Happy Father’s Day!

I don’t want this to be about me, but I want to give you a quick update. I am feeling better. I am still having a lot of pain with the rash. Thank you to Mercedes Holmen for the great advice on the blisters. I now have 2nd skin squares I put on the blisters when I walk and it is so much better. She has 3 very talented daughters who are soccer players and have broken in dozens of pairs of soccer cleats. Thank you! I was able to go for my 5 mile walk yesterday and did about half of that today because it was so warm and humid when I went out. The sun went behind some clouds for awhile later this morning and I mowed the front yard. With the vacuuming I need to do today, I will get pretty close to my goal anyhow. Rich has had to do all the mowing so far this summer and with him working full time, it is alot. I wasn’t able to do the back yard as it is a big hill, but I at least was able to get the front yard done. Chalk it up to a Father’s Day gift!

Speaking of Rich, he is such a great dad. The man can fix just about anything and has been on speed dial for our boys as they have moved out on their own and often need advice about things. He kinda pushes all of Lily’s buttons right now, but that kind of defines their relationship. They have been doing a lot together and it warms my heart to know they can lean on each other in the storm, when needed. Rich loves to play Settlers of Catan. We play as a family a couple of times a week…and always at holidays when the boys are home. Lily and I managed to find a new version of the game…about historical America. Lily got it for him for Father’s Day. Rich has a hockey game around noon, then he’s going to work the last part of the day so his manager can enjoy Father’s Day with his young family. That’s the kind of guy he is. It is his weekend off but he’s going to fill in so our manager can be with his family. Rich is just a good guy…that’s why I love him so much. I got him some new grilling stuff to use. I know he has already talked to Tim this morning. Joe has a physical test for entrance into a fire department this morning so we’ll talk to him later.

I would like to say a bit about my own dad now. My dad is originally from Michigan but now lives in the Houston area. His dad was in the Navy and so he moved all over the place growing up but ended up going to high school in Breckenridge, Michigan (tiny spot in the middle of the mitten). He met my mom and they were married while he was still in college at Lake Superior State College in the UP. He joined the Army and my parents were off on the adventure of a lifetime. My dad was a combat engineer with a degree in accounting (which he used as well dispersed throughout his nearly 30 years in the U.S. Army). The army was always moving us around during my childhood. My dad was also an Airborne Ranger and a master jumper. I remember telling my Army National Guard Infantry son that and his eyes bugging out. Joe immediately said, “I didn’t know Grandpa was a badass!” Yep. I remember going to watch him parachute as a kid at Fort Bragg. I also remember him working long hours. Whenever we moved to a new place, he and my mom made sure we found a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church to attend. They were both active in the Church and were great examples to us kids. My parents now live in Cypress, TX, just outside of Houston. They moved there to live close to my brother and his family. My dad has had a series of TIAs (mini strokes) over the last 11 years or so and that has affected his eyesight quite a bit. He cannot see on the left side of either eye. He no longer drives. He has pretty severe memory issues and does not read or write much. He has trouble finding his words and is more likely to quietly listen to conversations than try to participate in them. It is hard to watch from afar as my father, who was always so incredibly smart and outgoing and talkative, slowly quiets himself. He is a homebody like me at this point. He goes on walks around the block a couple of times a day and I walk Tallinn. My parents are coming up to visit in 3 weeks and I am so looking forward to spending a few days with them. I have not seen them since I was diagnosed with cancer. Sometimes you just need to be able to hugs the people you love tight and in person. This COVID 19 virus has made that pretty hard. So if your dad is near by and you can do it, hold them tight and tell them you love them. Time is a tricky thing…and pretty unpredictable to its amount. Speaking of which, time to take a shower and give my dad a call! Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! I hope you have a fabulous day!