Is the Glass Half Full?
et me tell you about Monday – Jay’s birthday.
We began the our morning in the most idyllic camp spot on a warm, sunny day. We were nestled behind a sand dune after a drive in on a fun, but completely tame 4WD sand track outside of Jurien Bay, Western Australia. We were so appreciative of our friends having found this spot. We met up to camp with them after originally meeting them six months ago in Queensland and really connecting. We have kept in touch and eagerly awaited this reunion.
We had a bagel breakfast with all the fixings. This was the first bagel smorgasbord for us since arriving in Australia nine months ago – thanks to our friends from Perth for helping us find this elusive delicacy. It was a such treat to indulge in a meal that was once a weekly Sunday morning ritual for our family.
Just over the dune was the picturesque turquoise water with deep blue spots revealing the reef just a few meters off the beach where we snorkeled on a glorious afternoon. The boys were elated as they each saw their first fish while snorkeling. The kids built sand castles while our friend went spear fishing.
For dinner we teamed up to make a huge Mexican feast, Jay’s favorite, with homemade tortillas, freshly caught fish and guacamole.
Once the kids went down to sleep, the adults drank port and ate chocolate being warmed by the campfire. The clear night sky was visible in all its glory and put on a beautiful show including the largest shooting star I have ever seen. Perfect day.
I could also tell you about our day this way. We got up slowly after a largely sleepless night. Jay had a rough night, suffering from a stomach bug that has plagued our family for the last several days. Unfortunately for Jay it waited until we were in the bush to find him. And sleep wasn’t much friendlier to the rest of the family as the wind gusted erratically all night providing a canvas symphony for us. We avoided a family photo for the day in part because we didn’t want to step out of our fly nets long enough for the photo to snap and partially because I am vain and I’m still sporting a massive black eye from an errant flying object courtesy of one of my children a few days ago. Jay missed most of the afternoon on the beach due to a work deadline and when he did make it to the water was stung by a jellyfish. Dinner ended abruptly as our kids decided to provide a full throttle display of why we vow to feed them an hour earlier than we did that night. Cake had to be postponed until the next morning. (We called this our American timed birthday celebration… )
So there you have it, two ways to view the day. I am going to go with the first telling of the story. We are so fortunate to be able to spend this time as a family in these glorious surrounds, warts and all. It was a terrific day.
Miles from Brooklyn 
love your wording…’specially ”the tent symphony”, but everything else, too…and I might, probably not tho’, stick with the more melodious scenario, but the 2nd(real) is the more fun…with your tad of Erma Bombeck thrown into the mix! Just hope everyone is healing, altho’ a pic (black eye, jelly fish rash) to accompany the real story would be a HOOT a few years from now!
XO
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