When we go to the beach, there’s always a sand-dragon. It’s slunk up from the surf, its coils rounded smooth by the pounding breakers, and it curves lazily just above the high tide mark. Before Things 1 and 2, the sand-dragons had wings. I hope it’s not somehow deeply symbolic that they don’t anymore. I prefer to think of it as a pragmatic move. Wings are tricksy, and take rather a lot of time to get right–time which biology dictates is better spent preventing Things from drowning in the Atlantic.  So they’re wingless now, but they still have plenty of spines, because spines can be any sort of flotsam that little hands can grab. The prize bit of jetsam this year was a pair of sunglasses missing one lens. I popped out the remaining lens, which made an admirable soul-patch, and with the thick black lensless frames, Hipster Dragon was complete. Unfortunately, either the ocean or the glasses’ rightful owner intervened before I could get a picture. But trust me–this guy was slinkster-cool.

This year, there was also a mermaid. She had scales before the rain came. She also had a shell bikini, because this is a family beach. She did not have hands, because they’re at least as tricksy as wings. Thankfully, the helpful models at Victoria’s Secret have taught me that you do not need hands if you have lots and lots of high-volume hair.

But now, we’re back to The Real World, which includes but is not limited to the perpetual state of Thing 2’s room:

Fortunately, The Real World also includes my local library, where the friendly librarians now start hauling out my requested reserves when they see me walk through the doorway.  I like to think that the looks of dismay on their faces reflect a certain bemused endearment. I explained to them today that this is how I get in my weight-training. They told me that they were glad I’d picked up my books (finally) because they were running out of room on their reserve shelf.  It’s a pretty small library.

I’m starting with The Scorpio Races.  I think it appeals to me most at the moment because it is set in sand.  I miss the sand.