Home   |   LCS Prints Store   |   About Me   |   FAQ   

Monday, June 27, 2016

Simple Gifts



My husband has been offered summer Fridays at work and now gets out at noon.  I leave work at noon every Friday, but now, he joins me, a few hours later since he travels sixty miles, still early enough for the two of us to get a jump on the weekend. 
 
This past Friday, I had time to do a bit of writing before he arrived home, and then we packed up a bag and headed toward the twelve-foot dinghy we keep in the harbor.  Nothing miraculous, just a tour around moored boats and up what is called “the creek,” a meandering tributary feeding through the marshes leading toward the next town.  But, there’s everything to be said about how the afternoon light gained texture as the sun made it slow descent, the glint of a fishing line like a spider’s strand as a man cast from his stance on a barrier beach.  Perhaps the best part of the trip was the knowledge that for the rest of the afternoon, there was nothing that had to be done.  We settled ourselves on our moored sailboat and chatted, the simple gift of conversation reinforcing our gratitude for time.


12 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Special time together like that is priceless.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Sounds lovely!

I especially liked your description of "how the afternoon light gained texture."

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

It sounds lovely. My husband and I spent some time like that together last week for an evening. It seems like we so seldom slow down to just enjoy being each other's company.

Bish Denham said...

Oooo, late afternoon on the harbor listening to the slip-slap of water against the hull, the clink of lines against metal masts, birds calling, conversation. Sweet.

Connie said...

This sounds like a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Beautiful photo too!

Joanne said...

Perfection. So glad you get to steal away and meander by sea on a Friday afternoon. Chat or silence is golden. Have a good week ahead

Robin said...

We live in a world of "go, go, go," so whenever we stop and sit and actually talk to one another... that moment actually stands out. Even though this is not your "wordiest" piece, I loved all the words you did use. I've been thinking a lot about gratitude lately. Maybe being grateful for what we have leads to more of that. Or more of what we want. Not really sure exactly how it works.

I'm going to link you to a song because I thought of it after/during reading this post. If I were still in the habit of posting HERE'S TO YOU, I would've written it down, saved it to my Favorites, and you'd be seeing it on Thursday. Well, we all know I'm out of that habit. Perhaps something I should consider revisiting in August??? Anyway, I still want you to hear it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnjeMwxFuBA

I particularly like the lyric, "Lay down what's good and find what's best." Seems like maybe you're doing that more and more. Each time you set something down that was good you do so in favor of something better. An afternoon talking with your husband watching the sun slip through the sky definitely qualifies.

Jennifer Shirk said...

That's so nice to have!! Like a little date night. :)

mshatch said...

Ah, nothing that had to be done. I need one of those days. And some toodling around in a boat on a river. That would be nice, too *sigh*

Pixel Peeper said...

What a great way to spend some time together!

Many years ago I had a job where our supervisor allowed us to take 30-minute lunches (instead of one-hour lunches) during the summer and leave at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. What a treat...and morale booster. And it didn't cost the company a dime!

I wish bosses would think of stuff like that more often.

Jan Morrison said...

Yes! We're going out in the canoe this Friday (Canada Day) and I cannot wait. We'll just meet up with others and go under the bridge towards Grand Lake but won't it be fun!!! There's nothing I like so well as messing about in boats.

Crystal Collier said...

I love it. Everyone needs dedicated time like this with their spouse. I'm in that stage of life where it's more difficult, but the effort means that much more, eh?