Happy Birthday, Dad!

Many years ago a great man was born: my dad. I hope he gets in a game of golf (or maybe just thinks about hitting some balls) on this special day. :)

Here are some things that I remember doing with my dad throughout the years:

• Dancing in the living room with him (standing on his feet)
• Hearing him sing "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay" quite often
• Enjoying his macabre jokes and puns
• Laughing and laughing as he would make up new words to songs (mostly hymns...)
• Running like crazy as he chased me throughout the house
• Saying "Book-a-shoo!" and then throwing my stuffed animals across the room
• Screaming in fear whenever he tried to teach me to ride my bike (I was sure he would let go too soon)
• Giving him "haircuts" (pretending to cut his hair, not really doing it)
• Squishing into his old orange recliner with him
• Listening to him tell the story of "My Detour"
• Driving in the mountains and his need to be Al Uncer Jr., speeding around those winding curves, which caused me to upchuck
• Being utterly surprised at his reaction when I tried to dig to China in the backyard
• Wondering how he could eat bread and gravy and nothing else
• Watching him make fabulous roses for cakes (he'd always make extra just for me)
  
• Helping him bake pies so I could eat the pie crust when he wasn't looking
• Having him be with me when I had my appendix removed and how he was constantly playing my Nintendo games during his hospital visits
  
• Listening to him laugh - it fills the house
• Driving to an unknown destination somewhere across the state - just to be together
• Being totally embarrassed when he would dance the Sugar Plum Fairy down the aisle of the grocery store
• Wishing I could wiggle my ears like him
• Comparing my hands with his and asking him when I would get my "grown-up" hands
• Having him threaten to pull my loose teeth out with pliers since I was too scared to pull them out myself
• Laughing as he would scruff my neck with his whiskers
• Tickling me with "Scapula, scapula, scapula!"
• Having me walk on his back
• And many, many, many more memories
  

I love you, Dad. Happy birthday!

Here is one of the more memorable songs he made lyrics to:
Sung to the first part of "Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning"

Welcome, welcome, Saddam Hussein;
Won't you sit and have a beer?
Welcome, welcome, Saddam Hussein;
Here's a missile for your rear!