52 Pieces of Me - Part 6

I was born and raised in San Diego, CA. I loved the beach. Absolutely loved the beach!!! Growing up I went to the beach every chance I got. If the weather was good during Christmas break – I went to the beach. I went to the beach every day during the summer that I could. I guess I could have been called a surfer girl, except for the fact that I didn’t surf. Just hung around with surfers. I was terrified of surfing. When I was in Jr High I went to the beach with my friend Angie. She tried surfing and on her 1st wave fell and knocked her front teeth out. I could just picture it happening to me so I took to just playing in the surf and body surfing.

I loved the song Surfer Girl and used to pretend they were singing about me. I loved the Gidget and Beach Party movies. Heck, in ’64 I won Miss Mission Beach. Tho to be honest it was nothing more than a bathing suit contest. But I got a trophy and recognition. Can't complain.

I miss the beach. Every chance I get I go back to San Diego and spend time at the beach. Preferably South Mission Beach. Ahhhhhh to be there sunning once again. Beach chair, ice tea and a good book. Can't get much better than that.

Mother's Day Memories

Esther, Holly and I

Wonderful flowers from Jeff & Suzie

More pretty flowers

Holly & Kyleigh

Pinewood Derby

Timmy Jr and His Mouse Car
2 Blue Ribbons

Eliana and her Pink car

1st & 2nd place trophies

My Life Verse

Happy Birthday Shawn

Happy 17th Birthday Shawn!!

52 Pieces of Me Part 5

I was watching my 22 month old granddaughter over the weekend and watched her learn to climb on her mom’s hope chest, turn around slide off and do it again and again and again. I started to think about my kids and grandkids. TA was part monkey when he was little. I remember when he was about 5 we were over at a friend’s house in Charleston. TA who would climb anything he could climbed up a tree in my friends backyard. Jan said, “I don’t want to alarm you Charyl but that tree is DEAD.” TA was at the top of the tree and with every step I could hear a crack. Now this was a really TALL tree but I instinctively knew he could make it down. Heck, he was part monkey. Right?! Consequently, I walked into the house and told him to let me know when he got down. A couple minutes later he walked in with a grin on his face. Yep, part monkey. His son, Junior takes after his dad, tho he has broken his arm trying to be superman and jumping off the back of the couch. That has slowed down his adventurousness just a bit.

I say this because I thought I was part monkey when I was little. My mom tells the story of me climbing on the roof of the garage before I was 2 years old. There was a ladder and up I went. She wasn’t sure if she should come up and get me or catch me when I fell. She came up and retrieved me but you can be assured there was never a ladder around for me to climb on in the future. Needless to say my kids and grandkids come by it naturally.