Dad

Today is my Dad's birthday. Last year, we celebrated him in style. All of us made it home to make a big fuss - and what a great time that was! Of course, today I am reminiscing about that wonderful event and missing the immediacy of being in the same town. I wish I was closer so I could take him out for coffee [even though he doesn't drink coffee] . But I'm not. So instead, I will sit down for a few minutes and have a virtual one-sided conversation about him in celebration of this important day. Here are ten things about my dad. ..... The envelope please....

10. When my sister and I were in our teens, my mother decided it was good training for us to make one or two meals a week. Even in those days, we didn't look ahead far enough to plan what we would make. We always thought that the idea would magically appear before us. As a result, we often made quiche. It was quick. And easy. Or we baked omelets (which is quiche without the crust). My dad never commented about this. He always ate the meal and said "Thank you for the nice supper".

9. When I came home from Bible School, I got a temporary job at a binder factory. The factory was 20 minutes from our house. My dad's school was 20 minutes the other way. I had to start at 7:00 a.m. Most days, my dad drove me to work with the bike in the back of the trunk, (for my return trip) and then he drove the other way across town to get to his work.

8. When we were quite young, a past time my sister and I enjoyed with our dad was to take a piece of paper and fold it in three. Each of us would draw a head on the first fold. Then we would pass it to the next person and we would draw the body on the second fold and then we would pass it again and draw the legs and feet. Then we would open them up and laugh at how silly they looked. Then we would beg him to do it all over again.

7. When I tried out to be the mascot for the cheer leading team at school, I didn't make it. Another girl did. I was disappointed but determined not to let it bother me, so I made up my own cheer leading squad. I went to my Dad and asked for some crepe paper (he only had green - or that is the color that appealed to me). He made me earn it by sweeping his office and other small jobs. I made the pom-poms out of that paper and thus 'The Green Parrots' Cheer Leaders were born. I think we folded the squad after two practices.

6. My dad had the temerity to help me with Grade 8 math. Many nights were spent at the kitchen table - me sobbing that I just 'couldn't do this' and dad - in his no-nonsense -way- mixed- with- just- a- little mercy encouraging me to work away at it.

5. My dad read to us at bed time occasionally. He isn't one to waste words and wasn't really interested in reading descriptive words in the conversations of the books: as in: "You did that?" said Susie, raising her eyebrows in complete and utter surprise." So he cut out the "said Susie, raising her eyebrows in complete and utter surprise." We didn't really mind. We knew who was saying what and how by his own expression.

4. My dad has a way of expressing his views of certain female fashions and trends with just a few comments. One of them was "Did you fall in a coal bin?" This was directed at his girls when makeup was applied.

3. My dad likes to be on time early. He didn't nag us. He just went to the car and sat it in until we all arrived; thus avoiding the mad rush of females trying to find the coal for the bin in which they were going to fall.

2. My dad plays the saxophone. One way to get out of helping with Sunday lunch was to play duets with him. In later years, one of his greatest thrills was to play a duet with his grand-daughter a few years ago- she on the trombone and him on the sax.

1. My dad is a man who doesn't miss the opportunity to assure you of his love and prayers. And he's not 'all talk' about the prayer part. If he says he's praying for you, he is.