Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads we know and don't know! -

My dad has always been special. He's always been reading books and loves to write letters- I learned those loves from him. He always took my younger brother Doug and I to buy comic books (usually superhero ones) on Saturdays, either at a local 7-11 (when they sold them in the 1970s) or he'd find a drug store that had them. He'd always stop for us, even though mom didn't want anything more coming into the house. Dad would tell us to roll them up in our sleeves, and go to our room and read them! :) We did, and my brother Doug and I would take diff. characters and read them aloud together. (RIGHT: My dad, me, Tom 12/06) Dad loves sports, too, but I didn't get that gene. Doug and my older brother Stephen did, though. So they indulged him and still do in that area. Dad also taught me patience (when you have an emotional Italian mother, your father has to be patient!) and understanding. Dad rarely ever gets mad, and I love that quality about him. (Although Stephen was good at making that happen more than Doug or I).

Dad would always give us orange juice and poptarts (which I still eat daily today) and send us off to school, while mom made our lunches. Dad at almost 80, still writes letters and sends clippings (mom contributes but doesn't like writing as much). He still reads paperbacks like crazy, like I do.

Back in 1989, when I was living in New Hampshire, Dad had a heartattack, but changed his eating habits drastically, and it's paid off. I'm so thankful Dad is still here, although he and mom live in Boston, 300 miles away. We talk several times a week though, and I'm very lucky he's my dad.