Ch-ch-ch-changes

lost boy
new office
mid-life

lions
tigers
bears

oh my....

nonsense

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...

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

Ahh shucks....


*donate blood*

shop talk

Stories tend to fly....



...while waiting for a board to dry.

school me

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

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

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

nemesis

Four miles.

Four waves.

Streak broken.

red me

Ever been asked that question?

The one that generally stumps you...

"Who would play you in the movies?"

...you give it serious thought...

Anyone? I can pick anyone...?

Without hesitation...

...I have one answer...


Marlene Dietrich

Why?

I don't know.

She looks nothing like me.

I certainly don't have her glamour.

Maybe it's the dress...

surf olio

The cuteboy & I surfed this spot a few times during our latest trip south. This particular day I (we...once his royal highness got done with the crossword) scored a couple morning hours of waist to shoulder high lefts (& occasional right) on the new-to-the-quiver Hydro-Hull. Lovely responsive board. Easy to paddle and takes to walking. Then spent the next hour trying my hand at paddling the Mandala in preparation for the Hemorrhoid.
By noon the wind was on it...bringing the kite runners with it...

my little swimmer....

The V-man had a swim meet this past weekend.
Two points shy of high point for 8 & under...
He swam great!

One Day Board

Shaper: Neftali Espino
Board: The Hemorrhoid (6'4" moontail twin fin)

The cuteboy & I first met Nef on a trip down south two years ago.
I talk to everyone in the water....and happened to strike up a conversation with him. Every trip since...we run into him. So when we stumbled across this little shaper's shack last week....we were stoked to see it was his.

Not sure how I got talked into having him shape me a board....but I'm extremely pleased with the end result. Exactly what I've been looking for in a short board...

Made on Monday. Surfed on Tuesday.

From blank to glassed board in 8 hours....

body shop

The white flag has finally been tossed.

I've had close to two months of persistent pain & seizing in my lower back. (When pushing off the wall from a flip turn causes my back to seize....something might be wrong.)

And...

It took me a full 15 minutes to get out of bed on Tuesday of last week. ...the realization that I might succumb to bladder failure finally got me up and SLOWLY moving. (Note to self: Invest in a cane. Keep cane next to bed.)

So....

I finally hauled my aging beat up ass to the body shop.

Holy moly! I do relish a good chiro...

Tuesday was my first session.... (He came at the recommendation of Surf in Oregon and works primarily with athletes.)

Complete body adjustments. (He did my toes! ...I'm in Heaven.)

Deep tissue massage on right glute. (ow...)

Skin rolling/folding on left Psoas muscle/abs. (um....OW)

Felt so good afterward.....I went straight to swim practice.

And....made it through a yoga class on Wednesday WITHOUT ANY PAIN!

~~~~

Second session today (thursday)....

Complete body adjustments. (Did I mention....toe heaven?)

Skin rolling/folding on left psoas muscle/abs. (Holy shit! ....I now know what it feels like to have the fascia & skin ripped from your body. I thought I was going to pass out! Direct quote from the Doc..."I'm going to take advantage of your high tolerance for pain..." Eleven hours later....and I still have finger prints/marks on my stomach & hip.)

Electric stem on left & right glutes & lower back. (Oooh yeah! I love the highest setting....giggle fest. ...Doc B. now thinks I'm strange.)

Four more sessions to go.... should be fun.

stylemaster

He's a natural...

Now if I could just get him to put the right leg forward...

pics courtesy of Gaz

pond hopping

Papersurfer & Atomic-dogma landed in PC this last weekend...
The weather was gorgeous.
The surf...off & on.

I rousted Penfold from wake to join Gaz & I for some early morning glass...before I had to jet back to the city for work.

disneyland

Who needs fancy rides & fake mice?

...when there's surf, sun & sand.

nice puppy

treasures

vacation

The V-man & I are on vacation this week.

SW 3 @ 16.....

...not a bad start.



pic courtesy of Gaz