Al walking Joanna down the aisle 8/29/2009In the spirit of a (belated) Father's Day, a brief tribute to the man I call "dad." He's basically, like, the bast dad a person could ask for. Here are just a few of my favorite things about my father:
- He eagerly applies for jobs at the ripe young age of 67
- He hosts pig butchering parties - and invites my friends
- He bought Rachel and Trevor a "kitchen witch" in Spain - and was flabbergasted that they didn't already have one (sidenote: if you don't know what a "kitchen witch" is, Google it, and then let me know)
- He raises and slaughters his own ducks
- He tricked me into eating zucchini by calling them "Hawaiian potato chips"
- He never straight gives me money, but has some convoluted way of making it so that he's not enabling or spoiling me, even though that is really what is going on
- He still calls me by my lifelong nicknames, Lady J and Princess
- He likes my husband, so much so that he would gladly trade in both my brother and myself in favor of keeping Alex around
- When he dresses in his finest, he wears decorated skate shoes
- Despite many thousands of failed attempts, he still tries to teach me about finances (insert frustrated eye roll here)
- He sincerely tries to play both the father and mother role
- He cooks EVERYTHING with duck fat
- He encourages me to travel and explore the world
- He uses compliments sparingly, so when he offers one, it means that much more
- He let us live with him - for free - and had dinner ready for us every day after work
- He cried when he saw me in my wedding dress before walking me down the aisle
- He speaks so proudly of his chef son
- He still talks about my mom, even though it's been nearly 10 years since she died
- He sends me no fewer than 5 emails per day, either forwards or links informing me about Internet privacy, housing prices or the politics of education
- He still cuts out and saves newspaper and Economist articles of the same nature
- He shares my love of television programs such as Nip/Tuck, Californication, and The Riches
- If he doesn't have the answer to my question, he will research it and send me an email link with more information than I ever wanted in the first place
- He has too many interests, too many hobbies, and too many projects
- He tells the SAME stories no fewer than 722 times - each year
- He's my one and only dad
So anyway, Happy Father's Day, Daddy. You are the best, truly, and I am so grateful for the relationship we have, and its evolution through the years. From my ice cream buddy to my soccer cheerleader to my geometry tutor to my canoe guide to my Volvo mechanic to both mother and father to therapist to travel consultant to dinner date - and a friend through out it all. I love you, even if it is just a silly Hallmark holiday.
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