Miracles At The Beach

A bit over a week ago my sweetheart and I went away for a four-day weekend at the Oregon Coast to celebrate our wedding anniversary and to get some much-needed rest. We rented a tiny condo just above the sand and the waves - a wonderful place to spend time together. Each of the units had a name. Ours was named 'Miracles'. This little condo was part of a small building that may have been part of the big hotel-resort next door in days gone by. Each of the four units is privately owned. They have been remodeled and redecorated in the not-too-far-distant past. I couldn't wait to get inside to see the place where we would spend a few days away from everyday life together. When we unlocked the door I was not disappointed. The cozy interior and the perfect view outside the front windows was exactly as it had been advertised. Straight ahead were windows - a wall of windows- and a door of glass leading to the deck just above the sand. A bistro table and two chairs were in front of the windows. It was a place where we spent a lot of time writing, doing word and number puzzles and just looking out at the sea beyond. Silk flowers and a little journal book were on the table. The journal was filled with entries by people who had stayed there before - memories and thoughts of their time away at this special place of rest.Nearby, the bed and a comfortable white leather love seat offered a place to rest and relax. The rooms were well decorated and I noticed the bare wall above the bed. I thought it was strange and then I saw a big nail in the wall that led me to believe there had once been a large picture there. I guessed that something had happened to it and that it would be replaced soon. Directly across from the love seat was an entertainment center and a gorgeous wood-burning fireplace with granite surround and a faux granite mantel. Above the fireplace was a very big mirror. We enjoyed a warm, cozy fire each evening when we returned from the beach and dinner out.A cute little bear who was hugging a topiary of roses was the only decoration on the mantle. If you look closely you can see the reflection of the chandelier that hangs over the kitchen peninsula counter nearby.I didn't get a picture of the wonderful little kitchen in this studio condo. It had just about everything we could ever need. New appliances, granite counter tops and granite tile floors made it such a beautiful part of the whole experience. We fixed breakfast there each morning - my sweetheart is the breakfast chef at our house - and we ate lunch and dinner out. The little bathroom also had granite tile floors and a big, fluffy rug. The jacuzzi tub/shower was behind a bright shower curtain that was perfect with the decor of the rest of the room.The walls were light lavender, washed with a soft brown glaze. Artwork decorated the little room and made it complete.Every part of this little condo had been prepared for our arrival. It was obvious that someone had thought about things that would add to a good time away at the beach. The entertainment center was filled with games, puzzles and movies that would be a great way to spend time inside on a stormy day. A tiny bookcase held books of all kinds to capture the imagination of the reader. But the place that drew me back often was the deck just outside the big windows. The deck and the view beyond. And the little hot tub for two! We enjoyed relaxing in its warmth above the waves late at night and I was in it each day early in the morning when most of the world still slept. January on the Oregon Coast can be cold, wet and very stormy. At times it seems you will be blown out to sea. Not this weekend! It was perfect - what a local man we talked to on the beach called 'a chamber of commerce' day! The thermometer on the deck showed that it was nearly seventy degrees at five o'clock in the afternoon. In January!I couldn't wait to get out on the deck and soon my sweetheart joined me there.Together we enjoyed the sound of the waves and the sights in each direction. To the north -And to the south -Overhead, a sign on our condo let people walking on the beach know that they, too, could enjoy this special place.From the beach below it was obvious that we had a front row seat, an up close view of the tide. We were in the third condo from the left (or the second from the right, if you prefer!) - the one with the little white sign near the roof.

Late every afternoon, as evening approached, the sun began to set above the water. The colors and patterns it created were breathtaking.

The ever-changing view reached deep into my heart and captured something special in my imagination. I felt I could stay in this place forever and never get tired of what it had to offer.But the best view of all was my sweetheart, deep in thought, relaxed and rested and enjoying every minute we had together. Just us. No one else. Time away together, away from the noise of life and away from the demands and pressures of the day.We walked, we talked, we laughed, we sat in quiet thought, we reminisced, we planned and we dreamed. And we left this special place much different than when we arrived. It was truly a place of 'Miracles'!