New Book New Beach

What do you do at the beach?

I find myself getting lost in a good book.

Nothing better than natural sun light to read with. 

I read until I can bare the heat no more.

Then I go for a swim.

Let the sun dry me.

Then read some more.

There might be a sand dragon building in the mix of it all too.

The sweltering sun at the new beach Puerto Malabrigo. Not new to this world but new to mine.

My new book The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I was pretty captivated by that.

But I didn't lose focus on what's important: my husband. 

Don't lose sight on what you really need to focus on in Life.

Read, read, read.

The novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows came out in 2009.  My mother in-law gave it to me for Christmas.  I left it back in Utah but it arrived safely to Trujillo in a perfectly prepared package my ma-in-law sent a few weeks ago.  I finished one book I was working on (I am currently working on three...). So I started this one only a few days ago.  I am half way through and I keep telling myself to read it slower.  I want it to last a while. 

This is a true treat.  I can't recommend it highly enough to you.  The Times (London) said "Cooked perfectly a point: subtle and elegant in flavour, yet emotionally satisfying to the finish."

To give you a taste:

"Have you ever noticed that when your mind is awakened or drawn to someone new, that person's name suddenly pops up everywhere you go? My friend Sophie calls it coincidence, and Mr. Simpless, my parson friend, calls it Grace.  He thinks that if one cares deeply about someone or something new one throws a kind of energy out into the world, and "fruitfulness" is drawn in". (pg. 116)

The book is a compilation of letters which Juliet Ashton writes and receives.  It set in 1946 right after the War.  The book quotes plenty of famous authors. One who is frequented is Charles Lamb.  He is quoted saying (in response for not caring enough about nature):

"I have no passion for groves and valleys. The rooms where I was born, the furniture which has been before my eyes all my life, a book case which has followed me about like a faithful dog wherever I have moved- old chairs, old streets, squares where I have sunned myself, my old school- have I not enough, without your Mountains? I do not envy you.  I should pity you, did I not know, that the Mind will make friends of any thing." (pg. 115)

It ignites my passion for reading and deepens my longing to be a writer.  Do yourself a favor and read this book.

I am craving more good books.  Do share your favorites.

Beg Your Pardon

I need some serious input on a question that has often plagued me.

But first: Story time.

We went on an outing to Huanchaco, the fishing town near by.  It was a glorious day of sunshine and enjoying a good read by the ocean. When we were done at the beach we walked to an ice cream stand, a tradition when we venture to Huanchaco.  I love this ice cream stand because of its homemade ice cream and homemade cones.  Anyways, I got majar blanco & chocolate and my husband got coconut. We licked round the ice cream blob, insuring it wouldn’t melt down the sides on to our fingers.

 

A beggar approached us.   She held open a blue folder with a picture of a boy with cleft pallet.  She was dragging her four-year-old son along with her; he had no cleft pallet.  Who was the boy in the picture?  She kept asking for help.

Chase, my husband, had the money.  So I didn’t say anything and kept walking, thankful I didn’t have to make a decision.  I was avoiding, beggars approach us a lot here and I never know what to do.  Chase started to walk away when the lady grabbed his arm and asked if her son could have a “piece” of his ice cream cone.  Before Chase finished saying “yes” she grabbed the ice cream cone out of his hand, gave it to her son, and walked away leaving him dumbfounded.

We saw her walk to an outside table at a restaurant and continue begging.  She grabbed a man’s drink, which was full to the brim, and gulped it down to nothing in the matter of seconds.  She continued to ask other tables and passerby’s.   She seemed to have no shame present as she asked and took.  She had no sadness in her eyes, just desire and greed.  This look and feeling she gave confused me.  It made me have no sympathy.  It was like she expected to get what she wanted but did not have the desire to earn it justly.  And what was she teaching her four-year-old boy she was dragging around? 

I caught myself in these thoughts.  Who am I to judge?  I don’t know what her life is like.  I don’t know how she was raised or what her circumstances are.  I know my God is the only being who has the right to judge her.  My job is to help and aid.  To love, that is my job, my obligation.

So now comes the tricky part.  Define help.  Is helping reinforcing her actions of begging by giving her what she wants?  Do you give a beggar money?  Do you give them food?  How do you help?  I see this is very situational.  Have you had a situation like this?

I went into this situation not knowing what to do because I often question myself on the subject, ponder, leave it open, and have no answer.  If I had an answer maybe I could have been of more help.  Is there a concrete answer?

My husband’s reaction after I asked him about it; “How could I eat my ice cream cone after that knowing what I was going home to?”  My husband has a heart.  I love him. 

Be grateful for what you have.  Give what you have, whether it is material things, the talents you have, or emotional support by listening or being kind.  We all have something to give. 

The Tsunami Stole my Swimsuit

From here.

As many of you may know that there was an earthquake in Chili early Saturday morning (between three and four in the morning).  It was the seventh largest earthquake in history.  8.8 on the Richter scale.  Luckily Chili was a bit more prepared than Haiti when it comes to earthquakes.  Death tolls are about to 723 people  thus far and rising (from CNN.COM).  Keep the people of Chili and Haiti in your prayers.

Because of the large earthquake there have been tsunami warnings around the world.  Along the coast of South America (AKA Peru where I current live), Hawaii, Samoa was evacuated, and the alarm was sounded all the way in Philippines. 

 from here.

What did I do Saturday, hours after the earthquake hit?  I went to the beach.  The beach was crowded.  No one knew of the earthquake here yet.  (Some people don’t have roofs do you think they are going to be watching the news?  Unlikely).  

We noticed right away that the tide was extremely high.  That’s odd we thought.   We went swimming in the ocean.  The waves were massive today!  What is different?  The waves were coming in hard and high.  My husband and I were diving under them, trying to avoid getting the salty water in our mouths and eyes. 

From here.

There was a huge one coming our way.  “BIG ONE!” Chase yelled.  I dove under and got caught in the undercurrent.  My body was flailing about under the water.  I felt my swimsuit top become my bottom and my bottom piece become knee guards.  CrAp!  I grabbed them worried where I might end up on my beach and what might be exposed.

I popped up in about three feet of water.  I pulled up both pieces of my swimsuit.  Oh goodness.   I just got rocked but luckily the only things that saw my nakedness were the sea creatures.  I am lucky this is the worst that happened to me during this time of natural disaster. 

From here.

Wish You Were Here

Go Here:

Jill Thomas Photography

Sabino.

Not There:

Mike Bailey Photography (He's only 16!  What?!?)

Right about now is when people start longing and day dreaming for warmer weather (my longing usually starts in November, one snow is good enough for me).  While many of you are in winter, I am here in Peru sweating beads and wishing it wasn't so humid.  I still am satisfied with laying on the beach, rather than curling up in my down comforter.  Here is some music that will take you to the beach.  Just close your eyes and listen. Imagine you are on the sandy shore listening to the waves wash up and you can feel the sun warming your skin.  

This ambient set will take you there.

“Coastal Brake”            Tycho        (Coastal Brake - EP)  FREE HERE               

“Out from Under”          Voicesvoices    (Origins)              FREE HERE

“Watch The Waves”      Taken By Trees   (East Of Eden)

“Day By Day”               Taken By Trees   (East Of Eden)        

“Ambling Alp”              Yeasayer   (Ambling Alp - EP)     FREE HERE    

“Breathe”                       Télépopmusik    (Genetic World)           
      

“Failure”                        A Sunny Day In Glasgow             FREE HERE

“Hoppípolla”                 Sigur Rós         (Takk...)       

“Glósóli”                       Sigur Rós   (Takk...)    
    

“Anjos”                         Julianna Barwick                            FREE HERE

“Salvation”                    Scanners                                         FREE HERE

   

Let me know what you think.

Puerto Morin: A Quaint Fishing Village

Like sardines we all piled in to Miguel's taxi, all seven of us, and we made our way to Puerto Morin, Peru.  It was an uncomfortable ride as our shoulder's battled for comfort.  No one won.  We drove straight thru the poor fishing town and onto the beach.  It was much more solitude than Huanchaco, the beach we usually go to.  There were no tourists here.  Just us and the fisherman and the locals scavenging for Moi Moi.  

Moi Moi are those sea creatures you see in the last picture in the hands of Aquiles, our new Peruvian friend who we later buried in the sand.  He dug them out of the sands in the tide and ate them right there on the beach.  He pulled off the shell and popped the orange innards in his mouth, squirmy legs and all.  He offered.  I refused.   Chase, my handsome husband, described them perfectly as "sea cockroaches".  Uh.... no thank you. 

The day was pleasant basking in the sun and building a sea serpent out of sand.  Days like these, I don't ever want to leave Peru.

To Warm You Up...

For those of you who are in the depths of winter at this time.

Don't be jealous, just use your imagination and pretend you're here.

These are taken at Huanchaco, an ancient beach town in Peru.

The Honeymoon

Honeymoon.

Paradise.  

Hawaii.

Newly weds.

Snorkling.

Bamboo forrests.

Sunsets on the beach.

Fruit smoothies.

hiking.

Sea Turtles.

Whale Watching.

It was Perfect.