POCKET FULL OF SEASHELLS

“You do realize it’s still winter?” My husband Steven said as I emptied my pocket of shells and sand.

“Oh, of course I do!” I said as I arranged the shells on the kitchen counter top. “But when it’s sixty degrees out, the sun is shining, and there’s no wind. Who wouldn’t want to go visit the beach!” I brushed the remaining sand off my hands and stood back to admire my new treasures.

My son Alex came into the room and saw the pile of shells on the counter top. “That’s a nice collection of shells for your first time out this year.”

“I know! It’s only February and I’ve already started collecting!” I couldn’t help but smile as I looked over at Alex. “Thanks for all your help searching for them.”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “It wasn’t much of a search. The beach was covered with them.”

“I know.” I picked up one of the shells to give it a closer look. “They’re so much harder to find in the summer.”

“That’s because everyone is looking for them then.” Steven said as he moved over to the cabinet where we kept the snacks.

While he was searching in the cabinet I scooped the shells off the counter top and into my hand to bring them over to the glass container that already had shells from past years in it.

Steven had gotten out the bag of pita chips and was headed for the refrigerator for the container of hummus as I poured my handful of shells into the container.

“That was such a perfect day down at the beach.” I sighed as I reached over to the bag of pita chips and took one out, then looked over at Alex. “Didn’t it feel like spring today?”

Alex nodded his head.

“Well, don’t get used to it.” Steven said as he opened the container of roasted red pepper hummus. “It’s suppose to snow tomorrow.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter.” I said as I dipped my chip in the hummus. “I just need a few days like this during the winter months to get me through until summer.”

“Me too.” said Alex as he reached in the bag for a chip.

“Well hopefully I won’t have to use the snow blower tomorrow.” Steven said as he handed the bag of pita chips to Alex before wiping his hands on a paper towel.

I looked over at Alex. “It looks like your Dad could have used a day at the beach with us.”

Steven shook his head. “I have too much work to catch up on.” He started walking toward his office.

“You haven’t finished your work yet?” I called to him.

“Nope. Still have about another hour to go and then I’m done for the day.”

Alex and I watched as he walked down the hall.

I put the lid back on the hummus container and put it back in the refrigerator. Alex put the chip clip on the pita chips and went to put them back in the cabinet.

“Are you feeling as guilty as I am about going down to the beach while Dad had to finish work?”

I shook my head. “Your Dad’s not a fan of the beach no matter what time of year it is.” I popped the hummus on a shelf in the refrigerator and took out the package of chicken breasts.

Holding it up for Alex to see. “I’ll just make him some chicken parmigiana for dinner and he’ll be as happy as I am when I have a pocket full of seashells!”