It was a few weeks ago when Blinky came into the shop and asked if I ever thought I’d be making surfboards when I was sixty. At the time I wasn’t quite sixty… my birthday was this past Friday the 21st.

My wife, son and daughter decided to host a 60th birthday party for me and was planned for yesterday. It may have taken my wife a month to get an invite list from me, not that I procrastinated but I’m so self conscience about stuff like that. Anyway, come 6 pm yesterday evening people began arriving until the house was full. What a great time!

My wife told me she was thinking about having the party catered and asked what I thought of “ L & L” the local Hawaiian BBQ place. I said ‘are you kidding? That would be great! ‘ I love that place, Suzi and I go there all the time…. Geez, Friday special Lau Lau, Spam musubi . She was afraid some people wouldn’t like it, but I said don’t worry about it, I like it and how could anyone not? Well, she followed through and we had the best grinds a party could ask for.

When David Puu walked in and greeted me he said “ I didn’t even bring my camera”. I replied saying ‘that’s good, you should be able to go somewhere relax and not worry about missing out on a good photo moment'. Funny though, when everyone filled in and he saw the depth of the gang he said “ I should have brought my camera!”. Of course if he had his camera he would’ve taken the picture instead of being in the picture. We got a group shot of some of the guests.

From left to right kneeling: in front is Rachel Jorgensen one of the few female board crafters, also one of my partners at Studio 609 Board Craft. Then David Puu, though now a photographer, a long time board builder under the Morning Star label.

From left to right standing: Steve Huerta, Huerta-McNair Surfboards, Spencer Kellogg, Surfboards by Spence, Sammy Cammack, Sueno Surfboards and also production manager of Fletcher Designs Surfboards, Wayne Rich, Wayne Rich Surfboards, Bill ‘Blinky’ Hubina, William Dennis Surfboards, Myself, Chris Fallon, the most talented paint and line guy in the 805, as well as my partner in Studio 609. And finally Mike Smith, though not a board builder he does have his own ‘Mike Smith nose rider model’ for William Dennis and just happens to be the Mayor of “C” Street.

I had a party for my 30th birthday and was told back then I was over the hill. Now at 60 I’m told I’m over the hill. So what? I wasn’t over at 30 and I’ve been still climbing the hill for the past 30 years? No wonder I’ve been so tired all the time.

D.R.

The Hostess, My beautiful wife Suzi.