Greetings from Cape May

The frozen beach at sunset today.

Keep off dunes, per town ordinance.

Miscellaneous musings from our overnight at the tip of NJ:

• H. was ill with a teeth-chattering fever a lot of last night. Rough night. He didn't want to take Ibuprofen, though I put it on his nightstand. Go figure. He slept most of the day and feels better now. I feel better, too.
• I had a really nice green juice to go from the Blue Pig Tavern in the hotel this morning. We had a $20 breakfast voucher but couldn't sit down to eat, since H. felt sick--I just got white toast for H. and rye toast for me and that green juice. So good!
• I got the Pedicure Ritual at the Sea Spa here in Congress Hall at 11:30. I felt very pampered and grateful. It involved a foot bath, blue foot scrub, warm stone massage and blue foot mask. One of the best pedis I've ever had. I brought my own polish, a glossy hot pink called MAKIN WHOOPEE by Deoborah Lippmann. I bought this polish when things were rocky and scary for our family in May 2011. Here is the post. I like that I still use it. Beauty outrides life's challenges.
• I took the Congress Hall History Tour, offered for $5 on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. Led by a young woman dressed in period costume as Annie Knight, who owned the hotel from 1904 to 1931 [after her Dad died, she inherited it]. Intriguing.
• We ate at the Blue Pig in the hotel tonight. I love the ambience. Poor H. only ordered a side of mac and cheese and only ate part of it.
• I took lots of notes at various times and plan to send a couple of pitches to coastalliving.com. I've written for that site before but assigning editor has changed since then. Hope to get an assignment!
• As I strolled the boardwalk and walked on the beach before sunset, I realized: This isn't my Cape Cod--the Cape I've gone to since I was 4--but it is the essence of everything peaceful and beautiful and timeless for many other families. It's a place that fills their souls and hearts. The dedication plaques on the benches lining the boardwalk [no longer made from wood] attest to that....people thanking moms and dads and grandpas for taking them to the Cape starting in babyhood....finding serenity and joy by the sea.

Well, good night. Tomorrow we will get Punchy back from her Mimi, probably in early afternoon, and then drive back up the Garden State Parkway to exit 151. 

TCOY

1. Green juice.
2. Pedi.
3. Read and napped. 
4. Walk on beach.
5. Prepping for work assignments.
6. We rented "Foxcatcher."