Of Father's Day thoughts~~~~~

Hello Darklings,

I'm sitting here thinking, typing, feeling a little tired and a little sad.

It's Father's Day. 

I was up early to wish Doyle good by as he took the cab to the airport he said don't bother to come, just to sleep in and rest, I wasn't feeling too well yesterday, upset stomach that had be bending over and worshiping the "Porcelain God".   What caused it to be upset haven't a clue.

I feel better today, so it must have been a 24 hour bug, but I'm staying home tomorrow.   Doyle called me later in the day to say he arrived safely at his children's home, in time for their Father's Day celebration.  San Diego is only a short flight away, at least its not across country.

Sis came over to see how I was doing, and made a poached egg on toast for me, and took care of the dogs.

But it's Father's Day, Sis asked why I was so sad, I said that it could be a combination of stomach upset and feeling out of sorts.  She nodded her head, "Dad?" she said and I said yes.

Even in old age Dad was a tall man, he walked like he was still in the military, his suits for work just so, shirts just so, he'd take them to the dry cleaners and pick them up, Mom would wash and dry the shirts but Dad would press them.  Not that Mom couldn't or wouldn't, Dad said "Your Mother has enough on her hands without me being picky about how I want them ironed, I can at least help her out that way."  Which was true, he even ironed our brother's shirts and our blouses and skirts when we were little, when we got older we did our own, even our brother's did their own.

He always insisted on buying a car he could fix or at least take care of a lot of the simple things, like changing the oil, adding fluid to the radiator, checking the tires, changing the air filter.  But more complicated things like changing spark plugs, replacing the muffler, tuning the car he'd leave it to an expert, but he made sure about things.

Most of the simpler repairs around the house he'd do, he refused to have Mom get on a step ladder to change a light bulb, but if it was something that took more than his expertise, he'd say call the expert in. 

He even figured out how to change the tubes in the old black and white RCA T.V.,  we had that for years and years until the picture tube blew---that was exciting because, it was near some curtains and the curtains caught fire, we were screaming but Dad just grabbed the curtains and pulled them down, while Mom grabbed a pot of water, the rug got wet, Dad's shirt got singed, his hand got burned, the T.V. was dead, Dad and my brother put it outside just in case, and the living room had to be repainted. 

Mom called the Doctor about Dad's hand but it was just red and a couple of blisters, the Doctor did a house call, treated him and told him to come to his office the next day.  It healed but he said everyone a work kept asking him what happened to his hand. 

Our next T.V. was color, and what a shock that was.  But Dad kept the cabinet from the old T.V. "The wood is good" he said and made it into a sewing cabinet for Mom to keep her sewing stuff and patterns in.  I have that now, it holds CD's.

He always wore a hat, a Fedora, he had several of them, Sunday Best, two go to work hats, Saturday casual hat and the work on the car or work in the garden hat.  I have one of his hats hanging on the Hall Tree as if he just came home.  Sis has the other one.

He'd take us fishing  at the pier,  fix our bikes, he and Uncle Manny built a doll house for Sis and I, Sis has it now with all the furniture. 

He'd take us to the park push us on the swings, made sure we were safe on the titter-totter and no bully's would pick on us.  Take the boys to the ball games, we'd go to the zoo, and on Saturday when the ice cream man came give us our dimes and watch us while we made our selection.  He'd always buy a Fudgesicle for himself and a Orange Creamsicle for Mom.

He taught us kids how to dance, waltz, fox trot, swing, we taught him the Twist, but when "Anniversary Waltz" came on the radio or was played on the phonograph he and Mom always waltz to that, real close and us kids we stayed real quiet.  And always Dad would kiss Mom real gentle at the very end and Mom would blush like a kid.

I can hear the song now with Al Jolson's voice signing "...my darling I love you so." 

Happy Father's Day, Dad.