Hilton Head Residency Part 5: The One Where My Parents Visit
When we originally booked the Hilton Head house, the plan was for both sets of Birdie's grandparents to visit during the month we were there. For various reasons, M's parents decided not to visit, but my parents did come out for a chunk of time. They arrived a few days after we returned from Charleston and stayed through the weekend.
We originally planned two specific activities while they were there:
- We were going to go on a dolphin viewing boat tour.
- They were going to watch Birdie so M and I could go out and have a nice dinner by ourselves.
Unfortunately, the timing was terrible, weather-wise. The five or so days that they stayed with us was easily the worst stretch of weather that we had during our entire month there. For most of that time it was very windy, and it was a cold wind, occasionally getting below 30 degrees. It certainly wasn't warm enough to eat out on a patio or to go on a boat ride, and on top of that my mother was not feeling great, so those activities were scrapped.
On the 13th, the weather was decent, so M and my father and Birdie went to a beach and the playground. They also wandered around the boardwalks and trails at Sea Pines Forest Preserve on the 13th - or so my notes say, I was working. My mother took long naps and read while I worked.
On Saturday the 14th, my mother was still feeling out of it, so my parents stayed at the condo while M and I took Birdie out. We went to the Port Royal Boardwalk, but it was simply too cold and windy for it or the adjoining beach to be terribly enjoyable. Birdie and I hung out in the car while M got some beach walking in, but we quickly departed.
From there we tried out the Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center, which was a fun little museum/nature center. Birdie's favorite part was the old rowboat that she got to climb on. In fact, she refused to leave the boat, so M and I took turns staying with her while the other wandered the museum.
I had work off for MLK Jr Day, and it was much sunnier, albeit still windy. We all took Birdie to the playground and then Coligny Beach.
The weather may not have been great for much of their visit, but Birdie had a great time interacting with my parents. In particular, my mother's walker has a compartment in it to store things, and Birdie delighted in storing ALL THE THINGS in that compartment, and then taking them all out, over and over.
One night we got takeout from Kenny B's, a local New Orleans style restaurant. It was better than any New Orleans food I can get in Cleveland, which is granted a low bar to get over. Another night we did takeout from Captain Woodys, which felt like an upscale chain and had food to match (e.g., not fantastic). It was very crowded when I picked up our food though, so clearly other people disagreed with my assessment.
Most importantly, we got an ice cream cake for Birdie's birthday. She approved.
We originally planned two specific activities while they were there:
- We were going to go on a dolphin viewing boat tour.
- They were going to watch Birdie so M and I could go out and have a nice dinner by ourselves.
Unfortunately, the timing was terrible, weather-wise. The five or so days that they stayed with us was easily the worst stretch of weather that we had during our entire month there. For most of that time it was very windy, and it was a cold wind, occasionally getting below 30 degrees. It certainly wasn't warm enough to eat out on a patio or to go on a boat ride, and on top of that my mother was not feeling great, so those activities were scrapped.
On the 13th, the weather was decent, so M and my father and Birdie went to a beach and the playground. They also wandered around the boardwalks and trails at Sea Pines Forest Preserve on the 13th - or so my notes say, I was working. My mother took long naps and read while I worked.
On Saturday the 14th, my mother was still feeling out of it, so my parents stayed at the condo while M and I took Birdie out. We went to the Port Royal Boardwalk, but it was simply too cold and windy for it or the adjoining beach to be terribly enjoyable. Birdie and I hung out in the car while M got some beach walking in, but we quickly departed.
From there we tried out the Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center, which was a fun little museum/nature center. Birdie's favorite part was the old rowboat that she got to climb on. In fact, she refused to leave the boat, so M and I took turns staying with her while the other wandered the museum.
I had work off for MLK Jr Day, and it was much sunnier, albeit still windy. We all took Birdie to the playground and then Coligny Beach.
The weather may not have been great for much of their visit, but Birdie had a great time interacting with my parents. In particular, my mother's walker has a compartment in it to store things, and Birdie delighted in storing ALL THE THINGS in that compartment, and then taking them all out, over and over.
One night we got takeout from Kenny B's, a local New Orleans style restaurant. It was better than any New Orleans food I can get in Cleveland, which is granted a low bar to get over. Another night we did takeout from Captain Woodys, which felt like an upscale chain and had food to match (e.g., not fantastic). It was very crowded when I picked up our food though, so clearly other people disagreed with my assessment.
Most importantly, we got an ice cream cake for Birdie's birthday. She approved.