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Today's adventure: being normal.
I'd be out and taking more pictures on the beach right now, but the weather is quite balmy and unsuitable for the "self photo shoot" I had planned. Instead I'm eating microwave shepherds pie in my hostel kitchen/dining room… not cutting it.Must get some real shepherd's pie before I leave this country… that's for sure.No complaints though.A microwave dinner is very appropriate for the theme that today progressed into.I woke up very early this morning to capture an eastern coast sunrise, but after three hours waiting on the beach… she didn't want to come out - would rather hide behind the clouds that persistently loomed the rest of the day.But I don't count that as a waste.Took some more pictures of the wreckage and lighthouse together.That composition took me further down last night's contemplative path.With the lighthouse in the background, it made wonder if the ship saw its warning signals before running aground?Or was that lighthouse built after the ship wrecked? Either way, without a signal to heed or simply missing the 'cue,' the ship lost its course and sealed its fate.Then I wondered at how many times we miss imperative warning signs and "run aground" in our lives, creating a shipwreck of it.There are many examples where that is applicable, but I leave it to my reader's cognitive abilities to make the connections on their own.Instead, I will better articulate what I was trying to say last night: I'll have to throw that bottle good and far so it doesn't float back to shore.Meaning, instead of burying it deeper and deeper under layers of subconscious sand, the past has to really become the past and not a definition of the now.The memories of old will be like Mrs. Dash on my leafy green salad, but not the Texas Pete swirling through my flavorless microwave dinner (the only purpose for that stuff is to mask the actual flavor… or lack thereof).At any rate, I'm sure I've sufficiently convoluted whatever I am trying to say… so I'll just leave it for another day.
When I finally got back to my room, I quickly cleaned up and jetted out the door.I was dog-tired, but I didn't want to waste any part of my last day in this area of Scotland.The last time I was in Peterhead (Sunday), the only places open in the late morning were churches and the pubs.That didn't surprise me.First things first in the country.Worship is definitely a priority - whichever way you slant it.Today, however, Peterhead was a hoppin' place!I had a few items to on my list to gather as well as a few errands to complete.Thus commenced operation: normal.Buy a new pair of shoes to replace the ones I trashed camping; locate a very large box to mail my camping stuff home; get a hair trim; hit the post office; buy some fishing lures… you know, normal stuff!It was great.Truly it was.No one around me knew how monumental doing that was for me.These past four days have been just that.I had the pleasure of just 'being.'Going to the grocery store; singing at the top of my lungs with the radio; chatting with the gas attendant lady; talking about fishing rods with the bate and tackle guy; eating in my car… having to vacuum my car because I always invariably spill something… On the outside, it all may sound very mundane.But for someone who hasn't had the pleasure of 'living' for the past six months, it was a real treat just to 'be.'Even driving on the left side grew on me.I really melded into the groove, these past four days.Just another one of the neighbors eatin' fish, chips and chowder with the locals out by the pier…Total groove salad.
In the evening I stopped off at a rocky coastline and made love to the scenery with my camera.Bouncing all over the rocks… switching lenses furiously… further trashing my knees to get the right shot… it's big time physical work, I tell you!I just laid there on the grassy cliff top just taking it all in. Storm clouds were rolling in, but the sun would peak out of a cloud break and glisten on the ocean below.Seagulls sang and danced around the rocks as waves crashed over them in baptismal fashion.I really needed to get going… but I just couldn't pull myself away.I was so content.So full.So comfortable.I didn't want that moment to end.I hadn't seen the beauty of a rocky coastline since moving away from San Diego a couple of years ago.I've really missed the way that view makes me feel.But it was time to go.Tomorrow I'll kick into tourist gear with all the excitement of Edinburgh's festivals.The camping served me a healthy dose of humble pie; I had boring quiet time to myself by the coast; and now I'm onto the noise. But first I must finish my very brown microwave dinner.Feels so good to be so boring.
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Juaniece Howell Loving your blog and missing me some 'Summer time'. Glad you're back in civilization and posting again!!!
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