As you read this I’m at the beach in Avon, North Carolina. Depending on when you read this, I could be doing any of the following:
Brewing coffee and unloading the dishwasher before anyone else in the house gets up (my job)
Sipping coffee on the deck, watching the sun rise over the Atlantic
Pedaling down highway 12 through a morning breeze—ocean on one side, sound on the other—toward the Buxton lighthouse
Smearing on sunscreen, strolling 100 yards over a couple dunes to the beach
Standing ankle deep in the lapping surf, trying to get up the courage to plunge in
Bodysurfing and/or regaining my balance (and wits) after a vicious face plant into the pebbly seafloor
Rubbing my face and neck, considering a safer water activity
Floating like a log on my back as only old men know how, thinking I’m cool, knowing I’m not
Sitting on a beach chair reading The Brothers Karamazov on my Kindle, smoldering, turning pink
Wiggling into flip-flops, plodding over the dunes back to the house
Rinsing sand off under an outdoor shower, drying off, pulling on a dry bathing suit
Watching CNN “breaking news” during lunch, wishing I hadn’t (“there’s nothing new under the sun”)
Taking a nap, recovering from my morning activities
Working the New York Times crossword puzzle
Smearing on sunscreen, strolling over the dunes back to the beach for afternoon activities (see above)
Plodding back over the dunes, back to the house
Putting on evening wear (slippers, shorts, and T-shirt)
Lounging on the deck, listening to a playlist, snapping open salted peanuts, quaffing cold beers, awaiting the call for dinner, snapping, quaffing, snapping, quaffing
Eating with family around a large table, reveling in merriment
Rinsing dishes, loading dishwasher, sorting recyclables (my other job)
Lounging on the deck, chit-chatting with my wife, and/or children, and/or grandchildren, and/or pesky seagulls, and/or imbibing (just a wee bit) until dusk
Sitting on the sofa with my grandchildren who crave my attention and advice (not)
Sitting on the sofa with my grandchildren watching a Disney movie
Hugging them before they go traipsing grudgingly downstairs to their bedroom and I go lumbering gladly off to mine
Sleeping, knowing tomorrow will be another grueling day
* * *
Some people say, “Things can’t make you happy.”
That’s not true. (See above.)
* * *
At the beach.
Wish you were here.
But wherever you are, may you be happy.
Randy
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Check out Paula’s photograph (Comet NEOWISE) on the home page.
