Everywhere you go

Last week, at this very moment, I was sitting in a beach chair, firmly planted in the sand, where the waves and the shore meet, watching my girls swim, and body surf. Granted, we were at the bay, so the word waves, should really be "waves". Tiny, and safe.

We were on Long Island, visiting my parents. I take the girls to the very beach that David used to go to as a little boy. I get a kick out of watching my girls walk up and down the sand, collecting shells and rocks, at the very same beach where my husband spent countless hours, as a child. Even as we walk down the path through the beach grass, and smell that yummy smell of dirt and trees, meeting sand, and bayberry...the same path David walked on...I smile. Every time.

I grew up swimming in salt water. There was a lake near my house, but I never dipped even a toe into it. It was either the ocean, or the Long Island Sound that I swam in. Long days at the bay, from breakfast until the sun set were some of the best memories from my childhood. Sleeping in bed at night, and feeling the grittiness of sand in my sheets, still feels good to me now. Molly had so much sand plastered to her, even after a bath, there was still sand in the bed. I just loved it.

This week, I unloaded all the buckets, and shells, beach glass, and rocks out of my car. I vacuumed up all of the sand that we brought home with us. I considered putting the beach toys back into my car, but school is here, and I think that was our last hurrah for the summer. Labor Day weekend is here, and school is starting. Charlotte is already onto Fall in her mind. Not only has she requested meat loaf for dinner, but just this morning, she wanted oatmeal for breakfast. We woke up this morning, and it was actually chilly!

Half of the leaves on my property are yellow. I kid you not. That quick! Overnight. It happens every year, yet it still surprises me. This summer was really one of our best. I hate to see it go. We had so many great nights out on our deck, sitting and talking around a fire. We took a few road trips, and swam in lakes, and pools. Made s'mores. Ate way too many hot dogs. We even went to a beach party on the ocean last week, complete with a bonfire, and fried chicken.

Today, I will finish unpacking from our week away. I will put our beach towels away for another year. I will find a place for the bug spray, and sunscreen, and goggles. School clothes must be organised, and readied. There are forms to fill out for teachers, and my girls rooms need to be overhauled. Big time!

And this afternoon, I have a messenger coming to pick up the 10 pound pile of paperwork that is every bit of evidence that we have against our mortgage company's illegal foreclosure on our home. Our lawyer is preparing for trial.

I hope next summer, we will still be here, doing what we do. Watching summer melt into Fall, with all of it's rituals, after another productive, and wonderful season.

But if we aren't, that's OK.

 Because home isn't a house.

Home is something you take with you, everywhere you go.