I am blessed with friends who allow me to be a way cool mom in spite of my inability to physically be there to be that cool.

Armed with grandmother Evelyn’s annual Christmas generosity and my connections to the best concert tickets in town, the child is now back on the waves and loving every moment.  I am well-stocked with sedatives.

At the time I had no idea who Cyd and her father were raving about on this particular day, as the instructors at Hans Hedeman’s Surf School will often rotate (with the exception of Sean, who has his set days with Cyd).  But a phone call with Lips, my buddy who started this whole surf thing in the first place, put me in the know:

Me: “…they went out with this guy Johnny who was raving about Cyd’s abilities.  He even taught her to walk back and forth on the board and told Kevin he could get her hanging ten (or at least five) in three weeks.”

Lips:”Johnny?!…(long pause)…Barb…that was (drum roll please)…Johnny Boy Gomes.”

Me: “OMG! JOHNNY BOY GOMES?!?!  OMG, OMG, OMG!”

Lips: “(laughing) Yeah, Johnny Boy Gomes, Barb.  Cyd just got the gold standard lesson.”

Chicken skin time, as we say in Hawaii!  I was more excited than Cyd.  Now, Johnny Gomes has been a surf icon for a very long time (Pipeline is his stomping ground - that says a lot) and he has the reputation of being one of the sport’s most notorious bad boys in his heyday.  So…Johnny…eh…no teach my kid wave rage, k?  Joke, brah…uhm…nah, nah, was one JOKE, k?

Photos to share here!