(no subject)
Dad is here! We picked him up from the airport on public transportation, which he thought was cute. Every detail of our meager existence reminds him of when he was our age. "Hey, are these single-pane windows?" "Yes. They suck, I know." "I used to wash windows like this back in Brooklyn!" He seems to like Oregon - he keeps commenting on the beauty of the trees and the friendliness of the people.
But he clearly didn't come here to see Oregon. That's what's nice about my dad; he's easily amused. We don't have to try to keep him occupied with "doing" Portland. He was perfectly happy to stay in last night, play the mandolin he brought with him on the plane, give us tips on ukelele, and catch up on our lives. We offered to take him to any restaurant he wanted on Hawthorne, but he was content to stay home and eat my cooking, which needless to say touched me deeply. He's going to take me out to dinner on my birthday, though. I haven't decided yet where I want to go.
Now we're in Corvallis for a couple days, which for me is the most exciting part of the trip. My birthday this year will mark nine years since I first visited Buzzy's family. I've certainly grown a lot in that time, and grown much closer to them. Now I get to introduce my dad to them, and he's getting along great with everyone, as I knew he would. He's playing "Friend of the Devil" with B's dad as we speak (edit: now Robyn has joined them on fiddle), and he already traded pizza recipe secrets with her mom and played Bananagrams with us kids. He's got it all. I'm just sitting back and watching. It's the best birthday present to know that he's made some new friends and had a good time because of me. It reminds me of something Debra used to say: "Maybe you are only on this Earth to be a light to other people."
But he clearly didn't come here to see Oregon. That's what's nice about my dad; he's easily amused. We don't have to try to keep him occupied with "doing" Portland. He was perfectly happy to stay in last night, play the mandolin he brought with him on the plane, give us tips on ukelele, and catch up on our lives. We offered to take him to any restaurant he wanted on Hawthorne, but he was content to stay home and eat my cooking, which needless to say touched me deeply. He's going to take me out to dinner on my birthday, though. I haven't decided yet where I want to go.
Now we're in Corvallis for a couple days, which for me is the most exciting part of the trip. My birthday this year will mark nine years since I first visited Buzzy's family. I've certainly grown a lot in that time, and grown much closer to them. Now I get to introduce my dad to them, and he's getting along great with everyone, as I knew he would. He's playing "Friend of the Devil" with B's dad as we speak (edit: now Robyn has joined them on fiddle), and he already traded pizza recipe secrets with her mom and played Bananagrams with us kids. He's got it all. I'm just sitting back and watching. It's the best birthday present to know that he's made some new friends and had a good time because of me. It reminds me of something Debra used to say: "Maybe you are only on this Earth to be a light to other people."