From a Friday Perspective

It is a difficult day today for our family. It is the anniversary of our Dad's death. It has been nine years but the pain feels like yesterday. Today though rather then dwell on the sadness I want to dwell on the happy memories of Dad.

As an only daughter among four boys Dad and I had a special bond. He wasn't sure what to do with a daughter so with me being a Tom boy he just did sports with me as well. He taught me to play softball and throw a football. I shot baskets with him. I may not be Joe Montana but Dad made sure I don't throw a football like a girl.

Dad had a weird sense of humor. I was often the fall guy for his jokes because he knew that I wouldn't figure out what he was up to. I'll never forget the 7-Up glass from one Easter at his sister's house. It was when they were doing the Un-Cola advertisements and they came up with the upside down classic cola glass. My Dad said with a perfectly straight face "Michele come here quick and put your hand here the bottom has fallen out of the glass." Of course I fell for it and he laughed so hard he almost dropped the glass spilling the contents for any way.

Dad use to drive me to college and always insisted that we leave at the crack of dawn. I would struggle out of bed and being a distinct night owl and not much good before noon I'd get into the car and would be asleep before we left the driveway. Dad kept trying to get me to read a map and find a turn off but not being the world's best map reader I could never find what he was looking for. By the time I finally found where we were we had passed it ten miles ago. He would invariably pull over find it in an instant and give me the map to fold. Hey I am a champion map folder but to this day reading one of those puppies is not my strong point.

Dad and I had several shows we would watch together. Our favorites were Secret Agent and The Prisoner with Patrick McGoohan and Monty Python's Flying Circus. The latter appealed to his warped sense of humor and the former to hislove of spy novels.

I inherited my love of reading from Dad. I don't know which one of us got the other hooked on Tony Hillerman's Navaho novels. I know I introduced him to the joy's of Robert Van Gulik's Judge Dee novels set in ancient China. We would also trade books on the paranormal. We were both fascinated by ghost stories and the Bermuda Triangle. If it was weird we wanted to read about it.

Dad was my art and writing cheerleader. It is largely because of his encouragement that I embarked on a quest where I am now readying my work to get it published and shown professionally. He also encouraged me in my cooking and my cookbook will be dedicated to him. I remember once when I was visiting and we were at the grocery store and ran into some friends of his. He introduced me and said "This is my daughter Michele who is the finest cook I have ever known." This was a man who has eaten at some of the greatest restaurants in the world and it was my cooking he loved the most. It is something I will never forget.

So here's to you Dad. I miss you terribly but you left me with so many wonderful memories and love.

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