The Beach

We went to the beach yesterday, first time of the year. As always, it was just awesome. I talk to friends here who are all about going to the pool, and look askance at the beach. Maybe there are two kinds of people, beach people and pool people; maybe it's just about how you grew up; maybe it's where you go. Anyway, to some degree it's who you are.

(Lyndsay said in the morning she didn't like the beach; she liked the pool. But I think we have a convert, because she had a really good time.)

In the car on the way there, we heard the pop song "Dynamite," which is a big hit with the kids (who proceeded to sing along). We unloaded and lathered up on the beach, and it was like Jack and Kate had never left -- they immediately ran down to the water, Kate with pail and shovel, Jack to collect seashells and rocks, Lyndsay joining them.

That was pretty much the day, but a few moments stood out.

We always look in the water for horseshoe crabs, and did see a few, including a pair with a clam or oyster stuck onto them -- cool! We watched them for a while. Later, we saw another one, in the sand at the water's edge. Not moving; probably dead. It happens. I tried putting it back in the water, but it just washed gently ashore again.

I kind of wanted to distract the kids, so I got them interested briefly in building a sand castle. Then I looked up and Jack wasn't there. I spotted him a minute later near the water's edge.

He had taken his sand shovel and used it to scoop up the crab, and he was wading out up to his knees in the water to bring it out deeper. Struggling just a little bit, but managing. As Emily and i watched, he lowered it into the water, then ran back, with some effort, to the shore.

I went up to him, barely knowing what to say. But I said, Jack. That was great what you did.

And he said, "I like horseshoe crabs. I didn't want him to die."

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Kate is nervous around animals, nervous around a lot of things -- a sliver of soap in the bathtub puts her into near hysterics. So it was odd when, standing in waist-deep water, she stumbled and fell on her face, floating for a moment, getting drenched, before stumbling to her feet. I ran over to grab her out of the water, expecting tears or fright.

Instead she kind of blinked, smiled, and said, "I got my eyes wet!" And then shrugged and continued to play in the surf.

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As I put Jack to bed tonight, Lyndsay having gone home, I told Jack I had a great weekend with him, and he said, "And with Lyndsay."

And then he was quiet for a minute, and then said, "I miss Lyndsay. Because she was here for 3 days, so it was like she lived here. And it's weird that she's gone."

And I kissed him goodnight.