Monday, 18 October 2010 @ 2345

Here we go again - I'm staying up way too late.

I've been working around David's apartment trying to do whatever I can to help him feel like things are getting accomplished.

David's high school buddy and great friend, Ryan Wicknick just left today after being here since last Friday. It was a great boost to David and we really had a great time together.

For the first time since David's accident, we had a great recreational adventure. Another great EOD Tech friend of David's, his name is Mark, has a boat and loves to fish for lobster, so off we went. We met at about 8 pm on Saturday night and jumped in the boat somewhere around the San Diego Airport. We would set out 9 lobster traps and then just sit and chat in the boat for about 20 or 30 minutes and then go and pull each trap to see what wonderful adventures we might find. We found lots of little crabs, one stingray, one fish that can paralyze your arm and after the setting and pulling the traps 4 different times we found about 20 or more lobsters. Mark taught us that a lobster takes 7 years to mature to legal size so we had to carefully measure each one in order to make sure they were legal. We took 4 of them home - close to $150 worth of lobster. The biggest was somewhere around 4 lbs and David ate that one.

We had no idea how to prepare them so Ryan had a U-Tube video playing on the kitchen counter while I prepared the feast. When I cut them open they didn't look that impressive but they looked exactly like the U-tube video so we rinsed off the meat and dug in. They were fantastic. We would have eaten the brains but the Marine spirit just does not go that far.

David did great on the boat and drove for a couple of the pulls. We were in the boat until almost 1 am and had a fantastic time. We had a seal following us most of the time and I dropped a piece of bait off the side and that seals head couldn't have been 2 feet away from me when he got the bait. We were tired but I was great to be out there together. We got to sleep about 2:30 in the morning. David even allowed me to have some licorice on the trip.

On Sunday we had the Lobster Lunch and then went up north to Ryan's grandfather's house for Irish Burritos. They were great. We really enjoyed the time there and Ryan and I were very manly and lifted David and his chair up and down about 15 or 20 steps. David is so gracious and open about his injuries and we thoroughly enjoyed our time together. Every time we go to these places I try to sit back and observe when David is explaining everything - inevitably he is given great compliments and love is expressed by those he meets. It is a very tender things to watch.

On Saturday, David bought a new Jeep. A beautiful Jeep Wrangler 4 Door Sahara. While we were sitting there, an older gentleman walked up to David and shook his hand and thanked him for his service. He then stepped over to me and asked if I was his father, I proudly said yes and he tenderly shook my hand and thanked me for such a great son. He was feeling very tender and, as you might guess, so was I. David was doing some great negotiating and I said something that about blew the deal but, after that glaring eye from David that said, "Dad, what the heck are your doing!" I quickly rebounded and he was able to close a great deal on the jeep. We had a good laugh once it was all over but I was very close to banishment.

Today was an OK day. David did quite a bit of therapy and tried to stand but something immediately started grinding in the muscle of his left leg so he thought it best to stop. Instead, he continued to do some strength training. Ryan laid on the exercise bed across from him, picked up a weighted ball and did a few of the same exercises along side of him. It was quite enjoyable to watch as David would start to grit his teeth and pull some good faces when he was close to the end of the exercise and Ryan's face was doing the exact same thing. David thoroughly enjoyed Ryans company and they rekindled their friendship. As we dropped him off at the airport, I received a handshake and David stuck out his hand but Ryan made him open the door so he could give him a big hug. What a great friend and, yes, another tender moment.

I can't express what a privilege this is. It is very hard being away from Lynnette, but I am so blessed to be able to be here and do what I can.

See you soon,

Gordon