Date Day

This really was as perfect of a day as I can imagine having. We got out early this morning and went to the new, amazing, renovated children's park in Golden Gate Park. It has sculptures of sea animals you can sit on (Violet told me she was going to go sit "right on the turtle's neck," and did!), a climbing wall shaped like an ocean wave, a giant rope sculpture to climb, and many other glorious features, including a swinging plastic chair in which you can recline. Nice. We spent a few hours there, then realized the carousel was open nearby. It's only $1.50 for adults, and free for kids under six. So we rode twice. Once I rode a pig while Violet rode the sea serpent, and then she rode a doggy and I got the horsey. I had such a happy feeling on that carousel, such a perfect-moment feeling with Vi and Phil laughing beside me, our rides rising and falling gracefully.

Afterwards, Iraya came to babysit and me and Phil had a date. We drove out to China Beach; I was hoping the blackberries might be ripe, but they weren't. We picked and ate a few sour ones anyway, then walked down to the beach and rolled up our pants. The water, for once, was only cold enough to make you scream, not cold enough to turn your feet into actual ice cubes. I stood with my feet in the waves, letting the sand suck my toes down, examining the pretty smooth granite stones on the beach. The sand here is different from the orange-y pulverized coral sand of Daytona. It has small, glamorous grains of quarts and mica; it shines and sparkles darkly. I sifted it through my fingers. "Joyce!" called Phil excitedly, pointing to where dolphins were frolicking together out in the waves. We watched them. A seal poked his head up and watched us right back. I held Phil's hand and trained my eyes on the horizon, trying to find the exact place where the ocean turned into the sky. I could hear my slow, steady heartbeat in my ears. Phil squeezed my fingers. There are times when I forget how much I love him, and then moments when it comes rushing back, making me a little woozy. He's the only one I want with me on the beach.

Yesterday was my dear Aunt Jean's birthday. Happy birthday, Jean! And Dave and Kiki are having a romantic weekend at Daytona, I hope they're having fun.