Back in Minnesota my family and loads of extended family and friends will be celebrating, temporarily unbeknown to my father, his recent retirement. After handing out candy with a few select friends as per tradition at my parents house, everyone else will begin strolling in with food and drinks that my mom prepared and stored in homes of the willing.
He didn't want to have a party because as my mom put it, "he didn't want to be the center of attention." Well Pa, I don't know another man who should be more celebrated than you. For your years of sacrifice and hard work so that my brothers and I could play baseball, feast on great meals, and learn the intricacies of camping and the outdoors-among many other things-I solute you. From my cabin here on Mount Hood-and so far away from where I should be right now-I raise a shot of Whiskey in your honor. May you enjoy this night and the many that come after it. You've earned it dad.
Instead, my night has consisted of stacking over a cord of wood into the dusty corners of the basement. I have another load coming in the morning which should last into the spring. Tischer will play with her ball in the driveway while I make trip after trip after trip through the doorway hauling quartered sections of Red Pine from the pile outside. A natural part of this life and this time of year, I know many others who are dealing with their firewood needs and it feels good to move with the flow of the season.
Lastly, since I don't have a camera currently and since I didn't dress up as anything but a "dude who hauls wood in between sips of beer" I will give you a taste of what my Halloween was like last year. Yes, I am "that guy" who dresses up his dog. For the record, at least based on my fuzzy memory, I didn't buy her the costume I just put it on her. I think?
Behold, Morning Time Spider Man and my Little Cowboy Dog. And another shot.
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