Howdy,

The days have kind of come and passed—so quickly—but I’ve mentioned briefly in multiple posts about our six days in Santa Cruz and having active snippets to share.

So I’ve lined it out, from what I’ve started (Thursday): Friday; Saturday; Sunday; Monday; Tuesday. Now I’ve just got to write them.

Friday: Friday, was Spike Ball.

Spike Ball, and, well, some themes to the trip. Cafe Brasil for açaí bowls and other breakfast paraphernalia (none of which as important as the açaí bowls) and the Verve Coffee Roasters. (Actually, reflecting, I believe Verve coffee was Thursday and Saturday and Sunday—enough, I guess I confused it, trying to infuse their roast into Friday as well.)

From wherever we were my three younger brothers—Christopher, Casey, and David—and I made our way to the beach. Returning the Natural Bridges beach for our Brothers’ Spike Ball Championship Tournament of the World, which I (and my teammate-to-be-named-later) won, and you can read about here.

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Howdy,

Ah, that’s more like it.

And still historical:

16-1

Warriors, World Champions!

Short and simple and sweet.

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Howdy,

So, I thought, with it being Sunday and all, I’d do something I’ve done a couple of times but now kind of kick off a Sunday Scripture series idea. Don’t know that it means I’ll do it any certain number of consecutive Sundays or anything, but it is something that I’d like to do from time to time, and I like the title Sunday Scripture series, so I’ll go with it. We can do that, just go with it.

So, (again with “So comma,” which I like sometimes and when I do I just go with it, pushing it hard, to the point, I can really hear it and where I hope that it’s not annoying too many people—the too many part is probably safe, in the sense of hoards of myriads and myriads, thus I just hope it doesn’t annoy you; I’m aware it could be a problem, but I hope not, so … I’m just going to go with it) I went to my ESV Bible app on my iPhone (ESV: English Standard Version—a tremendous one and I’d highly recommend it) with the notion of going for a spin through my “FAVORITES”—favorited verses—which is what I did.

But rather than put too much into the spin through I decided to simply go with the first favorited: Exodus 19:5. Clicking that favorite, I saw that I had highlighted (another app option in the electronic ESV Bible) a passage of verses: four, five, and six.

“‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel’” (Exodus 19: 4-6).

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Howdy,

Okay, so, I promised some snippets from my six days in Santa Cruz.

Maybe this could be a series.

Maybe not.

Still, we did some cool stuff—some of which is not doing much at all. Or doing it slow. Or after late starts. Or without overthinking it first. Just being and doing. Or, sorta Santa Cruzing.

One thing I’ll write more about, try to craft a bit, is Riah Surf’s first birthday on Monday in Santa Cruz. We thought that was definitely cool and befitting—Riah Surf spending his first birthday where he belonged, on the beach, watching the ocean, the waves rolling in, splashing high over the cliff walls of rock, crushing against sand’s shore—the surf—and Riah on the beach, eating sand. Even more than the special birthday açaí, a bowl from Cafe Brasil.

Started to write sentence behind “Cafe Brasil,” but it’s truly worth its own paragraph: if ever in Santa Cruz … ever. Ever. If ever in Santa Cruz, California, go to Cafe Brasil and get the açaí bowl. It’s just my opinion. But do it. And it’s not really just my opinion. My brothers and I went for their açaí bowls two days in a row—and were left wondering why we hadn’t hit it the first day for all three. I’ve given a link to Cafe Brasil at the first mention. Speaking of mention, did I say you should go and try the açaí bowl? You should, and any of their other food. Everything we’ve ever had there has been amazing—unless it was a little odd. But still amazing, in its own way (right, Tom?) What’s a little risk, when you could walk out of their with an açaí bowl?

So, açaí bowl.

Believe it or not, I’ll write more about that another time—soon: Riah’s birthday day, starting with açaí bowls on a cliff ledge and the sea attacking us with glorious display—and power. POWER. Blew my hat right off! Seriously. Right off my head. Blasted into the air. But that’s a story and description for another time. But man am I glad that …—

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Howdy,

So my post today was supposed to be short and simple and sweet:

16-0

Warriors World Champions!

Not today.

Not supposed to be.

—Billy

Reading. Waiting. Losing.

Howdy,

Strange weather today: but a beautiful day for baseball. (‘Course that’s many days.)

We went to watch James play, and it was a lot of fun: a gorgeous little ballpark, tucked away but an inspiration of bigger things. Jasper and Titus—totally taken by James’ every move—were eager to cheer and also drawn in by the game (the playing field and the players’ actions) and have questions for every quirk in baseball that becomes common knowledge with age and experience.

Common knowledge, baseball: yet they say you never know what you may see in a game of baseball. And any inning can involve something you’ve never before seen in a ballpark.

Green grass is so great, and Turlock’s open, country sky, with that briefest of rainfall today, offered a special expanse of blue hues holding layers of clouds which shifted into patterns of palette with sunset’s pop of powdery paints, making the drive home an enjoyable extension of the family evening out.

Baseball playing out under open skies in green backyards, battered hometown youth fields, beautiful university diamonds, or Big League stadiums is a rich heritage and unique pastime of action, actions, acuity, alacrity, alertness, angles, arguments, arms, asserting, assessing, attack, averages, and … etc.

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Howdy,

I realize that I’m going to get exactly zero sympathy, but, boy, I tell you, I also realized today, it takes some recovery to reenter your routine after six days away from home in the mountains and on the beaches of Santa Cruz, California.

Today was a good day, but maybe tomorrow will be more Turlock, in terms of more settled in and striving for that daily discipline and rhythm. I did get a nice swimming session for exercise today, but I’ll have to really get on the writing mañana, to start that seeking to catch up.

I’ll simply just not give up, like the Golden State Warriors tonight, who trailed significantly and late, but pushed to the end, through in the end, for the NBA Finals victory in Game 3 over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Series, 3-0. Playoffs, 15-0.

Get that 16-0. That would be cool. Historic.

In my writing I’m shooting for “16 wins” as well, dropping a few days along the way, but tracking for my own title.

—Billy

Reading. Writing. Living.

Howdy,

To home after six days in Santa Cruz: not quite the writing retreat I envisioned (as an added bonus  possibility)–a side thought on this trip anyway–but I should have plenty of snippets to write as I seek to catch up this week. We’ve enjoyed a great trip, a vacation of really two trips for me.

—Billy

Reading. Writing. Living.

Howdy,

Today, the young one turns 1.

Riah Surf, born this date 2016, is officially a year old.

He’s got a few short, sharp teeth to prove it, and he got to bite into some caramel-fudge-Oreos ice cream today, too.

Happy Birthday, Riah! It was a great (Surf) day, and it seemed like you really enjoyed it–all those smiles giving it away.

—Billy

Reading. Writing. Living.

P.S. 1! looks kinda like 11. And I can believe one going on eleven, which is A1 crazy. (Big brother Jasper is staring down seven …)