It was a typical Sunday dinner at Dad’s. Here we were, three of us, sitting at the right hand of the father—Harold—who was in his usual spot at the head of the table. And there he was, with his perfect posture and commanding presence, taking pride in having turned out another meticulously-executed meal. Dad had […]
It started with an email from my older sister, B. She and her husband A. had visited Dad bright and early that Sunday morning. As they pulled up the driveway, Dad was sitting on the backyard sundeck. He greeted their arrival with a big smile and a firm handshake. That’s when B. noticed that his […]
It was the crack of 12 noon, and the doorbell rang. It was a happy moment. My sister Janet, her husband Larry, Jen, Jon and their youngsters were at the front door. Thanksgiving at our house was about to begin! B., A., their daughter, son-in-law and grandson arrived just before Gregory and his family. All were smiling and laughing. […]
Did you think I was kidding – or exaggerating – when I described Dad’s carefully drafted letter of instructions in my previous post? (You’ll recall I mentioned it was written on the back of a recycled business-sized envelope; Dad used some sort of straight edge to draw the lines.) See for yourself.
In the genetic lottery, I got some wins and some losses. Nature blessed me with my maternal grandfather’s thick hair, engineering aptitude and love of music. But you have to take the good with the bad—because I also inherited Grandpa’s irritable bowel syndrome, a lifelong nuisance for us both. Along with that hereditary gift, I […]
As I was saying… On the phone, the colonoscopy doctor was rambling on and on, telling me I likely caught a “parasite” from some country I’ve never been to. As I sat wondering which of Dad’s meals might have infected me with the damn germ, I was advised of the next diagnostic step. Which was […]
We were anticipating another fun Sunday at Dad’s. The routine for our weekly visits—carefully established and overseen by my father—never varied. On the way to his house, my wife Donna and I always had to stop at the best bakery and pick up the freshest bread made from the finest ingredients. If we were to […]
