It is a New Year and starting off with a BANG!

The last day of 2008 from 3pm-5pm was spent paddling at Rock Island at Brave Wave. I did the seal launch, surfed the top waves one or two times, the main hole one time, and then Brave Wave. Owen, Kat, her husband, and Curtis were already there, and Clay and I did a short session as well. The wave is at about 4,000 cfs which is a SICK level! I brought a thermos with coffee, affectionately known now as the “Tony Lee Starter Kit”. Tony is the ultimate bring your own lunch guy, with a thermos and brown bag. My thermos us just the Tony Lee Starter kit, I still have a long way to go to be like Tony.

After paddling we shared some hot coffee at the top of the hill as the sun was setting behind the cliffs. It was warm enough to be comfortable in just a boof gear.

I made it home just in time to pop a bottle of wine and drink a toast with Kristine as the sun was setting on the horizon (the sun sets later at my house than at the river). I followed that up with 9 holes of Frisbee golf in my back yard and took a moment to reflect on the year by my self. I committed to making 2009 my best year ever, while sitting on the hill looking at the orange sky, as was getting dark for the last time in 2008.

Clay, Stephen, Tara, and Jessica came over for a New Year’s Eve dinner, and party. Kristine made kebabs that I cooked on the grill. Since Stephen is pretty much a meat only guy, and Tara is a vegetarian, it makes for an interesting cooking scenario. Kristine figured it out, by doing a “make your own kebabs”. Stephen’s were all meat, with a token pineapple. Tara’s were all veggies. Mine were just plain big and yummy. The Pinball machine got good use as Stephen got the second highest score. Ping Pong, and then Rock Band to round out the evening until it was almost Midnight. Clay brought the fireworks and we walked the ½ mile down onto the dam to shoot them off. KC did great and was huddled under a blanket with Kristine, while we drank champagne and blew stuff up. Alcohol and explosives, what a combo.

Kristine and I finished up at home, by ourselves with three games of Backgammon and then fed KC and put him to bed. 3 hours later the 911 lady called to tell me we had an alarm going off at the factory. I got there and met the cops, still dark out, and sure enough some dummy broke in and was trying to steal tools. Like on TV, we walked around the factory, opening doors, guns drawn checking for hiding criminals to catch and bring down. No luck this time, but they’ll not likely get away with it.

I got home again at about 8:30 and went back to bed until 10:00. Kristine made steak and eggs for breakfast, with mimosas.

The second thing I did on my first day of 2009 was to go paddling with Stephen and Clay. Kristine walked KC and the dogs down to the wave in her stroller. She watched for awhile and then walked home.

Awesome day! A round of Frisbee golf and we are ready for dinner!

Happy New Year!

EJ