I live in the flippin paradise, but don’t do a lot about it. We just spend so much time, sometimes, living a bit of a commuter life style, that we don’t take some time and just stretch and enjoy what we’re paying such high taxes for (aside from schools, which we start reaping the benefits of this fall).

The spring is the Season of Birthday Parties. All of Wolfie’s little friends were born in the Spring, so we usually have a cluster to attend this time of year. Last year the Mouse Pizza place was the number one party spot; we’d all be there week after week, celebrating the birthday of the week. Even one party that wasn’t there moved there because of inclement weather. Thankfully we all got a bit more creative (or just did the less showy cupcakes-at-school kind of party) this year.

Saturday’s party was great: A climbing playing gym place that Wolfie, of course, loved. The balance beam was his favorite part, followed by jumping off of the balance beam into a pile of pillows in a large round foam tub. Sound familiar, siblings? I seem to recall piling all of the pillows in the house at the end of the hallway (which had about a foot drop into the older part of the house) and covering them with a quilt (that I still have somewhere, I hope) mom had made and calling it “the ocean”. We’d run as fast as possible down that hall, landing in the pillows and sometimes scattering them everywhere.

After Saturday’s party, we took to the beach. It was overcast and I missed out on a beach-adjacent parking spot because I didn’t want us to park at a broken meter, but doggone it, I wanted to get us to the beach. The hub got Wolfie into beach gear and we dragged a quilt, bag of sand toys, and diaper bag out and just relaxed and watched the eclipse end. Wolfie had fun digging in the sand and watching the moon, Helvi just snuggled with us and ate and ate and ate. We chatted on our ubiquitous cell phones with family and just enjoyed the cool air a bit. Nice being mostly unplugged and enjoying the waves, air, and sand.

Sunday was another party, though this time I screwed up and we were late. Quite late. I was hurriedly driving along, unsure of the directions as I made the second-to-last turn. I saw a gas station, an industrial truck storage and distribution center, and a sign indicating the pavement was to end soon. Okay … kept driving … kept driving … and … houses. Huh. Houses!

I know we’re in a big county, but this small development/enclave surprised me. Two dozen homes, a gate, and everyone had a bit of this funny green stuff their houses were on. Couldn’t have been “lawn” - I have a lawn, 45 feet wide by 15 feet deep. This stuff was huge - must have been half an acre of “lawn” each - if that, indeed is what it was. Strange. Fascinating.

But in all seriousness, though I wasn’t sure I wanted to mow that lawn, I did like the yard quite a lot. Reminded me of the space we grew up upon, especially compared to our current postage stamp of a yard. But when we lived as far west as these folks do, we never could really get to the beach with a quick 10 minute drive, either. And the insanity of where you can afford to live, want to live, and need to work is pervasive for a lot of us, even this couple. Daycare for us is half way between home and my office. For her, it’s a block or two from her office, though a hike from home. Oh, to have such a choice for daycare so close to the office!

Then again, we’re in a smaller home and yard, but closer to the beach, which I enjoy and would like to spend more time visiting. But once we get there, we have to bring our own fun. Wolfie likes to dig but wants nothing to do with the ocean. Helvi’s too small to care. The hub is fine with it. But by the time I drag enough fun for us and the kids, well, I’m *tired*. Maybe the beach is for when they’re older and care. Or when I’m alone with my book or music. I don’t know. But at least we’re closer, and it’s less of a monumental effort to get out there than it once was. And we do have about six acres or more of that green stuff to play on - I just need to get back in the habit of walking the half mile to our fabulosoususous county park. And maybe build Wolfie a balance beam to play with a bit more. :)

*”I’ll buy two tickets and I won’t go in.” The hub taught me a kids’ song with that line; he learned it from his mother and/or school - but I can’t find it on the Internet. Considering the wired way the first-world countries are going, if it’s not on the ‘net does it even exist anymore?