Back to the Beach

This weekend marked our yearly stay in Neskowin, where the forecast all week had been storm showers leading us to pack for the worst, which we got, but in short spurts, with plenty of nice sunshine between. It was a pleasant surprise. This is our first real trip out of the house since Zaeda was born and we needed it!

We HAVE to take the dog when we go there. It seems the trip is mostly for her, our poor city pooch who must walk around the same Portland blocks day after day. It’s her time to really tear out on the sand and plunge into Hawk Creek for a swim. This year, Jenny and I had to learn to manage three at a time, which wasn’t too hard. Zaeda is quite portable, and she was a good sport when, as she was facing forward in the sling, we got caught in a rainstorm. Her little round face was soaking, but her expression was wide-eyed and interested.

The other part of getting out of the house is feeling no shame about sitting around a rented room, living like a slob and watching TV. We don’t have full cable, and we really don’t want it. We spend most of our time flipping channels to find the good stuff. Oliver knows all the characters on the kid’s shows on Nickelodeon from when he stays at his grandparents’ houses. It’s scary how much he knows them. No cable!

The wonderful moments were walking on the beach. We collected shells and dug holes, made sand castles and chased seagulls. One strange thing: Oliver found a Frisbee in the sand and after watching me throw it, he gave it a toss and it quickly turned on its side and rolled. Then the wind caught it in such a way that it kept right on rolling, on and on, far down the beach for hundreds of yards until it was out of sight! I was amazed. Oliver just assumed that that’s what Frisbees do, and could he throw it again? (No luck. That sucker was gone.)

That Mysterious Place (Zaeda version)

When Oliver was about the age that Zaeda is now, we propped him in front of a mirror for a picture and then diagramed the back of his head. This weekend we took advantage of the large mirror in the room to do the same shot for Zaeda.

Oliver Feb 2007

Zaeda Sept 2009