Change is in the air. I don’t know if it’s that certain slant of February light through my living room window–you know, where it hits the piano, just so? Or if it was the string of days we’ve had this month where there was no rain, that our hens are beginning to lay again, or the return of Girl Scout Cookies–whatever the cause I can feel spring peeking around the corner.
All week this feeling of almost-spring has been giving me a case of almost-spring fever–and I’m not the only one. “What are we doing today and can it please be fun?” has become Newt’s chorus.
On Wednesday my answer was, “Library. I’ll bring my laptop. You bring a friend.” And even though it wasn’t new or exciting, it was enough. That is until I received a text saying that Newt’s friend wasn’t going to be able to make it.
What are we going to do today and can it please be fun?
Suddenly the library wasn’t going to cut it. I made a quick phone call to Walt then told Newt to pack an overnight bag. Twenty minutes later we hit the road for some much needed girl bonding time.
Luckily, our favorite little getaway wasn’t booked. We spent the next 24 hours reading, giggling, eating amazing food, and talking about the things that are truly the most important: family, faith, good books, and boys.
Change is in the air for Newt too–she’s growing up so fast. Our little adventure was an opportunity to hit the pause button, if only for a moment. I didn’t know how much I needed that, how much we both did, until we were already there.
The Sylvia Beach Hotel was made for book lovers. Each room is themed around a different author. We stayed in Tolkien and read aloud favorite passages from The Hobbit late into the night. The hotel has no phones, televisions, or even wi-fi, but it has beautiful beach views, a well-stocked third floor library, and even a resident cat. (I forgive it that last one.)
In the morning, after a breakfast that nearly made Newt cry for sheer goodness (hello, oven-glazed pepper bacon) we put on our boots and jackets for a walk on the rainy beach.
As we stomped our rubber boots in the surf a tiny miracle happened: a floating glass bottle washed ashore.
Though at first we were both disappointed to find that it did not contain a secret message, we brought it home anyway. I think I’ll save it until we return again. I’ll toss it back out to the sea, this time with a message of my own:
Today is all you have. Make it meaningful. Make it fun.
