Ah, the beach. The sun, the sand, the ocean, the boardwalk. What is there not to love? One of the things I most love to enjoy on this blue planet of ours is to take about ten books to the shore with me and read them with all the vigorousness of a young puppy playing tug of war with his siblings. It's a wonderful time to lay out under the warmth of the sun with the ocean's gentle waves rolling as I experience adventures beyond my grasps because of time or circumstance. Or, back at the beach house, to curl up on the couch with my weather worn novel, gripping it tightly until the sweet end. Alas, not everything about this existence is as wonderful as it seems. There are pros, and surely there are cons, to this beautiful hobby of mine.

A few cons....

Sand. Everywhere. That's right, we're getting the obvious ones out of the way first. Sand in the pages, sand over the cover, sand all over my hands. Just. Sand. It's soft and lovely and great to look at, but when I'm trying to turn my pages it is my worst enemy.

Actually, water is my worst enemy. Ocean water specifically. I can handle some pure, salt-free, water dappled on a page, but just one drop of sea-water on a page seems to turn it and dry it out in the worst way. Once the water finally dries even, there is that offal film of salt left on the words. And you can't wash it off, because you'll simply ruin the poor pages even more. I am sure that many a book has been lost to this cruel twist of fate.

Ah, and then there is the sunlight. So bright, so beautiful, so warm, and such a huge help on my golden tan. Though, if you brave the shore without sunglasses or floppy hat in tow, you're in for a literal headache. Squinting from the brightness gets old after a while when you're trying to live in another world of fancy.

Then, the constant pull of "Should I actually participate in life?" Looking up briefly from your book, you will see children and family at play, laughing, splashing, building sand castles, and you will think "hmmm" before either closing your book (of course mid-sentence) or returning to your present adventure. It is a hard decision to make. When will you have the time to read again? Ah, but when will this day ever happen again? It is up to you what you choose. But keep in mind, the wee hours of the morning are always open for adventure.

The totally worth it pros...

Here, you have in your hand the perfect timer for your tanning flips. You know your own reading pace; you can feel out the book; you know how long a chapter is. Oh, I made it 30 more pages, time to flip. It keeps your tan much more even than one would think.

If it rains, who cares? I have plenty of stories to live through right here in the house! I love to play “How many spots can I read in?” and “Will I ever find a comfy one?” these games can keep you amused for hours if your literary choices are not as exciting, or if you simply become restless as I often do.

And of course, you get to read! Who wouldn’t love an entire week to do absolutely nothing else but to read? (I know quite a few people that wouldn’t actually, but that is not my point here). That summer reading list that has been piling itself up in the back of your mind will finally be attacked with all the ferocity it deserves. Books want nothing more to be read; stories to be told; lives to be loved. Who am I to object? I will read; I will tell; I will love. And all at the simple sea shore.