Getaway Done Monday Musings

View from the Amelia Island Condo we rented this last weekend.

We got away.

At least for a few days.  Precious beach time on Amelia Island in Florida.  A few treasured hours unplugged from the rat race.

Doug joined us.  No, it wasn't a parasailing extreme sport whirlwind.  There was no kayaking or boogie boarding or deep sea fishing.  I didn't even put my feet in the ocean.

And it wasn't an alcohol fueled raver either.  There were no nightclubs, no wild nights, no dancing naked on the balcony (the entire world is grateful for that).

It was just a relaxed getaway.  

We walked on the beach,  The boys played Frisbee. 

We ate at a couple of favorite restaurants.  Pablo's, a Mexican restaurant in downtown Fernandina Beach, that has one of my favorite dishes, Pollo Mayo, that features a mix of chorizo and chicken.  And we ate at Tasty's, a very special hamburger place that also features a variety of french fries, both regular and sweet potato. Our other meals were back at the condo, including a haul of ice ream from Cold Stone Creamery.

We played board games, including Uno, Exploding Kittens and Apples to Apples.  The less skill a game involved, the better I did at it.

We saw a movie, The Arrival.  It was pretty good.  I enjoyed the atmosphere and pacing, and Amy Adam's performance.  There was a sense of both wonder and dread.  The ending was a bit disappointing, involving certain approaches to time and prescience that I found less interesting than the set-up of the movie as whole.  But it was enjoyable overall,

We read.  I read two books, a comic graphic novel and nine comic books.  Alison read on Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King, and Doug read several things on his Kindle.  Benjamin, alas, did not bring a book, and spent time on his 3DS and the latest version of a Pokemon game.

We played putt-putt.  It was fun and low pressure, as there was not a large crowd there.  Doug and Alison tied for first, Benjamin's score was close to them, and my gifted ability to putt earned me a distant last. True story - I have never played a round of real golf. And I don't really want to, either.

I stayed away from news as much as possible.  This was not easy, as the horrible electoral college decision weighs on us all.  Looking at his atrocious behavior even since his apparent victory, it only serves to double down on how dangerous and unqualified he is.

I still have not relaxed enough to be able to look at people and think - did you do this?  Did you vote for him?  How could you do that?  Don't you know what you have unleashed upon the world?  Can't you recognize a craven con-man when you see him?  How do I deal with you knowing that you are capable of voting for something like this?

I had hoped that the time away would help me relax and accept what has happened.  It did not.  I am still as angry, upset, worried and depressed as ever.  History has been permanently altered, on a course we may not ever recover from.

No time unplugged and away can change that.

Until next time, 

T. M. Strait

The sun sets on America.