If They Could See Us Now

"Boy, if our South African and Aussie families could see us now!" I say to M as I put on my zipper jacket and wrap a towel to warm my legs. It's gorgeously sunny; however the wind gusts and is cold.

We're stalwarts and soldier on. It's sunny and so we must, we will, enjoy the beach. M suffers with goose flesh but he wants a tan. He's not using his towel and so I grab it to doubly insulate my legs.

This isn't how you enjoy a beach in South Africa or Australia but this is Oregon and here, in the Pacific North West, we have had more than anyone's fair quota of grey cloudy days - we want sun. An hour turns into discomfort as I feel the cold wind settle into my lower back and start an ache in my kidneys.

"I'm ready when you are." I tempt M.
He bites willingly.

Once off the beach and out of the wind, we start to thaw. We set our chairs on the grass and sheltered from the wind, we're warm again.