No self-imposed breaks from technology for me…

I love the beach during off-season. I love the beach when it’s overcast, gray skies, gray ocean, gray sand, empty beaches, the constant soft breeze carrying in the humid sea air, but it’s not too hot. It is perfect for losing yourself for hours. I’ve just finished my audiobook in two days of beach wandering, and I must admit, I’m enjoying the listening as I walk more than attempts to sit and read for myself.

Didn’t realize I’d come back just in time for the girls soaps, though. I’d intended to shower and see if they had plans, but nothing is going to happen until after soaps. I have more audiobooks, perhaps I should just go back out and wander in the other direction. I walked to town for lunch with the birds, perhaps I could walk to the marina for dinner with the … fishes? No, surely just more birds. The little winged thieves just loved to nab the sweet-and-low from the tables on the porch.

Today is my Alabama sis and my Florida bro’s birthday, and two days before my birthday. Unfortunately I realized last night that my birthday will probably be spent cleaning up the rental house, packing up and traveling home, but that’s just a day. This whole week has been my gift from the girls. I’ve sent the siblings cards from here earlier in the week, which I hope they got in time. No cell signal for me from the house, but twice on my walk I tried to call sis at home and found a busy signal. I’m also wondering about the frewtnut niece and her family in San Diego with these horrible fires and toxic air quality. I guess the empty beaches really drive home the feeling of isolation. I walk on the shore of the Atlantic and think on family by the Pacific, and feel very far away from everything.

Kit scores many points on her find of this rental house. It is charming and suitable for our needs. We are also happy that Nicola endeavored to join us Sunday for the week. We’re cooking here and enjoying the fresh seafood, with everyone planning something simple and delicious. We’ve discovered some great local hangouts, such as Coconut Joes and their fabulous pitchers of things — like evil banana drinks — and Reds with the fabulous buckets of things — like beer and oysters. More things should come in buckets or pitchers.

Vacation means we sleep late with the cool breeze blowing through all the screens, we read, we nap, we walk the dogs on the beach, we eat, we talk, we laugh, we drink, we explore a bit, drink some more, then crash for the evenings on our lovely screen porch in the candlelight, enjoying the loungers and the hammock. Hammocks, for the record, are very nice, especially when they expand to fit whichever dog has decided to jump in with you for a little nap.

Even when the television is on in the next room as the girls take in soaps, this place seems so quiet. Because it is no longer tourist season here, it has become renovation and maintenance season on many of the amazing houses surrounding our modest rental. Occasional hammers pound, and the noise carries forever, though nothing really interrupts the peaceful feeling of quiet. This is a place where you feel your muscles unwind. It will be hard to gather everything back into suitcases, pack cars and go home. Thankfully, it’s not time for that yet.

Edit: The rain came back and decided the fate of further walking on the beach for now. So nice of it to hold off and let me wander all morning in the gray. Fate conspires for me to stay in and crack the book on that next Spycraft adventure afterall.