July 31st, 2017

So this is what we woke to this morning.  Humph!  Most people just say, "Good Morning".

This is Tropical Storm Emily.  So far, just wind and rain, like a.....what's the word....rainstorm!   We already knew it was going to rain today. But the Tropical Storm part was a surprise.   Not sure what the difference is between an official "tropical storm" and an regular heavy duty rainstorm.  Probably the official-ness of it.   Actually I looked it up and as it turns out it was to do with two things, geographic location - the tropics - and it's potential to have winds of near "hurricane" force. 

Calm down.  Hurricanes are categorized by intensity, levels 1 - 5, the lowest being winds more than 74 miles perhour.  So  Tropical storms winds would be less than 74 miles perhour.  Right now, the palm fronds are barely rustling.  So I'm guessing a whole lot less than 74 mph. And in fact, it's not even raining right now just sprinkling a bit. Grey and gloomy yes, thunder rumbling off in the distance, yes, but no wind and no actual rain.  And while I'm sure there is more wind and rain yet to come, I think we're good.  I probably won't be going for a walk or a bike ride right away, but otherwise, same old Monday stuff, just grey and wet.

As I said, we knew that it was supposed to be a rainy day today.  Therefore, when we dropped by the jetty late yesterday afternoon, we suspected there would be good wave activity.  We were not disappointed. 

 The above photo was actually taken earlier in the day and farther up the coast but we had to stop and watch for a bit.  Kite surfing just reminds me so much of a very watery ballet.  It could be put to music.  Obviously a very popular sport.  And near perfect conditions for it yesterday too.

But the jetty here on the island did not disappoint either.  There were regular board surfers in great number and Tim saw at least one dolphin who was sort of surfing with them.  But the show-off leapt high up out of the water at one point, both startling and delighting the surfers around him. Very cool.

We watched the "show" from a safe distance for a bit and then, naturally, I had to walk out on the jetty to be closer to the action.  We certainly got closer.  And wetter.

Turns out you just cannot stand that close to the splash and not get wet.  Go figger.  I didn't mind a bit.  It's kind of exhilarating.  Today, maybe I'll be a bit more sensible, safer and not head down to the water. Maybe.

Don't count on it.  I would never do anything too stupid.  I value my own hide far too much to risk endangering it.  But at the same time, I've never been a bubble living kind of girl.  There is always a little risk in living. Sometimes the risk might be regarding your career, or maybe it's about your heart.  And yes, you could be wrong.  It could be that you weren't meant to be an accountant and maybe  that boy will lie and break your heart. But if it turns out that you hate accounting then maybe you were meant to be a hair stylist. And now you know for sure what you don't want to be.  And if that fellow broke your heart you learned that you can survive heartbreak and you know that there is someone else out there who won't.  And as long as you learned something positive from the wrong choice, then it wasn't wrong.  It's part of life.   If you haven't risked, you haven't lived.

Yes, you have to be smart about it, of course.  But some people get a little carried away protecting themselves or their loved ones.  For example:  Parents not allowing their children to cook because they might cut themselves or burn themselves. Then how are they going to feed themselves when they are grown?  Better would be teaching them how to do it correctly.  

 Another example are the people who never change jobs because they might not like a different one, or because they might have to move to a different place and not like it there.  Allowing maybe and might to run their life prevents people from moving forward. Sure they might not like it, but it's not carved in stone. If a person doesn't like a new job, then they can change jobs. If they don't like where they live, move! Fear of change holds a lot of people back.  Well, things change. They change all the time whether you change with it or not.  Can't stop it. That's life.  Might as well hop on for the ride.

So before it starts raining hard again, I think I will go out and risk bringing in the garbage cans so I don't have to chase them down all over town.   Some risks are worth taking.  But that one is simply not worth my time. The beach today on the other hand, may be worth the risk.