It's Just Not the Beach!

That's me there looking frustrated, not because none of my grown children or grand children live in the area of Irvine, California, or even close enough to attend this event. But this lack of a smile is saying, "it's just not the beach."

You see, every year that I can remember while living in beautiful Irvine, California, our church's local group (called a ward) has held a corn roast in August at the beach in Corona Del Mar. My kids have loved it. We would leave the house early enough to have beach time before the crowds of people from the church would arrive, stop to pick up a bucket of Kentucky Friend Chicken there near the beach, and involve ourselves in the preparation. Ken would assist with lighting the large fire pits stacked with wood, and I would help with preparing the corn on the cob. Once the fire was stoked and ready, the men would take newly purchased shiny metal garbage cans down to the ocean shoreline and fill them up with the salty ocean water, place them on the fires, followed by dropping in the corn. And we would then set up the tables with butter, salt and pepper, drinks and s'more food items for roasting later - on those same wood fires. It was awesome. We brought our own additional food items, enough paper plates and napkins for our families needs, beach chairs, blankets, sweatshirts for layering as the weather cooled down, and chairs. Those in charge of this annual activity would mark off our ward's "territory" with large tables, a canopy or two, beach chairs, and often times, balloons.

Sue Roblas showing me that they didn't cook the corn right.

The Corn Roast was wonderful. The corn was cooked still in its husk wrapped around the cob (although the prep had us all pealing it back and removing the silk), and it didn't really need salt due to it boiling in the ocean water. It was delicious, and could stand on its own without needing the Kentucky Fried Chicken we had picked up. Yes, with the deliciousness of the food came the benefit of sand in everything from shoes, hair, clothing and food, but we didn't care. We were at the beach, and we loved it.

Concerns for the safety of children getting lost in the crowds at the beach, the wards have now moved this annual Corn Roast tradition to our fenced in, but lovely,Irvine Lagoon. Yes, there's sand. Yes, there's water. But it's just not the same. So, we focus on the friendships, the conversations, the catching up and bragging about our children and grandchildren (our right as mother's and grandmother's), and, as my oldest son, Ben, always says to me, "mom, focus on the positive." So, for now I'll reflect on living in beautiful Irvine, California where the weather is a little bit of heaven year-round, the community is built around walking trails, parks and pools (paradise of planned living), and count the blessings that abound. But, just sayin'...it's just not the beach!

Corona Del Mar, California