Surfing Lessons in CRAP!

Yay, Elizabeth. Good on ya, for wanting to go out and learn to surf in this junk. This is why some of the best surfers in the world are from Florida! If you surf in Florida, you have to learn to surf in every possible condition known to man. Elizabeth was amped to go for her first surf lesson after school today. I picked her up at her house (what service), and we headed for the pier. She endured my lecture about sharks, rip tides, and fears about injuries. She listened almost intently to my stories about how I have learned about life through the lessons of surfing (Zzzzzz) and blah, blah, blah. She smiled sympathetically when I warned her about the sun, and how she needs to wear sunscreen. JUST LOOK AT MY SKIN, I say, as if that isn't reason enough to slather it on. I think that's the scariest thing about surfing. Then we went out in that windblown mess and she tried it. The wavelets petrified her. She clung to the board for dear life, and whimpered at the raging one footers. She did manage to ride a few in on her belly, and it reminded me that, yes, the ocean is terrifying until you understand. But, I am hoping my complete goofiness about the whole thing diffused some of her fear. She wanted to see me ride a couple, and when I did, she squealed with delight and said. "THAT WAS AWESOME!" and "You're GOOD!" Thanks, Elizabeth. Stick with it, and you'll see. It will change everything. But, next time, we'll get her out there on a small. clean, sparkly green day. On a sad note, this was the day I lost my Eddie Would Go backpack. Yes, the faded black knapsack is now only a memory. It may show up on E-bay and fetch a hefty sum as it was one of a very few ever produced. That backpack has traveled far and wide, the world over. In my haste to make sure Elizabeth did not get into the precious Prius without many layers of towels placed beneath her, I neglected to pick it up from the grass in the parking lot. Someone had kidnapped it by the time I drove home, discovered my mistake, and drove back out to the beach. I looked everywhere, but it was gone. A sad day that had to come, I suppose. Too bad my Billabong lycra was inside it. Oh well, it was time for some new stuff, anyway.