Shared Illusions

I’m just going to launch into now. Charlie wrote a remarkable post on the past few days. And his photos are great! I recommend that you read his post for catch-up and visuals. I got a new phone, Samsung J7Star, or something close to that, before leaving without doing my do diligence on the piece. It’s fine as a phone, but nowadays I expect so much more. The beef I have with it is the camera. It just doesn’t have the chops of the Samsung 5, even. I’ll continue to take photos, but they generally don’t’ have the sharpness and clarity of my old phone. So, check out Charlie’s posts for the better views.

Back to the beach! How my heart soars at first vista of the expanse of blue water. My smile grows wide. I approach the sea with delight and reverence. As I take the first plunge into a wave, I awake up to the tingling sensation of salt, water, and the liquid movement and bouyancy of my body within the ocean body. The image of a fetus floating in utero comes to mind.

The sea here is three bears perfect, neither too warm nor too cold. It’s easy to get into and stay in for awhile to play with the waves. The surf is easier here to ride up the crest of the wave than to ride it in to shore. Waves crest and break short and hard. It’s less of a ride into shore than a bit of a pummeling as the water pounds and churns.

I went in yesterday afternoon, waiting until around 5 as I needed a break from the sun after our walk from the bus station to our cabin. We arrived perspiring in rivulets, our clothes a sodden mess of sweat. Lovely, yes? We immediately stripped – dryer clothes for Charlie and a bikini for me. (True confession – my bikini is really patagonia underwear and a bikini top.) I walked to the beach with nothing more than by blue scarf with the white polka dots (brought to me from Paris – thank you Elizabeth!) worn as a pareo, sandals, a pink hat and my glasses. This made a tidy little bundle upon the beach to serve as my visual should the currents take me too far in either direction.

I did the same thing this morning, after coffee and before breakfast. The water was just as rica in the early morning as the late afternoon. It’s a perfect day to be on the beach and read a book. The breeze is cooling, the sun is shelterd by clouds, and the cabin does have beach chairs. Will be heading there again shortly.

I have to remark upon the dragonflies. The skim the sand in droves, seemingly flying with me as I walk along. I look ahead to see if they are actually accompnaying me or if they are everywhere. They are everywhere. I stop. They whizz about my legs and ankles; a few hover and flit, then find a landing spot. I notice that when resting, their wings come slightly forward at an angle.

Sometimes there are so, so many dragonflies that it feels menacing. Or like it could turn menacing. Alfred Hitchcock’s, The Dragonflies. They fly in en mass and cover the beautiful actress from head to foot in layers so thick they are able to lift her up, fly her out over the ocean, and the drop her.

In reality of course, nothing so untoward even comes close to happening. They don’t even land on me when I stand stock still. Nor do they fly into the cabin although there are plenty of them maneuvering just off the porch. In fact, they don’t even approach the porch. Meanwhile, the flies make themselves at home, as usual.

For all its shortcomings, size, potential thievery, a bed so high you need a small step stool to climb into it, we are comfortable. The mattress is comfortable and as the third bed in which we have slept since being in South America, is the first that has a mattress pad and sheets that fit. So that’s something. The things we get used to.

Awoke this morning to the patter of rain. Fell asleep again to that rhythm. Awoke a bit later to a full fledged storm with pounding rain, thunder, and wind. Fell asleep to that. Awoke for good to a fresh morning, overcast skies and put on my bikini.

“Find what feels good.” That’s from my on-line yoga instructor, Adriene Mishler. Did yoga on the porch this morning without her. Wifi here is weak and doesn’t reach around the corner of the house. Fortunately, my tool box has what I need to take myself through a sequence. I do miss her coaching; then again, it’s good to coach myself.

Heading off to FWFG. You could, too. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, find what feels good.

Paula