After that stretch of "people-y" days, I was pretty much exhausted, and have been hiding in my cave for over a week!
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| Kitties in the sunshine, Saturday afternoon. |
I completely forgot that "the kids" were running a 5K Saturday morning (March 26), and stayed abed. When I got up, I saw their Facebook start line post and thought, "oops". Anyway, they finished. Son's GF bested him by about two minutes, thanks to his usual ankle issues. Since last year's roll of the ankle, he's been rehabbing, but it's been an issue for years. Whenever I have got to the finish line in ANY distance race before him, it's been because of his lingering injury issues. Beat up on your body, and it doesn't just bounce right back. Anyway, it's true for most of us.
Still, I'm glad they did it. Fitness is important, young or old. And I'm at the point in life where 40 looks young to me!
I did not want to get up on Sunday morning the 27th... stayed abed until after 7 a.m. I wandered down memory lane watching one of my dad's old favorite movies, The Thomas Crown Affair. I watched the more modern remake, with Pierce Brosnan, because that was what was coming up on my "recommended" list. I still remember the 1968 version, which would have been my dad's favorite, as he passed away the year the more recent one came out, so I doubt he ever saw it.
Still, I can imagine his small smile and lifted eyebrow, following the misdirection. He enjoyed Bond movies, "Our Man Flint", and so on. More and more as I remember my parents I realize what complex and rich (in the cultural sense) they were as humans. I realize that we are all nuanced.
As kids we see our parents as setting the rules. We don't often think of the rules they are trying to follow themselves, or of their growth journeys. Or do we only think of those journeys when we reach that stage ourselves?
Anyway, it gave me another pleasant reverie of Dad as a whole person, with his own pathway through life.
Love it!
ReplyDeleteIt's amusing how much we learn or realize about our parents after their gone. Mine will be gone 10 years this week and I miss that voice!
Good luck to your son on that ankle rehab, they can take years.
We really don't think about it until Erma Bombeck's "just wait until you have children of your own", or my mom's "I hope you get one just like YOU!" comes true. But when mom was my age (well, she never got to my age), reset to when grandma was my age... what was she going through?
DeletePrisoner and Rubia look happy on the deck in the sunshine!
ReplyDeleteAwwww, glad you have good memories of your Dad. Yes, thinking back about them, as we ourselves age, it does allow us to understand them more. That is a good thing!
hugs
barb
1crazydog
Indeed a good thing, to grow in understanding and acceptance! And kitties have lessons for us in taking advantage of whatever comfort there may be in a day, be it sunshine on the deck or a cozy lap inside.
DeleteIt's always hard when thinking about those loved ones we lost. My dad's five year anniversary is coming up next week and that's not going to be easy. It amazes me the things we think about or do to honor them. It must have been a bittersweet weekend for you. (((BIG HUGS)))
ReplyDeleteMy mom would always say she hopes I get a kid like I was. Unfortunately no kids for me, but I do have a dog that is strangely like me in some ways.
Oh, Dad's been gone since 1999, and nowadays memories of him are generally sweet, not so bitter. But memories of those departed are random in timing, it was the movie that brought this one on.
DeleteLOL... I got a kid unique to himself, which is true of all kids, actually. At times he has reminded me of my brother. At times of his own dad. But mostly of his unique self as a child, even as an adult! It's easy to turn a man into a boy... just bring his old toys out of the closet. Or catch him with his dog.
Love and miss my parents who passed in 1997 and 2002. Since I was the 'kid' who assisted them a lot in their later years I was privileged to listen to memories of their childhoods, his WWII experiences, and general life points they felt inclined to share. It was nice to get to know them as people other than my parents.
ReplyDeleteNice photo of your father in what appears to be a pensive mood.
Thanks. That photo was from July 4th, 1999, about 3 1/2 months before he passed. He never went bald, interestingly enough, nor did his hair go white, although you can see there at 71 he had some salt and pepper. This was a common pose for him, an observer and journalist.
DeleteHow wonderful to have been privvy to those memories of your parents' childhoods. I've probably not been good enough about sharing all that I have of my own childhood with my son. Something for *us* to think about, now that we're the top generation.
For some strange reason, this made me think of "My Happiness" by Connie Francis. Just a different kind of love story.
ReplyDeleteMade me go to YouTube to listen to her sing... 1958, says the meta-data. Love the harmonies!
DeleteAwww, lovely kitties, great pic. Those long lasting injuries are tedious but happy he did the run. Beautiful memoir about your father. I think we enriched ourselves with their knowledge. Love the photo.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
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