surftwin

Bad Boy ~ circa 1949

2012-01-15T20:07:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T09:50:00.000-08:00

Stussy...

Cleo...

(newest addition to our family. it only took me 7 mos after miss bean was gone...)

fat lady singing...

2011-10-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the

final

Noll Long Board Classic

Sweet 16

Bev & Rhyn (Noll) have opted to not continue with the contest.

Perhaps one of the other shops in town will pick it up next year?

Who knows....?

Here I am...

trying to cross-step thru the semi-finals

in what can only be described as

craptastic conditions

fancy white water twirl...

shaka cutie...

photos courtesy G. Link

crow...

2011-09-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

It's a Girl

2011-08-31T09:29:00.000-07:00

Meet...

Shao Bi Fu

(Little White Bat)

We call her

Stussy

She is Taiwanese Mountain Dog mix (Formosan) and was abandoned with a litter mate on a popular hiking trail in Taiwan at the tender young age of 7 weeks. Her rescuer cleaned her up, got a round of shots in her and brought her back to Oregon.

The cute boy & I couldn't resist her ears....and adopted her 2 weeks ago.

She LOVES the V-man...

Stussy learning the way of Legos...

insex

2011-07-11T19:49:00.000-07:00

...in my office garden

graffiti

2011-06-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

green thumb

2011-06-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't planted a garden since I sold my house over 5 years ago.

So...this year I'm taking advantage of some unused land at the office.

Just a small garden box.

Full of heirloom tomatoes (cherokee purple, black prince, hillbilly & juliette), lemon cucumbers, and sugar snap peas.

mmm...tomato sandwiches....my absolute favorite

huck finn

2011-05-31T16:35:00.000-07:00

spring south

2011-05-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

The cute boy & I are road tripping.
Headed south in search of some surf and maybe a springer (or two).

Stopped at my folks' for a little lunch & to check out all the work they've been doing in the garden.

This used to be the barn & pasture where we raised cows, chickens, cats, dogs and several ducks.

My mom's kitty....Annie....in the forgetmenots.

fruit

2011-03-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

They tell me...the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

The V-man clearly demonstrated this...this past weekend.

North West Age Group Sectionals Swim Meet

163 teams representing 6 states: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska & Hawaii

The V-man qualified for 6 events total. (10 & under)

Friday results:

50 free ~ :28.85. Dropped 2 seconds & a personal best. 8th place. (he went into this seeded 22nd)

He's in lane 7 far side of pool....red cap. (2nd in his heat)

Saturday results:

50 fly ~ :30.77. Dropped 1 second & a personal best. 2nd place! (he went into this seeded 5th)

He's in lane 2 far side of pool...red cap.

50 back ~ :35.02. Dropped 1 second & personal best. 18th place. (seeded 33rd)

Sunday results:

50 breast ~ :39.58. Dropped 1 second & personal best. 19th place. (seeded 19th)

100 fly ~ 1:12.63. Dropped 6 seconds & personal best. 9th place. (seeded 18th)

(I have video...won't load)

100 IM ~ 1:14.74. Dropped 4 seconds & personal best. 11th place. (seeded 40th...last!)

It was an absolutely phenomenal weekend of swimming for the V-man.

Sweet.

I am beyond stoked!

Harley

2011-02-17T20:55:00.000-08:00

Harley Frances Bean
Harley Princess
Miss Bean

I got her from a pet store...18 years ago

a Siamese mix...chatty & social

(always on her terms)

18 years

chatting barfing purring chirping biting bitchiness rubbing scratching playing napping

loving

I held her as her energy slipped away...sighing her last sigh

for all my complaining about having to clean up (and step in) barf....I did it daily for 18 years

from the time she was a kitten...she would sleep on me

on my legs...to be specific

she'd climb up onto the bed shortly after I crawled in

and settle on my legs

I'd move...she'd readjust herself back onto my legs

me...move

her...right back on

a dance step that was repeated several times nightly

eventually I'd give up & fall asleep with miss bean perched in her happy place purring away

I crawled into bed last night

without my dance partner

and cried myself to sleep

Bean had the most amazing blue eyes

April 21, 1989

2011-01-31T21:34:00.000-08:00

I was going through closets...cleaning out old crap...when I came across this.

Yep...

I did a couple plays in college.

Even though I was an outsider.
Not accepted (at any level) by the theatre majors.

I was just a stupid athlete.

A modern american lit shakespeare studying noam chomsky thesis writing stupid all-american athlete.

Why don't you go back to what you know?
Like... drowning?

They all thought I was sleeping with the director.

How else did I get roles?

Whatever.

I loved it.

Learning lines.
Studying dialects.
Character analysis.
Opening up...

It's been well over 20 years.

Maybe one day I'll get back to it...

blossom

2011-01-26T21:41:00.000-08:00

early signs of life...

cairn

2011-01-25T21:15:00.000-08:00

find your path...girl

bah...

2010-12-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

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

stick man II

2010-11-20T17:50:00.000-08:00

stick man

2010-11-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

monday morning...

2010-10-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

...board meeting.

photos courtesy of Gaz

stairway

2010-08-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

got stripe?

2010-07-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

isn't she pretty?

shaping:
6ftnperfect

glassing:
moonlight

none

2010-06-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

Skunk Works

2010-05-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

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

Great Expectations

2010-05-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

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.

my next generation

2010-05-12T13:05:00.000-07:00

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

flame

2010-05-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

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)

christmas in july

2010-04-27T16:02:00.000-07:00

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!

Occam's Razor

2010-04-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

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

rock dance

2010-04-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

bored board meeting?

2010-03-12T21:32:00.000-08:00

lunch fodder...

i dreamt i was surfer joe...

2010-03-04T18:56:00.000-08:00

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

heron

2010-02-14T12:27:00.000-08:00

fern gully

2010-01-11T22:32:00.000-08:00

psycho(loca)lized

2010-01-03T21:18:00.000-08:00

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

New Year

2010-01-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

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....

wish list

2009-12-23T11:55:00.000-08:00

The V-man wrote up his list for Santa last night.

And...

He was kind enough to include a lil sumpin sumpin for dear ol' mom.

You got that Santa!?!

Happy Holidays All!

a season of...

2009-12-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

brokenness
emergencies
misgivings

the other pea in the pod
has called it quits
after 20 years
this has shattered any fantasy
of a perfect match
that...i ever had

the artist
has been in & out
of the emergency room
with his new squeeze
for weeks now
she's back there tonight
good energy to you M

this time of year
depresses me deeply
i struggle to keep
my usual schedule
the
emotional roller coaster?
stifled
with every ounce of type A
i can muster

here's to...

a new year
good health
good surf

hiatus

2009-12-12T22:22:00.000-08:00

i hadn't surfed for two months

shitty conditions
kid/job/life
obligations

there are days
that i truly hate myself
for always being
responsible

so when i paddled out last monday
after a weekend of domesticity
baking (for the cute boy's birthday)
laundry
& pretty sure i scrubbed a toilet in between hoards of hand washed dishes

wasn't expecting much
wasn't expecting anything

just needed
just wanted

to get wet

below freezing air temp
48 degree water
crystal clear day
4 @ 13

gaz & i paddled out at finicky's
quickly joined by jeff & farmer blake
the lone surfinoregon coveting the left at crab pots
eventually joined us
as link (the other gazza) finally suited up & made his way out

caught a handfull
before the chill set in
blue & shaking
barely able to sit on my board

sun glare
big locals
making their presence known

it felt good to be home

thirteen

2009-12-10T23:38:00.000-08:00

once
every blue moon
i see her
passion
a glimmer
untarnished
with life

shroom town

2009-11-16T18:52:00.000-08:00

nooner

2009-11-10T13:38:00.000-08:00

de fuca

2009-11-05T20:12:00.000-08:00

birthday present from the cute boy

de fuca

now gracing my office wall....next to the b&w surfy pics of the cute boy

rookie luck

2009-11-01T20:14:00.000-08:00

my first attempt at fishing salmon
ran a kwikfish
hooked the first...a hen...not 20 minutes after putting in the drift
took me almost 20 minutes to land it
i was nervous
24 pounds

hooked the second...a buck...about an hour later
28 pounds

Gaz hooked his...a hen at over 30 pounds...just after I landed the buck

Happy Birthday to ME!

Gaz with my buck..

my hen & buck...

I can fish...

Super bright hen by Gaz...

Uncle John...the patient expert.

fall...

2009-10-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

Finished at dusk.
Shapes in the shadows.
Lone coyote.
Me.

Noll

2009-10-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

surf contests...are nothing like swim meets

swimming...is not subjective
you race...the clock
no one...judges you

surfing....on the other hand
up against...mother nature
a panel...of judges

the cute boy...

slip kid

2009-10-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

The V-man has been busy creating...

Van did all of this on his own. He built all of the lego* sets, moved each piece, etc... Took every individual pic by himself....on his own camera.

My contribution....?....i downloaded the pics from his camera to my computer, added music & uploaded the whole sh'bang here.

He's 9.

Look out George Lucas...

* most of the legos used to build the base belonged to Van's dad & uncle when they were kids.
ie: these legos are 35+ years old

warlock

2009-09-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

I was on the phone with the cute boy tonight as I pulled into the parking lot.

It was empty...save for me.

I mentioned that the emptiness...
while generally relished...
had started to creep me out.

I often let my imagination get the better of me.

His advice...don't talk to or go with anyone.
And...keep your fist clenched until you hit bone.

I assured him...
I keep my key grasped between my fingers like a weapon.

With that...I started off on my usual hike.

Wouldn't you know it...not ten minutes in...
I came upon a guy pissing on the trail.

Nice.

For close to twenty years I've been hiking Hoyt.
I have never felt unsafe in these woods.

But every now & then...
I do get spooked.

I see things...

...the warlock that watches over me as I trudge up the hill.

Cursed imagination...

saturday boys

2009-09-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

equinox

2009-09-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

First day of Fall.

Hot. Arid.

It didn't surprise me that some woman was yelling at me....asking me if I knew CPR...as I drove up & pulled into the parking lot at Hoyt. I had already pulled over twice on my drive home from work....to let an ambulance and then a firetruck pass. Lots of sirens tonight....I had noted.

I nodded and parked, quickly running down to the small crowd that had gathered. Probably a crap shoot on her part...but none of the other bystanders seemed to offer any knowledge.

There on the cement lay a boy in his early 20s barely breathing and a pale shade of grey.

Does he have a pulse?...I asked.

Yes. Very weak.

Was he working out?

We don't know.

I found him in his car slumped over...offered a gentleman. We carried him out.

Did you call an ambulance?

Yes.

As I was assessing the situation...the fire truck pulled up. I stepped back as the firemen & emt's began asking the same questions...going about their business of reviving the boy. I could see fresh tracks in his right arm. The firemen also pointed this out...and asked what he had taken.

Nobody knew.

Nobody knew who he was.

I stood there watching them work....mesmerized. My analytical brain had taken over. No panic. Only questions & curiosity. Analyzing every move they made. Inching closer....to watch & learn.

And...as quickly as the crisis had started....it was over. The ambulance arrived as the boy was rousing. The colour coming back to his cheeks.

So I turned and made my way up the hill.... to 4 miles of empty trail. Thankful for the solitude.

sketched

2009-09-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

she sat quietly at the bar...crayon busily flying over paper

she left this with her tip...

foggy

2009-09-09T22:59:00.000-07:00

some days...
the fog
...feels good

birthday boy

2009-08-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

The V-man is 9 today.

Yanked from my loins at 2:06 p.m....all 9 pounds, 21 & 1/2 inches of him.

....a keeper.

Here he is at 7 months....

fin-icky fin work

2009-08-16T15:27:00.000-07:00

taking advantage of a small day to practice fin first take-offs...

keep the fin down

plant it

spin it

drift

concentrate...

concentrate...!!

voila!

photos courtesy of Gaz

matsyasana

2009-08-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

fish pose

carnitas & olas

2009-07-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

exposed

2009-07-20T19:01:00.000-07:00

State Long Course Meters Championships

2009-07-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

The V-man swam in his first ever state championships this past weekend.
Improved times.
Top 10 finishes in all of his events.

My little swimmer is taking shape.

sunday school

2009-07-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I am agnostic/atheist.
At 13....I told my parents that I didn't believe in religion.
No longer would I attend church.

Then...I found this.
Now I'm in church every Sunday...

photos courtesy of Fletcher Burton

fish a la tyler

2009-06-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

the cute boy got up this morning and said we were going fishing

uh....ok?

the surf is micro
south winds coming
and...
the tyler had been somewhat neglected

sure...why the hell not
nothing like feeling like a big ol' piece of bait out in the middle of lake pacific

paddle paddle paddle paddle paddle paddle

dinner!

fine day

2009-06-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

no early morning commute
sex
coffee/tea
toast
long walk
nude sunbathing
eagles soaring overhead
fruit
surf
sex
long walk

day half over...

swimmin stoke

2009-06-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

School is out and swim season has begun.

The V-man competed in his first ever LCM swim meet (long course meters....50 meter pool) this past weekend. About 265 swimmers (in all) ranging in age from 5 to 18 competing.

50 meters... is a long way to swim for an 8-year-old. (some days...it's a long way to swim for a 40-year-old)

The V-man was undaunted by this.....

Saturday:

50 m. back - first (A time)
50 m. breast - second (A time)
50 m. fly - disqualified (he had it won......damn two hand touch!)

Sunday:

100 m. free - first (A time)
100 m. breast - second (B time)
100 m. back - first (A time)

side note: his times were not only faster than all of the 8 y.o.'s...but also faster than MOST of the 9, 10 & 11 y.o.'s

"A" times....qualify him for the Oregon State (10 & Under) Long Course Championships.

He kicked ass!

Not bad for a boy that once needed the threat of "calling Papa"... just to get him into the pool for practice.

enchanted forest

2009-06-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

not much in the way of surf today
sure...the buoys say south swell
but...
the south wind is on it as well
blown out crap

so...

the cute boy & I went in search of oyster mushrooms...

bounty!

unfortunately...these beauties are about 40 feet up...

no fretting though...
we did find several...a couple pounds worth...within reach.

friday fodder...

2009-05-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

After a visit with Red in the hospital Thursday evening....
I bailed...for the long holiday weekend.

She's doing well.
(as well as can be expected)

The wind has been nuking for days.
No surf.

So...the cuteboy & I went for a long hike.

Six miles of treasures.

Forest.
Sand.
Floral.
Tide pools.
Sea life.
Fauna.

Oyster mushrooms...
(which we harvested for very good eating)

tiny crab...

lancet...

I also found a lovely geode with seafoam crystals & a fairly new bass lure.

drinking & thinking

2009-05-20T22:51:00.000-07:00

when
people you love
...hurt

dinner

2009-05-09T13:47:00.000-07:00

everybody gets to eat...

Happy Mother's Day!...to all the moms out there.

cancer

2009-05-06T22:40:00.000-07:00

FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT
FUCK FUCK FUCK

FUCK

my best girl
her double d's

mastectomy

wrong....doesn't begin to describe this

gonna go scream
several more obscenities

pillow talk...

2009-05-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

conversations when you live almost a 100 miles apart....

me: you sleep good?

gaz: yes

you?

me: not too bad

gaz: lol

me: ;-)

8:27 AM gaz: but i could smell you on your pillow

me: ewww.....sweaty?

gaz: LOL

hahah

me: hee!

gaz: sweet like jasmine on a zephyr of wind

me: LOL

gaz: ;-)

8:28 AM me: funny boy today

...and some wonder why I call him cute boy.

trillium

2009-04-20T17:29:00.000-07:00

The cuteboy (knew he) was in hot water the other day...
...so he pic'd me flowers.

Lovely....aren't they.

NO...he didn't PICK these flowers.

Picking trillium will so severely injure the flower...
that it can takes years to recover.

Lucky for him...he has a really cute smile.

divine comedy...

2009-04-14T19:10:00.001-07:00

14000 lines

divided into 3 canticas

each consisting of 33 cantos

One...

...of my favorite poems.

Dante's journey through

the three realms of the dead.

Inferno

Purgatorio

Paradiso

It begins the night before Good Friday

and ends...

the Wednesday after Easter.

Certainly my own hell started well before Good Friday.

interesting...

that it ends....

the Wednesday after Easter.

Down there a place is that no torments try
But only darkness grieves, where the lament
Hath not the sound of wail, but is a sigh.

Party on Wayne. Party on Garth.

hey coach...

2009-04-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

...he says & smiles
sauntering down the hall

i see this client once a year
(twice...if i'm lucky)

hands me his shoe box
...and asks
how's the pool?

then wonders when
i'm going to follow
(what he sees as)

...my passion

good question

favourite

2009-03-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

For Daddy P....
(please forgive the phone quality camera)

date night

2009-03-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

Friday.
I left work early...at 5:00...for a date.

A date.

Four miles of (relatively) empty trails.

Three & a half miles into my huffing & puffing...
there it was.

My favourite rhododendron...
within 5000+ acres.

Amidst the grey & green...
it absolutely glowed.

Pink.

fishing whole

2009-03-01T21:18:00.000-08:00

many hours worked
in & out of the office
no hours surfed
two months
busy season

my one day off this week
the cuteboy took me fishing

no easy entry

2009-02-04T21:08:00.000-08:00

In all our trips south...I hadn't surfed this reef...until this last trip.
I've watched the cute boy get it good.
But....I don't do cliffs.
Or...I should say...I'm not allowed to do cliffs...anymore.
(They don't call me grace for nothin.)

So this time....

I did the half-mile walk/paddle down from the next reef to the north.

Five of us out.
Sunny.
Excellent end to the year.

silent

2009-01-29T21:52:00.000-08:00

knowledge
of others
has frozen
fingers

frosty

2009-01-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

Left town with (a lot of) snow on the ground. (needed chains just to get from my street to a main thorough-fare)

Nine days of surf, sun & se.....er....vacation. (sorry dad...)

Drove home to find an inch & a half of fresh snow on the ground.

sidebar: for those of you that are "map" challenged...I am pleased to announce...that of the half dozen trips we've made to the 'cruz....we have managed to never make it out of the bay area without fucking up. It's a gift...

This was our last morning in town.
Cold & icy...despite the sun.

Gaz...getting a few last waves before the 11 & 1/2 hour drive home.

flew the coop

2008-12-31T20:06:00.000-08:00

After almost two weeks of being house-bound with snow days
we made it out of town & south bound.
Sun.
Surf.
Grumpiness gone.

Happy New Year.

the beginning of the end...

2008-12-25T18:59:00.000-08:00

December 31, 2007...

Started the year here....ending it here as well.
Full circle.

Here's to holding swells & warmer water.
Happy Holidays.

big dig

2008-12-23T17:28:00.000-08:00

before...

couple hours later...

dug out
thawed out
chained up

no shovel
no help
no problem

freeloader

2008-12-22T20:03:00.000-08:00

This...
is Freeloader.

Lou...for short.

I adopted him (about this time) 3 years ago.
We had snow, freezing rain & sub-twenty temps.
His (original) owner left him outside.

Me...being Me....couldn't stand it, so I started letting him in.
He got along well with Tug & Harley.
In fact...he made himself right at home.

Then...about a year & a half ago...he started spraying/peeing in the v-man's room.
Big mistake.
I won't tolerate that nonsense....so out he went.
Don't worry though...another neighbor started caring for him.

Imagine my surprise...when I found him scratching on my door at 6:00 a.m. the other morning.
It was freezing out...and snowing!
(fucking part-time pet owners)

So...
I let him in.
Been here since Saturday morning...
...making himself right at home.

icy

2008-12-21T07:46:00.000-08:00

Freezing rain atop 10 inches of snow....

...make some tea & pull out the crossword.
Welcome the winter solstice.

syncro...

2008-12-20T22:20:00.000-08:00

...in a ditch?

On a straight-away?

At least 10 inches of snow today. Prime...driving conditions.

Tow to the rescue...

oops...

beauty in the blizzard

2008-12-14T15:33:00.000-08:00

snowing
blustery
twenty-four degrees

this spring bloomer....showed up in the fall

poppy

2008-12-05T22:56:00.000-08:00

sometimes...

2008-11-16T20:55:00.000-08:00

...I surf.

pic courtesy of Gaz

The Great Battle...

2008-11-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

A little known fact in the history books...

Norse Gods fought...

for passage rights across...

The Sea of Harley.

See?....this one walks on water.
A true God.

A hard fought battle on the raging Sea of Harley...

The Sea of Harley is about to devour one of the ships...

Yeah....ok...I haven't been getting much surf lately.

four oh.....

2008-10-31T22:36:00.000-07:00

made me dinner...

let me sleep in....'til 8

tea...

surf check...

watched the cute boy fish...and read

mushroom hunting...

afternoon nap...

a loverly birthday.

...and my world didn't implode.

Happy Hallowe'en!

phoresia

2008-10-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

You can find me here.....

Hee!

decisions...

2008-10-16T23:20:00.000-07:00

Is it just me.....or is the sliver of moon leaning...left?

beach bunnies

2008-10-10T11:21:00.001-07:00

rusted

2008-10-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2008-09-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

lost boy
new office
mid-life

lions
tigers
bears

oh my....

nonsense

2008-09-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.
Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn't.
And contrary-wise;
what it is it wouldn't be, and what it wouldn't be, it would.
You see?

~Alice~

Oh (so) positive...

2008-09-10T17:37:00.000-07:00

"Wow! ...you've got great veins!"

Ahh shucks....

*donate blood*

shop talk

2008-09-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

Stories tend to fly....

...while waiting for a board to dry.

school me

2008-08-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

I often find myself in the midst of the boys' club...when it comes to the line up.

So when I paddled out Tuesday morning I figured it would be another same ol' same ol' session with all the usual suspects.

Four men....and me. (not that I'm complaining....mind you)

All the niceties ensued...."Hey how's it going..." "Good morning" ....and the ubiquitous nod.

And then it began....advice being thrown at me from all sides.

Normally....I will smile & nod. (in one ear...out the other)

Tuesday's teachers though.....required attention.

How often do you get a two hour seminar from 3 very good surfers and.... a legend.

A South African, two Half Moon Bay boys and.... Mr. Pipeline.

I consider myself lucky....not everyone gets this kind of education.

I listened.

I tried to remember (& execute) everything they were telling me.

I was on the twinfin (one day board). Should've taken out the genius....but I wanted more practice with the new shorty.

I was slow to my feet. And... having ridden Sonja the day before....kept stepping off the back or not widening my stance enough.

I kept at it though.

And then....

Bearhunter said "go"...

I spun & went...

Backside...pig-dogging it into a barrel....only to stand up too soon & get taken out by the lip.

Sir Lancelot watching (& hooting) on his paddle back out.

May not be legit by most standards....

I think I got an A for effort.

getting wet

2008-08-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

V-man & I are on vacation....last week of summer before school starts.
The small summer waves (and a steady hand) lured him out to the line up...

Out of the kiddy pool & into the pacific pond...

A solid set to finish off the session...

good sam

2008-08-25T21:52:00.000-07:00

random kook: (paddling toward me...) Hey girl!

me: (watching the incoming set & thinking wtf?...I haven't been called "girl" for close to 25 years)

random kook: Hey girl! ....I'm not supposed to be out here. I have seizures....and I'm supposed to wait another month...but I couldn't wait that long....so if you see me face down in the water could you make sure I make it to shore?

me: (looking directly at Mr. Kook) I'm off duty. No lifesaving for me this week. (turn....catch wave)

random kook: (dumbstruck look on face = priceless)

*for those of you that don't know....in my former life I was a lifeguard/swim instructor....and I've had my fair share of mouth-to-mouth/cpr/saving-some-idiot's-ass. That training is ingrained in me. Any time I'm in the water....the eyes in the back of my head are very much aware of who's around me & what's going. I can't escape it. So....Mr. I'm going to go against my doctor's orders & not only put myself at risk but put everyone else around me at risk as well....eff off. I'm no longer licensed to save your ass. Oh....and on the off chance that "that" was your pick up line? ....get better material.

dogwood

2008-08-22T19:26:00.000-07:00

nemesis

2008-08-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

Four miles.

Four waves.

Streak broken.