Avalon

If you go to iTunes and search Randy Newman and Avalon you will get the soundtrack to a Barry Levinson movie of the same name. If you listen to the first track on that album (the shortest one called Avalon) you will hear a portion of what I think is one of Randy Newman's most beautiful piano pieces. It's less than a minute long but full of lovely dissonances and his amazing ability to make a piano sound like a full orchestra. I wish I could link it, upload it, make it a part of your life, but really it's so short that if you just listen to the sample on iTunes, you'll get the gist. Sadly I was listening to it for inspiration just now in my own iTunes library and the song that followed it was Rick Dees' "Disco Duck" so I sort of lost the mood. Also I have no idea what the movie was about or if it was any good- I'll probably look that up after this post.

Perhaps you are thinking Why Avalon? Why now?

Because I wish Avalon, New Jersey looked and felt the way that piece sounds. If I could go to a place that sounded like that, it would be amazing.

Remember that year we went to the North Carolina shore (emerald isle) for Thanksgiving? Now that place felt like Avalon sounds. I'll have to think about the soundtrack for my current locale. I can tell you that it's fast, the beats are close together and it's probably from the '80's. Or maybe the soundtrack should just BE Disco Duck.

It's all good. I'm not complaining. The rental is very clean and modern (I'm on line without wires) and there is plenty of seating and sleeping space when guests arrive. The air conditioning works, the ocean is 2 blocks (.5 mile) away. The tourist town built around this part of ocean is cute and quaint in a mini Cape May kind of way if that means anything to you. And really, if you were coming from NYC (which many tourists here do), it would feel downright spacious. And there is a giant Pirate putt putt course that we didn't get to go to last year after dinner.

If you were coming from NYC and bringing your dog, said dog might be thrilled to have stone/gravel laden front yards to sniff and consider. For the moment, our 'Lil Liza is wondering how those "city dogs" ever do their business. Given that she's not allowed on the beach and there's no grass to be found, she's probably going to go home thinking her life is a vacation and she has to endure the ride in the car and 2 weeks of gravel-pooping in order earn her lovely vacation home.

And for those long time readers who might be wondering if this annual vacation exchange happened:

Mr. S: which way do I turn? do I turn left here?
S: No, you turn right here.
Mr. S: I think I turn left. The other cars are going that way. I think that looks right.
S: maybe it does but if you want to go back the way we came and get home, you should turn right.
Mr. S (as he is U-turning after a left turn) I guess it was right.

It did. Only this time we had it without the usual accompanying exploding head syndrome. All without any alcohol or medication. There's magic in that 8th year of marriage.