Random, deep thoughts

Dear Dad,

It's been a while, but you're on my mind and in my heart every day. I really miss you and so does Ritch. I don't think either one of us realized how much we turned to you for advice or an ear until you were gone. We've both been going through rough patches lately and your advice is sorely missed.

We're still trying to decide what to do about the Pond. Ritch wants to sell, I want to keep it. I need to go see Ritch and the two of us need to work it out. I've still got some money set aside, hopefully it will be enough to buy out Ritch's share. I can't imagine not having that place in my life. It's where I feel closest to you. I figure I've probably missed newt-mating season this year, I'd sure like to be able to see it in future years.

Thanks for the visit last October. It came at a good time, like I said, I've been going through a rough patch. There are people I can share that with and people who would label me a nut for believing it. But how else do I explain your scent in my car when you've never been in it, and there wasn't anything that had ever been in your presence in the car for a very long time. And my friend Michael smelled it, too. I miss that smell - wood smoke and Lucky Strikes, sweat, gasoline, and Ivory soap. The unique melange of smells that says "Dad" to me.

We had a bird-watching festival at the park yesterday. I didn't get to take in much of it, I had a volunteer crew that I needed to work with. But I did get to catch the last program of the day. A place called The Center for Wildlife came with three birds (and no. before you ask: no frozen turkeys!), a great-horned owl, a red-tailed hawk and a falcon called a merlin. Learned all kinds of cool stuff that I didn't know about owls before. Tell you about them some other time, though. I also got to see a bittern last week while I was out and about posting fliers for the festival. I was pretty excited, first one I've managed to catch a glimpse of, ever. I miss sharing this stuff with you in person. Mostly because of all the bad puns and stupid jokes would manage to interject into the conversation, but also because you'd share my excitement and wonder over the small, silly things.

Oh, hey, and I've been having Bill luck wicked bad lately. Every piece of equipment I touch lately seems to crap out on me. Any suggestions on how to exorcise the bad spirits? Want to come haunt my shop and fix my equipment for a couple of weeks? Just don't blow anything up or catch anything on fire, okay?

Well, gotta go. My pizza's getting cold.

Miss you, Old Man.

Love, Tami