Wednesday morning started early for me. A steady rain through the night made for cozy sleeping. As soon as the sunlight peeked through the shades, I was awake.
Spending time with God in the quiet hours of the morning is the best part of my day. For years, I’ve used the YouVersion app to read through the Bible in a year. Before that, I used a traditional Bible. Stories of my Grandfather Minick inspire me. He would read his Bible at night, always front to back. Whenever he finished, Grandpa would start at the beginning and do it again. I read the Bible Grandpa’s way the first time; I’ve never read it the same way again. Personally, I like a blend: Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs. Much more readable:-).
Anyway, Wednesdays are always special mornings for me because of the weekly Prayer Component (PC). Each week, from all over the country, we meet via zoom and talk about prayer. Life Community Church (LCC) began the meetings during COVID. What was scheduled for only six weeks is now into its second year. Our relationships persevering through 2020 together, are deeper than ever with God and each other. Every week is life-giving as we dig deeper into the never-ending topic of prayer. And today was no different:-).
As savvy as I’ve become at technology, I have a long way to go. For some reason, when I tried to take a screenshot of my PC Pals posed all pretty, I couldn’t. This is the best I could do. As Pastor Thomas said, “We’re all broken people doing the best we can.” Amen, Pastor, Amen.
I tried to talk Ron into a driving tour of the beach because I wasn’t feeling motivated to ride bikes on this gray day. But his, “I think it would be fun,” convinced me to go. He was right. Sitting on Saco Bay, Old Orchard Beach is another pleasant surprise.
On the way out the door, Ron noticed our attire, “Hey, we’re both wearing tie-dye. We’re hippies.” I kinda feel like a hippy with our current nomadic lifestyle. And I like it:-). Dressing alike isn’t intentional but happens more than we both would like to admit.
After we did our best to get our toes in the water/sand picture, which turned into just a sand picture, we went for a walk on the beach. Surreal describes walking on an empty stretch of sand with limited vision. Romantic, suspenseful, scary, intriguing all at once. I’ve never experienced another beach walk like the one we took today. I told Ron, “This was worth the drive.” He said, “Oh, okay.” Maybe it’s just me:-).
By the way, the running joke between Ron and me. If I were ever in the dating world, I would have to put “Loves long walks on the beach” on my profile. Ron didn’t know it was a requirement of marriage when he married me. He does now. Thank you, Honey, for still dating me.
We negotiated our beach walk length. Of course, I wanted to keep going; Ron didn’t. Ron says, “Everything’s a negotiation, isn’t it?” Yes, as a matter of fact, it is:-)!
At 11:58 a.m., we negotiated a 2-minute turnaround. Trust me when I say Ron checked his phone often. We turned around at noon. As we turned, imitating me, Ron said, “Oh, look at that, Honey, you can’t even see the pier.” Whether I would have said it or not remains a mystery, we’ll never know. Ron beat me to the punch.
Where today feels like a melancholy day to me, Ron likes it.
Taking a picture of a house-shaped like a ship, a lady stopped to let me snap the shot. When I realized it, I apologized. She said with a smile and wave of her hand, “Umph, no problem, take your picture.” She had a peaceful presence; her stroll was strong and confident. Her smile was genuine, her heart open. She exuded love. I have no idea what her day is like, but I snapped this picture of her as she continued on her way.
After the beach, we walked along the pier. Another new favorite of mine, the vibe was relaxed and peaceful. Stores line the sides, with restaurants, bars, and dance clubs each finding a home. We ate lunch at the Pier Patio Pub, sitting beside an open window with the breeze blowing over us and the water flowing under us.
While at the pier, I was picture happy, which annoyed Ron. He refused to take any more pictures. So I snapped a few candids. When I captured his look in the one below, he said:
“You have to post that. And big, right in the middle. Not small.”
Yes, hubby! Your wish is my command:-).
Dani was our waitress. I asked her what beach day like here?
She said, “I’ll be right back.” Obviously, she was busy, so I waited for a more opportune time. Eventually, we had a chance to chat.
Dani Told us today is not a typical beach day. Last week they had a three-day heatwave, which broke records from 1944. She works four jobs because everyone is desperate for work and is begging her to help them. She has a 14-year-old daughter and is a single mom. Dani is a hard-working American, giving life her all.
We negotiated Dani’s tip. I went high; he went low, we met in the middle.
Every day we remind ourselves to put stickers on the states we’ve covered. Then we forget. Ron didn’t want to forget today. At approximately 3:48, we had an official stickering of the New England states, except Vermont.
We discovered Saco Drive-In while.out getting diesel. Black Widow was playing at 8:55. I wanted to go; Ron didn’t. We negotiated a compromise. We’re going to the drive-in close to our next stop.
Stopped by Fielder’s Choice while out running errands. Homemade ice cream is always delicious. I had the Slider (Banana Split). Ron enjoyed a baby Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream. Baby at Fielder’s is two huge scoops; nothing baby about it.
Ron paid $2.91/gallon at 7-11 with their rewards program. The cheapest we’ve paid for the entire trip. The first seven times you fill up, you get eleven cents off, 7-11. Diesel was $3.02, minus the discount, 2.91.
Our nightly entertainment never disappoints. Kids are biking riding, cornhole bags are pounding the boards, and people unwinding after a long day of play. Sounds of life all around.
I hope your day is ending well too:-)!