Cape Cod Day 4

G3 wanted to walk across the dunes in P-town. I told him I would take him this morning, but that meant he would have to get out of bed when I woke him up at 5:45. When I nudged him he grumbled. When I nudged him again he got up. The first time G3 walked the dunes he was six years old and he loved the idea of going on a hike barefoot. Back then, I too was a decade younger and my knees worked better than they do now. They aren’t as bad as Kati’s but they are getting there. But even with bad knees, I still enjoy a good hike. The no shoes is always a bonus.

The dunes are fascinating, almost otherworldly. Vast stretches of sandy dunes with some trees and bushes that add a bit of greenery to the landscape. Out there, at such an early hour, it’s easy to feel alone in the world.

I remembered it taking twenty minutes to cross to the ocean, but it took a half hour this morning. I don’t know if my memory was faulty or I am just slower than I used to be. Perhaps it’s a bit of both. Five minutes after we started walking, G3 mumbled that it was longer than he remembered so we didn’t have to walk completely across. I said my intention was to get to the water, but he could go back early and wait if he wanted. He sighed heavily, making his annoyance known.  He walked ahead of me as he often does, his long legs moving much quicker than mine. My slower speed frustrates him. If only he could learn to appreciate my company.

Seals, lazily hanging out near the shore, greeted us as at the beach. It’s a quiet spot without many humans and so I assume they feel safe. A few were cautious, diving under the water and swimming a distance away. Others were curious and kept turning to look at me. When I started walking down the beach, G3 complained. He was ready to go back to the car. I wasn’t. So I walked, feet pushing through the cool water, as I watched the seals swim, but I didn’t walk far, not as far as I would have walk had I been alone. G3 had turned back without me and he made it known that he wasn’t happy. If only G3 could have enjoyed the seals with me. If only he hadn’t been cranky and in a rush to get back. If only he could have walked with me instead of being short with me.

G3 is now watching TV with mom as I sit on the deck writing this. And when I stop writing, I will make a cup of coffee and sit out here to read while I drink it.

Mom took me and G3 to Mac’s on the pier for lunch. Mom and G3 had hamburgers and they both disliked them. I had a grilled shrimp quesadillas which was good but the sour cream tasted like it had gone bad. After we ate, we went to Head of the Meadow Beach. My brother stayed home because he had work to do. It was not the best beach day. It was cloudy, breezy, and cool. The ocean was also relatively calm. If there had been waves I’d have gone in, but I didn’t want to go in for the sake of going in if it meant I would then be cold on shore. G3 did go in for a short while, but even he admitted to being cold. Despite the cool temperatures, I enjoyed sitting on the beach and reading. Even more pleasurable was watching the seals. They were very active in the water this afternoon.

Mom finished her book and it was getting cloudier and cooler so we left the beach early. At home, mom and I played scrabble. She won.

My brother made dinner again: Portuguese kale soup and paella. It was all very good, as always, but I’m not sure if G3 liked it. He didn’t eat the soup, just the paella. It is now pouring and I can hear the distant rumble of thunder. Mom and G3 are watching TV and I will soon be reading.