A peek at the beach

The Petite Filet and Cutlet get ready to enjoy the Yellow Submarine at the Kemah Boardwalk. This was one of many ways the little guy showed he still has a keen sense of adventure. He picked this ride over a babyish one with rotating airplanes.

I'm apparently playing the over-protective father here by pressing on the Cutlet's head so that the stiff gulf breeze won't take him and the kite skyward. I'm such a dork.

We let the Riblet play in the sand and surf a little bit, but he seemed happiest when we opened our car's back hatch and let him observe the beachy goings-on from that haven. We had borrowed a crummy beach umbrella, but lacking the proper anchor the wind had its way with the thing. Our car did the trick.

On every vacation, we always toy with the idea of moving to wherever we are permanently. Don't most people? After all, anyplace looks enticing when you're not having to work while you're there. While a move to the beach isn't currently feasible for us, we are attempting to instill as much of the coastal lifestyle back here at home. Our living room has been decorated with nautical-themed crap for some time; now we're trying to live like we're on island time and go more with a slower flow. Here's some things we've done or are thinking about doing:

• Flip-flops are kind of gross when you think about them: where 'em enough and you've got footbeds o' fungus. But their value is inherent. They are easy to slip on and slip off, and by their very nature are hard to walk in and make you slow down. We've been wearing da flopz every chance we get. They make excellent "house shoes" for those who eschew traditional slippers.

• We've been dreaming more and more of waterfront property. I even scoured a few real-estate sites looking at nearby lakes. We're not financially ready for a move, but our hearts are already on the water. I found some promising places on one of the more promising lakes.

• For those who've been reading for awhile, I've mentioned that I am the proud-yet-befuddled owner of my grandfather's 1937 mahogany speedboat. She's not currently ready for prime time, but is nestled in a specially built shed in our back yard. That said, I would really like to have a usable boat NOW so that we can enjoy the fact we are literally surrounded by lakes. I hit the local craigslist portal and became instantly addicted by the boat listings. Sure, there are some pricey yachts listed, but then there are the floatables that get my hopes and heart rate up. Lake ready ski boat for $2,000? I can see it! Project boat for $300? The wife will kill me, but I love it! It almost made me forget that I need to have a hitch installed on my car first before boat love sets sail. Oh bouy!

• We briefly considered, but have put on hold, a plan that would have moved our lone TV out of the living room. Sadly, our current jobs require us to stay up on the latest news – no matter how glum and gloomy it is – so reality equals having to watch TV. If we decide to move it out of the central room in our house, I'm sure it will help us slow down. I suggested being more conscious about when it's on, and turning it off when the schedule is bleak or we need to be doing something else. We are also trying to eat more, all of us together, at the kitchen table (which is located out of sight from the boob tube).

Dreaming is fun. Reality is even moreso. We hope to be living on water someday not in the too-distant future, working jobs that are meaningful yet not so stressful. We'll leave the light on for you.