We were all up at the crack of dawn this morning. The teensiest beginning of a smidge of the crack of dawn. We threw on clothes and drove to Ortley Beach to watch the sun rise. I don’t remember there being so much trash on the beach last year, but at least it was almost all in cans, which were being emptied by the town as we arrived. There were a few people, lots of them with their metal detectors, and a few who were, like us, there to enjoy the dawn. I don’t understand the appeal of metal detectors any more than I do Bingo. It’s gambling, and it’s expensive and time-consuming gambling. If I want to dream of a windfall, I’ll play the lottery.

Anyway, the dawn was amazing, as usual. You never realize how quickly the sun moves across the sky until you have a point of reference like the horizon. It takes less than 15 minutes from the time you see the first bright edge to when it’s cleared the water.

After, we went to Toms River Diner, had a big breakfast and a ton of coffee. When we got home, I threw on painting clothes, touched up the office and the furniture, peeled up tape and gathered dropcloths and trash, and marveled at my mad painting skills. The girls and I left hubby to assemble his furniture (got him a new desk at IKEA!) and headed out shopping. I hate to buy them clothes before their annual October growth spurt, but it was that or send them to school pants-free. Got back, moved the desk, unpacked bags, and started the job that defines me as a person, laundry. Heh. I joke, of course.

It’s a lovely day. We may or may not hit the beach later today after we think most of the vacationers have gone. We want to move the fishtank back in from the garage, and I’d like to be able to make more of a dent in the laundry because it’s all over the floor and in baskets in my room and it’s not sanding or painting. I think it would be nice to finally read the morning papers, too, and the chairs by the pond are waiting for me.