clouds at six forty five. no fire pits open. A Christmas Miracle: a fire pit on the often-forgotten RV side of the park. 7:10 and on the beach, emailing. still cloudy. gluten-free granola and yogurt. on the blanket. under the umbrella. with my bff, and a crossword. 7, 8, 9. Three crosswords, cranberry bread. Coffee from our newly purchased 28 ounce Thermos. Cloudy, cloudy. Multiple trips to the clean (but only by Corelyn and Jennie beach-appropriate stance) bathroom. Cannot fall asleep. Quiet ocean. Hanson, The Fray. Inappropriate friend music, because Cor and I can. crazy creek chairs. More coffee. Reading, reading, book club book to be finished. 9:30. “Marco” and 11 am and friends. Sun peaking, peaking. Laying under blankets. Curling up. Now sweatshirts off. Sun peaking, peaking out.Sunshine. Time flying: snacks. chocolate cake. Wardrobe change number 1: bathing suits, cover ups. Sunscreen. 11 to 12. Sandwiches, turkey cheese and lettuce. Cheese-its. Jeff, bike, table, food, cooler. More friends. Snacking, snacking, Scrabble. Travel scrabble. Sun peaked, out and open. sunscreen. Bare legs, blanket spread. Umbrella flying, flying away, and caught. Digging a hole, and reburied. Flying away again, digging a second hole. Stay. put. please. Skipping the Hanson song, new playlist. New iPod. Jay’s, because his music diversifies all. Sunscreen. Scrabble, more friends, twenty strong. Laughing, sunshine, waves huge against the shore. Solar noon, one o’clock. Calls from friends, packing it in, parking miles away. Parking far, along the beach trail, sitting on the beach, waiting for friends. Coolers everywhere, chips, bags of chips. Pretzels. Cousins arriving. Ocean, swimming to the breaking point. “Don’t worry, I’m a certified lifeguard.” Swimming, ocean throwing us back to shore, saying “thank you very much, but I’d rather be alone, today.” Sandy, to the showers. Warm shower, unlike Rocky Neck, warming my body and soul. Back to the blanket fortress. Those are our friends. We bring the party: we bring the funk. Twenty six strong. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Should we grill? Paper plates, reorganization of the table: chips, dessert, coolers. Corn? Who brought the corn? Charcoal ready, orders taken: fifteen hot dogs, fifteen hamburgers, cheese on most burgers, veggie burgers, corn, kabobs. “Last call for the grill” twice, two more burgers, finish off the hot dogs. Bun me. Bun me. Ketchup, mustard, bun me. Lighting the grill twice to cook all that burger, kabobs. “Who wants veggies?” Log cabin fire pit, and seven pm. “Look at all the boys, trying to start the fire!” Wardrobe change number 2. Trouble starting the fire. “Hey, do you need some help starting your fire?” Fire dancers, performing for us, two strong, boom box out. Fire finally, finally started. Grill off, burgers made, everyone full. Sun setting. Catch phrase. “Ponies!” told again. Accusations of conspiracy, and replaced by others to move onto another circle of friends. Lovely, lovely castle girls. Four of us together again. Fire started, moving towards with all friends surrounding me. S’mores, s’more sticks, because Becca rocks. Mallow. Graham. Chocolate. friends. Laughing, smiling, talking. Fireworks on the beach. Fireworks far off, Malibu, Marina del Ray, Santa Monica. Fireworks on the RV park beach. Dockweiler, you crazy thing you. Fireworks everywhere, quiet noise sweeping across the ocean. Some good byes. Laughing, hugging, taking photos. Smell that ocean, smell that fire. Singing patriotic songs, fireworks. Some more good byes. Some more singing, mallows, chocolate. Fire, add the logs…fire. Sing that Smash Mouth, because everyone knows the words. New friends, old friends. Dying down, number minimized to the original group – because we bring the party. Packing up. Hold on, I need my headlamp. Bike to the car, because he can. Breaking down our fort. Headlamp, lantern. Loads to the car. Sand, everywhere. Packing it up, packing it in, packing it home. Friends say good bye, final time that night. Hugs, all around, between us all, more than 30 by the time we were done. See you soon, see you soon, see you tomorrow, see you later, see you at book club, see you at the movies, see you Wednesday, see you when you return, see you when I cook you dinner, please come over soon.

Car. quiet. fireworks about the city. Sleep, tired. Sun, sunburn, sun down, sun gone, good night. Light up the night sky, say goodbye. sleep.

Jeff: ok

I just don’t want it to spread too far too fast. I guess we should have ED take a look at that as well when he comes.