We survived the storm. Late Saturday night was the worst for us…not long after I went to bed I woke up because of the wind; the power was off & on throughout the night but fortunately never long enough that we lost food. Lots of tree branches down in our neighborhood; county workers had that cleaned up by late Sunday afternoon. The weather here since then has been absolutely wonderful.
The kids went back to school yesterday: one started college, three in high school, one in middle school. Technically not the start of fall but for me it is. It was an odd summer…we did a lot of rides, both on our own and with friends. I managed to check off a few things on my Top 10 List, which I’ll write about in another post. It’s difficult to pinpoint but the whole summer seemed ‘off’ for some reason. I wanted to go to the beach. My blog friend Seashell recently wrote about attraction to the ocean…I think for me it’s a combination of things: the salty smell, the warm sand under your feet, the breeze in your hair, the hot sun on your back, the chill of the water…
Last night I had a long, vivid dream that included my dad. Just after my mom died he started a journal, the old fashioned kind on a legal pad with pen. I read it once when I first received the envelope and then again recently. Even without knowing the man it’s heartbreaking:
I think I just reached a blank wall. I have so many regrets, please don’t live your life that way. I don’t know what else to say or do my heart is broken. I will never forget her, she was my life and my love and when she died so did I.
Not long ago one of our riding friends commented on a photo of my dad, stating that my oldest son resembles him. Funny that it took so long for me to see it but he was absolutely right. That’s a very cool gift.
I’m not foolish enough to think my parents had a perfect relationship. It was certainly good enough to last for 39 years though and what I remember most is that they were always friends. That gave me hope that I would someday have something similar.
Hope and dreams are good things.
Back Seat View 
I, too, hope you will find something similar to what your parents have. They were very lucky. Thanks for the ping back!
They certainly were, and you’re welcome!
Glad that you came through the storm okay.
It’s an odd thing, getting a glimpse into your parents’ minds. Mine were always very private and after he died I found notebooks that my dad had been keeping for the last several years of his life. Fascinating to see both the thoughtful introspective side and the mundane every day mixed together.
That’s exactly how my parents were, and I was amazed when I read his journal!
This definitely was a mixed, random post and I hesitated for quite a while before publishing. Thanks for stopping by and for your comment!
What a fantastic picture! A very happy looking man.
I’m glad that the storm didn’t bring you too much damage.
I have a pull to the sea too. It’s mesmerizing and powerful. I really miss it since I moved to Germany (I used to live in Scotland).
Hope your kids settle back into school OK.
Thank you, he really was a fun man and I’m just sorry that my kids didn’t get the chance to meet him.
School has been going well so far…after a few weeks I’m sure I’ll hear grumbling though 😉
“Regrets, I’ve had a few…” or maybe more than a few.
I’m trying not to. We all do the best we can, and sometime we reap the result of unintended consequences.
Sarsm is right– your dad does look happy in that picture. And happiness should be the focus– of life, not just pictures of it. 🙂
No, I definitely try to live without regrets. Especially after years with the ex, this marriage has been a turn-around for me.
Photos like this give me good memories 🙂
What a great post! I’m pleased to hear about your parents’ success story.
I still have the (love) letters my runaway wife and I wrote to each other before we met. On my To Do list is scanning them in so they don’t get lost. This isn’t a good time for me to re-read them, but one day the girls will want to know about this old-fashioned “letter writing” their crazy parents did so many many years ago…
That’s a nice idea that your girls will appreciate. My situation is different with the ex, but I know they like seeing photos, cards, and notes from when their step-father and I were dating 🙂
Great picture of your parents!
When we had the big fires here 8 years ago I lost power for almost 3 days (the power line through the hills burned down). Needless to say that with no power to cook your food on the stove (no gas then) or in the microwave, I had to kiss the food in my fridge goodbye. But better than losing a home!
Definitely better than losing a home! We had stocked up on non-perishable foods and had been making plans with what to do with freezer foods….I had lots of volunteers to help ‘get rid of’ the ice cream 😉
Love this post. Your son definitely resembles your dad. They both look like they’ve got a spark of mischief and a real love of life. Glad to hear you weathered the storm. And the summer’s not over yet. Time for a beach ride!
Thank you, it just amazes me that I never noticed the resemblance before. They have similar personalities as well.
And no, I still haven’t given up hope for visiting the beach….
Such a beautiful photo of them!
Definitely a favorite 🙂