father's day (lyn)

My father will be 87 in September and up until two yeas ago, he played tennis two or three times a week, golfed, and spent his free time fixing anything in the house (or neighborhood) that needed fixing.  My father's hands are magical.  He's a master builder and fixer.  A few years ago he took up a new hobby: designing and building birdhouses. Beautiful ones.  The birds who get to live in these houses are very lucky.  The houses come in all colors, sizes and shapes, and most have my father’s signature copper rooftops.  When there was a shortage on copper, M managed to find some and brought it to my father as a surprise.  It’s probably one of his most cherished gifts.

A couple of years ago my dad pulled his groin playing tennis.  Since then, he’s had a few other problems, and now his left knee and hip have become problematic.  As a result, his once active lifestyle has become less so.  But an unusual side affect is that my father has become less explosive and more mellow.  He has always been a man who is content with life, and he is most content in his own home surrounded by family. 

So today is special.   Jean and her husband Jim arrive around noon with Sally (who is Alexander’s age) and Jack who will be 13 in a couple of weeks.  My mother makes a fabulous stuffed chicken, although preparing it today is more challenging than most days as we still cannot use the tap water without boiling it first.  Jean is an exceptional cook and shows up with a homemade apple pie and a pesto shrimp appetizer on crusty french bread.  We eat around four and the meal, with the accompanying laughter, is great.

My sister and her family leave around 6, and a half hour later we’re all across the street at Cynthia’s. (My parents are very likeable and popular.  Cynthia is my age and has a daughter who is also a junior).  Cynthia’s invited about 8 people over for drinks and food, so I eat again….shrimp, olives, roasted peppers, fruit, guacamole, celery, carrots…good so far.  But then I just have to have a mini-crème puff for dessert. I can feel my jeans tightening.

Between yesterday and today, I think I've eaten a week’s worth of points.  It may not be good for me, but it sure is fun.