Wintry weather

Winter surf

It's nearly the new year, and we've had the most wintry weather that I can remember here in Southern California! In Laguna we don't have snow, but the chill has set into my bones, making winter a stark reality. As 2010 departs, and 2011 begins, I am thankful that winter is only a moment in time.

Winter Trees by William Carlos Williams

All the complicated details
of the attiring and
the disattiring are completed!
A liquid moon
moves gently among
the long branches.
Thus having prepared their buds
against a sure winter
the wise trees
stand sleeping in the cold.

Winter in Joshua Tree

Wishing you all a very happy new year! Thank you for your continued support, and looking forward to sharing 2011 with each and every one of you!

Happy New Year!!

xo

Giving thanks

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, my family and I were excited to begin our vacation in Baja California. Well, that was until the boys read every surf report available. With all of the high tech storm tracking devices, it clearly shows that there won't be a wave anywhere near our destination. We were planning on staying a few days in the lovely little town of Todos Santos, which is about an hours drive north from Cabo San Lucas. Warm weather, pounding surf, and salty margaritas beckoned from the south, but it's just not meant to be.

Cerritos Beach, Todos Santos, Mexico

The lagoon
Photo by: Alberto Sole Caliente

The trip is now canceled. My guys keep trying to explain to me that you can't go on a surf trip without surf, but as a non-surfer, that's hard for me to grasp. Some things I guess I'll never understand. Really, what's wrong with lounging around, eating tacos and soaking up some sun? That's what I've done on every surf trip I've ever been on! Go figure.

Now that plan B is firmly in place, I've spent the day shopping for turkeys and all the trimmings, and creating some kind of thrown together menu. Ultimately, the most important thing is that I'm giving thanks for my crazy wonderful family, my awesome friends, and that we are all pretty healthy. But equally important, I'm really thankful that I don't have to have that intrusive TSA screening and pat down at the airport!

Team Laguna

My kids are on their high school surf team. Yup, you heard me right. How many high schools do you know that have a surf team? I know my landlocked high school sure as heck didn't have one!

Today's competition was at Salt Creek Beach

Every Tuesday and Thursday, they get up at around 5:45 to get to surf practice on time. And here's the thing, they don't complain one bit! I think they even appreciate this cool, unique opportunity. The fall is their "season" for competition, so they have to get up early, get to the beach where the competition will be held, and get out there in the cold water, and charge the waves. We compete against some really competitive schools, too. Newport Beach, Dana Hills, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, these schools have consistent surf breaks in their own back yards that their kids can practice at on a regular basis. Our local breaks here in Laguna, Brooks Street, Thalia Street, Oak Street, are really inconsistent, and are known for waves that break right on the shore. It makes it really tough for our kids to be as good as the kids from the other schools, as you can imagine! But every week that they compete, I am so proud of how they handle this challenge. And our team has been doing really great! Laguna's own Taylor Pitz on shortboard, and Kris Williams on longboard both came in first place in their heats. I haven't heard all of the results yet, but it's so great to know that a couple of our kids did well!

We are extremely lucky to have Scott Finn, and Alissa Cairns as coaches, and the kids seem to be thriving with these two surfing power houses behind the reins. We also have some amazing moms who take really good care of our kids. Our team mom prepares breakfast burritos on the sand at every competition.  Don't you think that's way over and above the call of mom duty? She's making the rest of us look bad! But really, it's great to know that the kids get a healthy, organic breakfast after surfing their hearts out.