Where's em-i-lis?

Heavenly. This is heavenly. We arrived at 4:30 this afternoon, Jack (having arrived yesterday) served as elder-statesman and showed us around and to the beach, it was fabulous to see my darling nieces, and we immediately headed to the shore for Ol's inaugural toes-in-the-waves experience. The boys are officially smitten with all the word 'beach' encapsulates, and we were only allowed to return home when a strong wave somersaulted Jack backwards, feet over head. He emerged looking rather like a breaded cutlet and was ready to call it a day. All the kids are asleep -I think- and I'm reclining happily on the porch, glass of wine in hand, watching the seagulls soar and the clouds skate, listening to the men inside, voices raised, beers in hand, arguing just for the sake of it but with no real anger.If you listen closely, you hear, beyond the glorious silence, an amazing array of birdly conversation. Hooting, cooing, singing, suggesting. Sounds of competition and hope, coercion and simple song. Maybe I do like the beach...