Posted: Sunday, January 11, 2009 12:00 am
What was the best part of our recent vacation?
Nearly everything, except it wasn't long enough. At the top of the list of "bests" was spending time with Mouse the Daughter.
The challenge was keeping her busy, when all I wanted to do was walk through chest-high water where I could actually touch bottom to get a beverage; and read while reclining on the water lounger outside our room.
Mouse did her share of lounging as well, but only while waiting for the next planned activity.
So the daughter of this most sedentary person never without a book has these memories of New Year's 2009 - she embraced a Mexican custom and ate 12 red grapes to signify each month as the gong sounded at the new year, making a wish with each one for good luck; enjoyed luxury spa services, ziplined over the jungle, snorkeled in a cave, jet-skied in the ocean and swam with the dolphins.
She was rarely out of our sight and then only with her mom in sheer panic.
She was mortified about that panic thing.
She thought there was absolutely nothing that could happen to her, either within our gated mega-resort with more than 1,800 rooms and few English-speaking guests, on the public ocean-front beach or in the touristy town where we should have spent more time.
She wanted to do things alone, she says so that I could have time to myself. She didn't think she needed an escort on a day trip shuttle, in a taxi or through a complex, confusing "park" with a million different pathways.
We thought differently and this time, we won.
When I was 18, I was such a geek that I actually enjoyed being with my parents. Sure, I complained about ice fishing and camping trips, but much of what we did was acceptable to me.
Perhaps I have done Mouse a disservice by being such a news junkie. Perhaps I know too much.
If someone asks her today how her trip was, I'm betting she'll say, "OK."
Hopefully in 10 or 15 years, she might think it was "great."
Already, she's planning spring break without us. Already, I'm trying not to panic.
Sure, she's a great kid and really, really smart and she's certain that's enough to keep her out of tough spots.
The friend and I repeatedly admonish her that it's not her we worry about.
So we enjoy being with her when we are able, enjoyed Christmas immensely with both of my grown-up kids and the week with her on vacation, and we hope for many more adventures together.
She brought home several souvenirs, including a tiny silver turtle pendant. I look at that turtle around her graceful neck and realize that she is out of her protective shell - and not willing to go back in without a fight.
But just as Peggy Jane the Mom called in a panic when I forgot to tell her we were safely home in the middle of the night, so too Mouse will have to deal with me - forever.
Community News editor Sally Ann Shurmur can be reached at (307) 266-0520 or sallyann.shurmur@trib.com