What is not average about going surfing with a friend?

Surfing is not that important in the grand scheme of things. Surfing, despite the worship it receives by many who practice its disciplines, is a nice form of recreation. In that sense it is average. But there is something that is not average when one goes surfing with one's friend(s). The memory.

All senses are activated in a proper surf session. The smell of the ocean breeze, that odd wet sweetness flowing through your nose. The feel of the sand on your feet. Your wetsuit smells so pungent your taste is activated when you first put it on. The sting of your eyes from sun and salt. The burn of the back of your arm when paddling out one to many times. The cup of coffee and the pepper on your eggs activating in your mouth to produce that odd but desired bite in your mouth. All of these helps you to remember the not so average part of it all - you shared this time with friend.

I've laid in a hospital bed with cancer and thought that I would die. Never did I desire to just go surfing. But I would not have traded a single memory surfing with Ben, David, Bill, Wyn, Jay, or Jake. For it was a memory of the gift of friends. Not just people who share an interest in surfing, but people who care deeply for me and in spite of me. They gave themselves to enjoy life, so short an enterprise, with me. They are precious gifts. Memories of this storm at that beach with friends are what is not so average about going surfing. For, as one man told me, it is only memories that we will take with us.

Joe Doesn't Surf Best Swell of the Year

Joe surfs like an average guy on an average guy's board at an average board. Joe knows that even average dog's have their day. Joe thought that his day was during Hurricane Earl. Joe surfed some larger ways for his 6'3 and felt quite confident. Joe thought that two days later it must be his day. Joe forgot that all he is a Joe and not a Kelly, or a Joel, or a Mick. Joe conducts surfing business where Joe doesn't belong, above the lip of the wave. In this fantasy land action move Joe was thinking high and lofty unJoe thoughts about himself in the fraction of the second that he might have been in air only to land squarely in Joe-land - that is wrongly and in self-destruction. Though an average Joe, the interior side of his knee was able to touch the top of board at the time his was touching the top. Joe then found out that this is not what average knees can do and like a buzzer signaling his exit from non-average thinking of one's self came 'POP!' eminating from Joe's knee. Landing back in average land from fantasy land hurts. Technically speaking, it tears MCL's and then causes average Joe's to miss surfing their average beach break on the day when it is breaking above average. So Joe does not surf the best waves of the year (pictured in link). Some people think that average Joe's suffer from 'Tall Poppy' syndrome. I think average Joe's cut themselves down when they begin to act like they are Tall Poppies. This Joe now has over a month of learning the lesson of "Average people need to think average thoughts and act averagely."

Being a religious man in the true sense of the word (which is lost today), Joe is learning that surfing is not the idol that he thought it might be. For we often learn what our idols are when they are taken away from us.

Laundry Check

Friday night little Joe got a shower, brushed his teeth, and gave his hugs. Then began to beg "please, please, please".
Now I am thinking he wants to stay awake a little longer, maybe watch a movie with his parents, or do a particular activity the next day. No, this mama is not even close. "Please, please, please can you wash my clothes tomorrow. I am out of underwear."

Baby Joe

It is so fun to see this little guy's personality surface with smiles and coos. He is getting cuter everyday as well as adding chins.
He loves his milk, his mama, someone to hold him, and sleeping on his belly. He is not one for routine and surprises me daily
with inconsistent naps, which is consistent. He sleeps great at night....down at 7pm and up at 5:30am. Two months old today!
Love you, Baby Joe!

Lashes

Backyard Creature

I studied zoology in college. Lots of anatomy, behavior, and physiology of animals. Sometimes I like to take my learnings and observe the wildlife in my backyard. For example, watching a male bird do an interesting jig on the power line to attract a mate
or see a squirrel claim a tree and its nuts as his by chasing away all other squirrels. But what I saw on Saturday was beyond explanation and not in any textbook I've read. Only wish little Joe had been here to see this. Notice the black creature going
crazy in response.