Welcome winter weather

With all the cold rain of late, it's nice to remember the sunny seventies we were enjoying only a few weeks ago. Although we happened to hit a rather windy afternoon/evening at Capitola Beach (all the locals were telling us everybody had their swimsuits and surfboards out just the day before), it was still nice to feel the sand between our toes and the ocean air against our cheeks. There's something mesmerizing about the sound of those waves, too, especially after I haven't heard them for quite a few months. We flew kites, threw footballs and frisbees, dug and built in the sand, chased dogs--okay, just Millie on that one, and ate pizza for dinner.

I've said it before about early February being graced with unexpected sunshine, and while I don't know why it happens, I sure do like that it does. Flip flops and t-shirts make their early debut, "popcorn popping" trees bloom full force, the frontyard and backyard get a whole lot more use, and date night moves outdoors for some tennis at the park. It reminds me of what I've been missing the past four months and what I have to look forward to in another two or three.