Caught Me Up in Dream Land

Redwood Re-Ignition

2011-08-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

This will count as our 4th time driving across the country. All of which, including this one, are for great reasons. This time in particular is for a much needed month long sojourn to reignite our souls. At this time we live in Key West FL., a small island on the southern most tip of the Continental United States. Living on an island sounds very grandiose and at moments it truly is. The gift it has given me in our almost 2 years of being here has been the gift of refocusing as well as enormous growth personally and professionally. However, I wake up dreaming about my old home in the redwoods of Northern California and in a few weeks we will be there again.

When my husband and I take trips, each one takes on a character of its own. Last year we traversed the entire east coast and spent a month in Acadia National Park and Camden Maine. We camped out of our tent and took amazing hikes and paddle board adventures.

This one too will become its own entity and we are hoping for an adventure unlike any other.
We leave in less then a week and will begin our drive from Key West to the coast of Ventura CA. We will then drive north until we reach our old home in Humboldt County CA. Our friends are excited to see us and we are excited to see our old friend, the Pacific Ocean.

Clairvoyant

2011-07-16T10:52:00.000-07:00

My mind is spinning. I have never believed in going to psychics or believing in parapsychology or to engage in a scenario where I would be "Read" by someone who could see my future. I believe that they exist and that they may be able to do what they claim to do but never have been interested in going to one or pursuing them for a means to understand my life. I am a person who believes that facts are facts, the futures of our lives are known only by God. That could spark an entirely different topic but I am going to stick with this idea that someone may be able to see things about you that only you know or have thoughts of in your mind.

I was sitting at my desk today, awaiting two clients to come in for their massages. I greeted the two women and got them water. They were vibrant and full of character. As one went off to the restroom I engaged in conversation with the other. She lived in Aspen, she asked where I was from. She also asked me about Key West and how on earth can anyone live here year round with all of the drunk people walking around. Some of our conversation we laughed and then some got serious. Her friend went into a massage first and she waited another 10 minutes for her massage therapist. Within that time I did divulge some information about my life and where Ben and I had lived in the past. I told her that at times it is hard here but it works for us right now. Out of the blue she spoke to me as if she was certain about some things that I felt uncertain about. She literally said some things that no stranger could possibly know about. I was incredibly taken aback and my heart started beating very fast. Just then she was called back to go into her massage session.

An hour went by and I had some time to mull over my thoughts. She then came out of her session and we had a couple moments to continue our talk. She wanted to give me a hug and said that all of my thoughts are fine and that my gravitational pull is in the right place. I smiled and she discussed some more with me.

After she left and told me good luck I am now here wondering why this happened! I have figured it out. I may never want to know my future.. I enjoy surprise and fate and all that comes with the un-known. Yet today, today and for quite sometime I think I did need a complete stranger to tell me that it is OK. My ideas and pull towards my dreams are OK. Fancy that!

There can be so much self doubt when making decisions for your own life. Change is incredibly scary and I have experienced a lot of change in my life. It never gets easier it is actually becoming more and more intense. Ben and I are at a point in our lives where we are going to be making some very important decisions. Our choices will effect our futures and today I finally don't feel scared about them!

Sure I have prayed about this, Ben and I speak about these matters over dinner, over breakfast, at bedtime... all the time! God has heard me and in time our next path will be layed out.

So what is wrong with meeting a complete stranger who can aid in calming some nerves? I now believe absolutely nothing!

Today is a beautiful day.

Rain Reminds Me of....

2011-07-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

We finally have rain today! I had forgotten how much I truly enjoy the rain. It is fantastic to listen to and to watch. Our island doesn't always particularly smell great with all the tourists mess but with the rain it has freshened everything up nicely. However, what the rain does most for me is it takes me back into the recesses of my mind and sends me into a flood of memories.

Rain reminds me of crisp mornings and crisp evenings with constant umbrella use or none at all. It reminds me of windshield wipers, from scratch chicken pot pies, nudging closer to the heater, and movies during the day. Rain reminds me of the redwood forests, elk, waterfalls, lagoons cloaked in fog, and creeks running strong with fish. Rain reminds me of fresh air, my fuzzy hair, and a wonderfully hoppy IPA with dinner. Rain reminds me of warm fleece vests, perching to watch the waves, and braving the ocean for a short surfing session. The rain truly reminds me of my life in California and makes me miss it so.

Wow... customer service?

2011-06-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

I am continually dumbfounded at the lack of care or concern business owners have for the public here. How is it that in a place that reaches 100 + degrees daily can have faulty air conditioner servicemen? By faulty I mean the absolute inability to communicate with customers or fix things in a timely manner. In fact, the company I use here.. there aren't many to choose from... decided to forget about me and my air conditioning problems for about 2 weeks until I haunted him with phone calls and an attitude. I didn't WANT to get an attitude with these people but no one could give a straight answer as to why I am sweating and sleeping in a hot box all the while the part to fix my air conditioner is rolling around in the back of their work van.

I am praying that today.. he means what he says and will come by to do his job. Thankfully this $600.00 that is about to be headed his way isn't my actual own money and the owners of the Spa and our apartment are happy to foot the bill.

I also have had problems in this area when it comes to tree trimmers, eye Dr's, Dr's in general. The only people who care about what they do here are the bartenders. Something is wrong with that maybe.

The days seem to be getting hotter and hotter and my mind is wandering towards cooler climates. I never thought I would actually long for a climate where I could sit next to a piping hot fire with winter clothes on and sip soup. I often wondered if I would prefer being cold over being warm or the other way around. I think I have finally decided that I would rather be cold! CRAZY!

Crossing my fingers, crossing my braids, everything... I need this air conditioner fixed!

Just call me lonely lonesome pants.

2011-06-10T09:34:00.000-07:00

A delicious, strong, and intoxicating cocktail has a nice ring to it right now. It is only 12:30 in the afternoon. What am I thinking? I am nearing the end of my work week soon. It is Friday today and my official "Friday" is tomorrow. One of the main facets of a good life are friendships and best of all friends to share in after work drinks. I have many friendships and friends that would love to meet me out for a drink tonight. However, none of those amazing friends of mine live here. I feel sad often when I think about how I don't have any soul busting girlfriends where I live right now. I know it is partly because I never have any time to be out of this spa. I wake up here, I work here, I end my day here and at night I am still doing work for the spa. This has taught me some serious lessons in living in the same place I work. It gets very tough mentally do deal with. So, since I don't have any friends that would either be calling me to go have a drink or that I can call... I will still have a beer or 4 but with my next to human best friend Sparky dog.

Ready to Go!

2011-06-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

I am itching to get out and run around today! It is so hot though. It has been hot since January. I am NOT complaining. I know there is worse weather out there. Today I will do my usual after work thing. I take Sparky out for a LONG walk that he and I both desperately need by the end of each day. We people watch together and he sniffs and pees on things. When we get back and wait for Ben to get off work, I flip on some tunes and cook a nice little meal for dinner. I will make Sparky's dinner too. Oh he is so spoiled. Then I will probably take him out again for an after dinner digestion walk. We both love those. By the time I am through with that excitement, Ben will be home shortly and then we can finally catch up on our days together by sitting together on the porch and sipping either a brewskie or a COLD glass of water. Nothing is more refreshing then either of those when you live so close to the equator. My day is almost done and I cannot wait.

Flip Down and Dip It

2011-05-28T11:29:00.001-07:00

My last explanation of how things are here hasn't changed really since last June when I wrote. Like I said before, it is very much like the movie "Groundhog Day". It is just the same things over and over again. Tourism is what makes this town and that in turn creates a very odd environment to live in. I am sure that my entire life could not be spent here. I always tell people when they ask that it fits our life "right now". However there are plenty of positives about Key West. I believe I mentioned most of them already. So life goes on and Ben and I continue to foster our ideas about how we want to spend our lives. Most of those ponderings shall remain a secret for now. One thing we do know and that I can share is that we often miss beautiful landscapes, rolling hills, crystal clear rivers, and salt air from a roaring ocean.

Last week we were able to visit our families in Indiana and attend our dear friends Chris and Laurels wedding! It was wonderful and we are so happy for them. We saw our niece Elise turn 1 year old and we also got to spend some much needed down time at the lake. Our families are so great and so supportive of our dreams. That is pretty awesome to have that.

Ben will be getting his Captain's License soon with a 100 ton sailing endorsement. This new title will open many different doors for him I hope. My job continues on and I have gained so much by being the manager and director of Prana Spa. The greatest part about my job is the security and also making everyone who comes in these doors happy. The hardest part about my job is that I am inside almost all hours of every day. My free time is so lacking that I still feel somewhat lost in all of this. For now I am dealing with that sacrifice but at times I need to take deep breathes about it.

September arrives soon... aka... hurricane season. We will board up the Spa/house and head out on an adventure somewhere. As summer draws nearer, the weather is sure to get even hotter, muggier, and mosquitoier! My weekend starts in 3 hours or so and I cannot wait for it! Lazying around here I come.

Update in Paradise

2010-06-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that almost 4 months have gone by since I last wrote anything down. I was just telling a friend earlier today that living here in Key West is like a perpetual Groundhogs Day with local scallywags as the main character instead of Bill Murray. Things are very slow paced here yet it is a bustling city. The island is about 4 by 6 miles and filled with roughly 27,000 main residents. The tourists add much more than that each day. I enjoy that my life consists of 6 blocks either way to get to the grocery, my favorite bar, some great food, and an awesome beach. This is certainly un-like any other place I have ever been or lived. Rules almost don't exist here. Ben and I have affixed beer koozie holders to our bikes so we can stroll through town with a nice cold one. People of all kinds are excepted here and judgement gets thrown out the window.

My job is a very rewarding and sometimes challenging job. Most of the time it is one that I continually am thankful for. I did get a case of "rock fever" recently where I absolutely needed to get off of the island or else I was going to snap. Ben whisked me away to Del Ray Beach Florida where I found us a nice little guesthouse one block from the beach and it just happened to coincide with our 4 year wedding anniversary. What a perfect trip!

Recently I am feeling like I need to remember not to forget who I am however. I do not want to become someone who gets so enveloped in their job that they forget who they are and what they love. So recently I contacted the ceramics club at the community college to see if outsiders can join. I would love to get my hands on some clay and get my creativity flowing outside of the house. I spend a lot of my time fixing up the spa, watering plants for the spa, doing laundry for the spa, and keeping my kitchen very clean. Our kitchen doubles as a break area for my massage therapists during business hours. I don't want them to have to sit amongst all of our nonsense. Ben and I recently bought ourselves two brand new stand up paddle boards. They are the first large expense we bought ourselves purely for fun! This purchase made me very happy and getting out on the water is always a great time and awesome exercise. I also sew a few things here and there and am proud of the outcome. This however still leaves me in my house. So it is my goal soon to find something to do outside of the home that is relatively inexpensive and that will feed my desire to learn, expand, and have time away.

Sparky, our smart and amazing puppy, is doing wonderfully as a Key West dog. He swims as often as possible and we even think that one day he will be a surfing dog. His stand up paddle boarding technique is top notch.

Over all, life is wonderful here. I really am so thankful for these blessings. I just want to keep reaching and keep dreaming for what could be next. I do want this to last for quite some time though. I am in no rush to change this scenery.

My biggest worry, and everyones worry is the oil spill. This must be contained and capped soon or too many innocent marine animals, Eco systems, and people are going to be ruined. It is utterly disgusting that this has happened and the response to this disaster has been irresponsible. Almost day 70 and each second I can only picture what is dying out in our beautiful ocean.

Oh How I Wonder...

2010-02-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

I last wrote while searching into the deep unknown of my young present tense. We left a wonderful home we made for ourselves in California and moved east towards North Carolina. There was so much to look forward to there. Our hope was that it would become a place to make our dreams come true. We looked forward to being able to see our families more often, saving money, and building a life there. It had given us many things but nothing like we expected. I have learned in my 25 years that trying to plan anything in your life is just a joke. There is a master plan and all you can do is follow it.

After 9 months of scraping by and feeling less than myself, we had to change something. Ben had began a successful wildlife management business which was rewarding most of the time for him. He was able to spend most of his days working for himself while still maintaining sanity by offering kayak tours for our local tour shop on the island. I was stuck trying to make a decent wage by being a waitress, nannying and other menial jobs where no one takes you seriously. I had tried to pursue my massage therapy in NC but was underwhelmed by the lack of wellness minded people and overwhelmed by all of the money and luxurious lifestyles that surrounded me. We all of the sudden felt like we were being pushed to fit a mold of young adult married couples. Our church was like an Abercrombie and Fitch magazine where even our Pastor had a great tan and good hair. (He was a great preacher though). In any case, we were living in caucasian, Bible belt land. It became clear to us that Wilmington and Carolina Beach were not making us happy. The culturally inclined west coast was still lingering in our minds and we had begun contemplating moving back to Humboldt County. It was a scary thought. I didn't want to back track. Yet so many people were giving us the run around and I couldn't stand it anymore. I believe I hit an ultimate low when I found myself interviewing for a job in the army town of Fayetteville NC for a nannying position with a family who would have hired me without even asking me questions. This was an hour away from my home and I would have had to do overnights at these strangers house. I left the "interview" feeling as big as a grain of salt. I felt hopeless and misled. At the same time of this interview I had my resume submitted to a job in Key West Florida. The job was listed as running a small wellness spa where housing was included as well as profit sharing. At this point I had made it to the second round of interviews. My hopes were high yet felt unattainable and hard to believe being my current circumstances. Ben had edited every email I wrote to the owners of this spa. I really put my heart into it. After not hearing from them for a couple weeks I felt an urge of confidence and decided to call them so they could hear my voice and match it with my resume. I was able to talk to one of the owners but it was a short lived conversation and I hung help feeling more nervous then I was before I dialed. Oh well, I drove on and went to pick up my friend Tina from the airport since she was visiting. Time went on and on for what seemed like months when really it was a couple weeks and I heard back from them. They wanted to do a video interview! I was thrilled. I spent all night before hand making notes and researching their website. The interview came and there I was, interviewing for my dream job.

My now present employers offered me to come down to Key West and meet them. They weren't going to interview anyone else until they met me face to face. I spent 3 days there and on the last night they offered me the job. Tears of joy ran down my face and I looked over at Ben and he was also welling up with tears. This was a life changing opportunity! In January we officially became residents of Key West FL and now we are living here in wonderment about all of our possibilities. I love my job and feel full of life every day. We have made friends and have found fun places to go and spend time together. We have little markets and wild roosters running around. Everyday I make sure to see the water. It is an absolute gift to see the ocean every day and smell salty air. Our sailboat is in the water and we are making a go of learning the art of sailing. Someday we can buy a larger boat and live on it. Yes, it is attainable here and where we never thought we could be...we are. It's funny how God's plan is far greater than what you could think up. The gifts of confidence and perseverance are two that I am so thankful I have. If it weren't for my up-bringing, my husband, and my faith, I don't know if I would be here in this place.

Tomorrow we are meeting some friends to take our boat out. March 1st, 70 degrees and sunny with a chance of an awesome time.

March Madness

2009-03-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

I truly find it hard to comprehend the multitude of experiences that have happened to me since Ben and I got married. How AMAZING! Although, I feel like I took a pill that made everything in the past 2 1/2 years seem like a dream and my reality is where I was the whole entire time.

It is nearing the end of March 2009. Beginning in January, Ben and I had camped and surfed the California coast, woke up to beautiful sun rises and sounds of sea lions, and frolicked amongst amazing natural rock formations in Colorado. We laughed, I cried, we drank, we dreamt and in all of these past 3 months I have felt more emotion, and I am sorry to say occasional stress, than I have ever experienced. I find that I had bottled up the sentimental feeling of picking up and moving from the home we made in California. I didn't want to let myself miss it. I now understand, that yes it was a wonderful decision to pick up our lives and move to an un-known place on the west coast. I enjoyed every minute of it. Not to mention, the rugged landscapes and enormous trees in our community made living there seem like I was in a fairy tale. I guess I didn't think that the same feeling of the un-known would come over me all over again when we moved next.

Here I sit in my brand new kitchen. I can see the ocean as I look out of my front porch and hear awesome song birds in the morning. This is a feeling that can't escape you. I see now that no matter where I go and how long it takes me to get there, I will always look fondly back to my many homes and love them. Day by day I am enjoying our new home even more. When the sun shines, I run on the beach and when I need to go pick up my mail, I just hop on my beach cruiser bike and ride a couple blocks to my P.O. Box. Ben and I feel very different about this move. We are more serious about making the life for ourselves that we dream about. We feel like it can really happen here! What gives me peace is that I know I will always have a home in Humboldt County CA. I look forward to visiting. Here I am still getting used to the southern accents and no mountain backdrops but it is feeling more like home. Ben recently has ben hired on with an EcoWater company which is a great step in the right direction. I am working on my massage therapy credentialling because it takes up to 60 business days to pass through NC's requirements. In the mean time I picked up a few hours at a local island grill where I have met great people who enjoy a good beer and the beach life.

It takes gumption, patience, understanding, and faith to bring you to a point of comfort and happiness. My grandpa once said that "In life there are hills and valleys, let us just hope that there are more hills... than valleys".

The valleys in my life have taught me how to appreciate the hills. The climb has not been easy and I can wine and moan through some of it. But I know that all of these experiences have shaped me and will continue to shape me into the young women that God has intended on me being.

The Prayer of Jabez

And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain." So God granted him what he requested.

Miraculous blessings await everyone.

JUMP!!

Trinity River, Willow Creek CA

Pleasure Island NC, Here we come

2009-02-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

Ben and I spent the past weekend on Carolina Beach, North Carolina. This was where we had dreamed of finding a place to live and work! We woke up the morning after we spent 13 hours driving here from Indiana. When we woke up, we both mutually decided that today was the day we would find it! We drove around all day looking for "For Rent" signs, reading news papers, and looking online for apartments or homes to rent. At the end of the day we had some appointments set up to walk through a couple places. The 2nd place we walked through was this beauty at the top of this paragraph. We left with butterflies in our stomach and opted to try and not get too excited because we had a couple more to look at on the mainland. Although we both secretly knew that we REALLY wanted that 2nd condo! As the day wore on and we met all of our appointments, Ben and I agreed, we wanted the condo on Carolina Beach more than anything. So we called the man back who showed us the place and told him we were more than interested, that we wanted to get the ball rolling and sign some papers! The next morning, we were in our future kitchen with him signing papers, taking pictures, and reveling in our new place. God answered our prayer we had that morning over breakfast. We asked Him to provide for us, lead us in the right direction, and lend us patience to endure a day of searching. Ben and I could not feel more blessed as we have found our 2nd home since our marriage in 2006 and it is even better than the 1st! We feel as though moving to the beaches of North Carolina will not only bring us back to where we fell in love, but it will hopefully be a place full of prosperity and of course, a lot of fun.

In the picture, our Condo is on the 1st floor with the American Flag. Our master bedroom has a balcony that looks out to a lake. Out of our front balcony connected to our living room, we can see the ocean! It is located just 2nd row from the ocean front homes. So we literally can cross the street and walk over the beach access. In a couple weeks we will be heading down there with our furniture and belongings to start our life ocean side.

Wow, what a drive.

2009-02-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

13 hours and 31 minutes passed when Ben and I finally decided to pull in for the night. We could have gone longer but felt that Nebraska and Iowa were just about killing us! We left Boulder CO. early on the morning of the 2nd of February. To be exact we left at 6:04 am.

During our stay in Boulder, we naturally tried to acclimate but found it to be quite difficult. The wintery conditions and altitude were rejected by our bodies almost immediatly. Ben got a head cold the first day and I began running a fever 2 days into it! We kept saying that we were allergic to winter. Our friends could only laugh at how lame we were being about being in a real winter climate. We were coming by honestly about all of this though. I tried to laugh it off but felt like my head was detached from my body most of the time. Except for our minor illnesses, we had some fun mixed in. We visited Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.

We also spent some time sampling local breweries and mostly catching up with good friends. Two of our friends, Sarah and Grant, had just moved to Denver and so we took a couple days to check out their new digs and raise a pint in honor of their new home! We really enjoyed being around them because they seem to have some good dreams up their sleeves. I also consider Sarah one of my sweetest and dearest friends.

Me, Tina, and Sarah

By the end of our time there Ben and I were VERY ready to get a move on. We could not wait to get back to Indiana to begin our search for jobs and homes. We plan on networking as much as possible and hopefully moving to North Carolina by the first week in March. We arrived in wintery Indiana on Tuesday evening just in time for dinner and nice big hugs from my parents. We stay at my parents house when we are home because they have a set up where we have our own personal space to spread out.

As far as our trip goes, I view it as a sweet success. We were able to revel in the California sun as long as we could and also experience more of our most beautiful country we have. Blessings abound and dreams are coming true. My advice to everyone is to seriously, never give up.

We made it to Boulder!

2009-01-28T16:06:00.001-08:00

Yes, I am deep in some mountain snow! We made it to Boulder CO finally after a couple days of driving long hours. My friend Tina lives here and I am able to see her new home and meet her new friends and everything! It makes me happy to be here. I grew up with her and she is like a sister to me. So here we are and so far we have taken some really cool hikes, "enjoyed" the winter time, and feel as though we can rest a bit. I am looking forward to making it home to Indiana. I am anxious to hug my parents and start our process of moving to Wilmington NC. Ben and I both are already reaching for the ocean again. But because I am not able to be there soon, I have embraced each day on our trip and couldn't be having more fun. It is great! There are plenty of micro-breweries here in Boulder and we plan on visiting a few tonight. Oh, I also have been re-united with the cat that we had in college because Tina is her mom now and she completely remembers me and is laying in my lap as I type this. Life is good.

Long way from home

2009-01-27T16:07:00.001-08:00

This is our Carpinteria CA campsite. Although it was sprinkling rain most of the time, this place made me very happy. We walked out of our tent each morning and saw the sun rise over the mountains. The stars would come out for glimpses at a time during the evening. Most of all, it was a wonderful way to end our time in California. We realized on our last night, sitting around our fire and walking along the beach, that this was perfect living. We were able to formulate many more ideas about our future, and talk about how we are going to execute our plans. What finally urged us to move forward from there was the weekend crowds that rolled in and made living next to them quite annoying. So we strolled down the coast and visited some famous surf spots such as Rincon. Our goal that day was to make it to Las Vegas Nevada so we could stay over night and make it to Boulder CO the day after that. We drove through Ventura and spent some time there. We decided to avoid LA traffic all together and just see the city from the highway. We knew what that city looked like anyway. We finally made it to Las Vegas around 4:30 pm. We were just in time to find a nice place to stay. The day before this we were reading the USA today and found an article in the destinations section advertising about these new Airstream campers that are available to rent out while staying in Las Vegas. For only 45 dollars a night, we couldn't pass this one up. When we arrived in Vegas, we headed straight for the Circus Circus Casino right on the strip. This is where we found the registration for our Airstream's. It was a long shot since it was so last minute but it turned out that we were the 1st people to stay in ours! We were so impressed by this setup that we almost stayed inside all night. We actually had our own shower and bathroom. This was very different than what we had the week before.

Here we are during the day enjoying coffee outside of our airstream. And then at night as well is our wonderful

abode in Vegas. We finally reached

the cold and

snow and wow my body is not adapting well! I am starting to actually feel like I am in the middle of the country. I have acknowledged that the ocean is a long way away from me now. That is o.k. though. We have bigger and better things yet ahead!

Tis the End

2009-01-23T16:49:00.001-08:00

Well, it is the end of our stay in California. We have been staying in Carpinteria CA for the past 3 days. This will be our 3rd night and going on 4th day here. Ben has been able to surf right outside of our campsite each day and I have been catching up on reading while lounging in a chair watching my husband. Each morning I wake up to dolphins playing and eating, otters munching food on their backs, and pelicans swooping through the surf. It will feel very weird once we cross the state border and head towards the middle of the country where there is no ocean. Although we have longed for the east coast for too long and it is time. We will be back someday ready and willing to take on all of these places that we have been before. Soon I will get to spend time with my dear friend Tina whom I grew up with. She lives in Boulder CO. I am looking forward to our face to face talks over beers and good grub. I have missed her very much.

So far, I can rate this trip a success. Next stop is Las Vegas. We found a KOA that provides modern and unique airstream campers with awesome amenities. It should be interesting.

California keeps on going!

2009-01-21T11:50:00.000-08:00

We are in Pismo Beach right now in a really cute little cafe' where I just enjoyed a delicious bagel with tomato's and avocado. Ben is reading some Hunter S. Thompson and I am trying to feel awake. We have spent the last two nights camping in some decent campgrounds. The first was in San Simeon where all of the elephant seals were mating and nursing babies on the beach. That was very cool to see.

We then went to Cayucos the next morning in search of breakfast and some waves. We found a great little beach where I was able to lay around in the sun while Ben surfed some bigger sets. He then came in and we rented some boogie boards and played around for hours out in the water. Afterwards we needed to hit the road soon but before we did we went to the Schooner Saloon and had a beer. It overlooked the ocean and we had a perfect view of the pier. I was impressed with that little town. Although, it may have been to "sleepy" for me. The pictures at the beginning are of us on highway 1 near Big Sur. The other is of me at the Cayucos pier. We camped last night at Montana des Osos state park. It was a long windy road with exquisite views of blue waters and madrone trees. It could have easily been one of the best parks we have stayed at except for the raccoons. At one point we were eating dinner and heard a rustling in the bushes, then I turned on my head lamp and sure enough there was a raccoon staring straight at us with his mouth and hands in our garbage bag. He looked at us like a child does when he has been caught. After a few seconds of the show down, he sped off with our trash into his little burglar stash! The whole rest of the night he kept visiting us and taunting us with his fluffy tail and beady robber eyes. Oh well.

This morning we felt a bit foggy and are now contemplating our next few days. Soon we will be braving the desert and heading east finally. I can't believe this is really happening. I still feel like maybe soon we will have to turn around and go back to Humboldt. Then reality kicks in and Ben and I are meant to do exactly what we are doing. I wouldn't trade these memories with him for anything. I am in love with the life I have been given. Praise the Lord.

Highways Can Be Beautiful

2009-01-18T22:17:00.000-08:00

I am sitting in our good friends little bungalow in Santa Cruz CA sipping wine and enjoying each others company. The last couple days have been the beginning of our adventure back east. We drove away from Humboldt County on the morning of the 14th of January. Our goal that day was to make it to the Russian River Valley and wine taste in the evening with a wood fire oven pizza. When we passed over the county line we gave a hoot and holler for the rest of our lives!

After pizza and wine we headed west towards Jenner CA where we knew of a little campsite on the beach. We made it just in time for the sunset. Lucky for us, while we were taking a pit stop in a redwood state park earlier that day, we stumbled upon a large heap of wood that someone obviously left in the parking lot. No one was around and we figured it was free game. So we had a blazing fire out at our beach campsite. We got up early that morning and headed out in search of some surf and sun.

We found a beach off of highway 1 called Dillon Beach. It was 7 miles off of highway 1 and we swerved right so as not to miss the small road leading to it. The scenery was outstanding! It reminded me of pictures I see of Ireland. Just amazing.

We arrived at a small beach that provided some fun little surf. It may have been one of the best days I have ever had. From an early morning surf at an unknown beach, to strolling San Francisco in search of tasty pubs, it was just wonderful. The sun was out and we were wearing flip flops, sunglasses, a skirt for me and a smile on our faces. I couldn't help but think of our families at home in Indiana where they were hunkered down in below zero temperatures.

Later that evening we arrived in Santa Cruz where our good friends from back home had moved about a year ago. They were waiting with a beer in hand, and a friendly hug. We sure missed them. So we have been here since Thursday night and are ready to head back out on the road considering it is Monday morning. We look forward to starting the week off right. My favorite day here consisted of all four of us spending the day at a gorgeous beach sunbathing in 70 degree weather, a stint at a berry farm where we sampled jams, and then a sunset bottle of wine sitting on a rock with some hearty bread and cheese and good conversation. It could not have gotten any better. But it did! We went back to Chelsea and Adams house and we made caramelized onion and goat cheese bruschetta,

pear and walnut salad with lemon shallot dressing, and Hawaiian chicken. It was a wonderful day.

2009-01-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

Ok... So I haven't written in over a year!? Well I apologize to myself since writing is for me most of the time. I enjoy streaming my thoughts onto my keyboard. But I will never give up the old standby, pen and paper.

Updates and new things: Well Ben and I are moving from CA (hence the pic of one of our favorite beaches). We love "camel rock". We have made many memories here as well as some huge surfing breakthroughs for myself. In any case, we are very ready for a change and decided months ago that our future holds exciting wonderful things as long as we follow our hearts. Our hearts have always been pulled toward the beaches of North Carolina. California beaches are amazing, don't get me wrong. I don't think there are any more beautiful beaches than the ones in Humboldt County CA. Although I also feel like it has ceased to give back as much to us as we would like. Personally I feel as though I am meant to do many more things, not settle, and experience more and more. I kind of feel like Anthony Bourdaine, you know the travel channel guy who lives the best life ever. He gets to travel, eat, experience, soak in cultures, oh what I wouldn't give to be in his shoes most days. I have spent 2 1/2 years in a culture that devotes much of its time to the environment, natural living, and also marijuana cultivation. Compared to my youth, learning of this was a complete 180 and bothered me a lot of the times about the area. Although, here I learned to trust in natures remedies and teas. The herbal remedies for the common cold, flu, and menstrual cramps were easily accessible. I mean, they have herbalists that do more business than Walgreen's! I have learned to love myself, my womanly shape and figure, my personality, and also to let go of any vanities that held me before. Now that I have ruminated here, it is time to move on with my life, with my husband and my loves. When Ben and I were dating we exchanged a list that contained our most beloved things in life. I still hold Ben's in safe keeping in one of my journals. I believe he still has mine but I have a copy also in one of my journals. This list was made when I was a mere 19 years old. Somehow at that point in my life I was able to acknowledge some very beautiful experiences that I had either done or had yet to accomplish. One of my first loves was new adventures. They have always been best spent with Ben by my side. I am almost 24 years old and I feel as though I have done something right. Thank you God for all of these blessings! How is it that we actually made it out here on our own, thrived in our marriage, learned to love our earth, loved to learn intriguing things? I mean, I sometimes cannot believe it!

MY FAVORITE PRAYER:

"Dear God, draw me close to Your heart and renew my vision. You are the Lord of my life, and the One I trust with all that I am and all I have yet to become."

There are many more updates to come. We are opening an entirely new chapter soon. I am interested to see how we take what we have learned in the American West and use it in our lives out in the east. When Ben returns to me soon from his 5 day long expedition from one coast to the other, I will begin more updates and pictures. Thanks for reading! Goodbye Humboldt County!

December of a Lifetime

2008-01-03T20:54:00.000-08:00

I'm standing in front of a Mola Mola, also known as the Sunfish. This is the heaviest vertebrate fish in the world.

For Christmas my husband and I said nay to spending money on tangible gifts. We chose to make memories from taking exciting trips and leaving the comfort of home for awhile. When we weren't taking a trip we were in our town taking time off work and further exploring our innumerable outdoor opportunities.

The First Trip:

The scene is 4:25 in the afternoon standing in the Hertz rent a car parking lot. Ben is there trying to get our rental car. He has to leave for swim practice in 5 minutes. They made the rental such a hassle that I needed to come down there to verify something and once I got there they were going to charge us an extra 25 dollars a day for our car! We were fuming, Ben was running late and we aborted the plan to rent a car for our drive to Bend Oregon. This turned out to be a much better plan anyway. We were able to throw our surfboards, our bags, pillows, and sleeping pads right into our van and feel confidant that if we stayed away for longer we could sleep in the van and be pretty dang comfortable. We left with smiles on our face, sun in our eyes and anxious ears waiting to listen to the John Butler Trio that night.

As we ascended into higher altitudes, an overwhelming sense of joy came over both of us. There was a stretch of road that seemed to never end that we took a pee break along side of and had a snowball fight. Snow is rare for us now since we live in a temperate rain forest. It was like rushing back to childhood in Indiana where we both could reminisce about similar snow forts and snowmen. Once we made it to Bend Oregon we were delighted to take in the smells of crisp cool air and warm fresh baked goods steaming out of cafes. We dropped our luggage at the Old St. Francis School hotel Mcmennamins. I was looking forward to our delicious dinner accommodations and heady beers we had waiting for us. As expected our crab fondue and shrimp won tons were out of this world! After dinner we enjoyed a few more pints and strolled down the street to the John Butler Trio concert. We walked in and meandered our way to the front row and watched as the crew finished setting everything up. Once the concert began, a few "crunchy" individuals stood behind us and offered us some whiskey from their flask. The trio blew me away and I felt like they were only playing for me. Of course they weren't but it is fun to imagine that. My ears had their fill after the encore and we tumbled out of the door along side other fellow fans whose eyebrows seemed to have melted off due to the incredible drum solo near the end of the show. Ahhh it was surely an amazing night! We finished it off with a night ender cocktail at the Fireside lounge just across the courtyard from our hotel room.

During the day in Bend we went shopping and bundled up for this real winter weather. We dined at the Bend Distillery and also a great pizza by the slice place. We weren't sure where we were going to stay that night but we did decide we needed another day in Bend. So as the day wore on we made the decision to stay in a state park just outside of town. When we went into the Patagonia store where Ben bought himself a new jacket, the manager offered us her extra bedroom for the night. We were taken a back by this generosity. She was a fellow mid westerner and told us to call her in 2 hours to follow her back to her place. It was heaven sent. We weren't really looking forward to sleeping in the van in 14 degree weather. We spent the night getting to know her and her husband and their little black puppy. Morning came early and we took off around 6:30 am. It was essential to find a coffee and a breakfast muffin ASAP. As soon as we did we were off towards the coast. We winded our way through central Oregon with one run in with a cop who pulled me over because I was swerving. He must not know that it is hard to change the song in our big van without turning the wheel a little. Oh well, got off with a warning! Eugene became our hostess for lunch and we enjoyed a soup and sammy at the Rouge Brewery. Our slow crawl down the coast brought us home around 10:00pm that night. That trip was completely worth the drive. Those moments with your other half mean the world and certainly create memories that will last forever.

One Week Later

There I was, in a tiny Nissan Versa heading towards San Fransisco to pick up my dear friend Berea. This was going to be the first time I would see her in a year and a half. Traffic was to be expected near Santa Rosa and I had to kill time by talking to myself and singing loudly to Van Morrison. It is hard to explain the feeling that comes over me when I finally get to the Golden Gate Bridge. I can only say that I am elated to be alive at that moment. In the distance I see the topographic city and in between the rushing cars along my side I catch a glimpse of the Pacific which never fails to impress me. I was looking forward to my stint in Union Square where we intended on staying that night. I was to meet Berea at the Powell Street station at 1:00 where I told her to take the BART. I rushed to our hotel after being lost on the wrong one way for about 45 minutes and finally parked my car illegally in a construction zone so I could at very least drop all of my luggage and have them direct me towards their partnering parking garage. Given these circumstances I believe I held myself together pretty well. In Humboldt county everything is very slow and calm. There is no traffic, no waves of human beings, and certainly no 25 cent per 3 minute parking meters!

I ran towards union square and made it around 12:56. Deep relief. I haven't missed her. So I posted myself up against a wall and watched some street performers do a dance, diverted my attention to an old man with his saxophone and all of the sudden... Bereas face! We screamed! I had to touch her again and again to see if she was real. She was, luckily. Skipping forward to the evening session of beers, dancing, and overpriced long islands, we were truly enjoying ourselves. I have come to many realizations since being married and one of them is that although my husband is certainly my best friend, my love, my everything, my girlfriends give me a different satisfaction and zeal for life.

As we tumbled down the streets that night arm in arm and with leftover bar residue on our jackets, our rekindled friendship flourished. Over the next week Berea and I spent time up in Eureka where Ben and I showed her some amazing redwood groves and also the fun areas around our city. I can always count on Berea to enliven my musical senses, my taste for extended nitty gritty conversation, and for some of the best hugs I have ever had.

Ben and I chose to drive Berea back down to the bay area together and make another vacation happen. After we dropped her off at the SFO airport we headed southwest towards Half Moon Bay and on towards Santa Cruz. My dad had gifted us two nights at the Hilton. We found it alright and quickly went looking for a place to wine and dine. We went for the touristy take on the evening and went to one of the acclaimed fish grills in the city. It was very good, service took a bit long, but we were very satisfied afterwards. We went on to walk through downtown, shop, bar hop a bit, and simply enjoy one anothers company. We have found that after having visitors in and out of our home we re-connect most easily through an adventure together. This was turning out to be the perfect medicine. We slept like royalty in our king size bed and awoke to a beautiful day in Santa Cruz CA. We experienced Steamer Lane, which is a world famous surf spot. We went to the surfers museum, walked on the board walk, and we were able to catch the last 20,000 monarchs that arrive in Natural Bridges state park every winter. What a sight that was. Thousands of butterflies were gathered in bunches high up in the trees. We just laid there on the ground watching them fly to and from the branches. It was spectacular.

The next day we decided to drive south towards Monterey Bay and check out the world famous aquarium. Lucky for us, we arrived early enough to enjoy a lovely lunch in cannery row and then the rest of our day was spent marveling at luminous jellyfish, and gigantic kelp forests. I have never seen such an amazing man made display of God's creation. Driving back that night towards Santa Cruz, we planned on sleeping just one more night somewhere in town. Our only option was to spend 60 bucks or less on a hotel. Who would have thought 60 bucks these days only gets you a shitty mattress, 13 inch TV, a heater that barely works, and a shower head that just about shoots your hair off your head it's so strong? We didn't sleep much that night. Our drive home wasn't the most enjoyable thing we have done. It happened to be very long, stressful and tedious. Although we arrived home with tired minds and sore bottoms from all that sitting, we were refreshed from our month of travel. It was worth every cent.

2007-12-06T13:09:00.000-08:00

Bend Oregon, McMenamins Old St. Francis School Hotel.

The Turkish Soaking Pool.

This is so amazing. To anyone who travels to Bend Oregon. I recommend the Mcmenamins Old St. Francis Hotel. Splurge a bit and enjoy the Hammerhead package where you get two Hammerhead Ales, 50 dollars for dinner, 20 dollars for breakfast and access to all of the interesting amenities. Such as the Turkish Soaking Pool, outdoor beer garden/courtyard, the brewery and pub is connected to the hotel and the rooms, don't get me started on the rooms! The rooms are beautifully decorated with a very log cabin feel with warm colors and cherry colored wood. We are having a great time and will continue to explore Bend for another day.

The John Butler Trio concert was last night and left us feeling like we had expereinced a revival of sorts. We stood front row, 3 feet from the trio and felt every strum of the stand up bass. I even got to walk off with the set list that was taped to the floor. I wish I could relive it all right now. O.K. I am signing off for now but to all you travelers out there, I wish to tell you that there is nothing wrong with taking off in the middle of the week for a mini vacation with your mate. This is livin'.

Re-directed

2007-11-23T12:14:00.001-08:00

After discussing some of the previous issues I had talked about I came to the realization that(with the help and point of view from my mother) opinions are necessary. Also, depending on what age you are, what twists and turns your personal life has taken, then you will have differences of opinions about people, places, and happenings. Really it is what makes our beautiful world go round. Being individual is essential.

Sense?

2007-11-18T21:39:00.000-08:00

Everyone has views on the right way to live your life, the correct way to spend your money. People want to make sense out of everything. Is it OK to let something happen and just, well, let it happen? Why do we as a society try to answer everyone else's questions? Isn't one of the biggest lessons the Bible has taught us is if we are without sin, cast the first stone? Before we go pointing out flaws in other people, get that big ole' PLANK out of our own eye! It is much easier said than done when it comes to judgement or meddling in other peoples issues. The least we can do is try and try hard.

This topic comes to my mind because Ben and I went to see 'Into the Wild'. The true story of Chris McCandless who sold and got rid of everything he owned to rediscover life. He set out on an epic journey for freedom which unfortunately cost him his life. He is a modern day hero in my opinion. All he wanted was freedom from normalcy. Essentially he didn't want the typical life after graduating from college. I looked to his point of view to fuel my own ambitious adventures. What upsets me is critics. Even in death human beings will critique the hell out of someones life until no longer is a person remembered for being kind, giving, or funny. After seeing the movie I did some research to find some of the books cited in the film and discovered article after article stating that Chris McCandless was a lost human being or an idiot for not having a map in Alaska.

Great, I am even doing it now, critiquing. No, I hope to be praising this mans willingness to be uncomfortable and to experience life anew.

I read the book in 2004 right after I met my future husband. He actually handed me the book to read and said here is something you might enjoy. I enjoyed the book so much that it apparently solidified emotion within me that tonight welled up in the form of a big lump of tears right in my throat. It was stuck there towards the end of that movie and it took some strength to hold the mother load back. I recall my emotion being drawn from numerous subjects.

Such as, last weekend on the Ten Taypo trail in a redwood grove I dangled my fingertips along the edges of giant ferns. Last Sunday I helped a woolly worm get across the street so he wouldn't get run over. I surfed in a Pacific Northwest rainstorm that shielded my eyes from everything past two feet in front of me. I said goodbye to my Grandfather for the last time at my wedding two summers ago. My husband brought me a sunflower and Gerber daisy just because he appreciates me. My Mom, Dad, and brother are far away at the other end of our big country.
My life is filled with countless, miraculous emotions. Sometimes it is hard to fathom the magnitude of it all. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that I have stared out into an actual wall of rain falling on the desert before me. This is what I have chosen for my life. I struggle with accepting right now for what it is.

I shan't try to make sense of it all. Embrace choices.

Recognizing Your Gifts

2007-11-10T18:43:00.000-08:00

Gifts. Romans 12:3,6-8 "For by the grace given me, I say to everyone of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you... We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."

CAMEL ROCK 11/4/07

Surfing. I would be lying if I said I was good or if I said I had no reservations when it came to the ocean. I have discovered many things about myself while I have lived in California. I wouldn't necessarily say Ben and I came here to "find"ourselves. I don't think we came because California is the place where dreams are made. We came here as individual people out for an adventure. We came here to leave our normal Indiana life.

One thing I found attractive in my husband was his excitement to travel and his willingness to be uncomfortable in a new situation. We knew we could learn from stepping out of our mid western bubble. 1 1/2 years later I am quite certain that bubble does not exist around us anymore. On a personal level, my comfort bubble burst somewhere between 110 degree heat, 600 feet up in Zion National Park or while I smacked myself silly due to swarms of mosquitoes in the middle of Glacier National Park. After experiences like that I became certain that I could hold my own in most outdoor situations. That is until recently I came to the conclusion that I have some serious qualms within myself regarding the Pacific Ocean. Since living on the "North Coast" I could probably only count on 2 hands the amount of times I have had actual fun in the water. It is a daunting ocean up here! One that is littered with other surfers on good days and one that is a host to many hidden rocks, kelp beads, and worst of all sharks.

Yet, after 3 years of being able to surf, I still manage to beat myself up over the battle within me, to surf or not to surf? I have reached a plateau in my talent, or "gift" shall I say. I am not sure it is even an actual gift yet. I know I have the gift of balance. I have the gifts of drive and determination. I also have the "gift" of being stubborn.

Last weekend there was a fierce battle inside of my head whether or not to go out into the ocean with Ben. There was no doubt in his mind but I just felt to awkward or to nervous to go out. I actually have yet to pinpoint my reason for holding off. The first day we were up north, I said to myself, "oh, definitely not. I don't think I should today". And while Ben suited up and ran to the water, I placed my blanket neatly on the sand with my nalgene of water, a book, and a sweatshirt. I didn't read that afternoon. Instead I watched as all the other surfers played around in the water and as all the beach goers were content playing frisbee. I was not content. I was seriously pissed off! I couldn't stand the idea of myself giving up. All of the sudden I am realizing that I have lost my passion for all of the things that I love. I haven't sang in over a year. I haven't danced in a very long time! I haven't even played my guitar in probably over 2 years. This was eating me up inside. How is it that I am in such a beautiful part of the world but have lost my desire to do the things that I love? Ben came running out of the water to double check with me that I was sure I didn't want to get in. By that time I was in the middle of a fight with myself. I looked at him and a tear came streaming down my face. What was wrong with me? I wanted to scream. This is not me! This is not who I am! I do things for myself. I go for things. I can do what you do. Maybe I was too prideful? I know I can't just get in the water and expect to be as good as some of the other weathered surfers. It is a fact. Practice, determination, taking chances, and most of all believing in myself, would help me overcome this bump in the road. The next day we drove to the beach with every intention of good surf and a fun time. We arrived and as I peered over the edge of the cliff and down at the water, 40 little black suits with people in them met my eye. I immediately retreated into my shell. "No, no way can I do this." I said to myself and maybe out loud to Ben. Because he grabbed my hand and told me that I can. He believed in me.

Eventually, with the help of my confident husband, I found myself in my tight neoprene wetsuit with board in hand heading out to the water where I in fact can do that. Hopefully these little victories will rekindle my other passions. If you do not use your gifts, what then are they inside of us for? They are blessings.

Energy Muffins...YUM

2007-10-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

When engaged in a consistently active lifestyle, one must learn how to fuel up. Ben and I typically try to bake "power" bread, as we call it, instead of store bought power bars. I recently slaved over the oven and stirred my bottom off over mixing bowls to come up with a "power" muffin. I found the outline of a muffin recipe online (i.e. baking temps and time) but tweaked it a little bit and made it my own. The final result was so delicious and filling that it warded off hunger for most of the afternoon and kept us both going strong on our hike last weekend on the Carruther's Cove trail that just happened to be a 600 ft. elevation change in only 0.8 of a mile.
I will share this wonderful concoction of deliciousness.

Pumpkin Cranberry "Power" Muffins

1 14.5 ounce can pumpkin puree(try to stay organic!)
2 large cage free eggs; lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup UN-bleached flour
3/4 cup wheat bran
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup soy protein
1tsp. baking powder
1tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or regular salt
1 cup dries cranberries (or any dried fruit you like better really)

To make:
-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
-Put oven rack into middle of the oven
-Mix the pumpkin, eggs, yogurt, oil, and vanilla together in a small bowl
-In a larger bowl combine the flour, bran, sugar, soy protein, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
-Then add wet ingredients to dry mix. Stir this until it is combined but don't over combine everything. Fold in the dried fruit.
- Fill your muffin cups and slide them in the oven
-Bake for about 18-20 minutes
-I always check with a toothpick in the middle to see if they come out clean
-Makes about 12 muffins!

So, I hope to whomever finds this recipe will be energized and ready for an amazing adventure. Enjoy!

First Meeting

2007-10-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

I have told this story so many times and in so many different ways but I thought it would be appropriate to describe how my life has changed since Ben and surfing have come into my life. I won't get into the gooey details. More so I want to describe how the ideas about my future changed as soon as I heard those words come from his mouth, "I surf".

We both come from America's heartland, good ole' Indiana. The biggest body of water near us was Lake Michigan. Surfing only crossed my mind when I was little and tried to stand on a surf board in my grandmothers pool. Our first conversation on the day we met was primarily about adventures. He already had asked me to hike the Appalachian Trail with him, spilled his love for surfing, and invited me to go road tripping to concerts. We were hitting it off. I really had no idea what I was actually in for.

The first time I went to his college house there were surfboards on the walls, skateboards all over the place, and "Thicker Than Water" playing on the TV. This was the first of many surf videos to come. It took me awhile to understand what surfing was all about and why it was such a great lifestyle. That is until I spent a summer on the Outer Banks of NC that I finally could understand my boyfriend. It was very important to me to feel what he felt out in the water and to hear what he described as the best sound in the world. That sound is of the fin hitting the water and the feeling is complete elation. I worked on my own surfing for about a month until I caught my first real wave. I was slowly beginning to understand. It was more than a hobby, it was a lifestyle. The lifestyle meant that if I were to marry this man someday we would be limited to coastal living. Not that this is bad but it certainly can put a strain on cost of living and location choices. It really never crossed my mind to live near the ocean. In fact, all I decided at that time was that I wanted to leave my hometown and see what the West was like. The lifestyle also means that each day depends on the tides. If the tide is right, we go surfing. Put all else aside and get in the water. I would learn to adjust to constant Weather Channel television and tide books all over our house. We took numerous trips to the Outer banks each year while we dated and when we were back in Indiana for the school year, he would get very cranky over missing the ocean. It is also when we no longer watched blockbuster hits on TV, we would watch countless surf videos over scrambled eggs and toast. I developed my own infatuation for the water, the ocean, and ultimately surfing.

We now live in Northern California where the surf is big, sharky, and very cold. I am finding myself frequently torn between our mountains directly east of us and the ocean 5 blocks west from our house. Weekend adventures now depend on high or low tides considering our best surf break kicks up at low tide. Ben runs out there unabashed and I am left staring a bit longer at the swell coming in contemplating whether or not I may die out there.

Therefore, I have discovered my joy of surfing comes with warm, rolling, waist high waves and a long board. Four years ago I never would have imagined myself waking up at 6:00am to drive north on California's coast for an early morning surf with my husband. Four years ago I never thought that the magnitude and power of the ocean would impact my life so much.

So as life goes, you paddle out, you swallow salt water, catch and ride the wave.

Wrapped in A Fleece Blanket

2007-10-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Mmmmmm, I am wrapped in a fleece blanket nursing a wine and dessert hangover. I don't normally drink as much as I did last night. Wine knows how to creep up on me. Our new neighbors invited us to their wine and dessert party. I was intrigued about the dessert part. But Carrie, our neighbor, made homemade blackberry wine. Woah! I was even more intrigued.
Ben and I had planned to get up this fine Sunday morning and go surfing. After surfing we planned to go jogging on the Rhododendron trail at the Redwood State Park.

I will give you the scene on what is happening instead. Ben just stumbled out of bed. His hair looks like someone had teased it into an afro. He is grinding coffee, gurgling water, and brushing off his shoulders from our heavy night of homemade baklava and blackberry wine. I, well I am just wrapped in my fleece blanket with cold toes and a chilly nose.

Food Network

2007-10-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, Food Network is on my television. Another day in Eureka CA. Winter has come early and the rains have started. This will be my second winter here. The tip of my nose and the tips of my toes are consistantly chilled. I watch food network today because I am going to plan a delicious meal for my main man when he gets home from work. How domestic of me! I may even sweep the carpet and do our laundry. Ben, my husband, willingly takes the trash out, shakes the rugs, and cuts my cantaloupe without any hesitation. He is wonderful!
Because you see, since we aren't just dating anymore, my shaving cream on the floor of the shower, and his leftover carrot shavings in the sink become both of our issues. This is something I love about marriage. My mess is excepted because he loves me and I love him. They are minute details of a household that should never shake the foundation since they can in fact be put right.

Lately I can sense he is a bit antsy. He needs to get in the water. My husbands true desires lie in waves, surfing, top sirloin, the history of pirates, heady beers, and Me. Maybe I can place myself at the top of that list because they, whoever "they" are, say that you can tell a man loves you by the way he looks at you. Ben looks at me with a soft and deep notion that seeps with infinite love. It is quite beautiful really. And as much as he loves surfing or a good brewskie, I am his never too choppy, never closing out, and never to foamy...wife.

Stream if Consciousness

2007-10-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

I am heading over to Mel's for some vino. I haven't had wine in a few weeks do to my failed attempt at "Detoxing" my body of toxins. Why would a tincture be labeled "Colon Cleanse" when after 6 days there was no cleansing to be had? I felt very hungry and fatigued. I craved things like cheesy garlic toast coupled with a chocolate milk shake. I usually wouldn't want those two things together. But in any case, I am done with my detox and once again am enjoying a couple of Corona's or a glass of Shiraz.
I am probably in for a night of religious discussion or bad mouthing Humboldt County. We do have these issues in common but I am actually hoping for a night of goofing off and getting a little tipsy with one of my only friends I can hang with out here in CA.
I think subconsciously I have chosen not to make many friends out here because I don't want to make connections that will one day be hard to break free from. Much to my delight I have discovered that being alone in my house or involved in a good book without anyone else around is very enjoyable. I didn't used to be this way. Alas, the vino is waiting and I must be going.
Off I go to hop on my Cannondale and ride downhill to Mel's apartment.