Friday September 12:
After a lovely time at the beach reading and collecting shells and rocks I resumed my hunt for Spisula solidissima a.k.a. the Atlantic surf clam. Following a tip earlier in the week I had headed down the state road leading to Aquinnah and taken Lobsterville Rd. to its end. My search that day did not turn up the large shells rumored to be there. I returned to the source and got more intel. Today, armed with this info, I would try again.
It was a gorgeous afternoon as I drove down the road that runs along the sea. I parked near the jetty at the bike ferry and grabbing my bucket trudged through the rough sand out to the stone jetty. On the other side of the second jetty I could see the crowd gathering on the beach at Menemsha to watch the sunset. A lone fisherman stood at the end of the jetty on my side which was peaceful. I looked around the beach expecting to see the tons of giant shells I had imagined. I saw none. I walked toward the water and looked in. Seeing different large spots of white I got excited but on closer inspection many were broken pieces of clam shell. They were large so I knew I was close. I realized I’d have to get in the water to find and collect the shells I sought. I took off my shorts and tied my tee shirt up. Doing my best Honey Rider impression I walked down into the cold clear water. I finally started to find them! Moving slowly and unwilling to submerge my tee shirt in the water I used the toes on my right foot to pick up the shells before holding them in my left hand. (I was pretty pleased with myself.) I got a really good haul and also found some quahog shells.
Today being Friday I was very excited as I headed back to Vineyard Haven. Today was Lobster Roll Day at the Grace Church! I parked and joined the other happy people skipping up the sidewalk to get theirs. I even sang a little lobster roll song on my way to and fro the church! After another lovely outdoor shower I consumed TWO lobster rolls and hit the hay early. Another fine day indeed.
I will leave you with this video taken where I found the Atlantic surf clam shells…
Saturday Sept. 13: GOOD NEWS! I finished the first draft of Book II of The Adventures of Isabelle: Journey to Orphalese!!! Although it did not seem like it to me I have been working on it for 4 yrs! Looking back over this chronicle I pretty much have only been able to get an appreciable amount of work done on it when on a retreat such as this one. (In the near future I look forward to bringing some of you on similiar retreats to work on your endeavors. So stay tuned.)
I have to say writing does not exactly come easy for me and as I neared the end of the story my trepidation grew but I recall what my journalist friend and editor Tamara E. Holmes told me once “Just write. Get it down you can always edit later so don’t worry about it. Just nail yourself to the chair and write.” Nailing me to a chair is not unlike trying to nail Jello to a wall sometimes but even sort spurts in the chair before I would jiggle out produce work.
Seriously, if you could see me work it’s funny. I jump up at least every half an hour with some excuse or another; I gotta get a coffee, clean the floor, tend to my shells, call my mom, walk around the yard, lay on the floor and stare at the ceiling or as in JUST now, check out suspicious noises (it was the fridge, not to worry). I call this “my process” ha ha.
I didn’t leave the house today. After writing I did some light gardening, processed my clam shells (cleaning, sorting etc.) read, had lunch and dinner (chowder and lobster roll respectively) played Candy Crush, read some more and went to bed early, looking forward to sleeping in on Sunday morning. Today’s (Sunday’s) task is to fix holes I identified in the story before I left home and to fill out some scenes that are a bit thin or missing.
