Strict Observance

-
Today is "Poppa Day."  Also known as Sam's birthday, the day he would have turned 73.  My father-in-law was an interesting character.  Often grumpy, full of sass (and gas), Poppa could give you the impression that he'd rather be alone thank-you-very-much.  But he was also extremely marshmellow-y on the inside.  He would often request a kiss on his bristly cheek.  He would often buy Josh THE MOST EXPENSIVE toy at the store, just because.  He would drive with his wife, his Annie, to the cemetary and eat ice cream while Josh chased geese.  He would sit on his front porch and puff a cigar.  He would spit shine my kitchen table, no joke.  He would request a chocolate milk (for his sugar levels) five minutes after we got in the car.  He would buy us dinner, tell us jokes, make up prayers, play cards half blind and win at Monopoly even when we cheated.

In honor of "Poppa Day" you should engage in at least one of the following acts:

Buy some extra toilet paper
Buy $10 in scratch off lottery tickets
Smoke a cigar in the fresh air
Shuffle when you walk
Play solitaire
Fall asleep in the middle of a movie
Listen to opera REALLY LOUD
Watch something about bugs
Convince someone Lake St Clair is a Great Lake
Make up your silliest prayer
Drink chocolate milk
Eat something super sugary
Tell your wife/husband/kids that you're a 'prisoner' and you need a furlough day
Laugh over nothing for at least 30 minutes with your family
Use natural gas power to help you walk around
Say 'goodbye' instead of 'goodnight'

Be glad you had one more day.

We miss you, Dad.

Comments

Pam said…
What a delightful tribute! I will try out the "use natural gas power to help you walk around" today :)
6:54 AM
Heather said…
I'll take on some chocolate milk!
8:19 AM
Anonymous said…
Oy! I need to go to the store and get some donuts and toilet paper. Paper towels too, I know you are out.

I miss him too!

- hey you (aka char-char)
3:47 PM
Marcia said…
What wonderful memories. Thank you for sharing.
1:33 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dear Carly,

-
Image
I assume that one day you will come to me wanting to know who you are, where you came from, where your other family is and why they gave you to us.  I offer you little bits of information already, but certainly not crumbs enough to satisfy the appetite.  Perhaps it won't matter to you.  I am assuming a lot, already, about how adoption will impact your life. People often wonder why adoptive parents are hurt when their children seek out biological roots.  I have the answer, and it's very simple.  Adoption - at its core - makes us question the legality, authority, voracity, and validity of parenthood.  For most adoptive parents, first you must come to terms with an issue that strikes at the foundations of mortality: fertility.  From birth, most of us are driven to form families.  First we are nestlings, nurtured and weened and eventually taught to fly.  Then we are nest-builders, filling our lives with the stuff necessary to drive life forward.  Knowledge, safety, money, a stur
Read more

M is for Mother

-
Motherhood is more than carrying a child in your womb for 9 months. Motherhood is more than daily wiping of noses, cleaning of faces, filling of bellies. Motherhood is more than driving, shopping, cleaning, cooking. Motherhood is part of being a Woman, but not all of it. It is part of growing up, for some of us. It is conducive to gaining appreciation, but not for everyone. I was still a child myself, really, when I became a Mother. Joshua and I did a lot of growing up together. We both learned a lot about sacrifice. I learned how to say good-bye to him in the morning, he learned that separation from Mother wasn't such a bad thing after all. Especially since he got to go to Grandma's house (which, sorry Disney, was the happiest place on earth). I learned I could love someone until my heart might burst and be completely enraged at the same time. He learned that the wrinkling of my forehead was not a good sign for anyone. We learned a lot about time, more specifically abo
Read more

And I didn't prepare a speech!

-
Image
My first, and probably only, blogger award! Yay! Thanks to That Girl in Brazil, not only uber cute but uber sweet. I'm supposed to pass on the love to other bloggers by linking them and then posting in their comments. But, seriously, how much more ad space do you guys need? Ok, ok, fine. I pick Mary cause she totally posted her flip flops. And justRandi cause she said she'd come to my house if I sent her an invite. And llegue because she made reference to a certain male body part while shopping in Wal-Mart, plus she beats me at games. and Heather because she makes me giggle and she comments even when my posts are lame. Just passin the <3 I feel super guilty for not linking everybody. But, you wouldn't be on my blog roll if I didn't think you were super cool.
Read more