Photo of the day: AN UNEXPECTED DAY AT THE BEACH FOR CHARLIE – Weather forecasters predicted rainy downpours for Tuesday, hardly a day to go to the beach. But Charlie insisted mom take him anyway since by 11am it still had not rained the and sun was peering through the clouds. “Can we just go on the boardwalk, they’ll be no wet sand there?!” Mom gave in and they headed off to the Coney Island. By the time they got there by noon the sun was high in the sky with no sign of rain and the warm sand was beckoning Charlie – ‘come play with me…’

There is a magic to going to Coney on a day when everyone else didn’t think it was the day to go – you have it alllllll to yourself. You can see waaay down the boardwalk with no crowds to obstruct your view of the end.

No long impatient waiting on line for mom to buy you that hot dog and soft fries at Nathans – just walk right up and smell that griddle!  The amusement park is open just for you alone. All the rides are calling ‘ride me first!’ The thrill of running around the rides trying to decide ‘which one first?’ Then hoping on and having the flying elephants and rockets all to yourself to command. Yippee !

But the sand, that wonderful stretch of sand, beckoned Charlie, “please can I play in the sand?!”  Reluctant to sit in the hot sand because of Charlie’s fair skin, mom remembered she had brought her blue rain umbrella ‘just in case.’ Mom smiled approvingly. Charlie pulled his mom to that special spot he had picked out. It was just them and no one else! There was that special feeling the beach was his and no one else’s. Charlie had brought his favorite dump truck to play with and settled in. Mom opened the ‘just in case rain umbrella’ and let Charlie conquer the beach.