6/18/2006

I don't think I've ever done this before

Today I spent father's day with my father. Weird, for us. My father is not big on celebrations, particularly not those that are not associated with the Catholic church. I remember asking him once what he was going to give my mother for mother's day, and he said "Nothing - she's not my mother."

Anyway, the girls and I went out to my parent's house. Sio has decided that she wants to start recording all the great family stories we tell (we went to a party on
Saturday and I was in party mode, so I told some of the great stories, and they got a hugely positive response, which I think triggered Sio to want to get everything down). We had some fun answering Sio's questions - she asked me to tell her about my strongest qualities as a child, and I told her my overriding quality was my know-it-allness. I actually remember the first time I realized that it was possible to be wrong, and let me tell you, that was like getting punched in the stomach.

We did learn some new things. For example, my mother can remember every address and phone number she's ever had. And when my father first came to the U.S., his nickname was Wee Willy (an ironic nickname for the 6'4" Irishman with hands as big as frozen turkeys). And neither one of my parents know how many kids my uncle Ned had ("a lot" was the best they could come up with.) And if my parents remember when they first met and how their relationship progressed, they sure as hell aren't sharing it.

We didn't see Loki until 8:30 or so tonight - he spent the day with his dad, building a gazebo. The girls presented him with the traditional Father's day present of ties (solid colored ones since Loki is not the kind of guy who knows what tie goes with what shirt.)

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