Hang-ten dudes!

Samantha and I recently got off the beach from catching major waves. To all the mothers out there skip this next part...

**MOTHERS SKIP**
**MOTHERS SKIP**

Ok now that we have gotten rid of them, Sam and I both want to buy our own surfboards and start surfing off the beaches of Oregon! We can't wait!!!!

**MOTHERS COME BACK**
**MOTHERS COME BACK**

Welcome back worry-wart mothers, you better not have read that last part, trust me I will find out if you did! Surfing was a blast, and Patrick, our surf instructor was so much help. We went over balancing on the board, how to stand on our knees, and how to get up on our feet. We also went over the type of rip currents and where they are mostly located at on the particular beach we were on. After doing a few pratice routines in the sand we ventured out into the water to grow our webb feet. I must admit after being in the water for 1 1/2 hours it was definetly time to come in. Surfing is exhausting!

The water was suprisingly warm and VERY salty. I think my blood pressure went up almost the second I stepped in. Our boards were approx 8' long and after trecking down the path to access the beach they became quite heavy. Of course Samantha being a GIRL and having a pre-surfing flirt session with Patrick he ended up carrying her board for her... lame! I tried pawning my board off on him also but I guess I'm just not as cute... pshaw!

This town reminds me of Seaside, it's very touristy(sp?). It has a sky swing, mini golf, arcades, ect ect ect. Also the difference between low tide and high tide is very evident. The sad part is when a good photo momment arrives, you have so much trash in the picture that it destroys the scenery. They are not very clean around here, but I'll bet you would be able to say the same thing about the States if they didn't have road and beach clean-up days.

Also I'm not sure what horrific thing you guys did to Samantha when she was young, but I have come to the conclusion that she is afraid of the dark.The B&B we are staying in is the beautiful house with these narrow staircases that are slightly ill'lit until Sam arrives, then every possible light switch in the vacinity get's the flip (slang for turned on). I'll bet we used more electricity in this single house last night than the whole rest of the town combined, and that was just for light! Luckily they don't have electric heaters or they might force us to pay the electric bill this month.

Mom, I'm so glad your surgery went well and that they actually found something that can help you out. I love you and I'm praying that this will be the final flag thrown in your headache battle. Stacey, I'm sure like Mom this is a recovery day for you. =) I hope you had a wonderful 21st birthday!!

Hopefully this e-mail makes some sense and is somewhat elegible. I'm on a computer keyboard for the first time since I left the states, my fingers are all wrinkly, and the @ sign is over next to the return key. Also the return key is cut short and doesn't make a backward 'L' shape like I'm used to. I guess they have more keys in Ireland that they have to make room for on the keyboard, there must be a 'slang' key somewhere... weridos!