The beginning, a very fine place to start

Perhaps I should play like “The Sound of Music” and start at the very beginning. How did a 37 year old mom of two get into skateboarding?
My first board was a handmade board cut out of a piece of plywood painted purple with some skate wheels attached. It was hardly fancy, but it was a good starter. I was 7 or 8 at the time and the woman who lived next door painted a spider web on the bottom. Then I got a clear blue acrylic board. I didn’t use either one all that much. I skated up and down the sidewalk every once in awhile rolling down the side of the gutter into the street. It was an introduction. Skip to my teenage years. I knew a number of boys with skateboards and they’d let me borrow them for 5 or 10 minutes when we were hanging out. This was still before there was anything remotely like a skate park in Colorado. It was all street skating on big wide boards. There was also no protective gear to speak of. So, on one of my 5 minute borrows I crashed and hard. The board kept going leaving me in the middle of the street concussed and with a broken tailbone. I was done.
I regretted being done for years. I asked for a skateboard for Christmas. No dice. I grew up. Got married. Had kids. And I still wanted a skateboard. I’m not sure why I never bought myself one. Perhaps it was because there rarely ever any extra cash or maybe because the little extra cash we ever did have wasn’t for me to spend. I don’t know. The bottom line is I didn’t have a skateboard from my pre-teens until last Christmas.
My boyfriend asked me “What do you want for Christmas?” and my immediate response was, “I want a long board.” I’d seen others around boarding on long boards and it looked like fun. It looked like something I could do and not kill myself. Sure as can be he got me one for Christmas along with all the protective gear. Now THAT is a good man. I loved my long board. Christmas day we were all out skateboarding on our new boards (the Danimal and little B got new ones, too) skating around. I LOVED IT. So, from Dec.25th on I was long boarding every chance I could get.
Geoffrey was using Dan’s old board and Bronte was rocking her little board. They were all learning new things at the skate park every time we went. I was long boarding and while I loved it I have to say it was a little lonely being on that long board. I had the itch to try a short board, so I did. I hated it. I tried again and again. I liked it more and more. Now, I feel neglectful of my long board but I’m having so much fun! I love it! I love it! It’s what I do to relax, to think, to feel challenged and accomplished. I know I’m not that good. I don’t care. I’ll get there. I just enjoy it. And that’s the point. When you stop having fun it’s time to stop. I have yet to stop having fun and doubt I will any year soon.