Somewhat baked, with sand

It was swell in South Carolina, at the condos by the sea on what used to be a rice plantation. The temperatures were in the mid to high 70's, the breezes were dulcit, mostly, and we avoided getting terribly toasted, at least by the sun. Long walks on the beach, bike rides on rental beaters, plenty of seafood and nobody threw anything at anyone; not bad for a family reunion. We made what has become an annual pilgrimage to see the Bar Bird at the Big Tuna Raw Bar in Georgetown; her name is Sassy, and her owner told me he'd gotten her when she was eight days old and not likely to survive, so the breeder gave her to him. He fed her with an eye dropper. She's now a large beautiful scarlet macaw, illegal to procure these days. She's got a filthy vocabulary and likes to dance to Creedence Clearwater; a good ole country gal.
We had the opportunity to go down to the Hilton Head area to meet in the flesh a friend we'd only communicated with via the internets, and had a pleasant visit. It's an odd venture, I suppose, but after years of exchanges, you do feel as if you know them some how.