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thinking of you, Dad

Why is it that when you are at work on a Friday it is the longest day ever?

Mrs. Loopy emailed me this morning to tell me that she was taking the day off and to ask if I wanted to hot tub with her today. Alas, I was scheduled to work and could not join her in a toasty, mimosa-laden hot tub.

It's just not fair.

Okay, that's the extent of my whining for the day.

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I've been thinking about my dad a lot lately and it just occured to me that it is right around the anniversary of his death. Funny how you don't even consciously realize something but your mind leads you to it.

I can remember when I was about 11 or 12 sitting in front of the TV one Sunday morning watching cartoons or maybe it was those Abbott and Costello movies that used to be on every Sunday and my Dad leaned over and asked me if I wanted steak and lobster for dinner.

Back then, steak and lobster was THE dinner.
I, of course, said sure.

My dad then proceeded to explain that the only place you could get really good lobster was in Florida and did I think we should go there to get some.
I, of course, said sure.

6 hours later my Dad, my Mom, my 2 sisters, one of their husbands and I were headed down the I-75 on our way to Florida.

Come to think of it that was the last real family vacation we had before my parents divorced.

And we had us some fun on that trip. My Dad was in top form - hilarious and always ready with some kid-type fun and focused on our fun as a family instead of just his fun as a man.. My Mom seemed more relaxed than normal - probably because none of my Dad's girlfriends were within a 1500 mile radius. That trip is where I get the majority of my childhood memories. I don't know if I ever mentioned it but I don't have very many memories from when I was a kid.

It was on that trip that I found a wallet with a policeman's ID and badge in it. I turned it in to the cops that drove up and down the beach (this was in Daytona) and they didn't seem to think it was that big of a deal. I remember thinking, at 11-12 years old no less, "Geez, you'd think they would ask a few questions about where I found it or something."

Anyhow, that's my memory of my Dad for today. Putting together an impromptu 1500 mile trip for 4 adults and 2 kids.

Hey, maybe that's where I get my whole throw-caution-to-the-wind, what-the-hell-let's-go travel attitude.

4:04 p.m. - 2007-03-02

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