Revision

Andy and I missed Annabelle the whole time we were gone. We hardly had fun for missing her and wishing she were with us. Today was the first day we really seemed to be able to relax and we found out Andy’s bankcard was flagged and put on hold by the bank because he used it in Naples, Ft. Meyers, Ft. Lauderdale, and other places not in Texas. So we spent two hours at the bank hassling around and I was so frustrated in the car I finally broke down and cried. It’s amazing how technology that is supposed to help you makes your life so much more difficult sometimes.

We did find a little nook that was off the beaten path, where a bunch of crusty locals were downing drinks at mid-afternoon. We sat by the water and watched the boats and water fowl going by. It was delightful.

Then we found a completely deserted beach. Not ONE other person was on this beach and it was weird. It was like we were characters from “Left Behind” — and we were the unfortunate ones being left behind. You’d think a deserted beach would be a delightful find, but it was really unsettling to be in the middle of a place that was a bit of a walk through some brushes, out there all alone with nothing but a big osprey to watch over us. We didn’t spend much time there.

Basically we tooled around the rest of the day (what tiny bit was left) and talked about Annabelle and the future. I’ve decided I want to become a scholar of Turgenev’s work. I’ve been a de facto scholar of his work for a long time, but it would be awesome to finally become fluent in Russian and be able to read his work in its original language. He is the most fluid, beautiful, gorgeous writer I’ve ever read. I highly recommend him to everyone I know and, over the years, only my Dad has ever indulged me and read one of his works: “Fathers and Sons.”

Anyway, I have to go to sleep now. Buenos noches mein froinds, as the old Rush lyrics go.