For My Father, Of Course

I'm on a roll with the not sending cards thing. My mom didn't get one for Mother's Day, so of course I couldn't send my dad one for Father's Day. But I have an excuse. Two, actually: 1) My parents are just finishing up an Alaskan cruise and aren't even at home. And 2) Have you seen how stupidly expensive Hallmark cards are these days? $3.99 for a piece of cheap cardboard imprinted with some asinine joke? My dad taught me better money management skills than that.

So, no card. But I will pay tribute to my father here, on a public forum, where everyone can read about how he made me learn how to change the oil in my car and change a flat tire when I started to drive. And how he made me learn how to replace toilets. I have fond memories of hugging old toilets while lifting them out of the floor. Gross.

But to be totally serious here, teaching his kids is what my dad did. Mostly, he taught us life skills, practical skills, skills that I have had to use on a daily basis for all of my grown-up life. And the most important lesson I learned from him is that being a girl is no excuse for not doing something--anything. This is especially important in my current lifestyle, where a lot of the work I do is not traditional "women's work." But I do it, and I do it well. And for that, I thank my father sincerely.

He's a good man, a good dad. And just for him, today A. and I will clean out the cistern. I dedicate this disgusting chore to you, Dad. I know it'll make you proud. Happy Father's Day.

Love, me