graceful wonders

I went into SLO yesterday to see the orthodontist, for a check in on the braces, delightful.

It was a later afternoon appointment so I decided to log into work early in the morning so that I could log off for the day when the appointment time arrived. After some quality mouth torture I decided to shop, something I rarely do. It was actually nice to just wander a bit in town, got a coffee, ran some errands, bought a few nice things, got my favorite sandwich from my favorite little Italian deli.

On my way back, as I was coming around the corner into the northern bay and along the strand, something flickered in the corner of my eye out on the ocean. I pulled across the lanes and over to the beach, I parked and walked out to the vista point above the first beach access stairway to see if it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. What I saw instead was the largest pod of dolphins I have ever seen, frolicking in the surf, in super shallow waves, in a giant ring and in every direction I looked they were rolling in and out of the water in pairs. It was stunning, simply breath taking. Their peaceful, easy, graceful roll, so entrancing and soothing. It was a perfect suspended moment in time, like so many beautiful moments I have been so gratefully and unexpectedly blessed with lately.

It is officially 4th of July as I write this, it is a bit late and I have been out with the other locals. The night before the holiday is as much a part of the ritual as the holiday itself. It has reached an almost holy stature for most of us. Yes, around here the 4th of July is practically sacred, it is lovingly referred to as Cayucos Christmas. I am so excited!

I have to be up in an hour and a half to go move my car from downtown. That is going to hurt a bit...then its sand castle review at 7am, coffee, breakfast burritos and chair and tent set up, accompanied by bleary eyed good mornings and the mounting parade anticipation. Town wandering, a short nap, BBQ visits, more wandering, perhaps more napping and then the pier fireworks show. Nothing says 4th of July like the characters, spectacles, beauty and town drunks of our little version of a cross between Mayberry and Tortuga the home of the cowboy pirate surfers...