What To Do

School starts in less than two weeks and I'm desperately trying to find fun, engaging activities for us to do. Non-vegetative activities like going to the beach, or the park with the water feature, the children's museum, or the pool at the Y.

Yesterday, there were multiple trips to the library. Which isn't necessarily a great thing because we tend to default to playing on the computer there. Sitting in front of screen at the library is still sitting in front of a screen.

It's cooler and dryer today than it's been for a few days, so I'm considering the beach again. I don't really like the sun, but I can contrive to keep covered even in the absence of a beach umbrella which I can't manage on the bike. We ride our bikes to the beach. It's very close to my parents' house and the beach no parking. It's a neighborhood association beach tucked into a space among summer beach homes at the shore. The location adds to its charm.

People arrive on foot, by bike, by golf cart or car. If the latter, they are dropped off with all the beach paraphernalia and then retrieved later in the day. The foot people usually arrive towing a wagon full of their beach needs for the day.

For us, it's a little far to walk, and we don't have a wagon. We utilize backpacks and a basket on the bike. It limits how much we can bring with us. A couple of towels, mask, drinking water, reading material, sunscreen, money for when the ice cream truck arrives, and remarkably, a boogie board.

The water is warm this time of year. Sometimes warm enough to encourage the jellyfish whose presence we don't enjoy. The weather conducive to salt water swimming. And there's always a lovely breeze.

I can't imagine not living near the shore. I honestly don't know how landlocked people do it. Not being able to breathe in the salt-scented air is akin to not having fresh water to drink.

I am a fish at heart. I think I've mentioned this before. A salt water fish in need of salt water.

Life without it would be grim indeed.