Today’s massive, whole-family sandcastle effort.

We spent the day at the beach today, doing what most parents do at the beach—building sand castles with the kids, throwing frisbee with the kids, jumping in the waves with the kids, flying kites with the kids, rock pool fossicking with the kids.

Do you sense a pattern?

Beach activities always seem to be “with the kids.” So, what do adults—without kids—do at the beach?

Today at Okains Bay, an elderly couple lay in the sun. Another older couple walked the beach together. A young gay couple swam in the waves, then made sand castles. Tourists photographed children playing.

Though my husband and I were married for ten years before having children, it’s sometimes hard to remember life before kids.

But now that the kids are both in high school, it’s time to start looking ahead to that light at the end of the tunnel—that glorious day when the kids leave home. It’s time to start figuring out what we want to do when we grow up.

Why not start my plans with the beach?

I, for one, still plan to jump in the waves. And I’ll always peer into the rock pools. And you might even catch me with a frisbee…