Waiting

I had a doctor appointment last Friday and did not get the okey dokey to surf.  They want me to go another few weeks. So now I'm looking at July 10th. However, they want me to go easy the first time and not to charge a big swell right out of the gate. Baby steps they said. And so now it looks like a good size swell is forecasted for mid-July. I guess it's going to be Doheny for me until things calm down.
😢

Neglect

I've been totally neglecting this blog only because I have not been given clearance to surf. I feel like I can but I don't want to make that mistake again. I try not to watch the cam and keep myself busy doing other things (currently working on a bathroom remodel at home) so I don't lament on what I'm missing. I'm still doing PT 3X per week and eating right. I have a doctor's appointment on Friday, so we will see. Injuries suck, just ask Tom Mohler who just happened to show up at PT with back problems yesterday. He's been out for a month. I need to get back into some of this:

RIP - Matt "Slim" Doherty

I first met Matt when I was moving into my house in San Juan Capistrano some 30 years ago. He was about 18 years old at the time. He came over bare footed, shirtless and with a cigarette in hand on a cool day in January. He introduced himself and asked if I need any help. I had several brothers helping so I declined the offer, he looked a little shady anyway. He said if I ever needed anything to let him know, he lived up the street a few houses with his mom and sister. About 10 years later he moved in across the street.
To say he was a wild man would be an understatement. I have stories, everyone that knew him has some too. He was always up to something. He was a fisherman, a hunter, a flier of a homemade helicopters (LOL) and a self-taught mechanic. He shared his catch with us on many an occasion.
He had a shop in the surf ghetto: A&M Power Tool Repair. If you own a surfboard that was manufactured in the ghetto then I can guarantee he maintained all the equipment used to make that surfboard from shaping machines, routers, planers and filters systems. Matt didn't surf but he knew everyone in the industry there on Los Obreros Lane and most of the pros that wandered through. He had nicknames for everyone, none that will be repeated here (LOL).
Matt had his faults, just like all us humans. But he had a heart of gold and would give a stranger the shirt off his back (if he was wearing one). When my in-laws lived with us he became fast friends with my Father-in-law and they would talk right wing politics on the sidewalk in front of my house; my Father-in-law in a wheel-chair and Matt leaning against the light pole without a shirt on. He also took an interest in my Grandson and used to let him play with his RC car.
Sadly, a few days after his birthday (we shared the same birthday) he took his own life. I won't go into the details but I think this could have been avoided.
I'm going to miss hearing his loud voice carry into our bedroom widows into the wee hours of the night while he holds court with his buddies in the front patio of his home.

Slim is on the right

Inside Slim's shop

Timmy Patterson, Scott Metzner, Slim and Gary Stark

I drove by the shop last night

My favorite T shirt

Link to OC Weekly article featuring Slim

49

Yup, I first picked up a surfboard 49 years ago today at the tender age of 13. How do I know that? Because it's also my birthday. This will be the first birthday in a long time where I didn't go surfing. But I'm working hard at physical therapy to get back at it by July.
My new eating habits have shown some really good results - I'm down 18 pounds now and have broken the 200 pound barrier. I hope to drop another 10 before I'm back in the water.

Thanks for the pic Ruben!