The Beach

Another hard day at the office awaits, and like any dedicated employee, I don my suit and grab my carry-all. I yell "Bye Hon! I'm working late today, don't wait up for me!"

Only my work day is a little different than those in the big city. You see, my 'suit' is a swimsuit, and my carry-all is packed to the brim with notebooks, suntan lotion and potato chips. I'm a writer.

Remember all those great movies where the writer is tapping away on a laptop in a rustic log cabin with a fabulous mountain view? I always wanted to be one of those glamorous writers, making my office anywhere in nature I happened to be. The only difference between those writers and myself is, I am virtually an unknown 21st century poet.

My biggest audience is on the beach, where I try out my stuff on the seagulls. They don't seem to mind listening to me carry on, as long as I offer them some potato chips. I might as well let them have the whole bag, they'll take it anyway. Once I left an unopened bag of chips on my beach towel while I took a walk along the beach, and when I came back I discovered they had punctured a hole in the bag, and were munching away like the world was their oyster.

I get most of my inspiration from the beach. It is here that I take in a stunning view of God's best handiwork - billowing clouds, crashing waves and cinnamon sugar sand.

The seagulls are standing at attention on this particular heavenly morning. They remind me of angels. Hundreds of guardian angels, keeping watch on the shore. I write furiously, trying to capture every hue and holy prayer carried in the wind.

Thank you, God. Thank you for this beautiful world You created. Thank you for providing this lovely office space for my rambling thoughts. And thank you for potato chips. Amen.

Catching up

Where have I been? M.I.A. I finished my book (woo hoo!) and sent the manuscript to celebrities and church leaders, hoping for endorsements (see button on sidebar if you're looking for endorsements). FAVOR, Lord. Please? We've also been camping a lot this summer. And yes, those are my own personal feet in this picture. I hope this doesn't look too risque. Here are some more pics...

Here's Otis, pudding putting some putting pudding into his diet. Gotta get every last drop of pudding. It's very important. Very important! And now, a word from our sponsor: Pudding. Pudding. Pudding. Well, three words.




Ah, Ramen noodles. A kid's best friend. This was a camping trip in May, when it was quite chilly. A hot cup of soup is just the ticket to warm the soul. Check out those dimples!

Eat your hearts out, ladies. He's all mine. Heheh...There's a story behind this strange outfit. We were supposed to go home, but decided at the last minute to stay at the campground a few more days. Not much of a wardrobe to pick from with all the laundry piling up. Mark managed to make do with his pajamas and dress shoes (where oh where did the tennis shoes go?) His t-shirt says "Feeling Lucky?" Oh yeah...


it had a path to our own private beach behind it. But don't ask where this is, it's top secret.


Here's the private beach. We invited some family and friends to join us all week. On our last day a stranger approached us, asking if this was the campsite with the secret beach. "Um....no. Secret beach? Whatever do you mean?"

I have already made a pest of myself with the good folks at Reserve America. Trying to attain this particular campsite all summer long will make their jobs unbearable. Here's me, in a typical reservation conversation:

Me: "Hello? Reserve America? I need site 57. Could you please check if it's available?"

RA: "No Ma'am, it's not available."

Me: "I know it will be available soon. Would you please just keep clicking it until it's available?"

RA: "Sure lady, I'll keep clicking. Click. Click. Click. Still not available."

Me: "Keep clicking! It must be available! Click it! Just click it! For crying out loud, click it!"

RA: "Ma'am, please calm down. I know how to press buttons. That's my job. Pressing buttons."

Me: "Get the manager. I don't think you're clicking that button right!"

Click. "Hello?"

And no, it's not site 57. That was just to throw you off the scent.

And now I'm off to visit all of you. I missed my blog friends!

Where have you been this summer?