It was very still when I woke up. Still and dark. Now, two hours later, there is the vague tic of light rain on the roof. It feels like it will rain harder as the day progresses. It is our last day here at the Oregon coast. We will get ready for travel this afternoon, or as ready as we can and still function for the evening. Tomorrow we will stow our clothes and dishes, secure all the items that might move on a sharp curve or sudden bump, and head home. We’ve learned through experience that cupboard drawers can open, and dishes fling themselves about the cabin at the most inconvenient times. We’ve also learned that it is important to open those self-same cupboards slowly after travel, objects often lean against closed doors waiting to spring out when the door is released. (I am reminded of a prank we used to pull in middle school: a bent hanger could be inserted in the little vents that every locker had on the door. The hanger, bent into an “L” shape, was used to pull all of the books and objects forward to rest against the door. The hanger was removed, and the trap was set for the books to plunge out on the unsuspecting owner. I remember once, during the pre-Christmas food drive, when we were to bring cans for the food bank, our trap managed to include a can of green beans brought as a contribution. The can rolled smartly out and bounced off the head of our victim. He wasn’t hurt, but it was damn funny to our adolescent minds.)

Our visit to the coast has been calming. We’ve not done much other than read, walk the dog, and talk. Certainly, we could do that at home just as easily. We had the intention of doing some shopping and getting dinner at Mo’s but, chose to stay close. Last night we had supper while we listened to Jay and Molly from the Quiet Room at Ashokan, New York. Despite the fact that we were streaming the show on a laptop, not much was different than families gathering around the radio in pre-television America. It was comfortable and we were together.

It is hard to “get away” these days with the advent of cell phones, laptops, and tablets. Still, our time at the coast gives as a degree of separation from  electronic intrusion, and makes it easier to leave the phone off for a bit and just be.

In the morning, it will take us an hour or so to finish packing and disconnecting. We’ll head back to the Valley then. First though, there is a diner close by and I’ve heard they have really great biscuits and gravy.

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