in the sands of luxury

I have always enjoyed films and novels that either have reversed or truncated time lines.  Memento being one of my favorites.


I would like to say I have been that creative about my tale of the beach.  This is installment number three and should have been number one.  And I fear that is more the product of a disorganized mind than an indice of artistic genius.

But we can all pretend.


This trip to the beach was a spontaneous idea.  I knew I wanted to go -- earlier in the week.  But it was not until I realized how good the weather was going to be before I decided to push the button.


I seldom make reservations.  Part of that is simply my style.  Planning is a nuisance.  But I have discovered on several recent trips that failing to have reservations is an invitation to discover the glories of sleepovers in hotel lobbies.


So, on the morning of the day I intended to arrive at the beach, I started calling around to my favorite spots.  Apparently, the entire Willamette Valley was planning on spending the weekend at the beach.  Most places were full.  Those that were not full offered only one bed per room.  I needed two.


My friend Roy offered a suggestion.  He and his wife had recently stayed at a hotel on the beach -- with a hot tub on the deck.  The hot tub sold me.


It turns out that the hotel is actually five separate boutique hotels -- each about the size of a large home.  I chose a two-bedroom suite.  And it was one of the best experiences I have had on the coast.


The master bedroom had a bathroom en suite and a jacuzzi tub.  There was an additional bathroom for the other bedroom.  Plus a large living room and a functional kitchen.


But the best thing about the setup was the whole reason for going to the beach -- the ocean.  The hot tub on the deck was icing on the cake.  If I had more time, I would have spent most of the day sitting on the deck -- reading and watching.


The whole trip was over in two days.  But the mini-vacation worked wonders for me.  I got outside to see new sights and to have a few new experiences.


It was almost a joy to return to work on Monday. 

Almost.