Brews up.

Drinking tea gives me the same warm fuzzy feeling inside as listening to 'I wanna hold your hand,'by the Beatles or singing along to Stevie Wonder with my Dad. Talking about tea probably makes me sound more English than I need too, but what can I say the stuff makes me happy?!

The ritual of putting a cup of tea on, waiting those tantalizing two minutes for the water to boil then a further ten minutes of siting and simply enjoying my drink is, in my mind, pure unadulterated bliss. In England tea has been both the staple for the hard working classes, (miners in my county would take cold tea down the pits on account of actual water being too contaminated to drink) and a leisure opportunity for those of a wealthier disposition. 

I adore, sitting with friends for so long we leave bum imprints in chairs, putting the world to rites over a cup of tea. When my family come home after a hard day, we put the kettle on and discuss the trials and tribulations with a renwed sense of vigour. When someone passes away tea is made and I swear the comforting warmth appeases the grief if only for a little bit. 

I love nothing more than post surf peeling my wetsuit off (which is most definitely cold because I am a British surfer) and warming myself up with a cuppa. I feel accomplished and mighty post surf and that tea is my reward for braving the cold North sea. 

My new boyfriend (I love saying that) who for now shall be nicknamed Mr Sunny, made me tea and we sat together in the spring morning sunshine laughing and talking. 
Its these simple moments tea seems to instiage which leaves me feeling rosy and contented.

Ok enough about tea already, that's more than enough English eccentriticy for one evening!

So. Anyway. 

I'm trying to include a few more 'selfies' on here because I've noticed that when perusing other blogs I really love sites where the author has a real presence. My absolute fav at the moment is Vix at Vintage Vixen, I love her style, her Blackcountry candour and the fact she has real presence. I can't emulate her amazing style but I can be a tad more personable here on 'Real Women have Curves and Surfboards' otherwise nicknamed 'La Sirena.'

So here's some bits and pieces. 

First time I was able to go outside without a coat and it was AWESOME!! 

I call this the Blackcountry version of 'Bohemian!' Top was £4 from a charity shop, jeans a H&m sale find, as was the hat. Boots were TX Maxx bargains! 

Other stuff that's made me smile...

Surfing has no age limit! 

Until next time, 

Stay strong & Surf well 
Love

 

Surfacing.

You know that feeling, ten minutes into a workout where the little voice in your head is screaming 'no I can't do this,' but somehow your legs are still moving (or in our case arms still paddling)? Well, this is a prime example of your head lying to you, the same way ten minutes into a new relationship that's going well you'll try to sabotage it by doubting your happiness. 

Well this is how not to ruin your love life and accept that you are a vessel capable of being filled to the brim with, unbridled, arm wide joy! 

TELL THOSE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS TO SHUT THE F*%K UP! 

It's easier to be miserable because there's nothing to lose BUT there's also nothing to gain. For me the quickest way to stop ten to a dozen thought processes, is to go do some exercise i.e. surfing to give myself a moments peace. Thoughts drift like the clouds when I'm paddling out and suddenly things get put into perspective. That or do a workout routine with HASFIT. Coach Kozak is my valium, I could listen to this guy all day, such a motivator! 




SCRIBBLE.

I wrote this post on a grubby notebook on a train into Birmingham city center. I did so because I was trying to get my head straight for a date. Its too early to be revealing identities or making declarations but this guy is special, I mean I'm with him and all I feel is bliss. Like I said its early days but I feel like he's going to help me be the best version of myself, whilst also being my best friend. And that my dears in Sophia world is terrifying because suddenly there is hope and possibility. Reducing things to words on paper can shrink those enormous fears. Writing to you dear readers helps me to stop worrying about mindless things and focus on the here and now. I am someone's girlfriend, he makes me feel happy and that is as complicated as it needs to be. 

DISTRACTION.

Sometimes the best thing for you to do is to just distract yourself. I'm a sucker for getting stuck on a point and agonizing over it. Its hard to understand what it is your actually worrying about when your so close to the problem. For me I procrastinate on youtube or Epic TV. Here's a prime example of something that will suck me in long enough to stop thinking about whatever it was I was agonizing over. 

VALUE YOUR VALUABLES.

Its scary valuing people because there is something to lose if this person goes away. This is an inevitable part of life however and attempting to ignore this fact is like trying to contain water in your palms by grabbing at it. Better you accept that people change and hold your palm out ready for the possibilities. 
I'm putting this into practice for my new relationship, I'm starting to get really get attached to him and finding myself fighting this inevitable inertia. Falling in love actually releases the same chemicals as being on cocaine. Its going to get a little crazy so you may as well enjoy the buzz!! 

Anyway. 

Here's photos from said date, we walked around the Birmingham Botanical gardens in a rare bit of February sunshine. The word is bliss :) 

   

Until next time, 

Stay strong and surf well 
Love

Catfish.

"They used to tank cod from Alaska all the way to China. They’d keep them in vats in the ship. By the time the codfish reached China the flesh was mush and tasteless. So this guy came up with this idea that if you put these cods in these big vats, put some catfish in with them. And the catfish would keep the cod agile. And there are those people who are catfish in life. And they keep you on your toes, they keep you guessin’ they keep you thinkin’ they keep you fresh. And I thank god for the catfish, because we would be dull and boring if we didn't have somebody nipping at our fin."

Vince, Catfish. 

   

Photos and paintings by moi (Sophia Hobbs) playing around with the black and white setting on my Samsung phone before heading out to see what the night brings! 

The Power of 20.

I'm always happy when I'm surrounded by water. I think I'm a mermaid or was a mermaid. The ocean makes me feel really small
and it puts my whole life into perspective. It reminds me I am this very little piece of this huge earth and it humbles you and it grounds you. It makes me feel almost like I've been baptized and I'm one again when I get out of the ocean.
                                   
                                               - Beyonce Knowles


For some unbeknownst reason to me, the number twenty has featured heavily in my life this week. In the first instance it was to do with surfing. I traveled back to Saltburn on Thursday to surf with my good friend Jemima and I think to reconnect with myself. 

Due to time restraints we had only a short period in which to catch some waves. Nick the wonderful surf shack owner from the beach front gestured when we had only twenty minutes remaining. 
When I got back into the ocean I surfed hard I knew it would be a while before I'd have this feeling again so I made sure I felt every molecule against my skin. I indulged in the feeling of being swept away by the tide and the lightness of the board being pulled from underneath me. I even embraced my wipe outs thinking how important it was to appreciate this learning curve. 

Saltburn in all its rugged glory. 

Sometimes its good to see life from a different perspective. 

The happiest Labradoodle in the world!

I am but a small person and this is a very big world.

Jemima the surfer girl ready for business! 

The city of York 

Perspectives from the city of York.

Then to the train station where I had a twenty minute delay. At first I was frustrated and just wanted to be home. But then I listened, I mean actually listened to the music on my mp3 player and watched life unfolding around me. I witnessed goodbyes between lovers, families reuniting and cool hipsters getting ready for a night out. It reminded me that my life will go on and that I should continue to hope and dream for things because every cloud has a silver lining. 

Lastly I found myself in on a Saturday night. I felt panicked like I was missing out on something, after two days of surfing and constant distraction a night with just myself suddenly seemed torturous.I ignored my panic and instead did twenty minutes of yoga. Pushing my body through rounds of sun salutation made me focus on my breathing and gave me the clarity I needed. Reflection is good, being alone can be good too. Its important post break up to be kind to yourself, to explore your sadness and then start rebuilding. 

Sophia loves Casper. Casper loves Sophia! 

I am grateful every day of my life for discovering surfing and for the way its enabled me to meet some fantastic people. My Saltburn surf buddy is a miraculous person who I feel so grateful to have shared such a positive experience with. We're not just surf buddies I think we're friends for life. Nick the surf shop owner is a wizened soul who gave me the best compliment of my life 

"I see a lot of people try surfing who I know aren't going to do it. You two I think are going to be good surfers" 

The word is. Stoked. 

Stay strong and surf well 

Love Sophia 

X 

North Sea Surfing.

Go pro's - great for landscape pics not so great for girls with curves!

Surfing in wet suits so thick you feel like your wearing a tire,  hail storms and freezing temperatures do not sound like ideal surfing conditions. Despite a barrage of reasons for not surfing in January in the UK ( think snow storms, numb hands and hypothermia) surfing the North sea was one of the most magical things I've done in my short twenty four years. 

Amazingly my two hour train ride from Birmingham to Saltburn went without a hitch and despite only technically meeting Jemima my surf companion once, (and rather briefly in the University library before I graduated), we became as thick as thieves minutes after seeing each other again. That's what I really love about surfing the fact that it binds people. It's such a positive, uplifting experience you can't help but make friends. 

You know the best thing of all? I actually surfed, I mean I managed to catch more than a few waves on purpose. The magic happened, I can't explain it but something just seemed to click, I was in the right place at the right time and was actually standing up! I've been pretty quick to criticize my surfing of late, heck my email is sophia.cant.surf! Its largely because I don't like to take myself too seriously, surfing is about having fun and not worrying about how you look. I'm starting to wonder however if perhaps I should be re-labelled to: 

'Sophia can almost call herself a surfer just give it a bit more time,' 

Surprisingly we were so toastie in our wet suits/hoods/booties etc. 

The goofy smile plastered across my face didn't leave me all day, nor did it leave me the next. That's what I love about surfing happiness practically throbs within you after a session in the waves. Something about the sea sets you free and allows you to focus on only the task at hand - surfing. 

Surfer girls! 

Thank-you North Sea for giving me happiness.
Thank you Jemima for reminding why I must try to surf more
Thank you Nick the local surf legend for opening up the surf shack on a day where most people would be tucked up indoors. 

Stay strong, surf well. 

X