Today I woke up in two-minds about going for my fourth surf…the wind was howling and it sounded a bit like rain outside! Also didn’t feel like rushing to Fish Hoek Primary with my son (who always insists on driving his imaginary vehicle too school, taking an extra 10 minutes since there are a number of “stop/go” road works en-route to school) at 7am. We like to take our time…

But then I look out my window and it’s clear skies and grandpa was taking his car to work today so my boy got a lift to school after 7, giving me enough time to quickly get done and catch the 7:40 train to work.

While riding in the train along the coastline, I tried to check the surf; but couldn’t see a thing through the crappy Metrorail windows, so off I hop at Muizenberg station. Taking a leisurely stroll while dodging traffic at the traffic circle, I checked out the conditions and sent in my amateur surf report “Good morning ladies! This is your amateur surf report; not as choppie as I thought it would be today, but the wind is quite strong…”

Fast forward to 9:30 and I’m in my little cubicle, armed with TWO plastic bags at Lifestyle Surf.

I was horrified when I struggled with my L-L size wetsuit today. I just couldn’t get it over my bottoms and hips (all those people who’ve been telling me that I’ve been losing weight have been telling fibs!!). I really struggled today; I was sweating, huffing and puffing, jumping up and down, bending as low as I could, and trying to get the darn wetsuit over my bottoms! I was really a puff away from not going out today! Squeezing into a wetsuit is not for the unfit!

Finally after what felt like an eternity in hell, I managed to get the wetsuit over my bottoms and hips. Armed with my plastic bags over my hands, I managed to just about get my hands through the sleeves, but I couldn’t get my elephant trunk arms in. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE VERY SAME SIZE L-L COULD NOT FIT ME TODAY!

Once again I am forced to step out of the cubicle and ask for help…it really took a lot of strength getting my wetsuit on today, even the plastic bag broke off, no space to pull it back out through the sleeves! Anyway, let me not bore you with the detail. I managed to get the wetsuit with some help!

Then the very helpful Donavan finds the right board for me and this time, I did not forget to put some wax on the board, yay!

Out on the beach, we did our stretches. No wait. Out on the beach the ladies did their stretches, while I struggled to breathe in my wetsuit, I couldn’t even lift my arms over my head that is how tight the wetsuit was today! Must be all the kiddie parties and play-dates we’ve been having lately; I’ll have to curb my enthusiasm for burgers, chips and savannah’s – YEAH RIGHT!

I remember standing on the beach, watching the waves and thinking to myself “My Word, the GODS really put A LOT of WASHING POWDER in THIS MACHINE TODAY!” – it was rough, choppie, foamy, crappie and rippie (not quite sure if this is surfer talk, but hell that’s what it looked like and it TASTED extra salty!).

Today I didn’t feel so very brave, I’m not quite comfortable going out into the ocean for a surf where I’m being plunged around as if I’m in a washing machine. There were no sets coming through, but hell we are a bunch of crazy ladies, who absolutely love the ocean and the feeling of the waves, so we made it work for us, that’s what mom’s do; they just make things work!

I am stoked that I went out this morning, the company was really wonderful! The waves were really crappy, but the water was warm and the sense of freedom was EPIC!

I “surfed” for about 40 minutes then rushed back to do some work. However, after getting dressed I was drawn once again to the powerful ocean and instead of heading back to the office I went to do some work on the beachfront…I spoke to the guys painting the benches on the while watching the mom’s on board team enjoy their Tuesday morning surf; all in a day’s work I tell you!

Thank you Mom’s on Board for a crazy Tuesday morning!