What a good day looks like

I've planned this for weeks. As soon as we could spend more than one hour outside, I wanted to walk to the beach 40 minutes away and spend some time there. This is the first weekend with restrictions eased. We get two -- two -- Two! -- hours outside each day now, and it doesn't have to be exclusively for exercising, as long as we stay apart. And all the family members can spend those hours together. 

So we dressed in shorts and t-shirts -- it was warm enough for that. Dug through the closet to find the sunglasses. Packed water bottles and apples and peanut butter cookies -- not quite enough food for a picnic, but enough for a pleasant snack. 

And then we walked. 

Across the busy street into the park between. 

See how blue the sky, with puffy white clouds? The city looked good behind us.

Through the park, past a few more blocks, and across another busy street, to where you can see the bay, stretching beyond the palm trees. 

The beach!

Selfie on the boardwalk. 

The water was clear and cool, the sand soft under my toes.

Calm and blue and dappled with sunlight.

There was even time to relax on the sand, pandemic style.

There weren't as many people as I had expected. All wearing masks, like us, except the few actual swimmers, the toddlers, and the gulls.

And then at home, we only had 14 new cases of virus today. It will bounce back up, I am sure, but if we can hover near this low, life may be back to nearly normal before summer arrives. There can be more beach days!

I know it wasn't a good day in other places. I know my optimism may be misplaced. I know that I don't know anything. 

But right here, right now, today, this is what a good day looks like.