Some friendships last forever. On this morning I'm headed before dawn to the beach. There's meant to be waves. It's freezing cold but if there's surf it's okay. The road isn't empty - others are up early going to work or checking the surf. I miss the empty roads. Too many people around now.
It's been windy and there's a tree down. In the dark I don't see it so swerve late, smashing my wing mirror. At least it's not a kangaroo this time. Bloody annoying though. Another ding on the van, and yes, they are all my fault, and usually on these early winter mornings when it's dark.
When I arrive the ocean is a lake, mere mouse waves stroking the shore. It's disappointing. A bad year of waves, this one. El bloody Nina.
Instead we walk, my girlfriend punctuating it with happy handstands. At 50 she's still playful, lithe and strong. In comparison, post COVID, I'm still getting fitness back again. I'm only a teency bit jealous.
We brave the water for a swim. The oceans 12.5 degrees so we squeal in the cold. It takes my headache away a little. Just a little - by 2pm I'll be crying with pain. Now I'm just trying to ignore it and enjoy time with my girl.
Back at the carpark we feed pistachios to the magpie. We shouldn't, but we do. Tam's family is a big magpie feeder and has been for years. The birds seem all healthy so...what ya gonna do?
Me and Tam have been besties since 11 years old. She gave me a heap of papers and photos to look after - she lives down in Tassie in a bus, so it's not really safe to keep them down there. In the collection was this photo of Point Addis, our favourite beach as kids. Too crowded for me now. I miss those solitary times. We spent a lot of time on that beach, horseriding, surfing, tripping.
When I flipped the back, there it was - an expression of love from some 27 years ago. We couldn't love each other more if we tried. How lucky we are.
With Love,
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With Love,
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What a glorious celebration of friendship!! Point Addis - I remember that as probably the first beach in Vic where you wouldn't get arrested topless. 😁 The sea at 12.5C Brrr.... it felt bracingly cool to me here yesterday - current sea temperature here now is 24.6C. 🤣
How special to have friendships which endure... it really part of the magic that makes life pulsate.
We were always quite besotted with each other which was rather cute in hindsight. It's been the most important friendship of my life. She's my compass foot, if you remember the Donne poem.
It's a little hard to explain really but I'm blessed with this friendship... She's a sister from another mister indeed.
It's been a while since I read that poem, it captured our friendship so well even though it's about a man and his love, I suppose.
You can still sunbake at one end of Addis. But it's a very busy beach now . I go elsewhere as I get too pissed off with people trampling on MY beach 😂 and my memories, my version of what I think it still should be... Empty, remote, wild, big and glorious.
I met my best friend when we were 13, 53 years ago. We've not seen each other in years, but we talk on the phone frequently.
Glad you are still in touch. Old friends can be gems indeed. Mine lives in Tassie so I don't see her much, just been lucky this year and seen her heaps.
Not everyone can keep friends for a lifetime. That says a lot about character.
Wonderful pictures.