Lazy Saturday afternoon

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Ivy and I enjoy a lazy Saturday afternoon……

It started out as reading and ended up as a nap for both of us. I recovered in time to mow the grass, but not much else.

Today is Father’s Day and it is a beautiful morning. I am working in my backyard office and B and O are sleeping late.  Like always, my trusty companion Ivy is with me. O ran the yard with her friend last night playing with glow sticks and having a great time. Summer nights, there is nothing like them. Yesterday morning O had a softball, the league All-Star game, and she played like an All-Star. It was fun to watch. However, it rained and was otherwise a fairly dreary morning, which I am blaming for the nap. W comes home this evening and we can hardly wait. He’ll be exhausted and wanting to go to bed, especially when he realizes that his day begins at 6.15 or so tomorrow morning. But, we’ll be parents and try to pry what we can out of him before he falls asleep.

For Father’s Day, I’ll go back in time and think of my dad and what he taught me – directly and indirectly. I went back and re-read my Father’s Day posts from the earlier days of Making the Days Count.

There are some recurring themes – procrastination and growing as a dad and reflecting on my own relationship with my dad. It’s all pretty complicated and a work in progress. Like my basement and a few other things.

Yesterday evening, we purchased a new grill. I can hardly wait to crank it up and flip some burgers and dogs, some ribs, or some chicken. However, that’ll have to wait. Today is gonna be a great day, I know it and I can feel it. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, one Father’s Day at a time.

I remember playing catch with my dad. I remember enjoying a Choucroute Garnie in Paris with my dad. I remember how proud he was of me when I went off to college and how immature I really was. What do you remember about growing up with your dad? 

10 thoughts on “Lazy Saturday afternoon

  1. Ivy is a beautiful dog. She looks so sweet. Spring and summer are my favorite times. Hope you get to enjoy that new grill soon.

    I have so many, many memories of of dad, but shared just a few on my post. Thanks for visiting, Clay! My dad loved to play board games and card games with us. Our whole family spent many good times playing Hearts and Spades. I never wanted to be Dad’s partner, though, because he took his card games way too serious. I never counted the cards to keep track of how many trump cards had been played, but he did. My brothers took after Dad. I just enjoyed playing the games and didn’t care so much about winning!

    Sounds like your Father’s Day is off to a great start, Clay. Enjoy!

    1. Ivy is amazing, thank you. the kids think they have a dog, but she’s really mine! The grill arrives on Tuesday, in no hurry. The last grill I bought took hours to build – and I didn’t get it right. I have two grills – a gas grill and a charcoal grill for smoking and slow cooking. I am (hopefully) off to Mississippi this weekend to help get my step mom on the internet with an iPad. cross your fingers it all falls together. My dad never got the internet, in fact he abhorred it. My step-mom had a visitor last fall that had introduced her to an iPad and how easy it is to use….. I have some time to help and hopefully I can get her up and running. More to follow!

  2. Happy Father’s Day, Clayton. I remember my Pop coming home from work and laying on the couch to catch a nap before dinner. I was @ 4/5/6 years old and I would put his head on my lap and run my fingers through his hair until he fell asleep. I didn’t remember that until he was in hospice last year and I would run my fingers through his hair when he became agitated. I remember when the Cowboys (Pop’s team) and the 49ers (my team) were playing against each other in the 80’s – OMG – EVERYONE would have to leave the house! Ha! Ha!
    I remember my Pop’s beautiful falsetto singing voice. I remember the funny presents he would give at Christmas time – GEEZ – we would laugh all night after opening his presents! Wow – Thanks for helping me get through this first Father’s day without my Pop. God Bless, Be Well.

    1. Thanks. I know how difficult Father’s Day is that first time. W came home last night from Scuba and we went to dinner. He was all over talking about six and a half days of diving. he had a blast. it was fun to sit back and listen, very satisfying as a father. O was funny, she listened, and you could tell she really loved her brother. Tomorrow, or the day after, they’ll be back at it. I was pretty contrarian with my dad, too. He picked Nixon, I picked McGovern. I did it just to twist his tail. I hope all is well with you in SF! Go Niners!

      1. Glad your Father’s Day turned out GREAT! Glad W is home, safely, and O is not afraid to show how much she loves him. You KNOW I’m not hanging with the Santa Clara 49ers, although I do hope the San Francisco 49ers do win the Superbowl before they leave 🙂

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