Hazy, Crazy Beach Days At Topsail, NC

Family Week

7:23

It's just after 6:00, stars are out as well as a crescent moon, the waves crashing on the shore and I am listening to Morning Joe discuss the crashing of the Trump train.  Everyone is still sleeping, lucky dogs, as I sit here writing, waiting for the coffee to brew. It's 8:00 and I just walked for a half hour, watching the sunrise among the clouds.  I am beginning to recognize the same people out for an early walk like me. It's a perect morning for a walk, low, a vast beach, and little wind.  High tide at 1:58, Low Tide at 6:39.

Drew Walking The Beach

Yesterday, like today, our beach time will be dictated by the tides. Because it was not until 12:30 yesterday, we had little beach early afternoon, having to hunker down on the edge of the dunes, with water occasionally crashing under our chairs.  

Pelican Skimming The Water

Sandpipers

We had the usual morning, writing the blog for me, then going for a half-hour walk while the sun fought to rise above the clouds. Drew was up as well, working, talking on the phone for work, then around 9:00, he went for a long walk as everyone was finally getting up.  

When Jill got up and had her coffee, we decided we needed to go to Surf City to pick up dinner, fresh scallops, and tuna from the fish market and stop briefly at the local grocery store. The market is not very fancy, just as an outdoor table with eight or nine coolers holding the seafood. I did not go into the grocerystore, walked around the neighborhood, and continue to be surprised by the people who don't wear masks although it's required in businesses.

Fish Market

We were home by noon and even though it was close to high tide, Drew and I went down to the beach, walked some, and made sure we were back far enough to avoid the water.  I had enough by 1:00 and went up for lunch, the leftover chicken that I made into a gyro with tzatziki sauce.  I then read, napped, and was ready to get back out on the beach by 2:00.  Evie and Jan were playing scrabble, having had enough sun. I joined Jill and Drew on the beach and Evie soon followed and the four of us stayed down until 4:15, people watching, sunning, reading, occasionally taking a beach walk with a beer. Because the waves were choppy, I used Drew's boogie board and had a great time catching the waves.  It brought me back to my surfing days in the 1960s in Honolulu, as I would hit the beach before the sun rose just to catch a wave.

An Old Man Rides A Wave

The Bissell Gals

Around 5:00, we had the leftover shrimp with mayo and lemon juice as our firest appetizer while Jill put together our second appetizer, a poke bowl, tuna, soy, sesame oil, avocado, and green onions. We let it marinate and went down to the beach, walked the dogs, and watched the sky change as the sun moved towards the western sky.  

Late Afternoon

Dusk

Happy Days

Drew And The Gals

Around 6:30, we were busy in the kitchen, putting together our scallop dinner and enjoying our poke in bowls.  Evie browned the scallops, sauteed the spinach, while Jill made the risotto with my help as a temporary stirrer.  Evie served the risotto, topped with spinach and the scallops,  a dinner fit for a gourmet restaurant.  We loved it.  We did not finish up till 8:40 when we cleaned up then went our own ways.  

Plump Scallops And Spinach

I went out for a brief walk on the beach in the star-filled sky, Venus burning brightly in the East.  Jill and family, sensibly, wanted to have nothing to do with the Presidential Debate, fed up with politics, and watched a movie called Blended.  Evie and I watched the debate in our bedroom, two masochists, who seem to enjoy the pain of listening to a buffoon, a talk show performer, pretend to be Presidential. It was funny watching Trump bite his tongue, trying to control his mouth.  Overall, Trump was more disciplined than his previous debate, less manic; Biden was at his best which is average but he did enough to make him seem Presidential. I would give Biden the edge but I am prejudiced.  It kept me up until at least midnight, alas, pumped I suppose by the emotions of this very important election.

My prediction: our grandchildren are going to look back on the past four years, both presidential elections, and wonder how a large swath of the American electorate could  have voted for such a dangerous, ignorant,  and despicable authoritarian for President.