most missed memory

Lately I've been contemplating my most missed memory; I discovered what that was today, as I was walking up 3^rd ave to my usual spot on ortley beach. My most missed memory is definitely having the whole family down the shore at once. I miss all 16 of us cramming into one house at one time. I loved when we were all on the beach together, our chairs in a horse shoe shape, talking about really random things. When Ant, Greg, Julie and I were kids we would always dig the sweetest holes. We wouldn't stop until we hit water, then we'd sit in it for a while. Once we got yelled at by a lifeguard because it was too deep.

I miss Julie eating her pepperoni sandwich on Italian bread, and she'd purposely put some sand in it cause she liked it a little crunchy. But don't tell her I told you her secret. We had a lot of people in our family and only one shower so we'd have to call who gets 'first showers' then race back to the house. During the in between waiting time, we'd go into the den and watch TV with poppa Joe. You could hear the TV from outside, because that's how loud it normally was. We liked watching TV down the shore. Even though it was a 'doing nothing' activity. We all did it together most times. We'd try to find somewhere to sit because we only had 1 couch and 2 recliners. The kids ended up on the floor most the time. My personal favorite TV time was Saturday night, watching cops.

I miss being on the beach from 10am until 5pm, then going home and walking in and smelling whatever was cooking for dinner, cause grandma ALAWYS had dinner started by the time we got back from the beach. Then we'd all help set the huge table, of course the kids (even until we were over the age of 16) had to sit at the kids table, outside in the porch. It was okay thought because we'd all have a good time and watch some funny TV show, or movie while we were eating our usual spaghetti dinner. I miss doing the dishes, then Julie and I getting ready to run out to bills. We'd walk, because down the shore you either walk everywhere or ride bikes. After bills, and their amazing slushies, we'd walk up to the beach to take a look at the surf for the next day. We'd go back to the house and play cards until the wee hours of the morning, playing poker, spoons, BS, hearts…all kinds of card games. The kids would always get really giddy that late at night and some funny things would happen. Uncle Robbie would usually get really hungry so of course we'd order pizza. One time it took about 2 ½ hours for the pizza to get delivered even though the place was right down the street.

Recently, I think last summer or the year before the family made up a new game, but it wasn't a card game. We all sat in our normal hang out spot, on the green front porch, playing the 2 truths and a lie game. We played for a really long time. All of us did. I miss all of us as a family being together. Sadly it would be really really hard for that to ever happen again. My dad said today 'lives change' it's really hard for me to grasp because this is one thing I didn't want to change. Every summer would be so much fun.

Being down the shore is fun, but this year being in our own shore house, without all the family being there, im realizing its not as fun as it used to be. It was only so much fun because we were all together. I think I can speak on the behalf of 'the kids' and everyone else in my family that some of the best family memories are left in that beach house. It was weird today. My dad and I walked up the house that is no longer 'Joes dream' and looked inside. Everything is still the same. The couch, the ugly bean lamps, the huge TV. It's all the same. Our memories are there. I mean my dad spent every summer of his life there. All my aunts and uncles did. We were blessed to have it, and have it in the family for such a long time. If walls could talk, Joes Dream house would have a whole lot to say.