Birthday Card to Dad

The Grandmothers

Slumber Party!

Snow Monsters

Tub Fishing



Every year when it hits July, I think of those lucky numbers, 7 and 11, today’s date. My dad was born on 7/11, so I’d say they are lucky for at least me, my siblings, my nieces and my nephews. I’ll let my mom decide for herself if those are her lucky numbers but I suspect that they’re in her top three.

It’s always hard to pick out a birthday card for my dad. I wander through the aisles at CVS hoping something will jump out at me, but that just didn’t happen this year. So I sifted through the cards we have here at home for just such occasions. Somehow Doc. B.’s pack of generic cards from the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts just didn’t fit the bill. Stacks of colorful meditation cushions, seated buddahs and buildings with “Metta” inscriptions above the entrances wouldn’t suffice. There was also a random anniversary card that said “I’m so happy to be sharing life with you”. I guess dad shared his life with me but I would have had to sharpie out the “happy anniversary” part of the card – tacky but frugal – so Dad might have gone for this. Plus, perhaps Doc. B. was saving this card for me – after all, it is our 10/14 year anniversary in October (10 years since ceremony and 14 years since we met).

Eventually I found the last of a box of cards I’ve had since the early 90’s – cards with cats on the cover. There was one that looked like a cat we had when I was growing up – Binky the Siamese mix. That would have to do. I wrote my special note on the inside, sealed up the envelope, placed multiple heart stickers all over the envelope, stamped it and sent it on his way.

Dad is 71 today. And that card just doesn’t seem like enough. Sure, I talked to him on the phone, but I’d so much rather see him in person. But alas, I’m the one that moved to Atlanta. When I called him, he was at my sister’s house. He’d had a great day with my mom and three of their five grandchildren. They had meatball sandwiches for lunch and were building forts and haunted houses when I called. Just like when we were kids.

So here are some pictures from those kid days. My brother and me with our grandmothers. My two sisters having a big old slumber party. My brother and I playing in the snow. And three of us kids fishing from the bathtub. Brings back good memories, huh?

xxxooo Dad!