Last week’s post was firmly rooted in unreality, so I thought I’d better demonstrate I haven’t completely lost the plot by writing a more grounded piece. A brief item on benches and beaches, since that’s where we’ve mostly been in between bouts of online work.
Scout has enjoyed sniffing out and rediscovering her old haunts, and many of these happen to be in front of convenient benches with a view.
Last Sunday morning, we spent quite some time lost in thought, sitting on a bench and watching bald eagles spiral and sing in lazy loops above the water. Our eyes are a bit out of focus, and at first we couldn’t be absolutely certain if we’d spotted a bear over the bay, or a rock pretending to be a bear. It was a bear. Or the rock was walking…
Later, we ventured out to Long Beach, uncertain about how busy it might be. We needn’t have worried. The parking lot was about half full, and most folks were surfers judging by numbers in the water. Once we’d walked down the beach for a few minutes, we were fully physically distanced by many hundreds of metres from the very few souls we saw.
Back on a beach, on a sunny day, it was a relief to sit on a log, watch the surf, and forget the world wide woes for a while. We smiled and smiled, and Scout decided to dig and dig. I believe the trench she created is the only dog-made construction – or deconstruction – that can be seen from space. She sure put in some effort for her beach return.
Speaking of grounded (were we?) I’m delighted to say, all being well, I’m breaking out of self-isolating/work-from-home exile next week. Coronavirus grounded me – and sent me to my room young man – for over twelve weeks. Young rebel that I am, I’ll be taking the car keys, climbing down the drainpipe, and driving off into a summer of misadventures. Or going back to real work. Real work? Yes, if a summer of chainsaw courses, trail building, wilderness survival training, search and rescue skills, beach-keeping and other related learning/mentoring is allowed to be called work. It’ll be a proper grounding, working and learning alongside a group of motivated youth and young adults. We met earlier this week, and it’s going to be an effort for me to keep pace! I predict weekends full of benches, beaches and long snoozes…
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
OldPlaidCamper 
If Scout wants more grounding………….a Gray whale has washed up just south of the old Wick.
It won’t be moving like the bear btw.
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I’ll try and keep Scout away from a whale snack!
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Ah, to be grounded where the bench & beach meet doggyhood & the prospect of a summer filled with misadventure & the great outdoors… A great job there, Adam!
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Thanks, Walt! Well grounded indeed. I’m limbering up for a summer of lumbering about, and looking forward to it!
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Great to read of your beach and bench adventures, pc. LOVE that you spotted a bear, how thrilling that must’ve been. And watching the eagles spiral sounds blissful to me, your writing of it was sublime. I am SO GLAD you and Mrs. PC and Scout had such a wonderful and uplifting and refreshing visit to the beach. Your summer ahead sounds really great. Cheers and smiles, dear friend.
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Thanks, Jet! We’re very happy to be back on the coast, and Scout is even happier than us. It looks like a (hopefully) active summer ahead, and it’s a good thing I’ve spent so much time on the couch the past three months in preparation. It’s going to be an ache and creak sort of start, but fun all the same!
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I still enjoy walks in nature, and with the onslaught of osteoarthritis, I live for benches! I am now joining others , keeping safe distance, wearing a mask and thoroughly enjoying it.
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Yes, a well placed bench makes all the difference on an outing! Thanks, Jane!
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Happy summer solstice! and love the peace of the photos!
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And to you! This very odd year is racing by…
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Sounds like the perfect summer of adventures for you and the motivated youth and wonderful stories for your readers. I think in my youth one of the first horror movies I watched had chainsaw in the title. Absolutely love your benches with a view that offer up the chance to enjoy eagle, bear and surfer watching, but I did wonder about the absence of boats. Wonderful to read you guys are back smiling on the beach and that Scout is also ready for the trench and trail work. I thought Everton was going to win in the last ten minutes and I think the lack of crowds and time off has had an effect on many teams. Enjoy your return to work and stay safe!
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I’m hoping we cover Wilderness First Aid before the power saw courses!
Strange to watch Everton being as toothless in attack as ever against Liverpool yet almost win the game. Slowly getting to grips with the subdued and empty stadium soccer – so long as the players and staff are safe, then I’d rather have the slightly empty spectacle than nothing at all. Everton are on a great run… Can Spurs keep Kane? Not sure they will.
Thanks, and I hope your week is going well!
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Beaches are the place to sit and forget the world. Keep us posted on how things go ..😎
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Thanks, Kelly, completely agree! Hope your week is going well.
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Not too bad. Very hot here. I spent most of the last seven days seeking relief at a beach…
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Blessed beach relief – sounds good!
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A summer of misadventures sounds positively wonderful to me, you dare devil. I love it! Here we’re heading into a woeful dreary winter with the potential for a second round of lockdowns and more restrictions. Trying to keep upbeat and hopeful but it’s hard some days. Have a good week PC. ☺️
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Yes, we’re kicking off the program today, but with one eye on the pandemic situation…
Hang in there, Miriam, there are better days ahead!
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Yes, there are!
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