Father's Day

Father's Day. The kids have been celebrating with Don for a couple of weeks. We got him presents from all over. ..Shirt's from Old Navy, shorts, Can't remember what else. Then today..sweet joy..wraps up a couple things she had, a yo-yo, and a Duck book. How sweet is that.
So we made Johnsonville Brats, Fruit Salad, Potato Salad, and Helena made Deviled eggs.
Then..we let him take a nap when he got home, and I have brownies in the oven right now. William talked me into putting nuts and chocolate chips in them..so they will be GOOEY. Bugsy, the dog..is laying on the kitchen floor waiting for her time to nail the cat Lucky Simon.

Father's. Wierd. Never really had one. I did the typical absent father in the family thing too, first time around..married an oppressive, overbearing jerk, who thought leading was whipping into submission. Unlike our Heavenly Father, who leads gently, kindly and lovingly with patience.

Ran into one of my "dad's" at the Maple Syrup Festival when I had a booth there for Foster Care. Jim Harner. Nicest guy. Married a 29 year old twice divorced woman with five kids, when he was 23. "hey mom..meet my girlfriend...oh yah...and her five kids...". he was a postman. Used to take us to the stock Car races at Mt. Pleasant Speedway. How fun was that??? the dirt..kickin up in the air...getting in our eyes, faces, and food. it was GREAT. I remember one lady..(this was a LONG time ago..in a planet far far away) She was eating a hamburger at the race track using ONLY her fingernails! They were INCREDIBLY long. She was holding the bun/burger with only her nails. WHOAA, impressed a young girl. Mom divorced Jim. She said..well I already had five kids and he couldn't be first. I always felt a little sorry for him. He was sort of a meek/quiet guy, with a stutter/stammer, and he was no match for my mom.
One other dad I had was Leon. They were married when my mom was preggos with me. His name is on my birth certificate, but he's not my "bio" father. All this came out in of course a weird and wacky way. First time, I was living in North Carolina (USMC OOOHH RAH), and I got a call from her, saying she.."had a new roommate". 'you remember, your dad, Leon". (as they had divorced when I was like 3 or something. Well I just had a melt down. I mean I had NO contact with him ever after he left. I remember one knock down drag out fight, I wandered downstairs and in my mind I saw him hitting her over the head with the telephone. Keep in mind folks, this was not "todays telephone" (sort of like not your daddy's oldsmobile). This was a ROTARY dial on the wall unit. VERY black and very heavy. Years after they got back together, my sister and I were talking to Leon about that night, and he said.."I wasn't hitting HER>>>She was HITTING me.". Oh yah. That's my mom--dainty she ain't.
I went to a private school for 5 years, through 4th grade till it closed. Central Michigan University Lab school. Like 5 student teachers in the morning and 5 more in the afternoon. Very personalized. I always felt like a paraiah..Divorced mom, no dad, none of my brothers or sister had gone there..it was BRUTAL to get into the school. Mom said she put me on a waiting list the week I was born.

Ok..as things go something freeky this way just came..the guy who held my head up for me in my car wreck in 98 just called. more of this later.
D.