I'm Just Not Into Today

Yeah, I know... It's Father's Day. What does that mean to me?

Not much.

At the risk of being cynical or apathetic, I just don't care for Father's Day and I don't think I ever have. It's just another of what I call "obligatory" shopping days. Dad's aren't the same as moms, and I don't think we get the same warm feeling that women do on their day of celebration. Don't get me wrong--I treasure all those special times that all dads do, like holding your child, reading to them, teaching them to ride a bike, or all the other multitudes of things that come with fatherhood. I just don't like the day of celebration I guess.

What did I get for Father's Day? I got the opportunity to get up this morning and make breakfast for Sarah and I. She stayed over last night--The first time in over a year--Because Teresa was going to someones wedding in Bellingham overnight. Well, although we had a good visit, I knew if I wanted breakfast I would have to cook it myself. I forget what time she got up, but it was at least 9. She did say "Happy Father's Day" at one point, but that's it.

I just got back from my parents' house... Paying the obligatory visit to the old man. I stopped at the store and bought him a nice, big steak and a package of strawberries. I got no reaction from him, and really didn't expect any. After listening to him rant about all the things that matter to him (and nobody else) and of course repeating them umpteen times each, I had to listen to them all over again when my brother and his family showed up. I swear I wish I had a big piece of gauze to bite down on sometimes... I couldn't wait to leave.

This week was fairly uneventful. Nothing went wrong or badly at work all week, which is very good indeed. I did manage to take the Harley out for a ride on Thursday night, and went up to Enumclaw to the Yella Beak Saloon. They have a Thursday biker event every week, and I wanted to check it out. I wasn't too impressed. Nice folks tending bar though, and that's always good. Of course I ended up drinking more than I should have. On the way home I stopped at my brother's house and talked to him for a while, and of course had another beer. I told him all about the weekend in Chelan and stuff. By the time I went to bed I was fairly well lit, and wouldn't you know it--Forgot to set my alarm clock. I woke up at 5:20 instead of 4:00, so had no time for coffee, but I did at least have time to make my sandwich for lunch. Even though my day got off to a shitty start, it ended up being an okay one.

Yesterday I drove up to R.E.I. in Seattle and bought myself a new chair to take to work to replace the one my coworker ruined. It's almost the exact same dimensions and design as the old one, and it's the only place I found one. It was $25, which isn't bad. Now all that remains is to see if the guy will step up and pay for it like he said he would. Hell, I'll even take $5 a week if he'll do it that way. I'm just happy to get a nice, comfortable snooze chair back.

I never did get a call or email or anything from Mark, but I don't get my hopes up. After all, I was absent from his life for 26 years... You can't expect me to be all that high on his list. He has said though that in the short time we've known each other I've been twice the dad that his "dad" ever was, and that will have to suffice. He has his own loving family right there to shower him with praise on this, his third year as a father.

I hope he had a good one!