Happy Birthday Dad.

I am really very thankful that God has safely brought you through another year and it's my hope to be writing the same thing next year too.

There are many things I've learned from my dad:

How to ride a bike. I recall him running behind me. There's a certain jingle to dad's pockets that I remember too..a combination of change and about 400 keys on a key ring.

How to cut the lawn. In high school between babysitting gigs I cut Mrs. Neitzel's lawn across the street. I alternated between the rectangle inside of a rectangle pattern and a diagonal. I had the choice of several different lawnmowers because dad loved to fix small engines. My favorite was the Toro rear loading self propelled of course. Mostly because I could never figure out how to prime the lawn-boy green monster.

How to drive a go-kart. Growing up in the Wisconsin Dells one of the things we always got to do was pick an activity and most of the time we raced go-karts or those bigger dune buggies at Riverview Park.

How to make a perfect omelet. If there's one thing dad can do it is make an omelet. Just the right melty cheese with assorted leftovers thrown in. Between that and his sunny side up eggs with texas toast I have breakfast covered.

How to win at Carnival Games. Again maybe it's luck however he is the reason why I won the huge dog stuffed animal at Great America in 1976.

How to change a tire. Before I left for Winona State in my shiny black 1986 sunbird he handed me a lug wrench-thing and showed me how to change a tire. Granted, the last time I had a flat tire I just called Fred to come over and change it for me, but I'm sure if Fred was in Europe that maybe I might remember.

How to play the slots. Okay so maybe it's not a real skill however I do appreciate that he's not as superstitious as mom and that he changes up whether he plays 1 or 2 coins. I understand he and mom went to the casino in Milwaukee today and that he came home with another jackpot. That happened on Father's Day and last birthday too. Luck follows him...to a point. I'm glad he enjoys getting out of the house. I just wish he'd find some other hobbies too.

I think I got his creative genes too. He was always making stuff out of nothing. There was the beer can art (like little chairs) and the odd owl he forged together out of spare parts like washers and nuts and bolts. I'm surely not mechanical but I'd like to think I'm a tad creative like him.

And through his illness he's also taught me that life is short. He's taught me to love God. To be kind to neighbors. Dad's also taught me to not forget to say I love you.

I love you Dad. Happy birthday.