"In this sticky web that we're all in, behaving decently is no small task." -- Novelist Stacey D'Erasmo

Friday, February 23, 2018

The Philosophy of the Beach

     We're tourists here in Charleston, SC, and so when it gets cold or cloudy on the beach, as it did the other day, we go do the other thing that tourists do -- visit the local shopping area and browse around the souvenir stores, with their t-shirts, pillows and candles.

The fog keeps some people away, not others

     Some of the sayings on the t-shirts are funny, some are inspirational. All of them taken together could be said to offer a philosophy of the beach. Here's a sampling of what I saw the other day, when the mists rolled on shore and sent us inland for a shopping excursion:

     Go where you feel most alive

     Happiness is sand in your toes and a shell in your pocket

     Coffee keeps me busy, until it's acceptable to drink wine

     Live a pineapple life: Be sweet on the inside, stand tall, and wear a crown

     Not all who wander are lost

     For a happy life you need three things: Someone to love, something to do, something to look forward to

     I could keep this kitchen clean if you people would just stop eating here

     If you love me, you'll let me sleep

     Today's menu: Eat it or starve

     Family means nobody gets left behind

     In our home we laugh, we share, we make mistakes, we love, we dream, and count our blessings

     Fortunately, the sun has come out again, so it's time to take a walk down to the pier and take advantage of what we really came here for -- the sand, the sun and most especially the warm weather. It's going up to 82 today. We have another week or so of Snowbirding. Then it's back north to find -- I hope -- early spring in the mid-Atlantic state that we've chosen to make our home.

It's a new day!


16 comments:

Linda Myers said...

Fabulous beach pictures!

I like the quote about the three things it takes to be happy.

Celia said...

Enjoyed the quotes as I have nine grandkids the one I liked best was "I could keep this kitchen clean if you people would just stop eating here." But I would be so sad if they did. :-)

Barbara said...

I love those quotes. I would probably buy a t-shirt with every one of them. I am a tourist at heart.

Anonymous said...

It gets to 82F over here in Hawaii, and that's when we turn on the a/c.

Olga said...

I was surprised to see that many people on the beach in all that fog. I would have gone tee-shirt shopping myself.

Kathy @ SMART Living 365.com said...

Hi Tom! I LOVE those t-shirts. Far better to see an inspirational one rather than the opposite (which I've also seen--unfortunately.) My very favorite is "Live a pineapple life: Be sweet on the inside, stand tall and wear a crown." And enjoy the warmer weather. From what I hear it is pretty cold up north. ~Kathy

troutbirder said...

Fun saying on those T.Shirts. I do miss our snowbirding days on the Gulf Coast though ...:)

Jono said...

I long for the feeling of warm sand under my feet. I'm pretty happy right now seeing that it is going to stay above zero this week!

David @ iretiredyoung said...

For a moment, I thought my life was like yours. It's warm where I am too, but it's going to rain today, and typically we get only 5 or 6 rainy days a year.

So what will I do during this inclement weather? Darn, I've got to clean the toilets :( wish I was looking at T-shirts!

Janette said...

Sorry, were you talking about something?
I was dreaming of walking on the beach in the fog.

Snowbrush said...

My Mississippi relatives have been having weather in the mid-eighties. After a warm and dry winter here in Western Oregon, we had low-twenties, upper-teens, and snow, last week, and it all came just as flowers were starting to bloom. While you're in the area, and if you're interested in the Civil War, you might want to visit Fort Pulaski in Savannah. It's a very impressive fort, but even the most impressive fort was no match for the new shells that spiraled. Another neat place is Brookgreen Gardens in Myrtle Beach.

Wisewebwoman said...

i do love that shot of the pier and that philosophy was one of my dad's. So very true.

XO
WWW

retirementreflections said...

Thanks for the fun quotes, Tom. I had heard some of them before, but others were brand new to me. I'm glad that sun is back out and you can enjoy the beach!

Kay said...

I'm just dropping by from DJan's blog. I love seeing what other retirees are up to. Looks like you're having a lot of fun. Those are such fun t-shirts.

Still the Lucky Few said...

These are such great quotes. Most of them are already familiar to me, but it's great to be reminded!

Rebecca Olkowski said...

Those are such marvelous quotes. I'm going to save some of them. Enjoy the beach. The North looks pretty nasty right now.