The Dads Edition

Well I've effectively taken the last few weeks off from most things internet related. We have been getting ready for a garage sale (which we had this past Saturday) and that took up a great deal of my free time. Sunday was Fathers Day, and it wouldn't be right to let the time pass without talking about a couple of fathers that are important to me. My father-in-law, Gerry, has meant a lot more to me than just a father. He's been my friend, advisor, and softball and golfing companion (though not enough of the latter sadly). At Shell and my "Canadian" wedding (we of course have to define our American and Canadian weddings for scoring purposes), I told the story about the first time Gerry and I met. How he picked us up from the airport in Toronto and drove us the hour plus back to their house in Waterloo. After flying across country from San Francisco we were dead tired, but he was so happy to be seeing his daughter for the first time in a year, he wanted to take us around to look at the Christmas lights. The punch line I used was that I was sure he was just looking for a place to dump my body. But seriously, I could tell right away how much he loved Shell and I knew that if I ever had a shot in her family, his was the respect I had to earn ultimately. I'm still not sure that I have fully, but we've at least reached a point I think where he knows enough about me that he has a good idea of who I am...and at least to this point...he hasn't shot me. So there's that. If I have to live far away from my own biological father, I'm glad I have him to call when I need a Dad. Number two on the hit parade, but number one in our hearts of course, is my own Dad, the good Reverend Lloyd. Growing up in a military household, and then as a preacher's kid...you can say I know a little bit about discipline. As most kids, especially PKs, I chafed a great deal at the strictness, and at times the spotlight of having strangers talking to me as if they knew me, looking at me as if I'm some sort of reflection of my Dad. Now, much older and a *tad* wiser, I understand just how true that perception (and reality) can be. I'm sure at times I disappointed my Dad, but I never meant to. Unfortunately when I was really young, he was away at sea quite a bit. I'm sure he missed being away from us as kids- but then again knowing how ornery I could be, maybe being on a ship saved his sanity! I guess looking back now I realize that when it comes right down to it, I got really lucky. First I got lucky to have parents who cared enough to be firm, pay attention, and want me to walk the straight and narrow. Second, I got lucky enough to fall into a group of close friends, especially Andrews and Hartraft, who were decent, good people on their own right. They have both been fathers now for quite a number of years, as has my little brother Dave and my brother-in-law, Tim. When you grow up with people from childhood, seeing them at their best, and sometimes at a little less than their best, it is hard to imagine them as fathers. Yet each of them is an amazing father, and I've watched them over time and learned from them. You really are a product of your environment and those people, my parents and my friends, helped to shape who I am- though they probably wouldn't want to take the blame for the less than perfect episodes of my life...and in fairness the blame is only mine. So those six men, fathers all, have in their own ways taught me and continue to teach me, what it means to be a father. I hope that as my journey of fatherhood begins I can at least come close to the template they have shown me. To them all, and the other fathers out there, Happy Father's Day. Not only was this past Sunday Fathers Day but it was also my niece Christina's 1st birthday. She came into the world very early and we were so scared last summer, but she's so big and strong now. I talked to her on the phone the other day and my mom told me she was kissing the phone :) What a cutie!!! I miss seeing her :( Speaking of cuties and babies...Shelley is approaching 30 weeks here's a shot of her in one of the rare moments she's not green with nausea I've taken a few new pictures of the gardens...Shell hasn't been able to do much in the yard lately but some of the flowers popped in the last few weeks In other birthday news... tomorrow is Willow's 2nd birthday!!! Things are coming along well in the house. We've done a lot to start getting the baby's room ready, though there's still lots to do. I'm also working on some political stuff for those interested and I'll post them to the archives as I finish them- I'm still working on a long-ish essay about Deep Throat/Watergate etc. Finishing The Da Vinci Code and Duel: Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr as we await the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Until next time Cheers