Musingly Moving Along on Monday

<--My dad and his sister, ages 18 months and 3-ish(?), respectively

It's all about newness.

A new week. And a new month already.... Wow!

A new video and a new quiz.

And some new posts further down (specifically Feb. 22nd).

Our friends over at The Barrister Barista have a new baby boy! Congratulations!

And, best of all, a new episode of 24 tonight! Yee-haw!! Start roasting those wings!

* * *

My hubby recently watched The Empire Strikes Back with the kids. Edward began wailing after the scene in which Luke loses his hand.

Stuart paused the movie and explained that Luke would get a new hand like Anikan had in an earlier film.

Edward sniffled and said, "That's not it. He lost his light saber." Stuart laughed and told him Luke would get a new one of those, too.

"But not right away!" Edward sobbed.

Priorities, right?

* * *

From my online daily calendar:

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• sincere good wishes
• oyster shells
• Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
• a romance unfolding
• racing goggles

* * *

I've been doing a lot of writing recently. At the moment, I'm working on a story I call "Gibberish," merely because I am writing and writing without really editing it yet, and I have no specific plans to do anything with it. Occasionally, I'll go back and reread (a.k.a. edit) it to regain the thread of the story.

I was rereading a section in which the main character -- who has undergone much sadness and pain -- reflects warmly on a romantic memory of being with his wife at the beach...and it reminded me of when I lived in the beach town of Brighton, England, and dated my hubby.

Being a young thing of 19, I had stars in my eyes and my own idea of romance based on television or romance novel ideals. Looking back on it, I'm filled with a certain warmth in the reality of what I actually experienced.

My hubby is my best friend. From the start, the foundation on which we built our whole relationship was friendship. It's what sustained us through seven years of "dating" overseas and being so far apart.

While I lived in Brighton, Stuart would drive down the coast from his naval base in Portsmouth, and we would go "downtown" (I lived only a few blocks out) to the American Donut Shop and then to the beach to sit on the pebbles and watch the water and lights. It was very romantic and brought out a certain giddiness in me.

The man who ran the donut shop got a kick out of us, no doubt. I think he knew what was happening between us before we did.

I looked forward to Stuart's visits for days before they happened. He was a light in a somewhat dark and lonely time in my life. And I learned so much during that time.

Not long after I'd moved back to Swindon -- before I returned to the States -- I revisited Brighton with my sister. I was eager to show her the doughnut shop and share with her my memories of the time I'd spent there with Stuart.

But it was gone.

I can't remember what was there instead, but the disappointment I felt was immense.

Still, I have the memory of it. I can still see the red-white-and-blue striped awning and sign on the front window....and taste the "death by chocolate" doughnut I always ordered.

So, like my character, I, too, can reflect warmly on a romantic memory.