I was looking at something the other day about a woman who lived by the ocean. She’d taken beautiful pictures — green, fresh and white with spray and clouds. You could hear the splashing.

I said to myself, wow, how nice it must be to live near the sea!

And then I remembered, um, I now live near the sea. I live a very short walk from the sea. Cross a street and a strip of ragged pines and I’m looking at it.

I need to get out more often.

I have a beach blanket and umbrella, a straw hat, books galore and even a waterproof craziness that allows me to wear my phone into the water. I’ve done this. It worked, but I was so distressed about its possible failure that I decided it’s better to forgo the phone.