to Phoenix early Monday morning -- his 3-week visit has come to an end.  He wanted to go to the beach again, with John as well as Bridgette, so that was today's agenda.  Back to the beach on Anna Marie Island beach that we went to the first weekend we were here.  So we got lotioned up, and hit the water.

The water was great, about 85 degrees, and this beach has good shade and picnic tables, as well as a snack bar with hot dogs.  We stayed for about hours.  John lost his sunglasses when Tyler dunked him, so we all spent a little time trying to find them.  Bridgette, Joe and Tyler all put their snorkels back on, but the water was a little murky and unlike Joe's successful hunt for Collins' glasses last year's, this time we did not find them.  So John is now in the market for sunglasses -- maybe Tyler's lost pair at Pizza Hut will turn up after he leaves and John can claim them.  Otherwise, he's now in the market for new sunglasses.

Bridgette got a little sun time, but she didn't last very long before she had to go back in the water to cool off.

The sand here is nice and powdery, as evidenced by this little sand mermaid who was sitting on the beach near us.

Finally, it was time to come out of the water for the final time.  I think Tyler is very sad to leave here.  He's had a great time with his cousin Bridgette, they go way back, and he's very fond of John.  And John and Bridgette are excellent hosts so they kept him (and us) busy.

  But his day was not over.  We had a little birthday party planned for him this evening.  Bridgette made pizza for dinner, her mom and dad came over, and we had chocolate cake (his favorite) and ice cream, and a little party.  We gave him a photo album of pictures taken during his visit here, so we hope he enjoys thumbing though it in the days ahead and remembering all his good times here.