The Life of a Dedicated Beach Bum

What is this world coming to?

I was shocked to see this sign at the entrance of the Auto Mercado in Tamarindo, Costa Rica! I had clothes on, so I was good. Having just left the beach, playing with my dog. I enjoyed seeing the students and horses. Tourists – having fun. On another day I might have been surfing and at the start of my first grocery pit stop. I have 5 between Tamarindo and Playa Potrero. It’s necessary to try and beat the cost of today’s groceries

I am currently living in flux – I’ve dug a glorious hole here. It started one way and has ended up another.

Continue reading The Life of a Dedicated Beach Bum

Costa Rica Surf Adventures: Passion and Transformation

Hang in there!

Last Friday, I posted to Sassy Silver Surfers. SSS is my favorite women’s surfing FB page. The post was a quip. A memory of my first stay in Costa Rica. My husband took me to Mal Pais, for my fortieth. That trip changed our lives in a drastic way. Surfing became a dominant passion.

Continue reading Costa Rica Surf Adventures: Passion and Transformation

Buried at Sea

This is just a journal. Nothing more or less. Just words typed on a digital page. Important only to me.

After the funeral fiascos over the past five years, and the refusal of my two oldest sisters to relinquish funeral plots, following their bold embezzlements from my mother’s inheritance, I decided to be buried at sea. The ocean has been my refuge, my entire life.

The other day I had one of the worst days. It involved lifeguards, called Nippers.

I lost it. I couldn’t believe these little boys, which they are in my eyes, the same as I am an old lady, in theirs. They even name themselves small boys. They removed me from the water. I was removed from the water, by little creatures that nipped and bit. I just cussed.

I wish the best for them. I hope they “save” many people. I hope they “sell” many surf instructions. That was their mantra as they were asking me to leave the water. “I am surf instructor.” Hearing that, over and over, just did something to me.

I feel buried at sea, before my death.

I apologized to them for my behavior, but the beligerent boss, (short, red head) turned his back on me.

He had a assumed I was a rich tourist. He erred in his eagerness to possibly rake in 65 an hour, which is what they charge as “instructors.”

You know what they say about assumptions.

I love the ocean. I will just go somewhere they’re not.

That was the mistake in the first place.

A synonym for nipper is nuisance.

God Bless us All

They actually named themselves after a Mongrel dog. A little nipping terrier dog. I call that fitting.

Crossfit Crazy

The 2018 Games have begun. I have already participated in a 6:oo am WOD and plan on going back at 5:oo pm. I really liked the work out this morning. Lots of good stretches and then the “Hot Sauce”; rowing, burpees and overhead squats. It had me breathing hard, but it didn’t put me down. Continue reading Crossfit Crazy

My Crossfit Crew

These are the people that I have been working out around (not with) for about three months now. Today, is my last day here in CR. I have one more work out at 9 o’clock. I look forward to it. I feel the froth.

I have competed in the Open, this year. My coach suggested it, and I said sure. Right now I’m #1 in the country. I looked at Florida’s leader board and I would be way down in the rankings.  But I’m not there, so I’m enjoying it.  Continue reading My Crossfit Crew

2013 in review

 

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 9,800 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Day 4 ~ Picture Perfect/Not

I have been reluctant to write.IMG_3815 

Last Sunday was an exceptional day in my life.
IMG_3821

It’s fall. 
IMG_3823

And I got to surf in one of my favorite spots.

There were just a few locals in the water.

Everyone was friendly.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I caught all the waves I could,and then headed to my favorite fishing spot.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
 I caught this Jack. I know it doesn’t look like much.

But I had to bring him in through this wave.  I was trying to catch a trout, but that wasn’t happening. Either I couldn’t get the fish on the hook, or I’d lose it in the wave.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Then it was back to the Hacienda.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Encountering others, out on the trail of their happy destiny.

It was a picture perfect day. I documented with my Olympus TG-2. These are not perfect pictures. But I had fun.

*I’ve been reluctant to write, because of my concerns about the internet. In my life, I trudge the road to my happy destiny. Trudge meaning to walk with purpose. I felt I had to slow down, so I did.

Time Travel – 2

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA        ~Meet Boogie ~

This is our Nica Waves surf guide. I have never had the privilege to hire a surf escort. And I consider it my good luck to have met this guy / gentleman. Not only for his local surf knowledge, but he’s just fun to be around.

If you told him, I’m normally a quiet and somewhat introverted person-he would never believe you. I have talked and talked and talked. It’s been a good experience to be around someone who’s lived some of the places that I have and has a similar background.

Boogie lives the surf lifestyle. I know that implies many things to different people, but to me, it means he loves the ocean, the waves, and the people involved in surfing.

He spends his days devoted to Nica Wave’s surfers. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Nice ride to the beach. It’s super deluxe. The air-conditioner works.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERABradley was engaged in a cultural conversation, with the local/Bahamian car park caretaker. This was something I had to get used to, a long time ago, in Costa Rica. But I learned to accept it. And, I know that he is an extreme asset.  He helps to keep down any petty thievery on the beach.

As I listened to this man answer Bradley’s questions, I pictured him, in one of those orange work vests, that identify the guards in Costa Rican, packed parking lots. That would be tragic!

I am so impressed with how this area has changed. There’s more people, but it seems to be just enough. The same goes for accommodations in the area. With the exception of one crazy house, the idea of mansions to the sky, hasn’t happened here. Not yet.

It’s primitive and beautiful.IMG_9852Bradley’s surfing.

And we’ll be home soon.

When I look back on my days, of traveling through Central America, with my coffee pot and boxes of raisin bran, I experience a deep feeling of gratitude, because those days are what led to this.

At my age, you start to see the end. Once you cross the 50 year line, your perspective shifts.

I look through the lens and I get a glimpse of the world through Bradley’s eyes.

He can’t see what I see.

He’s not suppose to.