...and it couldn't have come soon enough for me. It's been one hell of a week, let me tell you. Of course, it's been one of those types of weeks at work. Home has been an entirely different matter, and it's been my refuge, as it should be.

Some folks, however, find refuge at the beach - and that's what today's Friday Forum questions are about.

1] What is your favorite type of beach? (Rocky? Sandy? Private? Lots of people around? East Coast? West Coast?) What are the best beaches that you've ever been to, and when did you go there?

My favorite type of beach would be one that doesn't have any bugs (including sand fleas) on it, and would have waiters bringing us food. Oh, and a masseuse. Actually, I've never been a big fan of beaches until I hit one that was just incredible. Light sand, warm clear waters, totally private. In Fiji. On Qamea island. Oh man, that was just pure heaven.

Of course, I didn't really spend much time laying out on that beach, since I was pulled into the water by DH to snorkle since the waters were so darn clear and gorgeous and the fish were so bright. What I would have given for a waterproof camera back then!

That's by far the best beach that I've ever been on, and I still remember the details of it 10 years later. I'm sure I can hear DH saying "you'd better remember that beach!" because that's the island we spent our honeymoon on.

I've been to other beaches, all West Coast United States - San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Hawaii. Ok, yes, that last one really isn't west coast... They all had their good points and bad points (the main bad point being they were all busy), but hands down the favorite will always be in Fiji.

2] What items do you like to take with you to the beach? Have you enjoyed any good summer beach reads this summer or in the past?

Items to take with me to the beach - people repellant. All right, all right. I'll stop with the smart ass answers. When I go to the beach - a very rare occasion that is - I tend to bring a blanket, myself, and maybe a book. That's about it. The past few times I've been to the beach, I've had very, very small children with me, so usually a floatation device of some sort has gone with us, or some sand toys.

As for summer reads, anything that I consider to be a good book makes it onto the beach with me, but I usually end up not reading anyway.

3] How many oceans have you seen and/or been swimming in?

Hmmmm... I think I can safely say that I've only swum in the Pacific Ocean. Of course, having gone to Fiji, I can say that I swam in the North Pacific *and* the South Pacific. I don't know the names of the oceans around Fiji, if there are any other than the South Pacific (you know, those less than major oceans that are around the world), so I have to plead ignorance, and leave my answer standing:

I've only been in one ocean ever.

4] If you could design your own dream beach house, what would it be like? Where would you build it?

Dream beach house? Single story, approx 3400 sq feet. Sprawling floor plan for the kitchen and living room areas - which the front entry of the house would open out onto. The sun would set off one side of the house (not the bedroom side and not on the back. The back of the house (kitchen and living room area) would be glass walls and a massive deck across the back, all railed/fenced in and gated. Big hot tub on the deck, and small room for showering off sand and such near the hot tub. The gate would lead off the deck onto a private beach.

Trespassers shot on sight.

I don't have much imagination for the front of the house and it's landscaping, but I'm sure I could come up with something gorgeous.

5] Do you have any plans to visit a beach/ocean this summer? If so, where are you going and when?

I don't have any plans to visit a beach or ocean this summer. I don't usually. It's one of those things that isn't a high priority with my family, although I'm sure that will change as A & B get even older. I think I'll be seeing a beach next year as I head to Hawaii for a wedding.

It seems that every time I go to Hawaii, I go for a wedding, but the upside is that each time I always end up on yet another island that I've never been to. So this time I hit Maui (which is where the wedding is this time), but that's not until next May.

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So that's it from me this time with the Friday Forum. I hope y'all have a great weekend, because I'm hoping mine sure will be. And with that, I'm outta here.