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I got Dad a page-a-day Escher calendar for his birthday this year, for 2007. Like all page-a-day calendars, it came in a box, and Dad's eyes got big. Then he opened it, and thanked me, and sounded sincere and perhaps a touch relieved (I don't remember). A moment or two later he explained that when he saw the box, he'd been afraid that it was an Escher puzzle. It made me want to find one for him, just to enjoy seeing his reaction then....
One that Dad told me recently...while he was working at Wilsonville (I think in Xerox days, but maybe in Tektronix days), I believe while he was on Marketing as a technical guy (but may be wrong), he was having a conversation either with or near someone's assistant (I think with, I think she'd asked, but I'm not sure - and no, I don't know her name, though I think he used it when telling me - doesn't matter anyway) about when something would be done. And he'd said he wasn't sure, he was out of round tuits and just had square ones left, since other items had come first. She asked if she needed to stock those for the guy she worked with! So Dad stopped and explained the pun ("getting a-round tuit" for anyone who missed it, by the way). Either he didn't tell me her reaction, or I've forgotten it....
After Mom died, Dad was going through cleaning supplies and noting that he needed to get something to clean the tables with. He had no idea why Mom insisted wood tables could be safely cleaned with Windex, or at least that she was going to do so, but he thought it had added to drying them out and he wanted to go back to Pledge or whatever. I had no idea why she had either. On the 15th he emailed to say he knew why - he'd bought the Pledge, which comes lemon-scented only, and the perfume was strong. As soon as he said that, I remembered being at the house (I think perhaps living there, actually) when she used it, and she hated the scent (at least the strength) - so did I, it was headache inducing. I'd forgotten that until Dad sent his email.
Dad got Aerie from the library then, and he finished it on Wednesday, December 20. I'd noted to him that I couldn't wholly recommend it because it seemed to change tone/genre/almost world at the end in terms of what was realistic/possible/etc. - hard on suspension of disbelief as well as being drawn into the story. He wrote: "I finished Aerie and you're right: somewhere in the last quarter of the book or so, it took a hard right turn into another story. I hope that's not a precursor of book 5." I hope so, too. I suppose in the grand scheme of things it does not matter much that he got to finish it, but I'm kind of glad he did.
More than a decade ago, I believe toward the end of my high school career or during early college, Dad (and Mom, I think, but I believe it was largely Dad's idea) had an idea to start a publishing business. I think there were a couple ideas for what it could do but the one I remember as the first idea was to produce a series of small, precise books on individual locations, written by people who lived there - city-level, not state-level. Of course, that was a "for when we retire" thing and then when they retired, it had long since faded. Dad had a lot of projects that did that - because he started so very many. Whatever caught his interest; the ones that held it, or that were necessary, got completed. The rest either got picked up by others, or faded.
Speaking of college, Dad drove me there in the pickup truck my freshman year - better than shipping all the stuff out. I don't remember a whole lot about the trip, except being nervous and way, way too hot (Late August is a lousy time to drive across the Midwest in a car with no AC.) I have the feeling that, interspersed with long periods of silence, there were probably bits of silliness, humor, and wisdom. I wish I could recall any of those conversations - but they're just not coming to mind. Perhaps some will surface later.
When I graduated college, Dad gave me a sweatshirt that said "First National Bank of Dad: Closed". It was in green and had a stamp-like effect on the closed (or perhaps the closed was red also? I forget). I laughed a lot. Then, ironically, after several months of failed job-hunting, Scott and I came to live with them for a few more months until we did find jobs...so I guess the bank wasn't closed after all. Three or four years back, I donated the sweatshirt, because it wasn't especially pretty or precious to me, and I never wear sweatshirts. I've regretted that impulsive decision ever since. Not the fact that I donated it. The fact that I didn't take a picture of it first. I suppose it is not a big deal but I would have liked to have it. I have never found an online page with a picture of that precise shirt on it.
Dad often brought me little things home from his business trips. Shirts were often involved - I have a blue shirt with a pattern on it that I think came from a trip to New Mexico or Arizona. It is a little small now, and I seldom wear it, but I have kept it because I love it so. I wonder what others are gone that I have forgotten completely. I have some others he and Mom gave me over the years; perhaps I should take photos, before the memories are gone. I have a "Hawaii Beach Bum" shirt that shows a cat sprawled on its back on the sand with a bottle of "Tabby Tan" next to it, for example.
Silly things, cute things, pretty things, fun things. Tokens, but tokens that remind me of loving parents.
And it's late, and I'm tired, and I have a list of things to write about and still can't seem to focus, so I think it's time for me to post this. Then one more post to put up and I'll wander off to bed....
One that Dad told me recently...while he was working at Wilsonville (I think in Xerox days, but maybe in Tektronix days), I believe while he was on Marketing as a technical guy (but may be wrong), he was having a conversation either with or near someone's assistant (I think with, I think she'd asked, but I'm not sure - and no, I don't know her name, though I think he used it when telling me - doesn't matter anyway) about when something would be done. And he'd said he wasn't sure, he was out of round tuits and just had square ones left, since other items had come first. She asked if she needed to stock those for the guy she worked with! So Dad stopped and explained the pun ("getting a-round tuit" for anyone who missed it, by the way). Either he didn't tell me her reaction, or I've forgotten it....
After Mom died, Dad was going through cleaning supplies and noting that he needed to get something to clean the tables with. He had no idea why Mom insisted wood tables could be safely cleaned with Windex, or at least that she was going to do so, but he thought it had added to drying them out and he wanted to go back to Pledge or whatever. I had no idea why she had either. On the 15th he emailed to say he knew why - he'd bought the Pledge, which comes lemon-scented only, and the perfume was strong. As soon as he said that, I remembered being at the house (I think perhaps living there, actually) when she used it, and she hated the scent (at least the strength) - so did I, it was headache inducing. I'd forgotten that until Dad sent his email.
Dad got Aerie from the library then, and he finished it on Wednesday, December 20. I'd noted to him that I couldn't wholly recommend it because it seemed to change tone/genre/almost world at the end in terms of what was realistic/possible/etc. - hard on suspension of disbelief as well as being drawn into the story. He wrote: "I finished Aerie and you're right: somewhere in the last quarter of the book or so, it took a hard right turn into another story. I hope that's not a precursor of book 5." I hope so, too. I suppose in the grand scheme of things it does not matter much that he got to finish it, but I'm kind of glad he did.
More than a decade ago, I believe toward the end of my high school career or during early college, Dad (and Mom, I think, but I believe it was largely Dad's idea) had an idea to start a publishing business. I think there were a couple ideas for what it could do but the one I remember as the first idea was to produce a series of small, precise books on individual locations, written by people who lived there - city-level, not state-level. Of course, that was a "for when we retire" thing and then when they retired, it had long since faded. Dad had a lot of projects that did that - because he started so very many. Whatever caught his interest; the ones that held it, or that were necessary, got completed. The rest either got picked up by others, or faded.
Speaking of college, Dad drove me there in the pickup truck my freshman year - better than shipping all the stuff out. I don't remember a whole lot about the trip, except being nervous and way, way too hot (Late August is a lousy time to drive across the Midwest in a car with no AC.) I have the feeling that, interspersed with long periods of silence, there were probably bits of silliness, humor, and wisdom. I wish I could recall any of those conversations - but they're just not coming to mind. Perhaps some will surface later.
When I graduated college, Dad gave me a sweatshirt that said "First National Bank of Dad: Closed". It was in green and had a stamp-like effect on the closed (or perhaps the closed was red also? I forget). I laughed a lot. Then, ironically, after several months of failed job-hunting, Scott and I came to live with them for a few more months until we did find jobs...so I guess the bank wasn't closed after all. Three or four years back, I donated the sweatshirt, because it wasn't especially pretty or precious to me, and I never wear sweatshirts. I've regretted that impulsive decision ever since. Not the fact that I donated it. The fact that I didn't take a picture of it first. I suppose it is not a big deal but I would have liked to have it. I have never found an online page with a picture of that precise shirt on it.
Dad often brought me little things home from his business trips. Shirts were often involved - I have a blue shirt with a pattern on it that I think came from a trip to New Mexico or Arizona. It is a little small now, and I seldom wear it, but I have kept it because I love it so. I wonder what others are gone that I have forgotten completely. I have some others he and Mom gave me over the years; perhaps I should take photos, before the memories are gone. I have a "Hawaii Beach Bum" shirt that shows a cat sprawled on its back on the sand with a bottle of "Tabby Tan" next to it, for example.
Silly things, cute things, pretty things, fun things. Tokens, but tokens that remind me of loving parents.
And it's late, and I'm tired, and I have a list of things to write about and still can't seem to focus, so I think it's time for me to post this. Then one more post to put up and I'll wander off to bed....
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