Summer is upon us and it’s time for some day-trips, which Gemini adores (being the ruler of short journeys). We’re already in triple digits here in the south, so someplace cool is out of the question but thankfully there’s an oasis of ocean and sea-breeze to be found in a day-trip to Tybee Island, near Savannah.
I remember going to Galveston on the Gulf of Mexico with my parents when I was about 15. The plan was to drive down and visit the Sea~Arama, watch the trick skiers, and see Shamu, the killer whale. (Are all killer whales named Shamu?)
My mom had a real way with words, but not in the way you would expect from a Gemini Moon. She got confused, very much a Mrs. Malaprop. Explaining that someone had undergone laser surgery, she waved it off saying, “Oh, they had that…you know…leisure surgery.” Can you imagine the operating room:
1st Doctor: Would you like to close?
2nd Doctor: Not really. You go ahead.
1st Doctor: There’s no rush, right?
2nd Doctor: Right…we’ll do it later.
I grew up in Dallas, so on my husband’s first trip to meet the parents, I asked my mom to tell him about the Kennedy assassination. My mom worked in downtown Dallas, and everyone was allowed to go out and see the motorcade. There was actually a photo of her in Life magazine. At least, we think it was her because of her tell-tale headscarf which she wore everywhere, tied under her chin “to keep the wind off.” So she started telling the story to my as yet unwed husband: “We were standing right there as they turned the corner and went past the book suppository on the way to the grassy mole.” That should have been “book depository” and “grassy knoll.”
So, back to that quick trip to Galveston and the Sea-Arama. Sadly, the Sea-Arama is closed now but it holds a special place in my memories. It’s listed on the Weird US website as part of Weird Texas and has a site devoted to its memory here.
My dad ~ like most men ~ got a little lost, but was always sure that he knew the way. After too much time had passed driving “all over creation” as he would say, we finally convinced him to ask for directions. It was summer and already scalding hot, so we finally pulled over to a little beach shack within ocean’s view to buy some cold drinks and ask for directions to the ever-elusive Sea-Arama. We all went in to get a quick blast of the air conditioning and behind the counter was the most gorgeous sea-boy I had ever seen ~ tall, tanned, hair blonde from the sun, all muscled in his shorts and tee-shirt ~ an absolute dreamboat. My mom, in her summer-sheer chin-tied scarf walked up to this Adonis and asked,
“Can you tell us how to get to the Sea-Aroma?”
(OMG!! Tell me she didn’t say that! I thought I was going to die!)
To which Adonis replied, “Yes ma’am. Walk right out the door.”
I actually felt my cheeks glowing hot with an embarrassment that no amount of air conditioning could cool.
So, we went on to the Sea-Arama and saw the killer whale, watched the trick skiers, ate fish sandwiches, and made some memories ~ completely under the spell of the beautiful, nostalgic scent of the sea aroma.
Auntie Moon 
What a great hilarious story! Your mother spoke in spoonerisms. I know this word because MY mother does too. Some times they are really funny, but I don’t remember her ever really embarrassing me with one of them.
That’s the only time she ever embarrassed me and it was because I was a teenager. She actually had a great sense of humor about her spoonerisms and would laugh about them with us when she realized what she had said.
Wonderful memories and a great story! I love your way of capturing the essence of the astrological moment with your personal narratives. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Sandra. Sometimes we forget that everything has an astrological component. Astrology is so much more than transits and life altering Grand Crosses. It’s the little parts of everyday life that keeps astrology on the backburner of my brain all the time. I go to the store, pick up a jar of jalapeno jelly, and think Ah! That’s Venus and Mars. If I have a glass of milk with my breakfast, I’m drinking the Moon. It sure makes it fun.
LOL thank you!
Oh I loved your story! When you came to the bit about the ‘Adonis’ I read on with baited (LOL) breath…!!!
It’s great to look back and feel the nostalgia regarding times when we really needed to crawl under the nearest stone..and realise we did survive some ‘awful situations! Growing older seems to put it all in perspective!
I come from a family (both maternal and paternal sides) of giants and at 5 foot 5 inches I was a throwback! My father was quite involved with local parish council stuff and the gardening society..and often he would be on the telephone arranging to drop papers off or pick them up “don’t worry, I’ll send Tich round for them..”. I am sure there was more than one shocked face when I turned up – at 13 years old I was the height I am today – but a lot taller than my peers..Tich? *cringe*.
On a sideways note: I never get lost, even in towns and countries previously unvisited..I have amazed people with this and now I just say I was a SatNav (GPS thingy) in a previous life..LOL! Or maybe because I come from a sea-faring family (going way back) and navigate by the Sun and Stars..I think I prefer that!
An internal satellite is quite an asset, Penny. Neptune/Mercury, maybe? You can just sense it?
Delightful stories, CJ! Gemini is the sign of story tellers–I knew a woman who had 6 (SIX!) planets in Gemini including the Sun and Mercury. She wasn’t just a good story teller, she was a witty raconteur and could keep a room full of people entertained at parties. Donna
Adorable! Thanks for sharing your memories.
A great story about traveling with your family especially your mom.
Hey, Shell! Good to hear from you.
i love this story! what a fabulous memory!