it was good.

I woke up this morning in my own bed...hidden bits of stowaway pink sand between my sheets, the sound of waves still crashing in my mind. Ely's soft sweet song whispering in my ear. Phew! we went and came back. a while ago. I am mostly settled back in. physically. mentally i am still on the island. It was good. as it always is. Obviously, I'm not good at saying good-bye. or letting go. I'm still sorting through the photos. and memories. it was more beautiful than I could have dreamed up. When we first arrived I was tickled beyond belief and immediately went into bossy mode. "We have to do this and must do that, and oh yeah!, we need to go there!" Then I realized that I should save my bossy pants for another time, and just go with it! So I did! It was blissful. quiet. restful. in the moment. spiritual if you will. it was the perfect escape. vacations can sometimes be stuffed with itinerary's.  things to do. places to see. too much to eat. not enough time for anything. leaving you more exhausted than before you left. this was not that trip. it was laid back. beachy kind of days where the only plan was to just sit and be and the only routine was sunscreen, a late lunch, and lots of the occasional dark and stormy. 

it did my heart good. and my soul. moving to a slower rhythm in one of my favorite places on earth. we hid away in a giant pink sandcastle. surrounded on all sides by the sea, the only way out by plane, ship or dolphin. So, before I forget, while  it's still fresh, I wanted to remember... the things we did. the way I felt. I could breathe...deeply. I get all teary eyed, noodling over times remembered, apparently, this is what I do best. It's happening again now. I am reminiscing about an island shaped like a fishhook, twenty two miles long, 2 miles wide...you can almost walk the entire way, but keep in mind, flip flops top out at about mile twelve. I have memorialized all day moped sightseeing tours on narrow, winding roads. backwards from what we know. on the left side. takes some getting used to. heavenly beach walks where shells were scattered like tiny stars. and the many other things. big and small. You know, right? all the extraordinary, amazing, spectacular, mind blowing things that are everyday occurrences there. I am the first to admit that I am a sucker for the royal treatment, every now and then, but I won't make pampered my lifestyle. and why would I, puffery is just not my way, I promise.

I adored blue skies, a tropical storm worthy of Oz, that came out of nowhere and then slipped back...all in the blink of an eye. Palm trees were a dime a dozen. Best seafood this side of anywhere. The air. Holy cats.  It was outrageous stuff, crystal clear, salty, bright, completely addictive.  I'm not sure how I live without this. deep inhale, slow release. repeat. instant calm. It's pretty amazing stuff. But when it comes to sea air, I find I return to this same method, over and over. You can complicate it, if you wish, I tried it myself. gussied it up. but keeping it simple, gentle is the way to go. in my book, anyway. it relaxes. comforts me. I'll allow, though, that it might just be the thrill of being near the ocean, finding such splendor, that puts me in this state of mind. I hope you don't think me waxing nostalgic. or even pining for moments lost, I am not. Rather I am wishing to remember, to look at things less and to see them more. manifesting daily, my karma, that one day the ocean will be my home again.  Not a bad fate, if you ask me.

There's a popular hang out, maybe you know it?, Swizzle Inn. they serve up a pretty tasty lunch. Bermuda fish chowder, Wahoo Burgers, and of course! a rum swizzle. aka Bermuda's national drink, it originated here! A delicious combination of rums, orange, lemon and pineapple juices, falernum (local sweet syrup) and a few extra secret ingredients! Whirl them together in a pitcher, strain into cocktail glasses, mmmm. not too sweet and definitely not too weak, although I may have been over served a time or two. 

There is a quaint downtown. human traffic lights, duty free shopping! A harbor with ships as big as Boston. Real English Pub's. Botanical gardens and crystal caves. An aquarium and a zoo. Dozens of ancient fortresses, a Royal Naval dockyard, and a snorkeling park. Under water coral reefs best viewed from a glass bottom boat. Amazing Churches, cemeteries, nature reserves, over 34 beaches, a lighthouse, the friendliest people in the world (duh, they live here!) and Moon gates. World class golf courses, 5 star restaurants and High Tea...on the beach!  Holy Cow! who designed this place?  

 The rest of the time, we stayed on the beach. and why not? we soaked up the sun. wiggled our toes in the sand. sported hair dos fashioned from salt water, helmet hair and snorkeling masks. there were shells to collect, castles to build, dreams to weave and dolphins to kiss. did I mention that I kissed a dolphin? DUDE!!! I kissed a dolphin, six times! Her name is Ely. We connected, it was love at first sight!!! I adore her! I also met her daughter Marley. we held hands and she danced for me. sang me a song. I fed them a snack. they were mystical. ethereal, otherworldly. I could not have felt more spiritual if I had kissed the Dali Lama himself. Yet, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I had a hunch it would be great. Maybe a shared laugh or two. a warm feeling in my gut. Oh, Ely, man, did you ever deliver. I was awfully pleased with the way you fulfilled pretty much my every hope and wish. We tumbled into non-stop happy. I will remember always. Celebrate our bond that goes back to forever, no small feat.  And a minor miracle to witness, the way we took to each other so quickly. If you haven't tried it, kissed a dolphin I mean, I highly recommend it.

I felt like a five year old at Christmas. Everything was magical. every moment was a new gift to unwrap. amazing little treasures each one! I could not stop myself. I savored it all. tucked it away. weeks after being back I'm still remembering moments as if they were yesterday. I woke up a few mornings to be alone on the beach. to walk. think. watch. listen. Anyway, I hope you'll forgive my wanderings. the redundancy. It's just that from where I sit on this October morning, in Ohio, everything looks a bit bleak. So, I am keeping my eye on the big picture. trying to live in the moment. I am always reminded of what that is. picturing my dream home, my nautical stomping grounds, I know nothing else. Not that I am wallowing, I love the spontaneous routine of every day. tucked between the last and the next one. still I may be a bit timid with it at times. it seems so alive. always moving and pulling at me. just out of reach, like a shiny star. darting about and at times even being caught up in the waves and washed out to sea...crashing to the ocean floor only to be washed back onto the beach. with tiny bits of broken shells. washed smooth as sea glass.  but still intact. still within reach. I know all this, in my heart. 

ghost  cookies
(click here for recipe)

enjoy!