Last Sandy Pines

The end of an era. We kind of knew it was coming for the past year or two. My parents finally pulled the trigger and sold their place out at Sandy Pines. They have had a place out there since the late 80's, so there is a lot of family history out there. Since I was about 8 or 9 we have spend most of our summers out there. Each year Papa would make improvements and update the site. We actually started off in a different lot way out in phase 5. It was basically just a field with dirt roads. That first year was one of the hottest summers in decades, so after about two weekends out in that head with no shade, they traded in that lot and got one that was nothing but trees! They then spent the next 30+ years improving and working on that lot making one of the best looking sites in all of Sandy Pines!

I have a lot of wonderful memories spent out there. I didn't necessarily love all the time we spent out there, I am after all, a bit of an indoor kid, not prone to love camping or outdoorsy stuff. I would make the most of it anyway. While Chad and Jill were out driving around on carts and mopeds with friends, I would hunker down at the table in the back of the trailer and draw or watch TV. We only got two channels out there, but I would always make sure to watch Star Trek (Next Generation and Deep Space Nine) on the little 12 inch TV that needed to have the antenna constantly adjusted. I would play with my Micro Machines, or pour over my comic books, only periodically taking time out to go on a cart ride or take the dog for a walk. They upgraded to a better trailer and I remember late nights reading Michael Crichton books in my room, sometimes even skipping sleep all together and reading straight on till sunrise (It was summer break, might as well, right?). I remember being home alone in the trailer while Mom and Dad were both at work; I would crank up the latest Michael Jackson album and sing along, trying to mimic his moves (and failing). As I got older I would push back against going out there all summer with my parents, opting instead to spend the week at the house alone and driving out to see them on the weekends. I had little to no interest in Sandy Pines as I was finishing high school or went off to college. It really wasn't until I saw the place again through new eyes, Diana's eyes, that I really started to realize how cool it was. Diana and I actually got engaged on the edge of that lake at Sandy Pines. We would come and visit regularly after we got married, sharing with Mom and Dad for the first time that we were pregnant with Ledger. He spent the first 10 years of his life going out there several times each summer and even learning to swim in the pools there.

We've got a lot of memories of that place and it will be greatly missed. Goodbye, Sandy Pines!