Wind howls from the north
Gusting to forty-five knots
Ocean glass, shattered

Monday: Camel Rock
The morning involved a run to Eka Community Health where 1.) Nick’s red and swollen lower eyelid was determined to be a stye, 2.) the doctor pushed hard for Nick to receive a flu shot right then and there, 3.) I received a lecture on how to treat low blood sugars as if I’d never done so. My reactions were 1.) relieved, as a stye is easily treatable, 2.) surprised and then resistant, as I’m not sure how I feel about this vaccine’s safety and necessity, 3.) annoyed, as, obviously, we’re way beyond “Now, you can drink four ounces of juice and then have a sandwich.” Yeah, I know.

The day grew warmer and more beautiful, so when the afternoon arrived, I had to go surf. I decided to head north so the kids could spend some time in the beautiful sunny day on the beach. Well, Chelsea was too busy hanging out with her teenage friends, but I insisted Nick and Kaylee go. Nick was agreeable enough, but Kaylee complained that she had too much homework to go to the beach. Where did I go wrong? That’s what I want to know.

Because I am a mean and selfish mother, I forced Kaylee (and her friend) to come to the beach with Nick and me. I even took them to Luffenholz first, where the girls explored up the creek until I lost patience at missing the waves and we switched locales to a very, very crowded Camel Rock. Bobby drove up and joined us. I caught a head-high right off the rock to start off, then several smaller waves. He made a great late drop into a semi-barreling shoulder-high wave. Must’ve been 30-plus people dotting the water, surfers silhouetted against shimmering backlit waves. The sun shone so brightly it hurt to watch for sets. What a glorious day – and I’ve rarely seen the Humboldt sky so expansive! Cape Mendocino extended out crisp and clear. When the sun dropped into the ocean, the horizon stretched wider than I’ve ever seen it before. I want to throw open my arms and say, “This big!” to describe it.

Lovely end to the day. And, shockingly, the children enjoyed themselves. Yes, it’s true.

Tuesday: Camel Rock
After another morning of insanity, I attempted an afternoon repeat of Monday’s success, but this time with Nick in the water. Monday had been mellow enough, but overnight the waves picked up just enough to make the whole session more of an ordeal – especially with the sideshore current threatening to sweep my 77-pound kid into the rocks. He was a trooper – and eventually I caught a wave or two – but the frustration factor was high. Gorgeous weather once again, though.

I stretched out on the couch early and crashed hard. The exercise factor had apparently been high as well.