In the middle of EMERALD BLAZE release, Gordon told me, “I booked a vacation.”
I just sort of turned around and looked at him. COVID is going on, we are on a crushing deadline, we’d have to board seven animals…
He said, “It’s a house on Santa Rosa beach. It has its own private access to the ocean. We drive 12 hours. We don’t stop unless we have too refuel or use the bathroom. We will have all of our food delivered. I promise to not go into a single restaurant while we are there. We can take the girls. We haven’t taken a vacation in years. We are going.”
And we went.
Santa Rosa is in Florida’s panhandle. The sand is white; the water is crystal clear. There are sandbars running along the coast, changing the sea from turquoise to jade green.
We would go swimming early in the morning and after 5:00 pm, when the beach emptied as everyone left for dinner. In between, we sat on the porch and looked at the ocean.
We didn’t socialize. We wore masks with filters. And I think we were the only ones who did. I have to tell you, the restaurants were full. We were driving in and saw tons of people through the windows. Nobody wore a mask. Seriously. People walked outside like the pandemic wasn’t happening. So we hid inside the house and went to the beach.
It probably wasn’t the wisest choice of action, but I didn’t realize how close we both were to the breaking point until on day 4 I finally exhaled.
The six of us are now quarantining for the next 2 weeks. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Good for you! Glad it was worthwhile and you stayed careful.
Sounds absolutely perfect. You all deserve a break – and what a beautiful place!
I am so glad to hear your family was able to hid away and relax. And heartfelt thanks for taking the sensible path with masks, distance etc.
My husband and I plan to do the same on the Mendocino coast in October. We may still be within 4 walls but at least they will be a different set of 4 walls, with the ocean right outside the window!
Assuming Mendo isn’t on fire / the air clears by then. We’re in SF, and right now it feels like no escape for us. Of course – we’re really lucky that we can stay home and aren’t evacuated, but it’s still hard.
Hang in there!!!
I really hope it’ll be a case of the fires “peaking” early, as has seemingly happened with us with covid in KwaZulu Natal in South Africa (it seems we actually peaked in July instead of end-of-September as predicted). I really hope that’s the case; i cant imagine anything more scary than being surrounded by fire like that.
I’m so glad that the whole of House Andrews was able to take that break
At least in Cape Town, South Africa, we’re allowed to go walk at the sea/ beach, get some fresh air.
I am lucky in that I work one street away from the Sea Point Promenade – I see the sea every day, I breathe in that fresh air and love it! So refreshing.
I’m so glad you managed to get a break in such a beautiful location! You definitely deserved a break and you did it sensibly by minimising your Covid risks. I hope you’ve all come home feeling refreshed
I’m in the East Bay and am really tired of not being able to go for a walk outside what with the air being so bad for close to a month now.
But… how about that red sky last week? It was surreal and cool all at the same time.
🙂
Sara T. – another East Bay denizen here. Hang in there, the skies have to clear sometime! A year from now this will be just another chapter in our lives to look back on and say “Yeah. We did that!” I passing the time deciding which air purifier to. Yu once they are available again. You know we’re gonna need them again next year…
Thank you for the lovely beach pictures Chez Andrews! I’m so happy you got away and relaxed for a bit. Thank you also for all the yummy snippets and extra treats here. They brighten my days. Stay well everyone!
What a guy! Nice beach, too.
I’m glad that you took the time to rest and enjoy!
Glad you took a break. You guys have more then earned it.
Stay well everyone … beasties included.
Awesome! So glad you got to exhale!
Good for you! Everyone needs a break, especially now. I feel sorry for the idiots without masks though. How strange that fear makes you do things that increase your risk of dying…. Sigh.
Hope you all feel less stress after your (almost) staycation.
I’m glad you enjoyed your break!
It looks beautiful, and that was such a thoughtful thing to book.
Good for you. Hope you all had a wonderful time. It looks so beautiful. Stay safe.
+1!
It looks beautiful.. I hope you relaxed.
So happy that you got to take this time together as a family.
Mental health is just as important as physical health right now. You needed this. We’ll all be keeping our fingers crossed for the next two weeks. Glad to see you’re back ♥
+1
+1
I think you took a well deserved vacation, and handled it very responsibly.
I know some folks who went to the beach, and then went out everywhere. With no masks, no distancing, and no common sense. A relative went to Sturgis!
So glad you had a nice vacation and were able to take a break???? Those pictures are so pretty!
Good for you. It is important to take care of yourselves. You did all the right things. You prove you can be Covid smart and still enjoy life. Thank you.
+1
Vacations are so important. I am glad for you. (Crawling back under my rock…the air quality is 490 here today…. masks actually help with some of the particulant matter…)
I’m so happy for you all. And kudos to Gordon for making this happen! You all deserve it, and what a wonderful way to practice safe vacationing!
How beautiful! The water looks entrancing. Hope you all enjoyed a much needed and enjoyed a richly deserved vacation. Way to go Gordon!
Honestly, we did the same thing. Last year we had prepaid for a vacation to one of the national parks. We have been so careful up til now and so we did a risk assessment and decided to go. No eating out, no hiking on busy trails, etc. Self checking and out at the cabin and there was local mask ordinance at the grocery stores. Came home and quarantined for two weeks. Mental health is so much better.
I am near Pensacola…I deliver mail…I try my best to stay away from the crazies… Don’t go out but to the beach during off times and unless I’m in my mail truck (extreme humidity and no AC in the truck means no mask) I do my best to stay masked. There are so many people who just don’t do masks here… It is crazy
Good for you guys that you took a break. It was well deserved and very sweet of Gordon to do it. I hope that everything continues to go well for you all.❤
You needed that. I’m glad you took it. Author life is hard. Honestly I don’t know how you do it. Please consider writing a guide to author life one day. I’m tired. I know you all must be exhausted. Your advice is always like diamonds. Just a POV from the peanut gallery ❤️
Looks beautiful! Hope you all had a restful and relaxing time!
I’m so glad you had time to relax! I haven’t taken a lot of vacation this year and I think it’s catching up to me..
Oooh, thank you for sharing beautiful pix and so happy for you that you got a vacation. Best of luck with quarantine. I live in Northern California where the air quality is so bad right now (due to wildfires) we can’t even open the windows, so we have two major reasons to stay home and wear masks when we venture out.
You wouldn’t have to board your fur babies. I have a licensed vet technician daughter who babysits.
Wow!
I’m so happy for you both, what an awesome husband to figure out what you needed, and do it!
Sigh, I hope it recharged your spirits!
Awesome. Gordon rocks! Now that you know how to do it, you can take your breaks before you break. (Sorry. Couldn’t resist). My husband and I found three day getaways once a month this summer kept us sane. Mountain cabins our own food and quit hiking trails. He got to fish and I got nature.
Supposed to be quiet hiking trails. ????
If there is one thing I have learned over the last several months is you can only do what you can do. You did everything you could to protect yourself and you were able to have a nice vacation.
Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. We were supposed to go to Ireland this year for our 25th anniversary. I am hoping for next October for my 60th birthday. Dammit. Need to recharge my batteries for the next 20 years.
Good! Breaking point averted, you exhaled. Hopefully the vacation helped your family.
(And those who didn’t follow safety protocols, just Boo!)
I am so glad y’all got a much needed break. That looks incredibly gorgeous! I am so glad y’all wore masks with filters. Hopefully everything will be just fine.
Scary to go, but worth it with the precautions. And the husband award goes to….Gordon! Glad you were able to take a breath and spend some time together
So glad for you! I think if you avoided the crazy people you’ll be fine.
Glad you got a break!! Our work crew went in July and it was crazy the amount of people out and about. We went to the beach in the evenings and it was peaceful! Thank you for all your hard work. Your books have been a wonderful escape in this tough time.
Good for you!! So glad you guys had the chance to get away.
Your books have been a huge escape for my husband and I this week. On Monday night we had a historic level windstorm hit western Oregon and sent a huge forest fire roaring down the canyon where I live.
We got us, kids, and all animals out fine, our house is still standing – not all of our friends can say the same 🙁 but staying with family is stressful and your books are a welcome escape from reality.
So thank you again for the world building to escape into when our world is too much to deal with!!
Stranger from Northern California sending you virtual hugs. Thank goodness for books.
Hugs back! Hope wherever you are, it’s not near any big fires, since there are an AWFUL lot of them right now.
Gordon and Ilona’s books have been absolutely sanity-saving this week.
Well done. You deserved a nice vacation.
Such a nice break at a beautiful relaxing spot!! Sounds like you were super careful and safe. So glad for you!!!
I’m also glad you had a chance to have time to relax with your family. So important. ❤️
Good for you! In every sense of that phrase. So happy that you are taking care both body and soul.
???????? Rested and Recharged!
So glad you enjoyed your holiday. Hope you and your daughters are doing well
You are so wise and bless Gordon.
So glad you got a vacation. You all have been working so hard. I am glad you had a good time, it sounds beautiful my little brother used to live near Fort Walton beach and he misses it so much.
I am happy you got to do something wonderful and relaxing! It is important to take care of yourselves. ????????????
Gordon deserves the “husband of the year” award!
So happy for you that you could relax for a few days. 🙂
+1
Sigh, I’m over a bit from there on the Alabama coast. Same thing with no masks. We’ve asked why and can’t get a lucid answer, just a puzzled look and a reply that they can’t catch it here. Just telling them to remember to tip their hard working servers who risk Covid to serve them.
“Can’t catch it here”. I can’t decide if I’m ???? or ????
Try the vomit emoji.
Omg.
You can’t get a lucid answer because their isn’t one,the same way they can’t explain why they support the politicians they do,they say it just is the way they feel..it is obvious wearing masks protects people,they now know that what Trump and other politicians told them about Covid isn’t true, yet they still claim there is no reason to wear them.
Sounds like the best possible way to vacation these days and everyone needs time off! Sounds like you were smart and safe about it and that you really really needed it.
I am glad, stay well and happy