View Larger MapI went for a swim here today... This is my favourite surf spot in Shellharbour. It's not necessarily the best around (though it can be quite good), but my parents lived on the street immediately behind it for a few years - they left about a year after I was born, but we'd return quite often to visit the elderly couple who lived next door... and to have a swim. (I learned to body surf here!)
When I hit high school, we had compulsory swimming "lessons" at the saltwater pool just to the north. My first part time job as a 16 year old was only 2 of blocks away from here. I swam here every day while I had chicken pox to try and help the spots heal (so they'd let me onto a plane and into South Africa! Which they did!) I've brought kids from a couple of high schools to this beach for sport. I've seen dolphins and whales off the coast here. The best fish and chip shop in the area is just the other side of that caravan park (unless you want pumpkin scallops... seriously, they're good, but you have to go a couple of kms north-east for those)...
It was nice to come 'home' to it today... We've had a minor heatwave (though in
some parts of the country, it's not so minor over recent days, so it was good to cool off.
The surf wasn't actually the best - the waves were small, and breaking quite shallow - but it was enough for me to have a go... After I got my knees driven into the sand a couple of times, then gouged chunks out of my thighs in my desperation to save my bikini bottoms (note to self: if they're too loose in the pool, it's not a good idea to wear them while body surfing!), I decided I'd had enough, and headed back to the shore. I jogged the length of the beach and back, had another dip, then went for another jog before heading back to mum's. 'Twas nice!.
Earlier in the day, I'd gone to the local shopping centre... I ran into a number of people I used to know, and spent quite a bit of time chatting. The longest chat was with the mother of a couple of girls I used to swim with. It was nice to catch up, to offer (very early!) Christmas wishes, and to send kind thoughts after missing family members, but I'm over telling the story of my year. I'm tired of having to explain where HB is, and how I'm coping... I'm doing just fine, thanks. Honestly; it's all good. And thanks, but I really don't need that sympathetic hand pat, or knowing nod. I hear your reassuring words, and believe me, I, too know it'll be ok - because it is. I am. Better than just ok, actually. I've moved on; well on... In fact, all I want is for everything - and everyone - to move on with me. I'm done with "my boyfriend left me" being part of my story. At what point does it not have to be? (I suppose the answer to that is "when I stop making it so"... thank you, zen master... now bite me.)
It's late. I'm hot... I'm going to have a cool shower, then I'll lie on bed, not sleeping for a while.
Have a lovely weekend, peoples... If you can't be arsed popping in here to say hello, give me a little attention on the Facebook or the Twitter, would you?