Today was my dad’s birthday. He says he had a good day. It also marks the week we sat by our mother’s side until she died two years ago next. Life, and Hurricane Ike had done their damage and tomorrow was another day. Sorry, Scarlett, but I don’t give a damn about Ike right now, though it was problematic with no water or gas….
We can talk about the Job Jar or weeding or setting 3,000 bricks around the pool three years in a row, or hauling stones to make a retaining wall. Fact is, we had a pretty cool childhood, from living in town to being on a large property in an unfinished house. Yes, our job was to finish it. I worked the rudimentary miter to make window frames. I also tried to do ceiling tiles in the basement but my two hands were not strong enough yet to run a staple gun.
This was the dream, and the family dream house. My family went much further than there but even though jobs outside the job jar ruled our weekends, we did get to swim in our new pool, rope to the creek and build sand castles with leftover materials. I like to think of our time up on the hill as the happiest time for our family and cherish it. No, you have to picture a home with a living room with a ceiling of cedar. 60 double-paned casement windows, and a state-of-the-art electric kitchen just needing to be finished.
Need I say that the “new” owners have been there for decades. I’ve always wanted to buy this property but think now I’d only like it for the memories. I thank my parents for that. Ask Mom, Ask Dad were always the worst chores in the Job Jar. Folding diapers or dusting was easier.
Happy birthday, Dad! Love, Dee
Cooking with Dee 