walking, surfing, thinking

I'm lucky to walk the beach path every day. On this morning last week, the Headland Hotel floated in the mist. Headless.


I just like this. The footing for some sort of pole, I guess. It's so weathered, it makes lovely reflections, it disappears and reappears as the sand levels change. It has a collection of very differently coloured pebbles held in the hole at the top. It's kind of like a little castle, surrounded by a moat, guarding its treasure.


A few days ago on the morning dog walk, a little brown hawk began to hover over me, looking to snaffle an early morning breakfast of the rodent kind from the bank above the Windswept Cafe. It was supremely confident in flight, feathers flipping here and there, body totally still. It turned to look at me, standing there updating the MSW eyeball surf report, dismissed me (despite some goon hollering "Wow! What a good photo you're going to get!" and carried on). It got really, really close, and caught something furry.

On Saturday I was surfing Gwithian, out from from the Jam Pot (yummy egg butties), and a dolphin/porpoise surfed a wave in front of me as I paddled out. It was a split-second view of a perfect arc. S/he had more fun out there than me - it was Baltic!


I've had a mad week this week, and I'm so looking forward to more of the above - quality time wtih good friends on lovely beaches! This is Rach, Abs, Laurz and Furtle in Marazion.

disconnected

Today I spent my lunch hour in Aldi carpark, watching the waves. I should have got in there. Three feet, clean, calm and sunny, and actually peeling for once. A handful out down beyond the baby waves of Towan. It was beautiful.

My initial reaction? Not to belt it back to my van, fight into my suitbootshoodrashyglovesplugs combo and race in, but just to stand and watch. How often do I do that? Rhetorical question. Never. Neverever. I live here, surf here and work here, so there's always something to be doing other than gawping like a tourist (best way to insult a local, tell them they look like a visitor).

What I did do, in fact, was drag out the iPhone and tweet. I had the urge to update my Facebook status as well, but then another set rolled in and I just watched it. I am always updating endless accounts wherever I go, mostly for work, but sometimes I don't want to. I just want to keep it to myself (and the crusty hanging off the railing next to me). This view and these 20 minutes of peace, chin resting on hands resting on fencepost, eyes resting on horizon, are mine, just mine.

Half-asleep in the sunshine, I idly thought about SUPpers (why, no really, why do they do it?), where bomb sets come from, and other questions that only occur to me when my fingers (cut-paste-tap-tap-slide) are forced to cease fidgeting, lulled by rare sunshine on rare unglovedness.

Then NatWest texted me to tell me my balance. Why do they call it balance when it's always sliding hellishly towards a Mines of Moria darkness? I was jacked back in. So I bought the Super Six in Aldi (RedLasering a few things as I went) and came back here to write a randomness. Now my cut-paste reflex is revving up, so I must get back to work.

…I should have got in there.

white and pink

Porthleven Realm Comp

They held the Realm comp (after a three year wait!) on Sunday 14th. I guess it was about six foot - pretty much on the borderline of what I'd surf in, anyway (maybe, if I was feeling pretty brave).

Sam Lamiroy won with two good barrels in the final, but there were loads of awesome surfers and it was a privilege to watch despite the drizzle and cold. Who knows who would have won had the surf club dinner and dance (and debauch) not been on the night before?!

Didn't get in myself, which was frustrating, but it was a good day anyway. Can learn a lot just from being around great surfers…and the fire in the Ship was lovely too!


The peak at the end of the wall was really good too, with loads of spongers on it. The small boat is apparently being piloted by 'Bodger' (I think that's what my friend said). The big one - more of a mystery, but it's been enjoying a view of Levy for about a week now.

little mermaid

A print a day: Little Mermaid

This is beautiful...

Where will it end?

I don't know what upsets me most.

Is the the blatant disregard for what might flatter oneself?
Is it the unimaginitiveness and ubiquitousness of these fucking hoodies in this town?
Is it the missing apostrophe?
Is it how much money No Worries are making off these things?
Is it ginger Mike?

At least she wasn't wearing fucking Crocs.

cookin' up

Four days off, but there's no surf! So I've had some time for creating some gunk!

I made two recipes from The Ultimate Natural Beauty book, both involving cucumber, which I don't like to eat but do like on my face.

Cuke, honey and yoghurt combined (whizzed up) to make a scalp soother - very nice and cooling it was too. I didn't bother peeling it, which made it a little more messy than it had to be… The honey and yoghurt conditioned my hair — I didn't think it had made any difference, but after the final rinse it was softer. I would add a few drops of rosemary and/or tea tree oil which I find lovely for an itchy scalp. Rinse well!

Cuke, whipped egg white and a drop of rosemary essential oil whizzed into a face mask. However hard I try I can't get consistency right on these things! This time it was not reading the instructions properly (my egg white was not stiff) so I don't think I got the full benefit. Absolutely heavenly smell, though, so fresh.

I think these are so similar that I'd probably make the first one and use for both face and hair.

I'll try again, but I am my mother's daughter when it comes to cookin' up — approximates all the way! Approximating my pan of flapjack turned it into a mess (tastes amazing though). And the bread is a bit sticky in the middle…