Have you ever just wanted to get away, just leave everyone and everything behind? No planning just drives. I close my eyes and visualize a quiet, calming, relaxing place.

In my mind’s eye, I can see the ocean. I love the ocean. I could hear the waves reaching the shore, the smell of salt only the ocean emits. It’s my best place. There is a little sandy cove with little hills on either side of the cove, heaven. It’s only about one and a half hours to get there.

It’s my best place to relax and take in the fresh ocean air. Ok, decision made, I throw an overnight bag together just in case I don’t want to leave my favorite place. There are a couple of hotels there that are reasonably priced. My favorite is the one facing the ocean maybe 50 feet away from the water.

I put clean sweaters on my little Chihuahuas grab a sweater for me and my purse. The girls are excited. Cinnamon loves to travel. Sandy just wants to get there. Before we get into the car, I ask the girls to go potty that way we don’t have to stop.

I start the car and of course, I need gas, Ugh. OK, not a big deal there’s a gas station right off the freeway. It’s about an hour and a half drive to the ocean, not bad.

Once we hit the road, fight the traffic I know were close when we round the last hill and there it is the ocean. It’s a beautiful day, the sun is out a small breeze gorgeous day to be at the beach. We park in a park-like setting, I take a deep breath and sigh, smells like salt.

We hit the beach and I take off my shoes get my feet wet and feel transformed. My girls don’t like to get wet, so they step back away from the small waves, they’re yelling at me by “barking”, they’re telling me to get out of the water there saying you’re getting wet.

We pass the rest of the afternoon looking for shells walking up and down the beach and getting my feet wet meeting other dogs who do like playing in the water, catching the ball, catching sticks just having a blast. I’m so relaxed, content, and full of sand, that’s the best.