Avellanas Costa Rica
This was the time Mark and I started traveling for waves. Our first big trip was to Costa Rica. I immediately fell in love with all the point breaks. Tamarindo having the mother-load of them. Over the years I would travel to Costa Rica many times and watch the place explode with americans like Baja did, however, during the early 90s the place still had a lot of unexplored surf spots. Hooking up with a boat was mandatory and we did it to catch waves at Witches Rock and Allie's Point. The waves were 6 to 8 feet of pure right point break satisfaction. The water was warm, clear, and spectacular.
We had rented a four wheel drive truck that broke down twice while we traveled up and down Highway 1. Finally we had to trade it in which took a day for someone to drive the new one to Jaco from San Jose. That truck broke down too while crossing a creek near Mal Pais. It was a nightmare, especially when the rental place tried to charge us for the exchange in Jaco and a dent that happened when someone threw an orange out of a bus window and hit us while we were driving. Make sure you have good insurance when you rent vehicles in foreign countries FYI.
Jaco Beach
Surfing Costa Rica started my love affair with Central America and I began trying to teach myself Spanish. Later I even took classes at college. Unfortunately I never got the hang of it beyond simple shopping or ordering food at a restaurant. I wanted to have a conversations with the locals but I kept sounding like a goof, so I'd just smile and nod "no problem" like the locals do no matter what the situation.
"Why are you charging us for the truck exchange?"
"No problem."
"And why are we being charged $200 because someone threw the orange out of a passing bus and hit us."
"No problem." as they point at the place for you to sign so your credit card can be billed.
"Can you explain why there was no spare tire in the truck?"
"No problem." said with a big smile but no other words.
"Why?"
"No problem."
How can anyone not love the problem free life of Central America?
I could talk Spanish with these locals
During these years at Hot Wax Mark was doing all the paper and office managerial work while I'd rearrange the floor, clean shelves, listen to employee complaints, and handle the returns. In many ways Mark and I were a good team, but slowly Mark had a way of reminding me that he was the Boss Man, so, my time spent at the shop dwindled except when I was needed as stated above. Mostly I focused on being a Domestic Engineer around the house.
I decided when Shaun was five that I'd homeschool him. I hadn't been very successful with my own schooling and my Mom thought I was going to hinder my children if I tried to teach them at home. I took that as a challenge. I skipped Kindergarden and went straight for First Grade. That way, if I didn't do things right I could repeat. However, Shaun past the first three years of school with excellent success. Then for Fourth Grade we put him in the school at the Presbyterian church we attended and I started on Sarah. She had already learned to read and write so the rest was easy. I schooled her for the First Grade through the Third Grade also, then she too, went to the school at the church. Both of them entered the Forth Grade a year younger then the rest of the kids. Skipping Kindergarden worked out well I thought.
The Boy Scout and the Princess
Homeschooling allowed us and the kids to be flexible so they could go places with us like California and the Surf Expos. At this point Mark and I were taking our time in Orlando. We'd leisurely drive down and spend two or thee nights in hotels. We'd even take in an amusement park every now and then. I had grown up going to Disney Land in Anaheim so by this time I was tired of Disney World and enjoyed Universal Studios much more...still do!
Both Shaun and Sarah were a regular sight at the Surf Expos in Orlando. It was interesting the first time I introduced them to Robert August. He started talking about all the pot I smoked back in high School.
"Oh, now there's a good story to tell them." I told Robert.
He laughed, "No, really kids, your mom was nuts." He said. Then he told me about his shop on Main St. that burnt down.
"You know Tam, the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational invite you framed for me was lost in the fire." Robert said sadly.
"Wow. That thing was so pretty" I replied a little upset myself. In 1978 I was babysitting Robert's young son Sam and we ended up looking through some of Robert's old Endless Summer stuff. I came across this velvet red card with expensive rice paper being held inside of it with gold and red shinny twine. The rice paper had gold writing on it inviting Robert August to the first Duke K Inv. held in 1965. At the time I found the red invitation I was working at a picture framing place and I took it to work and framed it for Robert's birthday. It was hanging in the Main St., Huntington Beach shop when the whole block burnt to the ground.
The house at Pirate's Cove, Wilmington
We moved that year to our third home in Wilmington. My domestication led me to pull out the sewing machine and make all the window treatments. When the kids were young I sewed some of their their clothes, but now that the surf shop had kids clothes there was no need to make them any more so I tried harder things. I had always sewed my boardbags since no one else made them small and wide enough for a kneeboard.
This year was the first time I was a Maid Of Honor, (the second time was for my daughter). The bride was a friend from church and later an employee. Her mother had been married to a guy who had two other wives in other states. I was dumbfounded at the idea that it really happens outside of Oprah.
I was a Maid Of Honor. Sarah was the Flower Girl
For Christmas that year Mark and I went on our first cruse to the Bahamas. I had a good time but would never truly come to love cruses. Even though they say, "all inclusive so don't bring cash." they lie. I enjoyed all the food and stuff but the other things I really wanted to do, like skeet and off ship tours, were so expensive. It's true, no cash needed...the expenses show up on the credit card. Mark and I had a good time on the cruse and would go on a few during our marriage, but my heart and soul was in the surf trips.
The year ended on a good note.
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