Paradise in Port Aransas

Words simply can't describe this past week... it was... it was.... it was... just... so relaxing, fun, beautiful, laid back, glorious, even paradisaical... I hope you're getting the idea, although you really actually couldn't possibly get the real idea it was so amazing.

It was timeless. Living without time is really a wondrous experience. We were at a beach house in Port Aransas... spacious, beautifully decorated, air conditioned to the perfect temperature w/ lots of space... I don't think I've lived in a house that nice in a very very long time. We didn't even get to much sand in it since the house was equipped w/ a small shower right outside to get the worst of the sand off before you came inside, plus we had access to a pool with the house, so we could take a dip in the chlorine to get rid of the salt and sand as well. Days just slipped and flowed away like water droplets sliding down a windowpane, filled with simple activates such as painting, sketching, board games, cooking, talking, napping, TV (there were 2 big flat screens which my brothers enjoyed a lot since we don't have one at home)... and then of course the beach. A creamy sandy beach with a sea that was sometimes almost green, sometimes blue, always warm with playful, occasionally powerful waves crashing along the surf. I can still feel the waves that lulled around our feet as we snapped photos trying to capture the beauty of it all... one morning Laura and I got up early and watched the sun rise... the beginning of a brilliant day. I couldn't help but realize how hollow our pictures were... to actually be there and experience that beauty was beyond pictures and words.

I also got to spend some time with each of my family members that I haven't spent much time with... my uncles for instance. Uncle Mike taught me a few of his cooking secrets, showed us all his collection of knives, and told fascinating stories from his career as an amazing chef... Uncle Robert played boccie ball with us on the beach (one of my favorite games) and told us about his career in the shoe designing industry. We found out about my Grandma's high school days, and the pranks my Mom's siblings had played on each other. My personal favorite: smearing peanut butter onto each other's backs in a spot where they couldn't reach it so they could watch it slowly melting into a big mess.

There were a few things every once in a while that kept me on earth, reminding me it wasn't quite paradise... Mom was constantly reminding us to put sun screen on so we wouldn't burn... although I dutifully followed her instructions I got burnt anyway along the shoulder straps of my swim suit, and Laura had a much bigger burn... Dan's whole back was pretty red too even though he's naturally a lot tanner than either of us. Grandma had a pretty severe burn too even though she was under the umbrella most of the time. There were also some interesting creatures in the water sometimes... one day there were a lot of baby jelly fish about the size of well... small yo yo's or big buttons... there were always fish that you could see in some of the bigger waves... dead crabs lying on the beach, scratchy seaweed... after a while the salty water would start stinging my lips, my eyes and the back of my throat... but all of this was pretty insignificant... it hardly detracted from paradise at all. The only other drawback was the TV's in the house that seemed to be on to much, but again, this was only a minor irritation...

Anyway, now it's hit me... real life again. Right after we left the airport we went to a pack meeting for John where he got his bear, which officially restarted our busy life... today I took the bus into the city with Camille to the singles ward, after which I participated in the interfaith community choir's performance of a Requiem (Dad and I have been attending rehearsals for weeks). It went really well, although it was slightly intimidating to be singing right next to the soprano soloist...

It's late... Laura wants me to go to bed...

Love,
Margaret