Quotation for Fathers' Day

My dad at his birthday celebration in April, wearing the traditional birthday hat that we kids have tried to destroy, maim, burn....

In honor of Fathers' Day, I jotted down a few new quotations about fathers; some were amusing, others poignant, still others logical.

The quotation-collector in me wants to post all five of the quotations I deemed good enough for my Quotation Journal (a nearly ten-year project), but I need to practice some control, both for your benefit and my own discipline...and so that I'll have something to post here next year as well!

My dad has a definite silly side, as evidenced in this most recent photo of him on his 69th birthday in April. He's retired...which means that he now works only forty hours per week doing consulting work in the utility industry. He and my mom have three homes: their main residence within half a block of the Pacific Ocean, just south of La Jolla; a small mountain cabin atop Mount Laguna; and an even smaller studio-apartment-sized condo in Waikiki with a view of Diamond Head. Yet the total square footage of all three homes is less than our own converted mountain cabin. It's all about location-location-location for them.

We called Dad today from their beach house to wish him a Happy Fathers' Day. Elizabeth cleaned their house from stem to stern while the boys watered and pulled weeds, all in preparation for my parents' return tomorrow from two months on Oahu. Last spring's trip was more dramatic with Dad needing a double bypass surgery while there, but this spring's trip was much more normal, peaceful, and restful, thanks be to God! They also spend about a month in Hawaii in the fall as well; I think they'd move there if we didn't have so much family still in the San Diego area.

Dad is always puttering around at one of their places: working on their ancient mountain cabin, making improvements to their beach place, utilizing space-saving measures in the Hawaii condo. But over the years he has learned to relax, and with eight grandkids to keep him on his toes, he had better rest while he can!

Here's the quotation I chose for today:

"Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad."
--Anne Geddes, Photographer

So, Happy Father's Day, Dad!!! Hope you enjoyed those Hawaiian beaches today before flying back home tomorrow!!!

With love,