I wake up confused. What time is it? Why is it so bright in my room?
I can’t see the clock but the light seems as bright as the noon-day sun. Is it noon?
I keep my eyes closed, reluctant as ever to get out of bed. I have never been a fan of getting out of bed. (Is that bad?)
Finally, I stretch over to reach my phone so I can see the time. Sometimes it’s only 7:21 a.m.; other times it’s 9:23 a.m. I can’t tell the difference. I’m weary no matter the hour.
I’m in Southern California now and the sun sets earlier than in Seattle, but during the day, the sun shines with endless cheer. It’s weird for a Pacific Northwest girl to have so much bright light all the time.
Don’t get me wrong. I love it. It’s just so different.
Yesterday, my daughter and I met a blogging friend (Carrien of She Laughs at the Days) at the park. Carrien (pronounced “Careen” not “Carry-en” as I’ve been pronouncing it in my head for years) and her four adorable children was running late. I had decided that she either chickened out or got lost or was simply running late. After all, four kids, including a baby. Haven’t we all been there?
So, she arrived. The children played and we chatted–it’s always kind of strange to meet a blogging friend in real life–they already know some of your stories and they remember things about you that you don’t remember yourself. After exploring some trails, we all came back to my house to have lunch. It was fun to have a house full of kids–eight kids between just the two of us. Carrien herself was lovely and showed me on a map a bunch of important destinations: good pizza, good thrift stores and the local YMCA.
In the late afternoon, my daughter and I took the twins to their first music lessons here. After we delivered them to the music studios, we walked down the street to the Carlsbad Visitor Center where we picked up brochures. Then we walked another block and served ourselves frozen yogurt with do-it-yourself toppings. It felt like twenty minutes of vacation. And then we had to pick up the boys.
We delivered them at home and picked up 13-year old Zach and returned to Carlsbad to go to the beach. We drove up and down the shore and finally found a good parking spot. We walked down a trail that looked like a gully created by a rushing flood of water and emerged on the beach.
The sun glowed low in the sky as we walked down to an empty spot of shore. I stood up to my knees in the waves, watching the kids for awhile before deciding to boogie board, too. Why not? Life is too short and all that.
The kids were shocked, I think. We had fun. At some point, I abandoned the board and simply jumped in the waves as the sun sank lower and lower on the horizon.
We watched the last sliver of sun sink below the border of waves and sky.
“That was the first time I ever saw the sun set,” Zach said.
It will not be the last. I love spending those last moment of light watching the sun glow and slide out of sight.
Goodnight, Sun.
Actual Unretouched Photo 
I remember that, how quickly the sun sets in southern Cal. Twilight is so short there compared to ‘up north’. We read in a local almanac that we should be able to see the Northern Lights within the next month or so. Can’t wait for that!
I expected moments of disorientation when we first moved here, especially considering how quickly this move came upon our family, but I haven’t had any here within the house. From the moment I first walked in here back in January when my d-i-l and I were house hunting, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so ‘at home’ anywhere in my life. Out in traffic is another matter, trying to find places when we first moved here, ha! The climate is different here than Carlsbad, for sure, but the sunny skies are something I just soak in…rarely do we have a day go by when we don’t have a glimpse of it, at least, and in the summer we wake up to sun just about every day.
A blogging friend wrote this as part of her comment to me: “You’ve had the best attitude with the whole moving thing that wasn’t even in your life plans.” I read that this morning. Maybe that’s true…but maybe it comes from moving somewhere that just so totally ‘fits’ me. I dunno. But I am so content here.
I’m glad you had such a nice time meeting your blogging friend. Maybe it’ll work into your first friendship in your ‘new land’. 🙂
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I still feel awful about being late. blerg. Especially because we were meeting up for the first time and it’s terrible to be the one who is waiting because you look at everyone wondering, “Is that her?”
I think it’s awesome that you jumped on the boogie board. 🙂
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You are blessed, to be so close to the sea. It’s hard to believe your children haven’t seen sunsets…..enjoy the honeymoon…:-)
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Really? It gets dark earlier there than up here? I would not have known………….
Was glad to read that you can take a bit of time to be young at heart and enjoy the moments. After all the months you’ve been planning on this move, it’s time, now, for you to enjoy. Enjoy the sun; enjoy the ocean; enjoy being together with your family.
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I think beaches have a whole different meaning in Southern California than they do up north. Up here, and even as far south as Mendocino, they seem quiet and contemplative for the most part. Down there, it’s all bright sun, volleyballs and heat. And actually being able to go into the waves and stay there for a time without developing frostbite.
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So glad to hear you are settling in! I cannot believe I am jealous now of where you live, when I am a native Californian, live a scant 100 miles north of you, and enjoy the same sun…though too far inland for my taste. 🙂 I haven’t gone in the water in a few years, but I think you’ve inspired me, Mel. My kids would be thrilled if I would join them in the water for a change.
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