A Great Day

Like all Thursdays, Mags was home from day care yesterday. Unlike many Thursdays, yesterday we actually got out of the house and did something, instead of just hanging out here. I let Mags choose what she wanted to do for our adventure, and she promptly replied, "Beach." So, off to the beach we went.

We jumped in the car, grabbed paid a premium for a picnic lunch at Whole Foods, and drove off into the fog of the coastal hills to go to our regular beach. On the coast it was a bit windy, and the sun was struggling to weakly shine through the clouds in places, but it wasn't terribly chilly and I'd made sure we both had a change of warmer clothes, so we unloaded all our crap and schlepped down to the sand. *Pop!* went the insta-tent, *snap!* went the bech blanket, and *crackle!* went the bag of peanut butter crackers.

We chased birds, dug holes, and built our own cave out of driftwood. Mags demanded that we go back to the car to get Baby so she could play with us, too. Eventually we were joined by a handful of plastic animals who I did not realize were very uncoordinated and let terribly dramatic lives ("Oh no, mama duckie! My head is stuck in the sand!""Oh no, baby duckie! I'll help you!""Oh no, mama duckie, now I fell down into this hole!") Terribly cute.

After her dress got wet in the surf (while trying to wash the macaroni salad off the foot that ended up in the container,) a very naked Mags and I curled up in the tent to snuggle in the blanket and read some books -- an impressive feat considering the tent is only 4'x4'. We read for a while, and then I begged for a nap -- my own. Mags offered to read to herself for a bit and I closed my eyes. A while later I awoke to find a miracle wrapped in sandy fabric next to me: a sleeping Mags. Joy!

I snuck out of the tent and ran to the bathroom. Then, a second miracle occured; I read a book. For nearly two whole hours. It was bliss. A nearly empty beach, the white sound of surf soothing my mind, and a book that I'd been trying to get through for months. It really was amazing how relaxed I got. Time just melted into the foam on the ocean. True, I'd arranged with Husband for him to come home early from work yesterday so I could get some homework done in the city, but really at that point there was no way I was going to wake up a happily sleeping child and give up my slice of heaven to do homework, so I didn't. Mags woke up when she did, we played a bit more and then got ready to leave at our own speed. Husband was waiting for us in the front yard when we got home. We ate out at our favorite el cheapo taqueria.

It was as near to a perfect day as I've had in a really long time (happy sigh.)