Husby’s feeling a little melancholy today with it being the first Father’s Day since his dad died. I can’t blame him for that. And my dad? Well he told me to just stay away from him on Father’s Day. Begged me, actually.
This isn’t really a commentary on what a rotten daughter I’ve been, although I have presented challenges to both my parents through the years.
As you may know by now, my family has a little piece of heaven in central Wisconsin where we like to spend time away from our real lives. There’s a lot of fishing, swimming, reading on the porch, leisurely boat rides around the lake, hiking along the gravel road, and campfires at night. This year my dad (and the rest of the family, sans me) is relaxing in the northwoods on Father’s Day. He and my mom have been there for over a week and Charlotte and her family have been there since last Tuesday. I’ve been here with the daily grind of the day job with no sounds of a loon within earshot.
I had plans to drive to the cottage to spend Father’s Day with my dad. No, I couldn’t spend a whole week there, but I’d make it for the weekend. Some of it at least. That was my plan, until my dad called me a couple of days before he and my mom were going to leave for their ten-day stay. That’s when he begged me to stay home.
Here’s the deal. He knew I was doing a two-day craft show the weekend prior to Father’s Day weekend. He also knew I was doing a two-day craft show plus extended four-day vacation time the weekend after Father’s Day. And on the weekend of Father’s Day we had to close the deal on the sale of Husby’s parents’ house. That would leave me approximately twenty-four hours and four hundred miles of travel time to spend time with my dad on Father’s Day. Like I said, I was planning on it, because my dad is worth it.
But when he called and pleaded with me to stay home, saying it was silly for me to travel all that way to spend so little time, all of that gas money, and with all the work I had to do with the shows and the house closing…
So like the Bible says, I honored my father and stayed home this weekend. But that just shows how great my dad is ~ he puts his kids ahead of himself, even when his kids are of a ripe old age like I am. Even though I’m not spending the day with my Dad his quirkiness influence is not forgotten this Father’s Day.
Here’s to great dads all over the world! May they shun you out of love as my dad did me.
Very sweet! You’ve been on my mind, as I know your father-in-law passed away recently. Holidays draw attention to the missing person…my heart goes out to both you and your husband. I’m glad you decided not to wear yourself out with that drive, though. Very thoughtful Dad you have!
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Cindy. And don’t worry about my dad, I’ll give him some attention when he gets home. 🙂