Beach bums

After 22 months, I finally took my child to Miami Beach. Yes, I know, it's crazy to live so close and never go, but I'm not really a beach person. I hate having to park so far away. I hate all the crap you have to take with you (times 2 with a toddler) and lug all the way down to the shore. I hate having the sand get all up in my nether regions. I hate the sand sticking all over me when I get out of the water. I hate having to pack up all the crap I brought and lug it back to the car that is now 200 degrees. I hate having all that sand in my car afterwards... you get the point right?

The last time Chris went to the beach was in El Salvador and he absolutely hated it. He screamed and wouldn't get in the water (not even in his little inflatable pool). He didn't even want to touch the sand much less play with it. This time was much different though. He loved the water and kept trying to taste it (like he does in the pool). When he realized how nasty it was he made a funny face. The sand was fun for him too, but at first he didn't like that it was sticking to him (I hear you little man). Once he got over it though he had a great time shoveling sand into the pail and dumping water all over himself.

After our romp in the water we headed back to the shelter. Thank god there was shelter otherwise it would have been unbearable. This weekend was the hottest weekend of the year. I haven't been to Miami Beach in years...leave it to me to go THAT weekend. The reason we went is that a Salvadorean group that my parents belong to was having a picnic. They lured me out of my cave with promises of steak, elotes locos (crazy corn), and loteria de Atiquizaya (raunchy Salvadorean bingo..yes, we're a bunch of classy folks). Unfortunately there was no crazy corn* when I got there, but I did win the first bingo game (I won 5 bucks) so I forgave them for their oversight.

Oh and by the way...watching Shark Week on Discovery Channel for a whole week and then heading out to the beach...not a good idea.

In other, more dramatic news, I had my first ambulance ride on Thursday night (that seems to be a recurrent theme this year, perhaps I'll buy an ambulance ornament for my tree that says 2007 on it). On Thursday night at around 9:30, I went to the Urgent Care Center because I was having bad abdominal pains and they weren't going away. At the UCC they gave me Xrays and a morphine injection for pain. The Xrays didn't show anything and the morphine didn't help the pain, so they took me via ambulance to Baptist hospital ER. There, they gave me an IV, drew blood, did an ultrasound, a CAT scan and I was seen by a doctor. Twelve hours later, they still couldn't find anything wrong with me (good I guess). The pain lasted for 5 hours and left as quickly as it came. I ended up leaving the hospital around noon. What a mission! Fortunately, I'm OK though; all my tests came out negative. I have to see a GI doctor to find out what the heck it could've been (probably trapped gas if you ask me) though.

And that my friends wraps up my weekend activities roster. How was your weekend?


*elotes locos/crazy corn: a Salvadorean food: sweet ear of corn roasted in its husk, then rolled in mayonnaise, mild cheese and thick cream (can also have mustard and a black sauce containing lea & perrins, tamarind and God knows what else) Yum!