Winter Reprieve

We've experienced a really cold winter this season. Today we enjoyed the reprieve. The weather was too gorgeous not to be outside and enjoy it. After I picked up oldest from work I suggested that we should be outside soaking up the sun before the temps drop again--he agreed.

I made a quick right turn and we headed to the beach! We walked down main street and made our way to the pier. Lots of people at the end of the pier with bait and tackle, poles at the ready to make the great catch of the day.

Initially I thought we would meander down Main Street and the end of the pier but the day was so beautiful...the edge of the earth called to us. It wasn't going to be enough to admire the beach with my eyes...we took off our shoes and appreciated it with our feet too.

The water was cold but not icy. It felt nice...until it splashed up all over my pants, even though I had cuffed and hiked them up to my knees. It seems like the response would be to be bothered by this--wet and sandy jeans...but we weren't. We laughed and enjoyed the moment, knowing a pair of wet and sandy jeans was a small price to pay for a mild, high 70 degrees.

The sun shine felt so good. When the sun shines I can only think: All is well and I don't have a care in the world. The sun shines on me and I know I am loved. It's a thawing of the heart, of the soul. Everything is beautiful and I can't stop smiling.

There were a few children and surfers in the water. People mulling around, enjoying the air and the view. We walked to the end of the beach.

The other side of this fence is a private beach area, I believe. It reminds me of one, of the many, trips we took to see the Mr.'s family, in Tijuana. We went to the beach and there was a chain link fence like this one, that goes from the sand, far out into the water, dividing Mexico from the United States. The water was much bluer at that beach, in Mexico. The Mr and his dad ate (drank?) raw clams that afternoon and it was the first and only time my oldest, Ernie did too--he must've been about 5, maybe 6 years old, at the most.

The employees at the little beach side, seafood shack, smothered the clams in lemon juice. I can clearly remember my father-in-love's laugh, at the face Ernie made, as he tried to chew and gulp down the slimy contents of the plastic cup it came in, claiming he liked it.

It's the end of the day but it's not the end of winter...No matter how much colder it does or doesn't get, how much longer winter lasts--we will always remember how we enjoyed today.

A day the sun shined a little brighter and we knew we were loved and blessed and happy.