We move Lily a week from today. I'm still in a state of denial. It's not that I didn't see this coming, but the speed at which it's elapsed is unbelievable. It being the summer, senior year, childhood. Forgive me for being a tad dramatic. This is my baby girl we're talking about. My baby girl who has grown into an amazing young woman with a future full of possibilities before her. Because of that, I'm working my way through this as gracefully as possible.
I'm beyond grateful for the whole family time we spent at Windmill Beach this past weekend. Life slows down when we are at the beach in the most wonderful of ways. Saturday the weather was iffy, but we snuck in a swim between showers and confirmed that the lake was a beautiful tolerable 60-some degrees. We wait for this every year and never take it for granted when we can walk in and under without pain or persuasion. Stay in. Go in again and again.
My brother grilled burgers, my birthday eve request, and we played Wizard, a family favorite. The kids could hardly wait to give me my gift and so I knew it was a good one. I was right. They gave me a Polaroid. They know me well. I am the family historian.
The ladies retired early for a Saturday at the beach and that was perfect because I was up for sunrise on my birthday. The exact awakening of a new year is a meaningful time for me to set intentions for a fresh start and make peace with the last 365 days. Then I went back to bed and slept like a log for a couple more hours. I drifted off just as I heard the boys (my brother and Teddy) leaving for speed golf. They played 27 holes in 90 minutes logging 9 miles. Yep, it's true. Lils went for a run, my sil went for a walk and I went straight to the deck as happy as a clam with my cuppa and my book.
Sunday was a nicer day, but a tad overcast so it felt a little cool at times. The water was still pleasant though so after brunch and another game we enjoyed an afternoon on the beach. I was vacillating about staying another night, but I made the right choice and stayed put. Lily headed home because she is in countdown mode. Ted is still there living his very best life of a life that is usually rather charmed. We ordered Bada Bing to the Windmill and had a very chill Sunday night. The entire house was tucked in by 9:30. I don't know that's ever happened. Shortly after retiring, I ended up on the couch in the great room because I was tossing and really not tired. I could see the showy starry sky from where I rested and I listened to the waves rolling in until I finally drifted off. It took hours, but I still woke Monday feeling refreshed and of course, it was the best of the trio of days. I was easily swayed to make it last. I took the day off.
Mike and I went for a beach walk first thing. Last summer we couldn't get very far without having to wade in. This year the dunes are returning and we can go for more than a mile staying mostly dry. I'm convinced if more people began the day in this way, the world would be a kinder, gentler place. It was just the two of us and the gulls who were flanking the beach in either direction. Sadly, the eagles have been absent since July 4th for obvious reasons. A single blue heron took flight above us as we went for a post walk swim reminding me how magical this place is. I won't say that Lake Michigan was bath water, but it was as close to it as it gets and also refreshing. I would have been good with another beach day, but Ted had friends coming up and we had kittens at home. Before heading south, we went north to bring Lily her favorite donuts. She deserved a treat after her 12 hour work day and was grateful to come home to a little sweetness and a plate of bbq chicken and fresh green beans. That's about all I accomplished Monday afternoon. Mike and I puttered, napped, unpacked. I started laundry, but I still haven't folded last week's loads. We caught up on the news and I opened a couple more gifts and a bottle of white and committed to fully enjoying the last week of a full house and the rest of the summer.
Everything else will have to wait.
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