The Wind Beneath My Ninja Turtle

Lucky Frisco Day 2 was a matter of perspective.

Starting off your morning with hot chocolates, mimosas and Guinness makes everything look half-full !

As we wrapped up breakfast and a little post-breakfast clean, we contemplated what to do.

I, innocently, joked about smushing this load of whipped cream on Hunie’s face and sort of did! By Accident! He still ate it! And loved it all!! I am certain…!

I had stalled on purchasing Alcatraz tickets, which had now sold out, thus we quickly modified plans to fly newly acquired kites from Chinatown on Chrissie Field. So we started walking.....

and walking....

and walking till we reached our beautiful destination where we found the real Golden Gate on a rather windless beach:

This Ninja Turtle had a hard time flying high.

Huns valiantly tried to use his superior running skills to generate wind. For the record, this kid cannot run more then 10 feet without running or tripping into something, including his own feet.

As we lingered on the beach hoping for wind, I drank some purvian oatmeal drink (B was sure I was getting drugged) offered by a nice man and his child. Tings wanted to be friends with the kid but was too shy and Hunie was too preoccupied perfecting the art of being a human wind generator.

So Tings turned his attention to challenging the surf. He ran right up to the surf, fists clenched, jaws clenched and basically and karate chopped it a bit!  It never fails to make me smile – the little Tingu taking on the Ocean. He does this whenever we get to a beach.



In an unusual defiance of practicality, he urged me to come and explore the rocky shore where we were bound to get wet in the cold, cold surf. Tings gallantly indicated that this is no problem and that a little exploring is worth some discomfort. I always encourage adventure so, while dreading sticky, cold jeans, I told him I would be right behind him.

I could feel B saying, ‘Don’t do this. You are going to get cold. It is a long walk. We have no spare clothes. He will be miserable.’

We went on. Sometimes we find our selves unprepared for the destination ahead. Sometimes all you can do is roll with it, ignoring logic but doing what feels rights even if just to prove to one side of the brain what the other side knew.

Following his right side!

Gotta admit, B was right on all counts. Tings was not too pleased with his choice after the fact but I reminded him of his wise words as we walked.... and walked..... and walked to find a taxi to take us to the hotel. 

Luckily his boxers kind of blended in with the bicycle shorts theme on the coast!

As we lounged in the hotel, napping and snacking in the sun, I was beginning to think this would be a bust of a day if I didn't do something. It was by no means bad but it wasn't great either.

We headed back to the Embarcadero with a mild but persistent cloud of pessimism hanging over me. I couldn't shake it as we ate overpriced cheese sandwiches and lemonades and then missed the timings to go ice skating. So we headed back while Tings petitioned nonstop for a $100 kite from Chinatown so we headed back there again where I persuaded him to purchase the $14 option with the promise that I would find a windy beach. We went to bed early. It will all be a mess if you think it will be a mess; but as I was nodding off I knew the opposite is equally true. 

So the next day, I gathered the troops and we went and rented a car. We headed out to Muir Woods. Getting out of the city definitely rejuvenated B. The drive over the Golden Gate was ‘epic’ as the kids say, for no other reason than we were driving over the Golden Gate! There I knew it was going to be a great day.

As the car, looped through the hills near Sausalito, everything began to feel wilder and a bit more remote. Arriving at Muir Woods, it was decidedly chilly and we bundled up as the kids excitedly got their materials to become junior park rangers.

The woods were lovely in the cool , misty morning light and we started our tour but almost immediately had to stop for provisions.

Tingu wanted this stellar outfit. I had one like it in the 80’s –except it was made of shiny silk and I wore it with long red earrings and knee-high white socks. I am too vain to post a picture. Tingu, as sad as you were to not have this, know I saved you years of cringe-worthy photos! 

The scale of the woods were awe-inspiring. The boys enjoyed their ability to disrupt the magical stillness of the woods as they ran through the paths boisterously exclaiming over the massiveness of the tress. The highlight for them was running into a little Japanese boy dressed as Yoda for his walk in the woods. 

A rather stern ranger, who took his job very seriously begrudgingly awarded Tings his coveted Junior Park Ranger Badge. Hunie did not pass the final verbal exam...he got a pat on the head and "Better luck next time, Little Buddy". I was amused at the failure and my nerdy side was pleased that they actually had some standards for giving out this bit of wood hot glued onto a pin! Little Buddy for his part was unphased as he befriended an inanimate bear and played to his brother's soft side to let him wear the badge for only " 5 minutes....". Those five minutes turned into half a day.

The woods refreshed us. As we headed back to San Francisco, an illogical and very right decision was made to take a detour and find a windy beach instead...