Really Belated Father’s Day Post

I have been a blog flunky this week.  I’ll probably be invisible for the next few weeks since its crazy busy at home, at work, and pretty much everywhere.  But then it’s summer and vacation time; we’re all extra busy.  I’m actually impressed that I am only 3 days late with this post, but it’s no less meaningful than if I woke up promptly at 4.30 am on Sunday and pounded it out.  Actually that would have been disastrously filled with grammatical mistakes and sentences leading nowhere.  I mean even more than usual.    In my Mother’s day blog, I shared a few of my best memories of things my mom and I did together.  The ones I like to think about from time to time.  I could do that for this as well, but that might be too much of the same thing.  Instead I would like to share what makes my dad a wonderful dad and grandpa, and what makes him, well, him.

For one thing, my dad is an awesome storyteller.  And I’m not using the word because we all grew up saying “Awesome, Dude” and watching Bill and Ted.  (ok there goes my age again) When I was a kid, after dinner he always told me a story.  Things like ‘Ichabod Crane’, or the ‘Ghost Train’.  My favorite, and don’t even consider asking why, ‘How Glass was Made’.  Now that my daughters are able to appreciate it, he talks until he is hoarse telling them stories.  After the old standby’s were depleted, he has reached into his vast stores of literary knowledge and combines Conan Doyle, Tolkien and any number of other classics.  It’s one of their favorite things to do with my dad, as it was mine. 

My dad is also a writer, like father like daughter I guess.  He was a journalist, had a magazine, and spent a large part of his life writing in some way or other.  I think it’s just something that’s ingrained in him.  Even his emails are well thought out and concise.  Mine are as meandering as my speaking.

My dad is a great intellectual, and has so many ideas and opinions about things which my brain just doesn’t even think about.  He reads constantly, and while he’s reading actually thinks.  He covers a vast range of topics, from history books, to fiction.  He’s a quiet sort, but has his streak of stubbornness, like me.  It comes out from time to time, and when it does, it’s’ pretty impressive. 

My dad loves the beach, and the pool for that matter.  When I was a kid, we belonged to a swim club, so I grew up with lessons and swim team and all that.  My dad grew up in a city and taught himself.  So basically he always seemed to do a lot of flailing, but made it across the pool every time.  Now, my parents live close to the beach and although they probably don’t get there as much as they would like, I think it’s a high point in their summer.

There are so much more to my dad, but we can’t be typing forever of course.  naturally I am pretty biased, but I think he’s the best dad there is.  Who else would take their daughter to Shea Stadium every year just to see their beloved Mets lose?