I Need $850,000

I can’t decide if the beach is better in the morning or the evening. We got to the beach this afternoon at about 5pm and had a blast. The rising sun in the morning lets us know when it’s time to leave as it gets more and more intense, but the setting sun is a much lower risk for skin cancer. I think the early day is the time for the townies – people from the city – while the late afternoon is for the locals. Each time of day has its own feel and buzz. I like both of them. They both make me want to buy a beach house. The early morning beach makes me want a beach house because then I wouldn’t have to get out of bed quite so early. I could even wake up, watch the sunrise, and go back to bed. The late afternoon beach makes me want a beach house because of the excitement of the beach nightlife gearing up. As usual, the tide was out when we got there today – way to keep up with tides MJ – which makes me think it might not be the time of day but the time of tide that might be the deciding factor in how much fun we have. At low tide there’s more beach, more space for LMJ to play, and less worry about a baby girl drowning thanks to tidal pools. Tonight had a bit of an old school feel because I made sandwiches. We packed a picnic because dinner becomes a problem when we leave the beach after seven. It’s LMJ’s bedtime when we finally make it home, nobody wants to cook that late, and she certainly doesn’t want to wait for something to be cooked that late. Toddlers get cranky when they’re tired and hungry. That’s hard science. Plus, it’s almost a rite of passage for LMJ to stuff Doritos into her face on the beach. Watching her get shoulder deep into the bag is hilarious. I don’t know if it’s a fatherhood thing, but I’ve lived here for twenty-eight years and I love the beach more now than I ever have. I have to start working harder.