A Post in Three Parts

Let's start with the dreams I've had the last few days and then move on to the beach.

Dream No. 1 (Night before last)

Le husband and I were shopping at Bi-Lo (the one we regularly shop in) and when we exited and headed toward the van, I could see someone had set up a yard sale next to our van.  (Which is illegal -- you can't sell things w/out permission in a store's parking lot)  They then *broke into our van* and set up the store in the van.  I started getting angry.  I knew police would be here any minute and WE would get blamed for selling stuff.  I wanted to run at the people and give them what-for but hubby held me back until he saw police coming and the let go of me.

I raced toward the van.  The people scattered and I jumped into the van, incensed.  I threw things out one at a time, relishing the crash and splatter of things careening out the window.  I emptied it out and then told the policemen what had happened.

I may or may not have slugged some of the culprits.

Dream No. 2 (this morning)

 I was at the hospital with my friend who was having her first baby (in real life, she's already had her first, but this was going back in time to when she was still pregnant with baby no. 1) and she was having contractions 10 minutes apart.  Her husband wasn't there yet and her family were on the way but I was there until they all arrived.  However, we were both supposed to be in a production of Arsenic and Old Lace (the hospital was built over a school) and when we didn't show up for Dress Rehearsal, the Dean from Community (who was directing) came and lectured us.

"SHE'S HAVING A BABY," I pointed out.  "I am NOT leaving her alone!"  So we argued back and forth for a while and the Dean finally said he was kicking us out of the play while I argued that we could just use a script to run over lines until the actual birth.  He said we couldn't even have a script and if we managed to get one, there would be trouble.

So, he left and I sneaked down after him to the rehearsal.  Everything was getting set up and I pretending to ask a friend's daughter a pertinent question but she knew what I was looking for and directed her eyes to her backpack and I knew she had a script in there.

When the Dean was out of sight (I thought) I leaned down and grabbed what I could of the script (about half of it) and sprinted out of the room.  I was wearing heels.  And I could hear someone behind me.

And there wasn't an elevator.  My friend was on the 4th floor.  I pounded up the stairs and recognized my feet were making a sound pattern that sounded like the beginnings of a rock song.  I wound up on the wrong side of the hall and peeked into a room where my cousin was having her 2nd baby (in real life she hasn't even had her first).  The baby looked exactly like my cousin's mother, down to the blonde hairdresser hair and big blue eyes.  I stopped for a minute to say hello and then dashed to the end of the hall where my friend was getting in a wheelchair.  It was time.

But it WASN'T -- because it was THE DEAN catching me with a script in my hands.

And then I realized my friend had already gone into labor and had the baby, but luckily her family was still there so we ended up going to dress rehearsal anyway.

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On Friday afternoon, I tidied up the office and Stu and I ran to check the mail and pick up a few last things before meeting up with the rest of our vacation people.  Still no book, but I did grab my phone (which I didn't need all weekend, but you never know).  We met up right on time and lugged our bags (2 suitcases, 2 personal bags and a food bag...for 2 nights.  Seriously) to the SUV and threw them in (carefully).  We arranged ourselves (I got to sit in the back with the luggage -- very cozy, I loved it) and then went back to the driver's house to pick up the last two people.

On the way there, I took some pictures (posting later) and we listened to Mitch Hedburg.  The last part of the trip we belted out our version of Bohemian Rhapsody (alongside Queen).

We arrived around 11 that night -- Pawley's Island, S.C.  A couple at church had offered to let us stay Friday/Saturday night.  The house was huge -- three stories, one of which was the under-the-house game room/patio with shuttered showers.

Of course we prowled around looking at everything -- 5 bedrooms, all with beautiful views of the canal (our side) and the houses right on the beach.  We were one street away from salt water.  Glorious.

The house was decorated with all that silly beach stuff (with Christianese flair) but the rest of it was gorgeous -- light colored wood all around, comfy, light furniture and windows everywhere.  It conveyed a sense of peaceful, light air.

We took a walk on the beach and were amazed at all the stars (and planets!) we could see.  The lights were out on the beach so as not to confuse the sea turtles. (Sadly we only glimpsed crabs)

The next day some friends came down to play for the day and we spent all morning at the beach.  I came home for lunch and decided to catch up on correspondence and spend some time reading, and then at 3:00 we went geo-caching (mine and husband's first time!).  We came home and everybody helped make a bountiful feast -- grilled chicken, beer biscuits, asparagus, sauteed vegetables, sausage balls, and potato salad.  With fudge swirl ice cream for dessert.  I went upstairs to groan and moan while my tummy made sense of the madness and watched some Conan (with Alison Brie from Community).

Then most of our friends said goodbye and headed home.  There were six of us left (3 couples) and we were so tired we went to bed.  Most of us had gotten pretty burned (even though we put on sun screen - YES, EVEN ME.  Hubster put it on me because he is le sweetest) so we looked more like lobster than anything.

Yesterday we tidied up, packed, and looked longingly at the beach, but we had to leave at noon so when we were all done, we lugged our suitcases down the stairs, snapped a few pictures, and headed off to Charleston since our drivers had never been there.

We strolled through the market and the surrounding shops, including a spices shop (fascinating and wonderfully aromatic), a dessert shop (Hubby and I split a monster piece of chocolate cake), a hat shop (hubby longingly tried on some fedoras -- I really need to purchase one for him) and Black Market Minerals.  We saw some great art (and some...interesting art) but our favorite was getting back in the car and driving all around the beautiful houses and gardens.  I snapped several pictures, including some of the water at The Battery.  (I will post these too)

We stopped for dinner and then headed home, listening to some soul, jazz and soundtracks (Moulin Rouge!).

I did spend some time exercising (running on the beach for a little while, playing in the waves, body-surfing, walking), I wrote 4 letters (didn't have enough stamps to send off more) and sent them from the beach, and I spent some time reading Harry Potter and a great book about writing (took lots of notes).  I thought a lot about my newest story idea and did some work on the plot.  I might have something there.

So, in essence, I did everything on my list, just not the way I expected.  I also got to play in the water (most importantly) and see le hubster experience new things (one of my favorites): he saw stars reflected on the water for the first time, he (and I) went geo-caching for the first time, and he tried cilantro-lime rice (liked it!).

A really, really relaxing weekend, which is just what the doctor ordered.  We got home late last night and I tried to read but kept crashing.  I didn't sleep well though so I guess it's back to the melatonin for me.

I tried to be a writer on the beach as well, which was interesting.  I couldn't find the right words for how the sun lights up the salt water, as if the water is sparkling.  (But is sparkling the right word?  Shimmer didn't fit, nor did glitter)  The top layer of sand felt like fine, dry breadcrumbs, but deeper down where it was cool it felt like fine, dry snow.  The sea rushed toward me to embrace me while the sand held me up and the sun caressed my face.  The wind took my face and pointed me toward the sun while the waves pushed me and lifted me up  and brought me toward the shore.

It never looks the way it feels.  I don't know how a writer can properly convey the sense of wildness or happiness I feel when I am near the ocean.  But I'll keep trying.  It's a fascinating exercise.

How would you describe being on the beach?