Took the Bullet Train up to UCSF (University of California San Fransisco) early yesterday morning, had another dental appointment. We were finished by noon. Normally, after an appointment, I get back on the Muni, ride it back to the train station, then get back on a train for home. But that's not what I did. I'd noticed before, that this particular line, if I continue on it, it goes all the way to the beach. Often I've wondered how much longer it would take to get there and how long I could stay and still make the last train back for home. So far my deeply rooted mothering inclinations have pulled me from my personal desire and got me back on a train for home like any good Mom would do. Not this time. For some reason, maybe it was the near proximity of Mother's Day and my ever evolving attitudes toward that day, or maybe it was just plain wanting to do whatever the hell I wanted to do without being responsible for someone else for a change, most likely it was a combination of the two - but regardless the reason, I said to myself, "I'm going to the ocean! I'm going to ride this train to the end of the line and go back home whenever I darm well feel like it!" I was unprepared mind you. Not in beach appropriate clothes, no towels to sit on or dry off with, no bags for shells and barely any left over snacks from earlier in the day. I looked down at the two one dollar bills in my hand and knew that, in this case, money COULD buy happiness. The doors slid open, I stepped up, paid my fare and sat down with a smile. I texted Piper, who always wants to know when to expect me, and told her I was going to the beach instead of coming right back. "Your on your own for dinner and I have no idea at this point what time I'll be back. Will let you know when I board final train for home." And that was that. I turned my phone off and enjoyed the amazing architecture so abundant in San Fransisco.
Up to this point, it had been sprinkling with a "rolling mist" San Fransisco style. The rain had ceased, but it was still very cloudy, grey and windy. Not a problem. As soon as I saw the rising dune speckled with beach grass, my heart raced into high gear. The doors opened, I stepped off and instantly could feel and smell the ocean in the air. I climbed the first dune, and ahhhhhhh, there it was, vast and never ending edge to edge. The waves thundered, the wind whipped my long hair and carried the ocean spray inland to share with me. It was perfect. Utterly perfect. The weather had scared all but one or two lone die-hards and seabirds off, AND it was low tide!! Oh yeah, the perfect time for finding shells and if you're really lucky, whole sand dollars. The beach was wide, not dropping off into deep waters for a long way out, and was beautifully speckled with bits of shells and broken sand dollars. Before I knew it, my good jeans were wet nearly to my knees, my boots covered in sand, and my hair whipped like it had been caught in a hand mixer. I walked the wet sand, the dry sand, and bent and knelt in search of ocean treasure. For hours, I walked and searched, stopping from time to time just to listen and watch the waves. Several times I had to sit or kneel in the wet sand to find more room for more shells or sand dollars. By the time I'd walked myself sore, both deep jacket pockets were full to over flowing with wet sandy treasures and were literally dripping wet! All my jeans pockets were full, two outside pouches on my backpack, three sandwich bags and two double sandwich deep Rubbermaid containers were full of such a haul! My face and my heart smiled the whole time. I could feel the salty sting on my cheeks and sand on my lips. I was soooo happy - and such a sight I'm sure. More than four hours had passed before I gave any thought to checking time. And you know what? I stayed until "I" felt like going. It was perfect. When I finally got home after dark, I had the perfect dinner; tortilla chips smothered in cheese, microwaved to the melt, then topped with salsa. Followed that with a banana split with whip cream. Added bonus, the happy glow lasted long into today.
Never knew i could feel like such a GROWN-UP at last, and a kid at the same time!
Up to this point, it had been sprinkling with a "rolling mist" San Fransisco style. The rain had ceased, but it was still very cloudy, grey and windy. Not a problem. As soon as I saw the rising dune speckled with beach grass, my heart raced into high gear. The doors opened, I stepped off and instantly could feel and smell the ocean in the air. I climbed the first dune, and ahhhhhhh, there it was, vast and never ending edge to edge. The waves thundered, the wind whipped my long hair and carried the ocean spray inland to share with me. It was perfect. Utterly perfect. The weather had scared all but one or two lone die-hards and seabirds off, AND it was low tide!! Oh yeah, the perfect time for finding shells and if you're really lucky, whole sand dollars. The beach was wide, not dropping off into deep waters for a long way out, and was beautifully speckled with bits of shells and broken sand dollars. Before I knew it, my good jeans were wet nearly to my knees, my boots covered in sand, and my hair whipped like it had been caught in a hand mixer. I walked the wet sand, the dry sand, and bent and knelt in search of ocean treasure. For hours, I walked and searched, stopping from time to time just to listen and watch the waves. Several times I had to sit or kneel in the wet sand to find more room for more shells or sand dollars. By the time I'd walked myself sore, both deep jacket pockets were full to over flowing with wet sandy treasures and were literally dripping wet! All my jeans pockets were full, two outside pouches on my backpack, three sandwich bags and two double sandwich deep Rubbermaid containers were full of such a haul! My face and my heart smiled the whole time. I could feel the salty sting on my cheeks and sand on my lips. I was soooo happy - and such a sight I'm sure. More than four hours had passed before I gave any thought to checking time. And you know what? I stayed until "I" felt like going. It was perfect. When I finally got home after dark, I had the perfect dinner; tortilla chips smothered in cheese, microwaved to the melt, then topped with salsa. Followed that with a banana split with whip cream. Added bonus, the happy glow lasted long into today.
Never knew i could feel like such a GROWN-UP at last, and a kid at the same time!
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