Simple Days

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I put in a full day...plus overtime at the beach yesterday. Somehow, once I get settled into my chair with my toes in the sand, I just can't pry myself away.

I'd preplanned my beach day the night before, scheduling my grocery delivery for 7 a.m. with a cart full of beach snacks. While I waited, I tackled a handful of chores around the house, packed lunch, and even made a fresh mozzarella and tomato salad...something a little healthier to balance out my usual chips and Doritos.

The only thing slowing me down was Tim. I waited...and waited...for him to wake up. First, because I wanted to put fresh sheets on the bed, and second, because I wanted to see what time he planned to head to the beach. He finally appeared around 9:30 and casually announced he wasn't thinking of going until around 2 o'clock.

There was absolutely no way I was waiting that long.

Two cars it was.

Before leaving, I quickly stripped and remade the bed with clean sheets, something I knew I'd be incredibly thankful for at the end of the day. I did decide that next time I may attempt the hospital-style sheet change while he's still sleeping. I'm sure he'd love waking up to me rolling him from side to side while I tuck fresh sheets underneath him.

Once I gathered my beach gear, I was off to stake my claim in the sand, and what a gorgeous day it turned out to be.

I set up next to Donna, happy to finally catch up with her. Before long, my brother and sister-in-law arrived and, of course, immediately asked where Tim was. He eventually made his grand entrance, joined our group, and we settled in for an afternoon of sunshine, live music, and generously coating ourselves with my fancy Band de Soleil sunscreen.

The singer had a beautiful voice, but every single song seemed to be a slow, melancholy ballad. After two hours, I felt like an eighth-grade girl who'd just gotten dumped and was about to lock herself in her bedroom with a diary and a box of tissues. Probably not the beach vibe most people are hoping for. She might want to sprinkle a few upbeat songs into the setlist.

Once we shook off our temporary music imposed emotional crisis, we wandered up to the deck where an impromptu dinner with friends came together. Burgers, hot dogs, and every kind of salad imaginable filled the tables, while I proudly contributed chips and Doritos. I'd bought the "naked" Doritos without the artificial dyes, and somehow we all convinced ourselves they were practically health food now. 

It was one of those perfect summer evenings that reminds you why you wait all winter for this season. Good friends, good food, music, laughter, and nowhere else to be. For a little while, I almost forgot the weekend was coming to an end...almost.

I made it home a little after 8, took a quick shower, and happily climbed into my freshly made bed. There really is something special about clean sheets after a long day in the sun. Within minutes, I was fast asleep, sun-kissed, tired in the best possible way, and grateful for another simple summer day. 

"Summertime is always the best of what might be." ~ Charles Bowden