The Last Beach Day

I admit it.  Sometimes this whole "new job" thing seems really weird.  

It's a great deal of fun, even if it's not the most sensible financial decision I've ever made - and that is saying something.

There was a discussion of this earlier this evening.

Myself, aged 52, my German friend E, aged 42. and his daughter J. aged 7.  The three of us sat in their garden in  the deepening twilight, toasting the day and our return from Crescent Beach in Cape Elizabeth.

E. and I had adult beverages, J. was toasting with a bottle of imported orange soda.

It was a very interesting conversation - at least between J. and I.  She was just entering 2nd. grade - I was entering the first Fall since the age of 5 without a school to go to.

Forty-seven years in school.  She said she could count to forty seven.  I instantly took her word, cutting her off in mid-demonstration.

I told them both it felt very strange, kind of neat - and also kind of scary.

J. nodded and took a contemplative sip of her orange soda.

We had spent the previous couple of hours at the beach.  Today was the first day of classes for all three of the kids - J. being the middle, M. being older and T. just starting in nursery school.  Their father suggested we all go in order to enjoy such a lovely, clear day - and to give his wife a much-deserved rest.

The sky at Crescent beach was cloudless - I enjoyed lying on the warm sand, listening to the waves, looking at imaginary animals in the sky.  

It was very warm and I'd not been to the beach at all this Summer.  Not having a bike has made it more difficult.

If I have time over the next few days - Saturday and Sunday look to be rainy - I'm going to head back out and see what I've been missing.

To top it all I had finished my training today.  The next time we meet is in the store, starting the process of final stocking, getting ready for what is guaranteed to be a complete riot of an opening.  

So tomorrow is more cleaning, then some friends are playing at the Longfellow - I and another friend are going to record and photograph the show.  Nice way to say goodbye to wearing white trousers.