Jill Berry Blog

living the creative life

Newport in November

Posted on November 18, 2008 - Filed Under Uncategorized

We went to Newport Beach this weekend, to celebrate my husband’s new job. This is where I grew up, and I made my whole family relive the details of that fine 70s experience including listening to KEarth 101, the same exact radio station I loved as a teenager. Steve said he heard more Billy Joel this weekend than he has in his lifetime. Too bad we couldn’t listen to Billy as we watched the sunset each night, that was fine. My idea of heaven is floating on a boogie board at sunset. What else do you need?

We made this big lady in the sand. In the morning she was all washed up. Hmmm.

Sydney made a map of the book she is reading, and enacted the story for us on the sand with dramatic flair, sand carving and narrative. The year was 1321, and the story was a hair-raising tale of slavery (one of her favorite subjects) and salvation (another). At the end of the day we watched the sun go down in front of us, and the moon rise up behind us, like a huge cosmic teeter totter. The sky was brilliant that first night, then the fires started.

The sky filled with smoke in no time at all, and we all worried about the people who were losing everything. Houses filled with life’s treasures, all gone, just like last year in San Diego. It came very near to my mother’s house, we could see the red glow from her driveway.

We are grateful today for employment, KEarth 101, frozen bananas, goddesses of sand, and no more fire.

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