Taking the brakes off

Since that last fun day, much surfing has been obligatory. That is, going out not because the waves are fun or even particularly rideable, but because it's obligatory...as in, it's Labor Day, it's hot and sunny and there's nothing else to do, let's go surfing. Or, it's Sunday morning at eight o'clock, I woke up early so I'm going out, and Sunday morning surfing is as obligatory around here as Sunday morning Mass was for my Catholic mother.

Suffice it to say I've had some crap surfing and I totally blame the waves. They were days when I got little to nothing in the way of rides.

But today was fun. It was surely not as fun as it was projected to be, only two feet, but fun nonetheless. A whole bunch of people were out, lured by the hype, and it was a friendly crew.
A lot of them weren't getting rides at all and I was, even though many times I knew I hadn't done the popup and my rides weren't graceful.

But I was in the main pack with the better surfers and I don't think I got in anyone's way or took anyone's wave. (Or hit anyone.) I kept ending up near this one guy whose name I don't know but who I see all the time and we kept going for the same waves, but it seemed to work out. Once we both got it and went in different directions (though that was probably more him exercising control to make sure that happened than me).

Today I rode a long wave in front of D., who gave it to me (as he put it---all the waves around here belong to him) and urged me on. I'm so glad I didn't blow it, so glad it was good and he saw it. Then he gave me some feedback on how to do better. I've been feeling as if when I stand up on a wave I somehow put the brakes on, then have to take a second to figure out what to do to take them off (unlike D. and other surfers, who just get the wave and get going fast). D. says I need to bend from my knees, not my waist, and keep my back straight instead of leaning one way or another. I always listen to D. And I think he is really proud to see me doing better, since he gave me a surf lesson or two along the way.

Today I was listening to Belle and Sebastian as I was surfing, and that long wave really felt like dancing.

The water is as warm as it's been all year and summer is definitely not over, though Labor Day has passed and the summer madness will slowly be dying down. Though Grandma is a generous and not a mean spirited person, and all things considered this has been a spectacular summer, now that the season's officially done I'd just like to say one thing to a certain guy or two who has, over the summer, (to put it lightly) not been a gentleman: F*ck you. Yeah, if you think it's you (hint: your last name has four to five letters), you're right.