More surfing insight

It may seem like I am doing nothing but surfing these days based on my slanted self-posting. The truth of the matter is: yes, I did surf again today but I also put in some work hours. We have had 40 people renting the house for 7 days in a row now. They have been having tantric sex workshops all day long, lounging in the 95 degree pool all night long and having all their meals catered by E. Where do I fit in to all this you might ask politely. Well, since you ask so nicely I will give you all the dirt. My workday this passed rental has begun anywhere from ten or eleven in the morning to roughly one in the afternoon. For this particular time slot, my tasks involve emptying the various garbage bins that need emptying, making sure the liquid soap bottles have liquid soap, turning on the pond pump, turning off the pond pump and of course the quintessential task of making sure there is enough toilet paper. While all this is happening, I am also playing the role of host, making sure all of the guests are comfortable and at the same time keeping noise levels down. Oh yeah, I emptied the compost this morning as well.

After writing it all down, I cannot hide from the fact that a thick portion of my responsibilities falls under the category of Maintenance. At least the setting is cool and then at some time around one PM, I drive the Skip mobile down the big hill, thru Ojai, Oak View, Mira Monte, Casitas Springs, along the 101 and into Ventura. 25 minutes after starting the engine, I am pulling my 8 ft fun board out of it silver FCS bag, pulling on my O'Neal "Hammer" wetsuit, wax on and locking up the cab so no one will listen to my radio... ha ha, little joke there.

So, by 1 PM today, I am surfing again. The waves are not like yesterday's stampede of buffalo in the fog. Today, there is no fog. There are more surfers and the wind is medium. It aint glassy out there but it is clean enough. The waves are 2-4 with the occasional 7 footer. I catch a bunch of waves - several seven footers. My muscles are beginning to adjust to all the surfing and not getting fatigued like before. The challenge of surfing remains daunting but my spirit is becoming better able to persevere when the going gets tough. Some how I feel like some part of myself is becoming stream lined to the adversity. I am also finding it easier to converse with the other surfers. Some how it has become more of a "We're all in this together" instead of the "Stay away from my wave area!" vibe that can eat away at the paint of a good day.

I came back early on the estate tonight - back to work that is - in order to open windows, move a TV, get cat food and water plants. The other thing about this job is that I am always on call. Normally, our rentals only last 3 or 4 days. This will have gone 9 days when it is done. I'll be here till after 10 so I can monitor noise levels and turn off the lights.The on call thing gets a little crazy when it is this many days. The day after my birthday, I received a call at six in the morning asking me why the lights in the kitchen were so dim.

"They take a little time for the filaments to heat up," is my drowsy reply.