FINALLY THE BEGINNING

The sun setting at Crystal.

I just finished my first official beach dinner.  A roasted chicken, grapes and half an avocado.  I went to what vacationers here call "the big store."  I purchased a few items for the rest of the week, checked the opening and closing times, got back in the bunny car and came "home."

I found out that "the big store" (which is shaped like a large sand castle), is really called Gulf Coast Market. This is a new bit of information for me.  Inside the market you can find all sort of magic items for beach living.  A pizza joint, hardware store, toy store, grocery store, beach house builder, a machine that rents videos and, of course, boudain balls.

Hubby, henceforth referred to a Salty (Dawg), couldn't be here due to inland duties that had to be taken care of.  There is no working TV,  I didn't think far enough ahead to bring DVDs or Cd's,  it was intensely quiet until I figured out how to blog and play music at the same time on my trusty laptop.  After proclaiming this as my goal for so long, the quiet felt odd.  The fact that Salty isn't here with me even odder. He can be sure he has spousal security.

I did manage to get the freezer on the fridge working but the bottom part doesn't seem to be cooling.  Hopefully in the morning the contents will be cold.  The air conditioner is working like a champ.  I turned it on at 5:30 and now, at 8:37, I have goosebumps from the cool air.

A neighbor I met this morning.

I realize that I have what Buddha refers to as "habit energy."  A person with habit energy longs for the moment to sit and relax, to be able to stop "doing."  They settle into a chair on the patio, momentarily they are fine. Without even realizing it, the mind begins to wander and suddenly they jump up and begin to sweep and tidy the patio.

Doing. I am controlled by it instead of me controlling it. This blog was created when I was supposed to be recuperating from foot surgery...doing nothing. According to the Buddhist teachings this comes from the conditioning we receive as children, from peers, in the workplace, etc.  The trick is to undo the conditioning.
Learn when to use it correctly.  It serves me well on the job.

Here at the beach, I need to take a lesson from the neighbor I met this morning...not to do, just to be.  Or die trying.  OK, maybe I have a lot of work to do.