Take Me to the Sea

Cape May is at the tip, as far as you can go in New Jersey.

I can't wait to be near the ocean again. Punch's grandma is meeting us tomorrow at the Ocean City rest stop and we'll drop the young one with her, then head on our way. I booked a Terre & Mer Organic Facial* at the Sea Spa on Sunday afternoon at Congress Hall, the oceanfront hotel where we're staying for two nights. Also made a reservation for dinner Sunday night at The Ebbitt Room in the Virginia Hotel, which I've heard about for years but never tried. It's popular.

I look forward to putting my feet in the sand, and the water, to walking along the beach and boardwalk, turning my face to the sun and sky--even though my skin is more wrinkled and crinkled than when I was a bride. The deeply creased frown mark has earned its keep, a constant companion--a comfort, even, a part of me--as I sat in hospitals with Dad or with Fig; drove highways to find my way there; mourned the mystery and pain of a parent's death; puzzled over the complexities and dark drama of teenhood; worried about Punch, and money, and work, and bills; surfed the crests and dips of H.'s journey as he makes his way; struggled not to lose myself in dirty dishes and bathtub scrubbing....and concentrated doggedly on my own reading and writing, straining to grasp complex topics in order to navigate and report on them. Striving to get better, be better. Sometimes succeeding, often failing.

I want to see shells, seaweed, seagulls, sea stones.....to read, relax and recharge. The sand and sea offer a clean slate, new start. I crave time to stop and appreciate the good things about H. And it will be nice to be in old-fashioned Cape May, a timeless treasure on the Jersey Shore. That may sound corny, but it's true, from the Victorian homes to the saltwater taffy. Like a trip back in time.

Cannot believe it's our 23rd wedding anniversary Monday. As I said to Sis tonight, when our parents were married 25 years, they seemed old. And they were my age or younger....

Good night. Happy Valentine's Day.....thankful for a little good chocolate, conversation hearts, pink candles, clean sheets and a card in a pink envelope marked Ali, with a heart over the i.

TCOY

1. Color and blowout at Vamp. Hooray.
2. Enjoyed playing SpongeBob Cranium with Punch and H. Lit pretty candles, sat at dining room table.
3. Caught up on laundry so I have freshly scented clothing to pack.

*Terre & Mer Organic

75 minutes 

Combining marine ingredients with Mediterranean plants, the three-step treatment begins with a welcoming back massage using Organic Lavender Oil. A cleanse including Organic Orange Blossom, an Organic Almond Shell exfoliation, and a double mask application, your skin will be perfectly nourished and naturally radiant.