In Velvet

 I spied this buck taking a break in the field and was entranced by the velvet on his developing antlers.

Sunday Stealing

1. What would you put in a time capsule?

A. An MP3player with good music on it, a DVD of selected news stories (real news, not that entertainment junk), a couple of real newspapers, a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird, printed photos of many different things, from the personal to the public, and a personal letter addressed to "whomever has opened this time capsule."

2. What’s something you’re really good at?

A. Thinking. I tend to be an overthinker. I'm also a decent writer, And I make good fudge.

3. What part of society would you like to change?

A. I would like to see health care be better in the United States. It is too expensive, our mortality rate lags behind other nations with more socialized are, and people go bankrupt here simply trying to live because of the high costs associated with something like having a heart attack.

4. What have you eaten in the past 24 hours?

A. Honey Nut Cheerios, chicken & broccoli over rice, a Nature Valley Cashew bar, and an egg sandwich.

5. What is an unusual fact about you?

A. I was born with a huge mole in the shape of a bullet on my chest. Doctors removed it when I was 5 years old and left a massive scar on my chest.

6. Do you collect anything?

A. I have a very small collection of Department 56 houses (the Dickens Village), more cheap guitars than I need, and a lot of books. I also have a fair number of clocks, but not an extravagant collection. Just a few more clocks than a person needs to have.

7. Have you played sports?

A. No. I was in the marching band in high school, which was rather physical.

8. What is your favorite blog?

A. Besides my own? I don't know. I read most of the Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing blogs, some during the week, some not. I don't really want to name a favorite and leave someone out.

9. Ketchup vs. mustard?

A. Ketchup.

10. Do you believe in ghosts or aliens?

A. I don't think "believe" is the appropriate word. I can neither confirm nor deny, just I can neither confirm or deny the existence of a god.

11. The last movie you saw in a theater.

A. I think it was the first Wonder Woman. No, wait, I saw Barbie in the theater. So Barbie.

12. The silliest thing you have done this week.

A. I have not felt well so I don't know that I have done anything silly this week.

13. Have you ever done anything illegal?

A. I have driven over the speed limit. I smoked marijuana a couple of times when I was a teenager.

14. What would you wish for right now?

A. Good health.

15. What shoes do you wear the most of?

A. Tennis shoes. That is pretty much all I wear. Even my dress shoes are a pair of black sneakers.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Disco Duck

Saturday 9: Disco Duck (1976)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Rick Dees begins by describing a party where he can't resist that disco beat. What's the last party you attended? Was there dancing?

A. The last party I attended was my father's 80th birthday party. There wasn't real dancing but there was a bit of shagging in the corner.

2) While this record was a massive international hit in 1976, it got off to an inauspicious start. Rick Dees said it took him less than a day to write the song, and more than three months to convince anyone to let him record it. Tell us about a time you were tempted to give up but were glad you didn't.

A. It took me 8 years to earn my bachelor's degree. There were plenty of times when I wanted to give it up, but I stuck with it. I may not have done what I thought I would with the degree, but I am glad I have it.

3) In the hit movie Saturday Night Fever, students are briefly seen learning to dance to "Disco Duck." Can you name another song from Saturday Night Fever?

A. How Deep Is Your Love by the BeeGees.

4) Dees was already a top disc jockey in Memphis when "Disco Duck" was released. With the record's success, his radio career soared and he got a better job reaching a greater audience at a radio station in Los Angeles. Are there any disc jockeys you loyally listened to every day?

A. Not anymore. I used to listen to Dick & Dave on Q99 (local station) but I haven't done that in years.

5) After more than 20 years, Rick lost his regular radio slot to Ryan Seacrest. But he still shares "the hottest music on the planet" through the Rick Dees Hit Music app (available at the Apple App Store or Google Play). What app have you recently downloaded to your phone?

A. Skyview Lite. It shows you the names of stars and constellations when you point your phone at the sky.

6) He used his favorite radio format to create a cookbook called Rick Dees All-Time Top 40 Greatest Desserts. If you could finish a delicious meal with the dessert of your choice, anything at all, what would you order?

A. A chocolate brownie with whipped cream on it.

7) In 1976, when "Disco Duck" was a hit, The Bionic Woman premiered on ABC. Because of her "bionic parts," Jamie Summers could run super fast, had super-sensitive hearing, and super-human strength. If you could have one of those qualities enhanced -- speed, hearing or strength -- which would you choose?

A. Strength.

8) Also in 1976, like this year, the world got together for The Summer Olympics. Will you be following the international competition?

A. We will likely watch some of it, but the Summer Olympics have never been a favorite.

9) Random question: You're bone tired, exhausted, and you have an early day tomorrow. As you wash your face and brush your teeth before bed, one of the two bulbs in the bathroom fixture goes out. Do you 1) change the bulb before bed or 2) promise yourself to do it in a hurry tomorrow as you're rushing around in the morning or 3) decide you can live with one bulb for a while, go to bed, and replace the burned-out bulb when you get around it?

A. I would decide I could live with one bulb until I could get around to replacing the burned out one. I am short and changing a light bulb involves climbing up on something and one needs to be clear-headed and not in a hurry when doing that.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Noteworthy

Celebrity deaths in the news recently:

• Shelley Duvall: The talented actress known for her role in The Shining passed away in her sleep at the age of 75 at her home in Blanco, Texas.
• Dr. Ruth Westheimer: The legendary celebrity sex therapist, who fearlessly discussed matters of intimacy and relationships, died at the age of 96 in her New York City home. Her legacy includes a weekly radio show called “Sexually Speaking” and over 40 books, including the iconic “Sex for Dummies.”
• Richard Simmons: The effervescent fitness guru, known for his energetic workouts and colorful personality, was found dead in his Los Angeles home. He had just celebrated his 76th birthday one day before his passing. Richard Simmons inspired countless people to get moving and embrace a healthier lifestyle.
• Shannan Doherty: The talented actress, who graced our screens in shows like Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, fought a courageous battle against breast cancer. She passed away last weekend, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and strength.
• Jacoby Jones: In the world of sports, retired NFL star Jacoby Jones was found dead in his Houston, Texas home.
• Bob Newhart, the beloved comedian and actor known for his deadpan humor and iconic roles in sitcoms like The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, passed away on July 18, 2024, at the age of 94. His career spanned over six decades, and he was celebrated for his unique comedic style and contributions to television and comedy.

In the News

President Joe Biden has Covid-19 and is in seclusion while he recovers.

A global Internet outage shut down airports, banks, and many businesses. At the time of this writing, the outage is being blamed on a software glitch.

The Republicans last night elected their nominee to run for the offices of president and vice president of the U.S.

A Little Kiss

 Momma deer taking care of her baby.

Thursday Thirteen

I have a friend who tells me I am "neurotic" all the time. I used to cringe when I heard this, because that's not a good trait in our society.

I also wasn't entirely sure I knew what it meant. Of course I've heard the word, but it isn't one I use myself to describe, well, anyone. So, I looked it up. I never like to assume.

It is, unfortunately, true. I took a free test at bigfive-test.com and it came back as my being totally neurotic.

According to the test, neuroticism refers to the tendency to experience negative feelings. Freud originally used the term neurosis to describe a condition marked by mental distress, emotional suffering, and an inability to cope effectively with the normal demands of life. He suggested that everyone shows some signs of neurosis, but that we differ in our degree of suffering and our specific symptoms of distress. Today neuroticism refers to the tendency to experience negative feelings.

Those who score high on Neuroticism may experience primarily one specific negative feeling such as anxiety, anger, or depression, but are likely to experience several of these emotions.

People high in neuroticism are emotionally reactive. They respond emotionally to events that would not affect most people, and their reactions tend to be more intense than normal. They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult.

So, without further ado, here are 13 traits of a neurotic person (they may not all apply to me):

1. Anxiety: Frequent feelings of worry or fear.

2. Irritability: Easily annoyed or angered.

3. Emotional instability: Rapid mood changes and difficulty regulating emotions.

4. Self-doubt: Lack of confidence in one’s abilities or decisions.

5. Depression: Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.

6. Self-consciousness: High awareness and concern about how others perceive them.

7. Moodiness: Frequent mood swings.

8. Stress vulnerability: Difficulty coping with stress.

9. Pessimism: Tendency to expect the worst outcomes.

10. Guilt: Often feeling responsible for things that go wrong.

11. Perfectionism: Setting unrealistically high standards for oneself.

12. Social withdrawal: Avoiding social interactions due to fear or anxiety.

13. Overthinking: Excessive rumination on problems or worries.

There are more, of course. Aren't there always?

Maybe I'll change my sign-off to the Neurotic Dragon Queen.

______________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 869th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

His New Favorite Picture

 

A love note from our great niece put my husband in a fine mood. We have it proudly displayed on the refrigerator.

Common Whitetail Dragonfly

I saw this critter out on the patio the other morning and snapped some photos. My guidebook says it is a common whitetail dragonfly. I don't know what it was doing at my house, since we've no ponds or standing water in the yard, but with the drought who knows what is flying where.

It was interesting to watch its little head bobbing up and down while I was shooting photos.

Sunday Stealing

1. What is the hottest temperature you've seen this summer so far?

A. I think I saw 105 F on the thermometer recently. That's very hot for Virginia. 

2. What is your favorite summer beverage?

A. Water is all I drink anymore.

3. Have you seen any fireflies/lightning bugs yet? Cicadas?

A. I have seen lightning bugs. The cicadas missed us this year.

4. What are the last 3 things you bought online?

A. An iPhone case, a glass cover for my phone, and a digital book.

5. Where do locals go to cool off?

A. The James River has its start in my county, so many folks find comfort there. We have many creeks, rivers, and ponds around, though, and some of those are in the National Forest. Others are on private property.

6. Where did you buy your last postcard and what was on the pc?

A. My last postcard likely was purchased in Myrtle Beach, SC, and had a picture of the beach on it. I don't really remember, as I haven't bought a postcard since before 2020.

7. What's your favorite summertime scent?

A. Watermelon is my favorite summertime scent. That's also my favorite summertime treat.

8. What kind of a/c do you have - central, room, fans only, chillers, none and what temperature do you set it to?

A. We have a heat pump that circulates cold air throughout the house. I suppose that is central air. I change the temperature depending on the heat outside, so it doesn't really have a setting.

9. Do you have a summer vacation planned and if so, where are you really going?

A. I do not have a summer vacation planned.

10. What are your favorite summer activities?

A. We do some gardening in the summer, but mostly our lives revolve around the farm and getting in hay and ensuring the cattle have water. 

11. What's your favorite summertime food?

A. Oops, I already answered this. Watermelon is my favorite summertime food.

12. Did you ever go to summer school?

A. I never went to summer school. I did, however, go to band camp, which was held in the summer, and it was generally awfully hot for that.

13. What's your favorite summertime memory?

A. Well, let's see. I answered a similar question yesterday, so I will give a different answer here. We used to play in the creek in front of the house. We built up a little dam, my brother and me along with some of the local kids who could walk to our house, and made ourselves a little pond area. We caught crawdads there, and had some floats we could lay on, and other floaty type toys that one would have found in the early 1970s.

14. Do you like fireworks?

A. I like fireworks. I am not fond of the noise or the smoke, but they are lovely to look at.

15. How do you feel about the longer days of summer?

A. The days are not any longer, there is just more light available. They are still 24-hour days. I can't do anything about the amount of light, so I just live with it like everyone else does.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Lazy-Hazy Crazy Days

Saturday 9: Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer (1963)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Nat King Cole sings about enjoying "soda and pretzels and beer." Which of those three would we find in your kitchen right now?

A. My husband drinks Diet Dr. Pepper, so there are some of those in the refrigerator.

2) The lyrics mention a romantic movie. Which movie couple do you believe had onscreen chemistry?

A. Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman would get my vote for best onscreen chemistry.

3) He wishes "summer could always be here." How has your summer been so far?

A. My summer has been hot and painful. We've had record-breaking heat and are now in a drought, and I've been having back spasms for two weeks.

4) According to the song, a great warm weather meal includes sandwiches and weinies. Tell us about your perfect sandwich or, if you prefer, what you believe is the ideal way to dress a hot dog.

A. My perfect sandwich would be a ham, cheese, tomato, and mayonnaise sandwich. The only way I will eat a hot dog is with mustard, ketchup, and relish. I don't like them with chili or slaw or any of that stuff.

5) Nat was a big baseball fan. Growing up in Chicago he played sandlot games and listened to Cubs games on the radio. As an adult he was a season ticket holder at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Do you enjoy playing/watching baseball or softball?

A. No. Sorry, Gal.

6) The lyrics of this week's song were written by Charlie Tobias, who wanted to create a sense of nostalgia for summers gone by. Share one of your special summer memories.

A. My grandparents had six children, and the youngest was a year younger than I and their next youngest was 4 years older than I. My brother was the youngest of the four of us. My grandfather would give us each two quarters to mow the yard, and we would split the work up and take turns mowing. Then we'd ride our bikes up to the Orange Market, which was about a block and a half away, and we'd take our quarters and buy a comic book, a candy bar, and a soda with it. My favorite soda was a grape NeHi and I always bought the comic books about Wonder Woman, Supergirl, the Fantastic Four, or the Black Widow because I wanted the strong women in those comics as role models. A quarter went a long way back then. We would make sure we each bought different comics so we could swap them around.

7) In 1963, one of the best-selling books was Happiness Is a Warm Puppy by Charles Schultz. The cover showed Lucy giving Snoopy a big hug. Name another character from the Peanuts comic strip.

A. Peppermint Patty is another character in Peanuts.

8) Also in 1963, men were wearing thin, solid-color ties. Later in the decade, ties would become wider, patterned and more colorful. Where do you turn to keep up with fashion trends?

A. I don't keep up with fashion trends.

9) Random question: Would you rather be a cowboy or a pirate?

A. Arggh! Shiver me timbers, it's a pirate life for me, matey! I'd be the fiercest female pirate to sail these seven seas, I tell ye, and I'd make the kings and queens shiver at the sound of my name. I'd take all of my prisoners to a private island and tell them to go off and do their own thing and create their own little world, with coconuts from them my only tithe. Then I'd track down the other pirates and force them at sword point to tell me where they'd buried all their treasure, why surely I would! If they didn't talk, I'd blindfold them and make them walk the plank, only they'd not fall into shark-infested water but into a net, where I'd pull them into my ship and have my way with them if they smelled nice (if they smelled bad, then off to the dungeon with them!). And once they'd been entranced by my beauty, we'd go dig up their treasure and distribute it amongst the poor at the ports.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Thursday Thirteen

1. Whatever happened to hickeys? You know, those dark spots that used to appear on the necks of young men and women. It was all the rage when I was in high school for the kids to have a hickey to prove they were doing a lot of necking and stuff in the back seat of cars. But no one ever talks about them anymore.

2. Whatever happened to ring around the collar? Did it just disappear? Did men stop sweating around their neck in their shirts? Or is it because we have a more casual dress code now?

3. Whatever happened to the important question of "Where's the beef?" Shouldn't we be asking this now, especially since a thing of beef on a fast-food hamburger is about as thick as a potato chip?

4. Where did the pet rocks go? Did they all run away?

5. Whatever happened to clogs? They were big clunky shoes that girls wore in the 1970s. I had a pair and nearly broke my neck on those things.

6. And why did the clothes makers do away with bell bottom jeans?

7. What happened to acid rain?

8. Why do they no longer show cartoons on Saturday mornings? Is it because we have cartoon networks that show cartoons all the time? But today's cartoons are kind of blech. :-)

9. Do they still make tube socks?

10. Do people still hitchhike? Or ride on trains as hobos?

11. What happened to the smallpox vaccine scars that we all had when we were younger?

12. Why did they do away with Schoolhouse Rock?

13. Lastly, how does Superman change his clothes now that all of the telephone booths are gone?

______________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 868th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

We Didn't Have No Internet

Friday night, the storm came through. It arrived quickly, so fast I really didn't have time to think about unplugging electronic doohickeys before the first bolts hit.

Zap! Pow!

My phone pings of "lightning has been detected near you" went nuts.

And then one bolt went seemingly straight through the house, something popped, and thunder crashed, sounding like a jet falling on top of the roof.

Just like that, we lost the telephone (I still have a landline) and the Internet.

The Internet never went completely out, though the phones did. Instead, it sent through little bits of itself, reminding me terribly of those long-ago days of dial-up, when information trickled in. Of course, programs weren't so big in dial-up days, not like the software and words that come through today. Today, every programmer assumes that we all have supercomputers running Windows 11, with high-speed Internet access.

I still have DSL. It takes me 2 hours to upload a 3-minute video. But it's better than dial-up.

My weekend suddenly looked different. I wasn't going to be able to spend time looking at Facebook, read the local paper online, or play video games. Some of that I could do on my phone, but my phone kept picking up the trickle of Internet data, so it was wildly confused as to when to use the Internet or when to use the very low cellular data I have. At one point, I walked far away from the house until the phone went to straight cellular data to get something to work, but it was too hot to stay out there long.

So what did I do? I managed to get Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing up, albeit slowly. I worked on the bookkeeping for the various things we keep up with - the farm, my husband's backhoe business - that sort of thing. I use an old program for that, one that doesn't connect to the Internet.

I wrote postcards to voters.

I worked up a few blog posts that I'd had on my mind. I didn't need the Internet to use Notepad or MS Word for that. Maybe I will post them. Maybe I won't.

The fact that the Internet wasn't completely down made for a false sense of still being attached, because I wasn't. Sometimes I could get something to come up, but mostly not. I couldn't pay bills or check my email, except sometimes I could so I did. 

I never did get around to reading the Sunday Stealing blogs of other meme participants, because they took too long to load. I need to go back and visit those.

My phone had a workout as it played music (no Alexa), and I listened to an audiobook. 

Lastly, I made zucchini bread. It was too hot to be baking, really, but we have the squash now, and of course it comes in all at once. So I made bread, and left a loaf out to eat, and froze the rest.

That is what you do when the Internet dies.

I strongly suspect you live a better life. I have thought for a long time we might all be better off if the Internet were to die. I still think there is truth in that.

Sunday Stealing

1. What's your favorite animal?

A. Doe, a deer, a female deer. They are my spirit animals. 

2. What's your favorite book?

A. I always say The Lord of the Rings, because it's the only one I reread, generally, but honestly, I don't have a favorite book. 

3. What's your favorite color?

A. Blue is my favorite color. 

4. What's your favorite dessert?

A. My favorite dessert is chocolate cake with chocolate icing. 

5. What's your favorite drink?

A. I would love to have an A&W Root Beer, but I only drink water these days. 

6. What's your favorite food?

A. Watermelon. 

7. What's your favorite hobby?

A. Playing guitar. 

8. What's your favorite movie?

A. I don't really have a favorite, but some movies I like are Under the Tuscan Sun, Steel Magnolias, Fried Green Tomatoes, Blind Side, Lord of the Rings (all 3), and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

 

9. What's your favorite restaurant?

A. I don't have one. We used to go to Shakers, a local restaurant, all the time pre-pandemic. They've changed the menu, though. 

10. What's your favorite sandwich?

A. My favorite sandwich is ham, cheese, and mayonnaise. 

11. What's your favorite season?

A. I am partial to spring and fall. I don't like the extreme heat of summer or the very cold temperatures in winter. 

12. What's your favorite series?

A. My all-time favorite series is Cagney & Lacey.

 

13. What's your favorite snack?

A. A Nature Valley Cashew Bar. 

14. What's your favorite sport to watch?

A. I like to watch women's basketball and ice skating. 

15. What's your favorite thing to have for breakfast?

A. Honey Nut Cheerios.

 __________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: The Star-Spangled Banner (1991)

... because Thursday was the 4th of July and we're still celebrating!

1) Whitney Houston originally performed this in front of over 73,000 at the 1991 Super Bowl. What's the biggest crowd you have ever been in?

A. The biggest crowd I have ever been in was probably a concert at the Roanoke Civic Center. I'm going to guess it was Elton John's concert in the 1990s.

2) Whitney's version of The National Anthem was released 10 years later, after 9/11, and the proceeds went to support New York's first responders. It was her last Top Ten single. What's your favorite Whitney Houston song?

A. I Will Always Love You, which was written by Dolly Parton.

3) Whitney's friends recall she loved lavender -- both the color and the scent. What's your favorite color? What's your favorite scent?

A. My favorite color is blue. My favorite scent is unscented, although I can tolerate vanilla.

4) Whitney had a sweet tooth and loved Fruity Pebbles. If you reached for a snack right now, would it be sweet or salty?

A. My snack would be a combination, probably a Nature Valley Cashew bar.

5) Whitney's grave marker bears the words, "I Will Always Love You," so clearly her family is proud of her best-selling recording. How would you like to be remembered?

A. My grave marker would bear the words, "Beloved wife," and/or "She did the best she could," although I wouldn't mind being remembered for my work with the newspaper. So maybe "Local writer."

6) Going back to 1991, when this recording was first popular, consumers who had a cell phones likely had flip phones. Technology has come a long way, hasn't it? What did you most recently use your cell phone for? (Calling, texting, looking something up, taking a photo, posting on your blog or social media ...)

A. I last used my cell phone to call the telephone company to tell them that lightning took out my landline, and my internet is so slow and intermittent I can barely get anything to load.

7) In 1777, Colonists celebrated July 4 with the firing of cannons and muskets, followed by a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. What did your neighborhood do to celebrate the 4th of July?

A. I don't really have a neighborhood. Some residents set off fireworks somewhere, as I could hear them, but it was so foggy I couldn't see anything. The nearby town had the courthouse and church bells ring at 5 p.m. as part of early celebration of America's 250th birthday. (I am not sure we're actually going to make 250 years.)

8) The Revolutionary War still raged during that summer of 1777. General George Washington allowed his soldiers to celebrate with a double ration of rum on July 4. Do you know anyone who is serving in the military this 4th of July?

A. I know of some friends who have people in the military.

9) Celebrity chef Rachael Ray says she considers mini-hamburgers, or "sliders," the All-American food. What will/did you dine on to celebrate the 4th of July? 

A. We had hot dogs on July 4, along with watermelon for dessert.

A Quiet Independence Day

We had my mother-in-law up for hot dogs and watermelon at lunch yesterday. 

Then later, my father called and said he had a bag of plums he'd picked for me. He has plum trees. So we ran over to his house and stayed for about an hour, chit-chatting.

Then we drove from there to Fincastle, where we sat on Main Street for a while. The reason was to hear the sound of the Botetourt County Courthouse bell.

The bells in town, including church bells, had been asked to be rung 13 times for the 13 original colonies of the United States. It was part of a statewide initiative to jumpstart the celebration for the country's 250th anniversary, which is only 18 months away.

The Botetourt County Courthouse is slated for demolition and who knows when this bell - or if this bell - will ring again. That was the main reason I went to hear it. 

It's a sound that may never be heard again.

Thursday Thirteen

 Happy Independence Day!

______________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 867th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Silent Running

 

Happy Birthday, Dad

Today is my father's birthday. He is 83.

My mother, my father, me, and my brother
 on the day of my wedding.

My father sang in a band. Still does.

The younger version of my father with his kids.

My father and brother at Dad's 80th birthday party.

My father dancing with my stepmother.

My father enjoying the outdoors in 2021.