There are cake crumbs scattered all over the counter, and that tells me two things:
1. The family loved the cake
2. The birthdays/holiday season has come to an end
January 11th, is the official day that we call our ‘new year.’ With holidays and three birthday celebrations behind us, we find ourselves exhausted. But before we’re deep into something else, I’m searching for a big breath of nothingness. A time to exhale and quietly set out on another course for 2021.
I usually create my To Do list and write in the quiet of Saturday morning, but this Saturday morning brought a full day ahead of me. Not really busy time, just quiet time, nature time, husband time.
I take a few sips of coffee, and envision the next 24 hours . . . and it did not disappoint.
Time for Ourselves
It was a long overdue getaway – a little staycation here in Marin, and a welcomed diversion from our stay-at-home orders. While we have been able to get out and about for exercise (Lucky us, there are miles and miles of trails are at our doorstep), but a true escape from it all was needed. And that is just what I had ahead of me this past Saturday morning.
A Christmas present to Greg, a night at the Pelican Inn at Muir Beach, was something we talked about for a long time. Close to home, we’ve spent a good amount of time at the Inn through the years — beers on the lawn or in the pub after a day at the beach; dinners with visiting family, a hike in for Mother’s Day. But we never stayed at the Inn.
The sun was shining, and the promise of a 65-degree day is upon us. We can hike directly to Muir Beach from our house — a beautiful hike among the redwoods leading into the valley by Muir Woods and hiking over to the beach from there. But this time, with the blue skies above us, we opted for the ridge hike. This required us to drop a car with our overnight bags at the Inn, then have our son shuttle us to the trailhead at the other side own town.
A Day with No Agenda: Except Relaxing
Having no specific agenda; no ‘have to get back to have dinner with the family’ hanging over us, the stress of the past few months immediately began fading away. A leisurely lunch in the hills above the beach gave us more time to pause and be thankful for all we have -our health, jobs, and the love of family.
Late afternoon when we checked in, the ‘lets go watch the sunset’ traffic to the beach was maddening. Still, we had no reason to rush. After a leisurely post-hike beer on the lawn, we grabbed our jackets and headed out on the stroll to watch the sunset. As everyone below scrambled for their place on the beach, we found a quiet spot on the cliff and settled in to enjoy the view.
Back at the Inn, we ordered dinner, snuggled by the huge fireplace and then headed up to our room. No television, just the two of us.
The Clock is Ticking
Morning sun peeks through the window, and I tell myself not to think about the day ahead, and what mess I might find in the kitchen when we arrive home. We rise slowly and head down to grab some breakfast, then reluctantly hop in the car for the 10-minute drive home.
There’s a calm at home, kids all engaged in something or other, and a clean kitchen.
Hmm, maybe I should this again next weekend.
