MORNING DRAWING

Infiltrating the morning routine is drawing every a.m.

Absent-mindedly and without intention I have doodled faces for years – on text books, beer mats, plane tickets and the margins of school exams.

Sometimes when stuck with what to draw on a fresh piece of paper, a face will appear, and then another, and another, all scrambling for the paper's real estate.

And here they are again! The consistency over a couple of months (every morning) distilling them into a smooth form; something to develop.

As the pen or pencil hits the paper I have no idea what's going to happen and I love it!

NEWQUAY COLOUR

Provided the sun is out, Newquay can zap some colour into a day.

Only this morning on my cycle ride around town I noticed a couple more creatively painted walls, albeit murals or signs to a venue or business.

The idea that Newquay (other towns available) can encourage more creative thinking to liven up the streets, lends a little hope of adding brightness to even the dreariest of days...and you know they're queuing up.

So, on this drizzly Newquay afternoon, here are some photos with colour around town.

SOLD...& SECOND THOUGHTS

SOLD!

Going, going gone! The 5'10" left the nest yesterday.

As soon as the message came through confirming the sale, I went to the garage and picked the board out of the racks.

Not, as one would think, to get it ready to sell. No! This was to suddenly doubt my decision to let it go. I'll never forget Costa Rica, or perfect Lobos and the offshore chatter on those flawless rights...I shan't dig into the memory vaults anymore.

GO...DON'T LOOK BACK.

SELL! SELL! SELL! SURFBOARDS & WETSUIT SALE!

Well, that day has arrived – the day an ageing surfer dreads.

The day where it's time to let go of a couple of favourite surfboards.

You've hung onto them for a while, they stand to attention in the surfboard rack along the wall in the garage. They get taken out and put under the arm from time to time - reminiscing on the best days you enjoyed together.

Then comes the idea that on the right day, with the right wind & swell, you will ride again. This is when the dreaded reality looks directly into you...that's not going to happen. Kid yourself no more.

It's over.

It's time to breakup.

It's not you, it's me.

It really is. The board is the same – it is still electric (under the feet of the right person)!

It's been a long time coming and quite obvious to most, with the ego being the last to see it. But a look in the back of the van would provide the evidence.

Behind the van's sliding door is a stack of surfboards, starting with a 9'1", then moving down to the much loved 7'6" single fin, 7'2 twinny, and then the Twiglet in the collection, the 6'6" single.

It's been this way for a while, with only misplaced dreams paying the rent for my 5'6" and 5'10" fish twin fins to take room in the board rack.

So, they are for sale.

DIPLOCK 5'6" FISH 

• 5'6" x 20 5/8" x 2 3/4"
• Futures fins (Not included)
• Good condition. Small pressure dings on deck
• Great surfboard, very fast. Difficult to part with, but riding longer boards now.
• £220

DIPLOCK / PHOENIX 5'10" FISH

• DIPLOCK / PHOENIX 5'10" FISH
• 31.4 Litres
• Lokbox fin system (Fins included. Channel Island Keel Twin Fin template)
• Good condition. Pressure dings on deck.
• Good surfboard, simple easy to surf fish.
• £180

Along with tales of never riding favourite surfboards again, is never fitting into the same wetsuit make & model used for years again. So after 1 surf reality looked into me for truth again, and said I need a size up.

I can't claim it's much loved as I've used it once. But a needessentials (size small) wetsuit has served me well for years. And so with reluctance I'm selling this new one.

NEEDESSENTIALS 4/3MM LIQUID TAPED SEALED CHEST ZIP WETSUIT

Brand new, surfed once. Gutted that it's just a tad too small for me.

• External Liquid seems
  
• Rapid-dry thermal lining
  
• Stretch Limestone Neoprene
  
• 100% glued, blind stitched and internally taped
• £120

I'm based in Newquay, Cornwall and the boards and wetsuit are collection only.

If anyone is interested, call me on: 07894 963267 or email: sleeplessink@yahoo.com