Hommel Mangas
Exactly eight days before we left for vacation a couple weeks ago, the hubby suggested I puh-lease remind him the next time he plans a Christmas adventure gift for the family, NOT to allow him to plan it so close after Christmas and New Years — his already fully-scheduled office got even busier.
But as we made our way away from the Indiana freezing tundra, we realized it was accidentally perfect vacation timing into a warm, sunny paradise. On the morning of Jan. 15, Greenwood was windy and -3 degrees. By comparison, the East End of Grand Cayman was above 83 degrees. I will always be amazed that one can travel 1,439 (straight line) miles and find 80 degrees — the difference between wearing a parka with snow boots and swimwear with sandals.
As the third week of January progressed, affirmed by our Indy weather apps, we realized that the office probably would have had an increase in patient call-in cancellations because of icy roads and school delays all week. I think I saw my hubby sigh in consolation then went full force into vacationing.
The hubby went deep-sea fishing — a surprise Christmas adventure from the kids. I was gifted a family photo-shoot on the beach, possibly in response to our three daughters hearing me whine about how “I forgot to take a family photo.”
Our agenda called for snorkeling the East End, diving, fishing, eating and praying together. I relished just reading in the sun. I had forgotten about the lost art of playing in the sand and watching my 20-month old grandson pour sand into buckets with a little shovel, for what seemed like hours. John would occasionally put down his shovel, grab my finger and announce “wak” — upon which he would point toward which way we walk on the beach.
I thought back to every spring break when our girls were young. We’d visit a new Indiana state park each time; once they were absolutely delighted because they’d earned a “medal” at their first volksmarch.
I remembered one four-day vacation that turned out to be jellyfish mating season and our young daughters cried because the ocean and beach were covered with jellyfish and Aly, 6 at the time, got pinched by a crab in the pool. Or the time our SUV engine blew before vacation, so we cancelled it.
Sometimes accidents happen. But sometimes, those accidents result in a perfect vacation.
Janet Hommel Mangas grew up on the east side of Greenwood. The Center Grove area resident and her husband are the parents of three daughters. Send comments to [email protected].
