Are You Breathing?

Was SUP?

2009-11-16T00:34:00.000-08:00

Click on the picture to enlarge.

First sight of a fin in Northern California waters, always gives a surfer an immediate feeling of panic, accompanied by the thought, "what is that fin attached to?"

Not to worry, today, that's just a dolphin trailing the surfer.

Note to non-surfers: SUP stands for, stand up paddleboard, and refers to board the surfer is riding (notice he's holding a paddle and standing up). Hence the play on acronyms Was SUP? Get it?

Purple Clouds

2009-11-15T00:34:00.000-08:00

I took this shot before I paddled out for a quick surf. As I was surfing, I was freaking out over the purple hue of the clouds, and my lack of a water camera. Oh well, this is better than nothing.

And if Prince were there, he would have been singing along with me, "Purple clouds, purple clouds, I only wanted to see you underneath the purple clouds........"

Then, again, Darius Rucker would be fine too.

Glee

2009-11-14T00:34:00.001-08:00

The soundtrack to Glee, a Fox musical comedy television series, just came in the mail. Yipeeeee!

"Glee?" asks the Internet. "What's that?"

Think High School Musical made for TV, minus Disney, with a dark comedy edge. All the characters have talent, charisma, and are inspiring.

The cast is a hodge podge of characters representative of our own little U S of A melting pot, including cheerleaders, jocks, a gay, a disabled boy, Asians, Jewish folks, African Americans, even some white people (weird I know). Yes, Glee has something for everyone. Did I mention they're all cute?

I don't think there has been a musical comedy this funny, or inspiring since Ally McBeal. Plus, Glee has a lot more music, BONUS!

The soundtrack of cover songs is a mix of oldies and newer songs. Gotta go dance, y'all.

Watch Glee on hulu click here, but Hulu can only host six episodes of the current season.

Sleeping With One Eye Open

2009-11-14T00:34:00.000-08:00

Nay Nay the Cat lives with three boys and one annoying dog, I guess she has to sleep with one eye open. At least I know there's someone in the world who always has my back, or in this case my leg.

They Look Cute..........

2009-11-13T15:26:00.000-08:00

Saw these two dogs on a walk today. The white dog was barking ferociously. Nadia the Dog wanted to take them, but fortunately, she was on a leash, and they were behind the gate. Phew!

Gone Fishing

2009-11-13T00:34:00.000-08:00

"If I ride the fish, the board itself may attract a nice, juicy, halibut or rocky cod. Nom, nom, nom."

Note to non-surfers: A fish is a shorter, wider surfboard that resembles a fish. A fish performs best in small, powerless waves. The surfboard Briar is sitting on is, that's right Internet, a fish.

Fluffy Clouds of White

2009-11-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

I'm ready for a nap in the clouds.

Lost Not Found

2009-11-12T00:34:00.000-08:00

Someone needs to make a GPS locator device for jackets, or my son is going to have a cold, cold winter.

My hubby picks Vinny up from school, so, he is the one hunting for Vinny's lost jackets on a daily basis. Not only are all the lost coats sad and lonely, but they're also disgustingly damp, leaving the lost and found rummager in need of a Clorox shower, afterwards.

Oddly, the two jackets Vinny lost this year didn't even turn up in the lost and found. One jacket was found buried under wood chips on the playground. The other was found sitting happily on a bench in the auditorium, waiting to be found for nearly a month. (Both were found by my ROCK STAR Hubby!)

Which leaves me wondering where, on school grounds, are the two jackets Vinny lost last year???

Happy Veterans' Day

2009-11-11T15:28:00.000-08:00

Just a quick blog to thank all the veterans and their families for serving our country. My hubby is veteran himself. I remember just the thought of him being sent to a war zone was nerve racking for me. I can't imagine having it happen. Angel blessings.

Unfortunately, we didn't plan anything for today, so the boys came up with their own way to celebrate. Somehow, I think, they've missed the point.

Happy Birthday Stefan!

2009-11-10T00:34:00.000-08:00

It's Hubby's birthday today. I know it's sad for him because he can no longer claim, "ha, ha you're 41 and I'm only 40."

But in six months, he'll be back to, "ha, ha, your 42 and I'm only 41."

And it wouldn't be bother me at all if he had say one or 3,000 grey hairs, right? But he doesn't have any grey hair, trust me Internet, I've looked.

There are a lot of great things I could say about him:

He's a great Dad.

He's handy.

He's heroic.

He's from another planet.

He's inspiring.

He's brilliant.

He lets me, be me.

He's handsome.

He does his fair share around the house.

He's famous in certain parts of the world.

He also has yellow and violet in his aura (like me), which means we are more alike than different.

He doesn't guilt me for surfing, A LOT.

He doesn't drive like a maniac or complain about my dislike of being next to any other cars on the highway.

He is the best Dad in the universe.

He is a great teacher.

He makes a difference in the world: in my life, our kids' lives and many, many others.

He is really cute.

I could go on and on, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I did. He is a man, after all, and they love hearing these sorts of things.

But my favorite two things about him are he makes me laugh and he let's me cry.

Happy Birthday Honey I Love You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chillin'

2009-11-09T13:21:00.000-08:00

Briar chillin' in the bushes at the beach.

Swell

2009-11-09T00:34:00.000-08:00

When surfers look like ants, it means the waves are big.

The surf on Saturday was big and lumpy. The scene at the beach was even larger than the surf.

I was surfed out from the week, so I took the day off.

Many spectators, few takers.

Sunrise on the Harbor

2009-11-08T13:17:00.000-08:00

Sunrise, in case you slept in today.

Drummer Boy

2009-11-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

Gio and I have performed five Sugarland songs (he's Kristian Bush, I'm Jennifer Nettles) I'm ready for bed he's ready for another set.

"Not that song, it's too slow," says Gio.

Sunset Saturday

2009-11-07T18:07:00.000-08:00

I had to sneak in, the out gate, to get this shot. Totally worth it. And I didn't get a ticket from the park ranger who was right behind me. Phew!

Big Wave Casualty

2009-11-07T12:44:00.000-08:00

One board, two pieces.

Alkalol Nasal Rinse

2009-11-07T00:34:00.000-08:00

Every time I surf Asilomar Beach, especially for two or three days in a row, I feel like bugs are crawling around and multiplying in my sinus cavities. NOT A GOOD FEELING. Anyways, last time I had this problem I knocked those amoebas to outer space with ALKALOL, da da da da!

ALKALOL is strong, like a super hero, so I only use a cap full in about 5 oz of warm bottled water.

Monterey Peninsula

2009-11-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

The view is inspiring me to get a car mounted camera with remote viewer. Everyday, as I drive around my lovely town, my mind is constantly taking pictures.

"Click, click, click," says the camera in my mind.

Rats with Wings

2009-11-06T00:34:00.000-08:00

"So this is health food!" squawks the Seagull.

Anywhere, within a mile or two of the California coast, if you leave your food laying around in the open, seagulls will swipe it every time. But, by the looks of the contents of this bag, I'd say that bird did some kid a favor.

Offshore

2009-11-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

Offshore winds create the bridal veil effect on a wave.

Capri Pants

2009-11-05T00:34:00.000-08:00

"Those are Gio's pants," I say to Vinny.

"No they're not," argues Vinny.

"They don't fit you," I say. "And they're size 5. You're eight."

"They fit me," he says.

And then I challenged his position, with a dare.

"Well, if they fit you so well, can I take a picture and put it on the blog?" I ask.

"Sure," he answers.

Within an hour he had changed pants. But hey I got my picture, and he got the point.

Surfin' Birds

2009-11-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

An unknown surfer wabashing the lip of the wave! The birds, surfing right along with him, don't seem to mind.

"Don't Worry They're Not Real"

2009-11-04T00:34:00.001-08:00

"Mommy can I wear my pretend teeth in the store?" asks Gio.

"Sure," I say.

As soon as we enter the store Gio finds a friend, a girl around 4ish.

"Don't worry they aren't real," Gio says to the girl. "They're just pretend teeth."

She put her hand over her mouth and giggled, completely amused, and not the least bit frightened.

Chef Tell 2

2009-11-03T07:54:00.001-08:00

He made his own breakfast AND HIS DAD'S TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! His secret ingredient: BUTTER!

Fallout

2009-11-03T00:34:00.000-08:00

The Ironic Evidence.

My oldest son doesn't do well when he has more than a tiny bit of sugar. When I say not well, think of the awesomest bomb of anger, exploding, upon which we are sent straight to parenting hell!

The day after Halloween, he was off the charts behaviorally though we hadn't GIVEN him more than two or three pieces of candy.

"What's going on?" we wondered, but it was drowned out by "I hate you!" and "leave me alone!" and other things that are too embarrassing to mention.

But I couldn't leave him alone. I had to to take out all the light bulbs in his room, because he wouldn't take a shower. And I felt if he couldn't take a shower then he shouldn't get to read.

I know it seems counter intuitive to take away reading, but it isn't with him. He loves reading as much as eating, and it's the right thing to do.

After about an hour and some sort of smooth talking by his Nana, he got in the shower. He got his light bulbs back and he was reading in his room. My hubby went back to check on him.

"I'm feeling better," says Vinny.

Then my husband smelled candy, and decided an undercover investigation was in order.

"Great, let me fix your sheets, then," says Hubby.

Sure enough hiding under the sheets was a candy stash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Honey, we're in big trouble," says Hubby, as he describes the crime scene.

I'm left wondering how can the teenage years be worse? I'm sure they are, but please don't explain it to me. I can only handle what's happening right now, I can't worry about the future.