To the Beach

Spring Lake has saltwater pools at the North End and
South End. I've never been in them,
but they fascinate me. I peeked at the one on the South End today
through peepholes in the brick privacy wall; it wasn't filled with water yet.

I did steal away to the beautiful beach town of Spring Lake today. I left Montclair at about 2 PM, after an appointment with H. and Figgy, and returned about 9:30 PM. About an hour's drive each way.

Here's what I liked:

1. Browsing only in the Spring Lake shops. Preppy sweaters and jackets, sea-glass jewelry, expensive throw pillows, lacy bras.
2. Standing in the water. It was cold and bracing, fresh and fast.
3. Lying alone on my tropical-fish towel on the sand. Staring at the waves, just staring. Listening to their sound, just listening. The roll, the rise, the crash. The roll, the rise, the crash. Thinking that it was nice to be alone.
4. Feeling my feelings. Crying for Dad. Remembering pivotal times in my life, relationships that molded me. Thank you for this gift, thank you for this gift I found myself thinking, grateful to my parents for instilling in me a true appreciation of the sea. That gift and its significance has still not been revealed in its fullness to me. I might never completely understand it, but will always treasure this legacy from my parents, and probably from my Irish grandparents, too, since my grandfather grew up in County Galway, Ireland, and my grandmother loved packing up a big trunk and taking her four kids to Rockaway Beach for a long summer break.
5. How the soft sand felt, cradling my body, molding to my shape. When Figgy was a toddler, she was terrified of the sand at the beach the first time she went. She didn't want H. to put her down. I think it just seemed too shifting and unsteady. Reading this makes me think: Life is still shifting and unsteady, and even as teens, our kids don't want us to totally put them down and walk away.
6. Walking on the boardwalk, stopping to read the little dedication plaque on each bench--in memory of wives, sisters, dads, grandmas, daughters. 
7. Seeing safe, old-fashioned seaside details like picnic tables painted aqua, beach rules and sign warning about rip tides.
8. Stopped in Ocean Grove on my way home--I lived there in my own apartment for four years before getting married. It is so different now, so much prettier and more touristy. Took a walk, took in the Victorian architecture, the beautiful rose bushes, the people waiting on line at Nagle's Pharmacy for ice cream cones.
9. Driving back up the parkway as the sun set. The Garden State Parkway is beautiful at sunset. All of our cars were nosing back home, from trips to Atlantic City, Point Pleasant, Seaside Park. Babies and kids were surely snoozing in back seats, tired from using their sea legs. It's a good, tired feeling. Like you've really been somewhere and back.

TCOY

1. Oatmeal with walnuts, banana, splash of cream and little handful of extra-dark chocolate chips.
2. Private Benjamin with H. and Fig.
3. Lots of ice water.
4. Headed to sea to find my center. Stared at sea. Listened to sea. Watched fishermen. Saw boats and surfers. Felt breeze.
5. Short boardwalk walk.
6. Walked Sug around block once.
7. Tracked my spending. And because got on beach close to 5 PM, did not have to pay $8 daily fee for entrance badge.