Father, son, grandfather, husband

Today was father's day, and what a day it was.  

As David French said:  There are few better purposes than helping the people you love walk through life.

I have so many people to love.  I am blessed.

Vicky.  She started my day with my father's day bottle of wine, a sweet card, and BACON!  Real, thick-cut bacon.  Yum.

 

 

 Then I got a call from Emily, and as usual we had a terrific visit.  I love her so much.   Here is a photo of my talking to her:

Then we took a nice walk through our funky town of Pine.  We saw other fathers out walking with their children, and it was fun to yell:  "Happy Father's Day!"  They all glowed when we did this.

Then we danced.  Here are some of our dances.  We dance to old music.  If we ever come across a new song that is as beautiful as our old songs are we'd jump to adopt it.  But (OLD PERSON ALERT!), they don't make music like they used to.

 

Dancing the One-Step to Edward Woodward's version of the 1962 song That was the Last Thing on my Mind. 

Dancing the American Bandstand Swing to the 1964 version of As Tears Go By, written by the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger, and sung by Marianne Faithful.  This is a fun and exuberant dance.  We do all kinds of patterns called tunnels and pretzels.  Very complex and VERY fast.  We love it.

Dancing the Nightclub 2-step to the 1989 song Find Another Fool----written and performed by Marcia Ball.

Doing the West Coast Swing to the 1959 Burt Bacharach/Hal David song With Open Arms. 

Plus many more dances to oldies but goodies.    

Then I got more calls.  From Jules, Ian, Adam and Diane.  I love my son so much.  It was terrific to catch up with all of them.  Wish they could have been here. 

And then from Candice, Marina, and Stella.  I am very close to them.  Very close.  I love them so much. 

After we danced, Vicky opened my bottle of wine.  Yum.

And I got to open presents.  

She got me two "wooden nickels" from the Carson, Iowa Centennial celebration of 1981.  Carson is where my father was born and raised, and it has always held a place in my heart.  I really liked going there as a child.  My dear Aunt Hope and Uncle Wayne lived there, in addition to my grandma.  A small, now dying, town.  

But when my father was a child it was bustling.  The Carson cemetery is where my folks have their ashes buried (and in New Sharon, Iowa, where my mother grew up).  We will have half of our ashes buried next to them.  The other half will be spread over the grasslands on the rim--we have the place picked out and will show family when they visit.  

She also got me the sheet music of Tennessee Babe, from the John Wayne film The Alamo.  I used to sing this to Emily when she was a little girl, to give her a lullaby before sleep.  

When I opened it, I cried.

 

 

 Then we ate dinner.  I had requested Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, and some of Vicky's awesome Broccoli Casserole.  Yum, yum, and more yum.

 

THEN!  Desert.  My choice of ice cream:  Drumstick. 

I also got two Father's Day Cards.  Both of them didn't come until two days after Father's Day because....well.....because of two words:  Pine Arizona.  Even the postal service is funky here.  One was from Jules, and another was from Kathy and Bill. 

What a wonderful day in my life.  Vicky organized it all.  And worked hard to give me something that I will always remember.  

And as I did on Mother's Day, I spent a lot of time reflecting on my own father, who I love and miss so much.  I miss my mother and father more with each passing year.  Not a day goes by that I don't think of them.  I was blessed with good parents--parents who knew what they were doing and who loved me.   

Here is a note I wrote to them in 2007.  It obviously meant a lot to them because they saved it, and I found it after they died.  I'm glad I have it. They had written to thank me for coming out on Thanksgiving to help them decorate their house for Christmas.