Sighting

One evening before dinner, Chauncey took the garbage down to the bins at the end of the driveway.  Moments later he returned.  He grabbed the binoculars and whispered to Eleanor to come quickly.  Eleanor was in the kitchen cooking dinner.  Chauncey, usually the cook, was taking the night off . 

Eleanor followed Chauncey out the front door.  Chauncey pointed to a large bird waddling across the lawn.  The bird had a dark red patch around its eye and a bright white ring around it’s neck.  Chauncey, looking through the binoculars, declared the bird's eyes to be golden.  Eleanor, new to the world of birdwatching, thought it looked like a creature from Harry Potter. 

The bird flew to the top of the garage.

Chauncey identified the bird as a ring necked pheasant.  When a siren sounded, the bird flew to the top of the garage and then later to the top of an avocado tree. 

The next morning, Eleanor woke to a deep clucking sound.  She knew instantly where it came from.  She looked out the window, and there was the pheasant calling out for someone to bring him his breakfast.  Chauncey was there, too, with binoculars, continuing his research into unusual occurrences in urban life.  

30th Anniversary, Part Two

“Don’t run.  Be big and brave.  Fight back.”

These were the words on a poster advising guests what to do if they encounter a bear or a mountain lion while at the resort where Chauncey and Eleanor were celebrating their 30^th wedding anniversary.  Eleanor and Chauncey laughed.  Eleanor said the words were good advice for many life situations.  Chauncey said he hoped he did not have to use them for their original intention. 

They were off to the beach on foot having been told by staff that the bikes were only for use on the resort premises.  As they crossed the road, a family of 8 came riding back from the beach on bikes clearly labeled with the name of the resort.  “Another one of those strictly enforced rules,” complained Chauncey.

Chauncey’s mood lightened as they walked on a footpath to the beach through a jungle of trees, vines and bushes.  Some of the trees had tiny blue berries on them but not the kind you may eat.  Chauncey told Eleanor about the Chumash Indians who had lived in the area and called it ajuilashmu, which means place of celebration, added Chauncey.  Eleanor told Chauncey that the maze of greenery on either side of the path reminded her of Key Biscayne where Eleanor spent her childhood.

Anacapa shimmered like a mirage. 

The sun was reflecting off the ocean when they got to the beach.  Chauncey spotted dolphins and said, “It must be a good beach if the dolphins are here.”  They settled into their chairs and watched the dolphins travel north along the coast. Far off, Anacapa shimmered like a mirage.

Inspired by a group of young adolescent boys bobbing in the waves, Eleanor announced she was going in the water.  No wet suit.  Just a boogie board.  She rode waves that were small but powerful and dunked under the bigger ones.  Chauncey joined her. When the tide came in, the rides got shorter and they got out.

They toasted to 30 years of marriage.

Back at the cabin by the creek, Chauncey and Eleanor sat in directors chairs and toasted to thirty years of marriage.  They toasted to all those who had guided them along the way.  They talked about what drew them to each other and what they most respected.  They considered the times when they had not run, were big and brave and fought back.  A skunk wandered past them just as they finished the last of the champagne.  

30th Anniversary, Part One

The day after the royal newlyweds, William and Kate, appeared at the nearby polo grounds for a charity event, Eleanor and Chauncey found themselves at Island Brewing Company in Carpinteria having a pint of Royal Jubilee.  They were on their way to El Capitan Canyon Resort to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary.  Eleanor had always felt an affinity with the royals.  She and Chauncey were married two weeks before Charles and Diana in July, 1981, and were two of the millions who woke up in the middle of the night to watch the ceremony on tv.  Coincidentally, Eleanor and Chauncey’s oldest daughter was married just a year before William and Kate.

Eleanor and Chauncey checked in at the resort and were led to their cabin by a friendly, tanned man who smelled like cigarettes.  They quickly noticed that their private hideaway was surrounded by other like cabins filled with people happily preparing the evening’s meal on outdoor grills provided by the resort.  They could hear the creek, though, despite the faint sounds of a Journey song coming from a nearby cabin.

They were led to their cabin.

Eleanor declared that she needed a nap before attempting to have fun and promptly climbed into the queen sized bed after turning on a fan and putting in her ear plugs to block out the sounds of children playing Marco Polo in the pool.  Chauncey opened his book and began reading.  About an hour later, Eleanor announced that she was refreshed enough to set up for dinner.  Chauncey asked when the BBQ kit was supposed to be delivered.  Eleanor said it would be another hour.  Chauncey groaned.  Eleanor opened up some cheese and crackers and put them on a plate.  She poured them both some wine and they clinked plastic cups.

They practiced being positive.

As they ate their well seasoned chicken and beans and drank some more wine, they practiced being positive so as not to attract any more noise.  By this time, the children were out of the pool and Journey had been replaced by Kenny Chesney.  Chauncey made the observation that the strictly enforced rules against playing music loudly enough for your neighbors to hear was a hoax to get you to pay $255 a night for a cabin in a campground.

As the sky darkened, Chauncey and Eleanor sat by the fire roasting marshmallows.  By the time they finished their smores, the anniversary getaway was beginning to work.

Independence

A few days before America celebrated her independence from the British, Eleanor left her job as a clinical social worker after 25 years in the field.  The connection between the two events was not lost on Chauncey.  He asked Eleanor if she realized that on July 4^th she would be celebrating not only the nation’s but her own independence as well.  Eleanor said that she had missed the coincidence and thanked Chauncey for pointing it out to her.  She felt the weight of freedom from salaried employment.  She wondered what she would do each day when she did not have to get up and go to work.  Perhaps she could take the summer off from worrying about what she would do with the rest of her life.  Maybe, just for July and August,  she could keep from thinking about when Chauncey’s book would be published or how her 20 year-old daughter would find someone to take over the lease she signed on an apartment in a town where she had decided not to return to for college.  Eleanor told Chauncey what was on her mind.  Chauncey replied, “It's not easy being free.”  Eleanor looked up at the royal palm and marveled at how tall it was. 

Eleanor looked up at the royal palm.

Early Departure

“Let’s go to the beach tomorrow,” said Eleanor to Chauncey. 

“It’s Fourth of July weekend,” Chauncey groaned.  Eleanor looked pleadingly at Chauncey.  “The only way I’m going is if we leave at 6 AM.” 

"How about 7?" suggested Eleanor.

Chauncey packed the car the night before with the chairs, boogie boards and wet suits.  Eleanor organized the food—chicken Caesar wraps, cole slaw and pretzels, all from Trader Joe’s, and some bottled iced teas from Whole Foods. 

They squeezed into their wet suits.

At 7:05 the next morning, Chauncey and Eleanor headed out for the hour’s drive to the beach.  As they descended from Calabasas into Malibu, Eleanor mentioned getting some bran muffins to go with their coffee before setting up at the beach.  It was only 8:10 and the fog had not yet burned off.  The air temperature was about 63 degrees.  Chauncey expressed reservations about eating a bran muffin before spending several hours at the beach, but eventually gave in to Eleanor’s wishes.  

They arrived at Zuma and parked on Pacific Coast Highway in front of the bathrooms.  Chauncey took the cooler and the chairs while Eleanor was left with the wet suits and boogie boards.  They found a spot right at the high tide line to ensure that no one settled in front of them. There were several surfers in the water and a few families setting up their living rooms under large canopies. 

After the bran muffins and coffee, Eleanor and Chauncey squeezed into their wet suits and walked gingerly into the ocean with their boogie boards.  Chauncey discovered a sand bar and that is where they stood as they waited for waves with enough push to ride into the shore. 

When they left, 6 hours later, the beach was packed with people, the parking lots were full and two cars were vying for Chauncey and Eleanor’s space as they pulled out.  Eleanor acknowledged that Chauncey was right for wanting to leave so early in the morning to avoid the crowds.  Chauncey smiled.

Then, Eleanor said, “I bet next time we could get away with leaving home at 8.”