Surfing

Well I know a lot of people want to know why surfing, and why now? I am sure they want to hear about my time on the water too.. (Right now..not too much to report.) Just learning you know.. but gotta start somewhere.( my next blog will be about my first week of surfing)..this is about WHY!!!!

Well I have always wanted to surf...Grew up in the OC..was at the beach a lot. Was young tiny and cute...Probably would have easily been able to get a hot surfer to teach me. (hindsight) But there didn't seem to be as many girl surfers as there are today. It was the 80's. I did have friends who surfed and one actually offered to teach me ahem.. Tim, but I grew up in a "strict" to say the least house hold. So...I had to choose my free time wisely..and I don't know why I never chose to take Tim up on his surfing offer.hmmm???? maybe because I knew the people raising me wouldn't go for it.. I was not allowed to do anything. I would probably get beat if I touched a surf board..

Any ways what... a couple decades later here we are. Met a bunch of friends who surf and travel everywhere surfing. I am here still thinking about wow how much fun would it have been to learn to surf. I could probably keep up with a conversation with them if I ever bothered to learn (Did I mention these friends are all young and cute and look they probably been born surfing.)I feel A little out of place in my 40's.

Then I heard about a few women who started surfing in there 40's and 50's .. One lady I heard for her 50th birthday.. took surfing lessons.. I am not sure how long ago.. but still surfs every chance she gets. I assume she is at least 55 now. Anna (my therapist at the time) (don't judge,,I have seriously been through more than my fair share in this life)...was telling me about her and gave me encouragement.

Then I researched surfing schools last fall.. and read more articles on line about people and grandma's learning to surf.. I thought i am a grandma..could I really learn how to surf...and at my age?

So every now and then I joke I want to learn to surf..and at first my husband was uh huh... you never start and finish anything. yada yada yada.. you are too old.. Wait what, did he say.. I AM TOO OLD???? Oh no he didn't.I mean it was OK for me to think that.. but my husband to say it out loud??? Later he thought it would be cool if I "tried" surfing.

So I mentioned it to some friends (the young surfers I mentioned) & said I was thinking about taking surfing lessons. They said Natalie should teach me.. she is a teacher in general.. and good surfer... and she teaches people to surf all the time.
I have to admit I was a bit embarrassed. What if I make a fool of myself..& cute lil young Natalie, would want to be seen on the beach with middle aged, not in perfect shape, accident prone me? Wouldn't she be embarrassed?

Well come December (I have to mention this)..I got into a car accident.. a 17 year old ran a red light while we were turning on a green.... I saw the car coming straight at us, so I stiffened up and was twisted, watching the car hit us..I was the only one in our Tahoe who was injured.. Didn't realize it at the time.. but oh did I feel it the next couple of days.. and I still do. This was around Christmas time.. I was planning on taking surfing lessons in the spring,.,.I have to say after I got injured.. I was very disappointed thinking great I will never get to learn to surf.. not with this back.

Now it is July.. My back is still whacked..but is better. Physical therapy.. and some bike riding has helped a bit. Mind you anytime I do anything.. my back still is sore, I live on Epsom salt baths, salonpas patches, absorbing Jr., Icy Hot, and occasionally a muscle relaxer..(yes I feel and smell like a Senior Citizen) after the accident it was a lot of vicodin..yuck. Now, I try to manage my pain without meds.

Well, I thought I am not going to let this back injury get the best of me.. So I asked Natalie if she was serious about wanting to take me out. She was and we did.

I don't really know if it is like a midlife crisis....or if now my kids are older, and I have a bit more time for myself.. but I am starting to finally do things for me. Like this blog...and my new hobby surfing. I also am considering going back to school.. maybe just take some classes at a Jr. College.. after all I have 3 kids in college they can help me now ,well one is in the army and in college.... but shouldn't they be the ones doing this? Living their life.. LOL..but here I am....it is like.. now is my turn. I was married and had kid after kid after kid.. right out of high school. I never had time for me.. or time to try things or people supporting me and encouraging me ..I was the one supporting everyone else. Now it is different...I am going to quote a Red Hot Chili Pepper song.. "This is my time this is my tier".

...next blog.. my surfing experience and how it makes me feel!