Monday, May 27, 2013

Home Videos

We just spent memorial weekend at the cabin putting the docks in and getting things ready for the season. Myndy and Jason brought their video camera so that we could see Stella in her school program. Of course she stole the show! After we had looked at that video we decided we wanted to watch some more videos...especially some of dad. My favorite was the video of him in Hawaii fishing for Mahi Mahi. I'm sure most tourists would get on board the boat and expect the guides to wait on them and show them how to do everything. Not dad. He wanted to help with cleaning up, getting the bait ready, and anything else that needed to be done. He also spent a lot of time chatting up the fishermen and ended up with some new friends. Both mom and I were apprehensive about seeing dad on camera and we didn't know how we'd react. For me, it made me feel close to dad. Seeing his smile and watching him in his fishing hat, khaki pants and sandals did my heart good!

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Apple Blossoms

Today I looked at the apple tree that dad helped us pick out. Last year we had four or five blossoms and this year we are up to ten. The tree reminded me of dad and how each day there are more and more "Mylesisms" that are just part of the way I experience the world. Last night Ellie said, "Mom, doesn't my hair feel soft?" I could just hear dad saying, "Nice hair.... for a dog." This morning I drove to work and saw someone up in a bucket truck trimming branches. I can't see a bucket truck without thinking of my dad and wanting to offer all those workers a cup of coffee. The tornado in Ohio....hiding out in the basement during bad weather with dad. Filling on gas at Kwik Trip....how much dad loved their produce prices. The list goes on and on. The beautiful part is that all of the little things I do each day are filled with memories of my dad.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Opening Fishing

We just arrived back home from opening fishing weekend at the cabin. Brrr...it was sure chilly this year. Katy, Stella, Erik, Anna, Ellie and I piled in the van on Friday and headed up north to spend the weekend with mom. Myndy and Mylee flew up on Thursday to help mom give the first Myles Olson wrestling scholarship. As we turned onto Intrepid Drive I felt a profound sadness that we would not see dad waiting up for us. He and mom used to stay up watching TV until we got to the cabin safely. Once we were in and he knew we were safe he'd sneak off to bed. Cousin Shawn gets the Myles award for the weekend because he was the only one brave enough to try out the fishing! We all knew that if dad were alive he would have been bundled up, trolling the shoreline for walleye.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Christmas Conundrum

We had pork tenderloin prepared on the grill tonight. It was delicious and as so many things do, it reminded me of my dad and a story! Quite a few years ago Myndy had just started dating Jason. We all traveled to Aunt Gloria's for Christmas dinner. As Gloria was getting everything set up and cutting the ham dad asked, "What are you going to serve Jason? He's Jewish, you know." After giving Gloria heart palpitations dad finally decided to come clean and tell her that he was just kidding. We all enjoyed a delicious ham dinner and a Myles prank.