Thursday, December 23, 2010

bah...

i came across this little guy during my walk today....


smaller than my thumb
no...i don't have sissy hankshaw thumbs

amid the muck & mire of my standard holiday self loathing

this little guy...

found a smile

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Thursday, November 04, 2010

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

monday morning...


...board meeting.







photos courtesy of Gaz
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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Saturday, July 03, 2010

got stripe?

isn't she pretty?

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shaping:
6ftnperfect

glassing:
moonlight


Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Monday, May 31, 2010

Skunk Works


a group within an organization
given a high degree of autonomy and unhampered by bureaucracy
tasked with working on advanced or secret projects






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Monday, May 24, 2010

Great Expectations

This arrived in the post today....



An Entwicklungsroman from the ever charming Penfold.

I am so excited to have new reading material...
it has preempted my CPE studies.


Thank you, Mr. Crockett.

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Wednesday, May 12, 2010

my next generation


the surf was small this past weekend
very small
thigh high....if that

perfect conditions for a 9-year-old's first paddle out to the line-up
with the old boys
he paddles his surf mat as if it's a surf board...naturally

out of the white water & into some green face

caught a set wave
saucer eyes smiling from ear to ear
paddling back out for more

surfing with my son
best mother's day ever



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Tuesday, May 04, 2010

flame

my truck

my dad has driven this beast for over 40 years

he drove me to the hospital in this
for my first set of stitches at age 5
(swing set, paint cans, split lip...fun)
i still remember sitting on the seat
my dad driving
holding an old towel to my face

i learned to drive in this
4 on the floor
lo med hi
never used 1st...the granny gear was strictly for pulling

a new engine several years ago
350 small block
whole truck rebuilt from the ground up

she was all primed & ready for paint
when she got way-laid by an old woman

bam!

original grill was totaled
(guess we both have facial scars...)

the new grill makes her look like a twelve-year-old with new braces
ugh...

dad's still making upgrades

one day she'll carry my boards in the bed
(instead of her own bench seat)


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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

christmas in july

sshhh...

i've ordered a new board

you see....

the genius is old
suffers from many stress fractures & is starting to delam
i rarely ride her anymore & i don't want her broken

the stewart hydrohull has suffered a few dings of late
a rail gash (that i thought the cute boy would never speak to me again over)
a rock puncture from our last trip south & it too suffers from several stress fractures

sonja....well....let's just say the latest damage to her was kept from me (for a couple weeks)
i'm sure the cute boy thought i would never speak to him again over it

eh...shit happens
boards get beat up

so...

the cute boy and i started discussing local (pnw) shapers & the quality of their work, but that conversation quickly digressed into a bitch fest

sure...there are a handful of shapers that make nice boards with decent glass jobs that i could go to

BUT...

i started with the 'i wonders...'

i wonder if so & so would be interested in making me a board...
i wonder how much he charges...

i really like the idea of using...promoting...the back yard guy....a grass roots guru

with the 'i wonders...' it didn't take me long to come up with someone

a fellow blogger
talented artist
beautiful board maker

so i sent him an email...

totally stoked that he was willing to take me on

ssshhhhh...........

i have a new board in the works

and i'm keeping it hush hush

hee!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Occam's Razor

I haven't read a book in months.

Not for lack of reading material...mind you. There are several new books (borrowed & bought) sitting on a shelf. Each and every one patiently waiting for their pages to be pawed. Unfortunately...nothing gets read this time of year. Well...excepting tax law updates, the NY Times and my horrid scope.

I stood at one book shelf and perused the goods.

Several borrowed.
Two in particular...that I've been wanting to read.
Devil in the White City...passed on to me by my uncle/boss. And...Autobiography of a Face...passed on to me by my uncle's wife. There are several more...but these two happen to be at the top of the stack.
I pick up The Devil...set it down again.
Not in the mood.
Pick up Face.
Too heavy.
Too...involved...for this time of year.


One new.
West of Jesus.
Surf oriented.
But really...I bought that one for the cute boy to read.

Wander over to the other book shelf.
(because my apartment is so expansive...that wandering is warranted)


Sigh...

Then I spot it.

Tucked in the corner...behind the wooden cat.

Straight Man

My favourite Richard Russo novel.

Haven't (re)read it for years.

He may have won literary awards for his other works...all, of which, I have read.

But this one..
has

repeatedly kept me engrossed.

Repeatedly kept me laughing aloud.

Repeatedly
kept me.


What I expected, was
Thunder, fighting
Long struggles with men
And climbing.

~Stephen Spender

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Friday, March 12, 2010

Thursday, March 04, 2010

i dreamt i was surfer joe...


an' what that means...i don't know

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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010

Sunday, January 03, 2010

psycho(loca)lized

I...WE...had an interesting start to the new year.

yesterday....
I
came face to face with
the (one of many) town crazy.

I had walked to the mart for 13 bean soup fixens....beans, onion, tomato, cilantro.
I already had the ham hock.

on my way home...
I stopped to take a couple pics of the geese
that were occupying the Martella Farm pasture land

next thing I know....
some guy is yelling at me
cursing
coming up the street at me
with a big stick in his hand

I look around...
'cuz...well...you know
he couldn't possibly be talking to me

oops...

he's coming at me
yelling at me
telling me
I can't take pics
HERE

Where?

really...
i'm standing in the street
public street...that is
taking pics
of geese

needless to say...
he came right up to me
shaking his stick
telling me to leave

scared the crap out of me

I thanked him...and left.

what was I going to do...
throw a can of tomato & green chili at him?

I hurried home
trying to gain my composure before walking in the door

no such luck

I was in tears
angry
upset
at being scared
on a street
that I walk
all the time

not a good scenario
for the cute boy

I think I got out the words

"threatened"
"some guy"
&
"stick"

he was out the door
and
pissed

at this point...
my imagination has gotten the better of me

do I call the sheriff to report the harassment?
or...
call the sheriff to protect the crazy from
the wrath of gaz?

not to worry though...

the guy wouldn't come out of his cabin
while gaz screamed at him
threatening to pull him out
through the window and beat him silly

my hero
(chivalry is not dead)

the sheriff did come
I did give my report
and...being familiar with this particular guy
the sheriff
gave him a talking to

of course...

I'm still laughing at the irony of it all

small town drama
lack of meds
threats of violence

all for
a peaceful picture

of geese



ps.....we surfed today
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Friday, January 01, 2010

New Year


The last day of 2009 fought its way to the end.

sustained winds of 40
gusts of 55
sideways rain
20ft @ 10 seconds

for most of the day
&
into the night

Our guests quietly arrived & left
before the storm hit.

Seven in total....




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