F Is For Fun

Zumba won by default today. The yoga class that I considered going to was full. Thought about pressing my nose to the window to see if someone would let me in but, at some point, I had to resume a more active lifestyle so I hit the gym and since I have not been since last year, I forgot about the resolution peeps. The parking lot was packed.

Alisha reminded us that it was our class and that we should modify as necessary and that's what I did and that's what the woman with the knee brace did.

So far so good with the ankle. I did wear my foot brace so the ankle should have been pretty stable...

Last night, watched Trainwreck with the 'Fugee. At some point, Amy says that her father is one of her favorite folks and it reminded me of my father and how he liked to joke around and have a good time.

I also like to joke around but when I thought of my father, it inspired me to have more fun. Effective immediatley, I'm going to take a look and see how I can up the happiness and fun by at least 10%.

Like Granite

Dreamed that I was sleeping in a room with four beds. I had one bed. A teenage male and woman occupied the others. I sensed someone was on the other side of the door and went to open it.

My father was on the other side. When I let him in, we exchanged a few words then he got into bed.

I had a massage by an extraordinary MT yesterday. She has quite the repertoire of techniques and I never feel like an hour is short with her because the experience is so solid.

She told me that my shoulders, which usually feel like granite, were much better. I really think it's yoga that has taken care of the shoulder tightness.

Post-massage, I was in a dazed state and ultra-relaxed which, I think, allowed me to sense my father at the door.

Odd topic for a Friday, hunh?

A Short Valentine's Day Story

My father was a not a big gift giver and forgot my birthday more than once even though it was a mere six days after his birthday. He would also occasionally say that my mother was just being ornery when she wouldn't deliver on his birthday so you would think that he would have no problems remembering when I was brought into the world.

My father often remembered me on Valentine's Day though.

If you were a card, you would be queen of hearts -

If you were in movies, you'd be a great star -

This is my 2011 puppy courtesy of my mother; she said that she couldn't resist.



Hope that you have plenty of sweet Valentine's Day memories or sweet memories from some other day...

Update: As soon as I hit the publish button, my Aunt Girt was at the door. She dropped off this V Day bag below. I've been feeling like I'm coming down with something and thought about going out to get ginger tea and there's a baggie within the bigger bag that has about 15 bags of tea -- two of them green ginger. Are you kidding me?

The Gospel According to My Father

My father was a Marine who loved to talk about his Parris Island days. His brother told him that he needed to turn in his badge when he got his hat shot off after responding to a domestic violence situation as a police officer but the turning in of the badge did not happen.

When someone dies, I try hard to remember the things they said. It's funny because the sayings pop into my mind at the unlikeliest of times...

Don't bring a knife to a gun fight.

My father's typical joshin' around with his buddies.

That's not even a dog; I should shoot it.

About Thatch, my brother's Cocker Spaniel. We had Doberman Pinschers when I was growing up...

(That's Brutus, one of several Dobermans.)

You gotta die somehow.

To one of his associates that was flirting with me.

She's the world's oldest teenager.

My father about his sister.

You'd rather eat cake than cornbread?

My father to me. I was the pickiest of eaters but never about sweets.

Baseball is interesting if you understand the game.

I don't like chicken. We had so much of it when I was growing up.

My father: You're a part of me. So, if you go over there, it's like I'm going too.


Me: What if I can't figure it out?

My father: You're smart. I know that you can do it.

Me: You're spoiled.

My father: You are too.

My father schmoozing me to go over to my aunt's house and help her figure out a deep fryer. He had promised her, around 7:30 a.m., that he would come and help. It was round 2 p.m. when the schmoozing started. I went to help my aunt and we did figure out how to get the thing going without blowing ourselves up. In the meantime, I was fascinated by how much oil went into the fryer.

I hit him so hard that he went back to writing poetry.

My father about a poet that we knew who referred to himself as Hurricane R during their football playing days.

Doctor (before knee surgery): Do you exercise?

My father: I chase women.

When your mother and I were courting, we went to a carnival and the Ferris wheel stopped. We were stuck up at the top but I didn't care. I was satisfied just being with her.

You're gonna have to start calling me by my first name.

After my father spotted a gray hair in my head. In essence, I was cramping his public persona.

This is the best milk that I've ever had. This is the best pineapple that I've ever had.

My father after major surgery.

When I die, I want Dora to sing Danny Boy at my funeral.

I hate to tell you this but, if you see a squirrel, don't try to avoid it. You'll end up hitting other people's cars and causing lots of damage.

(My father's advice while teaching me how to drive...)

No one else can drive but you. You have to watch out for everyone and yourself too.

A look over your shoulder will save your life.

(More driving advice)

Overheard at the Pool

I've had a real swimming jones of late and I'm happy to report that my front crawl breathing is getting better. I was able to swim 200 yards (not consecutively) without pulling up. In honor of my success in the water, here are things that I've overheard at the pool.

Father to son at pool: Move your arms in wide circles.

Son: I'll go down.

Father: I won't let you go down.

Father to son at pool: I'm ready when you are; feet all the way to the edge.

Son: (Sound of jumping then peals of laughter.)

Just because it's hard doesn't mean you shouldn't do it, Same father to son.

I'm the boss, Father to son before the father's two quick laps before the start of swimming lessons.

Swimming instructor: You're eight years old. You're a strong boy. You've stopped three times. Go. Go. Go.

Son to father about swimming: I don't think I'm made for this.

Father to son: Kick your legs and move your arms in a circle. If your head goes underwater, breathe out of your nose.

I don't know how much longer I'll be able to swim, a man at the pool with limited vision.

How do we swim?, Teacher

Streamlined., Her two students

(The teacher played a game with her students. Every time she said streamline they were to raise their arms straight up in the air.)

We’re going to rock and roll but only our shoulders.

Same teacher re: the backstroke.

Instructor to kid on diving board: I need to see your toes. I need to see your toes. I see your toes.


Kid then uses toes to head in the other direction.

Father to son, Number one: don't breathe too much...

Father to son: Streamline. One then the other. Never put both arms down at the same time. Any questions?

Father to son: You streamline with the backstroke too but instead of looking down, you look up.

Definition provided by recreation center: open swim means that the rec area, slide... and lazy river are available to children and adults for play.

What happiness do you have to report?

From Sluggish to Restored in Two Steps

I felt like a complete and utter slug this morning but I like to get my exercise in before Saturday's second act.

Luckily, once I ate oatmeal with a banana in the mix, I felt somewhat like myself again. I usually go rock climbing on Saturday but my belay partner is out of town. Plus, I have considerable soreness in my glutes and thighs. So, of course, it made perfect sense to get on my bike and head to Grant's Trail where I usually come to a screeching halt when I see a cardinal. The braking, of course, is probably why I missed about six pictures but this beauty stood still for me.


I also saw two cats, a bunny and numerous Clydesdales. The Clydesdales make me frequently pause as well.




This clock reminded me of Frida Kahlo. Does anyone remember the name of her painting with a clock? It's a commentary, I think, on her marriage to Diego Rivera and the title is The Hands Were Broken or something like that? I tried to Google it but my phrasing must be off.

What do you brake for?

I pause when swimming because there's this father who's been teaching his son how to swim.

It makes me think of that scene in The Pursuit of Happyness when the son reaches up to touch the dad's face and says you're a good papa (1:58).



The pool father asked his son, who is about four, to do some drill and the son said it was hard and the father said:

Just because something is hard doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.

In addition to knowing that the pool father is a good one, he makes me think of my father and how I think about sitting next to him in conversation.

So, yeah, I started off completely sluggish and, don't misunderstand me, I enjoy slowing down and lingering over a cup of coffee while reading but I was once again surprised how you can feel lethargic then be invigorated by exercise and nature.

How's your weekend shaping up?

Bittersweetness

It’s been four years since my father died which makes this time of year bittersweet for sure.

When someone dies, you struggle to remember things they said and the sound of their voice but one thing that I remember vividly is my father standing (with his police uniform on) near the basketball goal at my junior high school.

I also remember traveling with my father to go to my brother’s out-of-town football games.

As a matter of fact, Sunday football is not the same anymore. I used to chill out with my father and watch games on Sunday.

For my father, I was a bit too unglamorous but I was still the apple of his eye, his Abby doll and Spoke which is such a curious nickname.

Sometimes I think that my father loved me in spite of himself and, as my therapist friend says, that in spite of love is the best kind.

My father could be such a rascal and I sometimes felt like the parent in the relationship, but I want to thank my father for showing up for my games, for making me laugh and for making me feel loved so that I didn’t have monstrous daddy issues.

Once my father asked me to go and do something for his sister that he had promised to do. He said well if you go, it’s like me going because you’re a part of me.

And what if I can’t figure it out (some turkey propane fryer situation), I said. You’re smart, you’ll be able to handle it, he replied.

I knew that my father was being cunning but I did the task for his sister anyway.

And in spite of love? It lasts a lifetime. Slimmer and a swimmer, I would say that my father would like the new me. However, he really liked the old me.

I don’t know where my father got the nickname Spoke from but it makes since:

Spoke (noun):

1 a : any of the small radiating bars inserted in the hub of a wheel to support the rim