Let's just keep this post sweet and simple....not short but succinct! Suffice it to say that the 5 through 39 year olds had the typical cake and ice cream gatherings.This post is not really about them. This post is about the Patriarch.
As an only child, you'd think my Dad would have had whole portfolios of baby pictures from which to chose an opening shot for this post? Well my Dad did not come from a typical family! Seems my Grandma S was short on sentimentality and long on spring cleaning. So this shot was the first one he gave my Mom when they started dating and thus the 'youngest' picture of young Alan I could find at this point in time. I've heard rumors that another one or two of him at around 10 years old also exist...haven't found them yet?!?!?
A typical young man of his era!!!! He 'played' his parents off each other to be allowed to enlist in the Navy at the tender age of 17. After a rough couple of years fighting in the South Pacific, he came home safe and sound and scooped my Mom off her feet....well, sort of....he has a bit of deficit in the sentimentality department as well!
The only child soon found himself surrounded by children. His own children. Nine of them when all was said and done!! He did all of the things Dads of the day were expected to do. He was the bread winner in the family, often working two jobs to keep food on the table and bills paid. In all of his free time he was the Boy Scout leader for all of his sons, the bicycle repairman, the household handyman, the strong shoulders for tired little legs and most famously THE whistleman! Every child for blocks around knew when my siblings and I were being called home for dinner...his whistle still can stop us dead in our tracks!!!
So this past weekend we all gathered to celebrate the occasion of his 85th birthday! My eldest brother came from Seattle with his wife bringing a special treat for the birthday menu....
The day was stifling hot and humid with not a breeze to be had but it didn't stop the fun! They played ladder ball and croquet.
Mari had one of the most interesting shots to play!!!
My Mom and Dad endured the heat and humidity as well!!
We did a LOT of eating! Mari really showed how much she's growing up by pitching in on the serving!!
While the BFF/ Cousins shared a unique boulder bench to eat their dinners on.
Of course there was cake,
And singing,
And presents!! Alyssa made this clock for her Grandpa in Industrial Arts class!!!
We had the opportunity to get a bunch of family pictures which I'll try to get posted soon. It's so rare to collect all nine of us from the reaches of the country these days so we treasured the chance to record the family groups with Grandpa and Grandma! But the party had to end....because we had another big one to attend the next day!!!! The big annual family picnic for my Mom's side of the family!!! That's another whole post....
just thought I'd close with a shot I took. My brother's grandson after sampling the birthday cake. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out...maybe there's hope for my camera skills????
I LOVE that first picture! that smile is fantastic and really resembles the man holding the crab as well.
ReplyDeleteHey your last shot is good, you are getting it!
Boy an only child to 9 kids, that seems crazy, my husband has a gigantic family, but mine is really small. Have a fabulous 4th!
Awesome post about your father's 85th birthday! Great pictures and I agree that you do have photography talents! That last one is sweet!!!
ReplyDelete