On Saturday, My husband, Clif, and I went to South Portland to visit our daughter Shannon and her husband, Mike. We brought along our dog, Liam, and Saturday was one of those brilliant September days that gives the month its shining reputation—warm but not hot with a deep blue sky and nary a bit of humidity to mar things.

This beautiful Saturday especially felt like a gift as it was the day we celebrated my birthday. Because the weather was so fine, we could do two of my favorite things—eat outside (at the Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth) and take a walk on nearby Crescent Beach.

An aside: Even though I was born in central Maine, about 50 miles from the ocean, I have an affinity for the sea. Mountains have beauty and grandeur, but there is something about them that makes me uncomfortable. The seaside is where I want to be.

So to the ocean we went, eating fried clams, scallops, and lobster rolls on the large terrace at The Lobster Shack. Then, it was on to Kettle Cove where we could park the car and walk the length of Crescent Beach, which does indeed have a crescent-like curve. Rocks, a sapphire-blue ocean that glittered under the sun, the sound of the waves on the beach, the pungent smell of the mud left by the receding tide, the beach grass on the edge, Liam doing his best Sheltie prance up and down the beach, and the family all came together to make this one fine day.

After that, we went to Shannon and Mike’s for cake, ice cream, and presents. Who could ask for anything more? Well, there was one more thing I would have liked—to have our daughter Dee join us. But she lives in New York. As I’m fond of noting, if only she lived in Boston. But never mind! Even without daughter Dee, it was a splendid day.