HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

Today would have been my dad's 91st birthday. We would have certainly shared a glass or two of wine & done some serious reminiscing during the day. But instead it has been a year & two months since he died. In some ways it seems like he was just here & in other ways it seems like forever since he's been gone.

The wonderful thing is that no one remembers him without a smile on their faces. Everyone has a story about my dad. I just saw a message on my cell phone from one of his friends from grade school - grade school! She & another friend from school kept in touch with my dad & saw him regularly. Who has friends from grade school they still visit? Anyway, she left a sweet message knowing it was my dad's birthday. I could hear the smile on her lips.

Yesterday while talking to Darrin he reminded me of a story regarding my dad. Back when Karen & I were kids, he would make a treasure hunt out of a birthday present by sending us all over the house finding notes that eventually led us to our gift. Things like "Look in the bathroom cupboard under the sink" where we found another note "Check the third drawer in your dresser." Depending on how ambitious he was there could be 4 or 5 or more hiding places until we finally discovered our present!

When Darrin came along he was also led on several hunts for birthday gifts either perpetrated or inspired by my dad. Darrin said that Charley was making a treasure map for a friend & showed it to him while they Facetimed. That prompted him to tell her about my dad's treasure hunt creations. She said it sounded like fun.

Her birthday is the end of next month. We are planning an "Early Birthday Celebration" when Darrin & I are in New Mexico visiting. We are taking an overnight road trip to Carlsbad Caverns & a few other fun birthday things. Charley asked if maybe we could do one of Pop's treasure hunts for her. Well, of course, we can! Darrin is probably working on the notes as I type. The "tradition" continues.

I mentioned it to Karen when I saw her yesterday. Of course, the ever present smile when our dad is mentioned was there. We both recalled one of my dad's birthdays about 15-17 years ago when we turned the tables on him sending him on a treasure hunt for one of his birthday gifts. We had him going into his bedroom, the kitchen, the garage, etc., finding a note from us in each place. He was grinning from ear to ear!

Our dad & Darrin & Charley's Pop was such a special man! The last 13 years of his life could have easily been perceived as a nightmare - a previous stroke, two back surgeries, brain surgery, cellulitus, three foot surgeries including a partial foot amputation, numerous vascular procedures & being limited enough to need a live-in caregiver....just to name those I remember off the top of my head. BUT he rarely complained, kept a positive attitude & his sense of humor delighted us all.

I've shared this before but an example of his humor shined in the ER on one of his many visits. The nurse & I were in the cubicle when the doctor arrived. He was looking at his records & asked why he had his foot amputated. My dad immediately replied, "For fun!" I giggled, the nurse laughed out loud saying, "Mine is scheduled for next week!" & the doctor looked at us all like we were nuts.

Lou liked his comments when he met my dad for the first time about 18 years ago. After visiting for awhile, my dad announced that Lou seemed like a nice man for his daughter & "he wasn't a goofball." Guess he passed my dad's test!

Just a few recollections of a really special man who I was fortunate to call my dad! I will definitely lift that glass of wine in a toast to my dad this evening on what would have been his 91st birthday. Anyone who cares to join me is welcome to do so. Just make sure to raise your glass with a smile on your face!