The surfing brotherhood lives!

Once again, another yoga retreat concludes. I ask several retreatants: "Did you have a good time?" They all responded affirmatively and surprisingly in the same way which was: their eyes would kind of glaze over like they were looking inward, they'd pause and then with true feeling they say something like:

"yeahh, I really feeel good." Then they'd bring me into focus and say: "Thanks for asking."

While outside the house conversing and taking bizzare photos of the last three participants, I mention offhandedly my difficulty at times of assimulating sugar.

Harry responds immediatley: "That means your not getting enough physical affection."

Inside I'm like: "Bullseye." Outside I respond: "Hmmm... really... yeah come to think of it I can't remember the last time I have been touched. [Of course it completely slips my mind that I just rec'd a treatment from a certain ex who I will not name. Actually the treament was not very affectionate and more brutal than anything... but that is antother story for another time my friends.] I can't see it happening, I accept that there just does not seem to be any women interested."

Harry: "Whooe... you need to have a more positive mantra... do you see what your creating?"

"Hey, I know where you're coming from... I just feel like I am making an observation after several years of basically being alone... I mean, I'm just accepting it, you know?"

Harry: "You need to open up your self up to the possibility... your mantra is 'I allow it.' "

"OK, I'll give it a shot."

Harry: "I'm a shaman so don't fuck with me."

We both laugh and then I take some more photos of Adam and Harry with Millie sitting on their laps, legs spread suggestively and Adam cupping her breasts.

And then I am free to head down to the Point and surf. I only have to wait about 60 seconds for a parking spot to open up. I pull on my wet wetsuit, wet rash guard and wet booties. The paddle out is cake. Conditions are almost glassy and slow clean waves that take forever to break. It takes me 10 minutes or so to get the vibration into my heart and head and then I catch a decent wave that gives me a 100m+ ride. This day turns in to a special one when we start suppoting eachother, rooting for eachother to catch waves and then hooting as one of us zips on by. At one point, I caught 3 beuts less than 10 minutes apart. Then I catch another one right away. This one surfer on a green board dropped in but I did not mind. He'd been struggling... but when he saw me he quickly turned and got off the wave. I kind of felt bad because I'd had so many. 5 minutes later a big wave comes thru and he's in good position. I yell encouragements as he catches it and stands up. It's a great wave and he takes if 150 yards away. Another surfer and I are both stoked that he finally got a good one. I end up finishing with over 10 waves today most of them were very sweet with head high drops and waste high for most of the trip. What I remember most is the looks we shared with eachother, gazes that spoke a million words worth of exhileration. Even now they resonate.

My first stop when I arrived back in Ojai was Farmer and the Cook. Nothing like an organic salad with an avacado after a great surf sesh. As the sun set I drove up to the hot spring and soaked for almost an hour in a small pool for one. Stinking of sulfur, I walked down the road, back to the Skip mobile.

Then, I arrive at my latest house/pet sit, Mark's cool little pad. Feed his two exotic cats and then soak in his tub, affectionately rubbing soap into my skin to minimize the smell of sulfur.