June 14 - Lisa's Musings (on her dad) and Every Day Life

Two important events took place a year ago on this date.

In addition to it being Flag Day -- another cool holiday where one can glow with pride to be an American and show special respect for our flag -- it's also the one-year anniversary of my hiring at A2 Journal, and the date my dad, Edwin Allmendinger, died.

I thought today would be filled with some tears and perhaps a touch of the blues, but it wasn't. Maybe because it was a muggy and kinda hot day -- one my dad would have enjoyed.

Unlike me, he liked it hot and humid.

Before his hearing went kaput, robbing him of his balance, my dad would have probably been out on the golf course today. Sweatin and swingin and lovin every minute of it.

And when he was done, he'd have headed into the clubhouse for a cold Heineken and a hamburger and maybe he'd have played some cards.

In days gone by, he'd have spent the day in a low key way because that's the manner in which he lived his life once he retired. He was happy at home or roaming around the yard or taking a walk. Nothing fancy.

Had he been here, as had happened in previous years, he'd probably have followed me around my property lopping off branches that were hanging so low they whacked my head as I was on the tractor mowing.

Or, he might have tackled trimming the hedges, another task he did every summer when he came here.

Our running joke was he worked for food.

If I had an assignment during the day, he'd ride along with me.

And, if I was covering a meeting at night, we'd have an early dinner and he'd come along and read a book. I always bought him a new book about U-M sports, because there was always a new one out, and since he couldn't hear what was going on, it gave him something to do.

The elected officials always made a huge fuss over him when he came with me.

My dad especially liked the Saline City Council meetings because there was coffee and sometimes cookies, too. Plus, they usually got over pretty quickly, like the Chelsea meetings.

And, I'd warn him if I thought a meeting would go on forever, so he could chose to stay home. Then repeatedly check his watch ... and he'd sometimes write me a note on my pad to ask how much longer. I think the officials realized this because when he came to visit, it seemed they got down to business pretty quickly.

He'd take Ryan for a walk and pick up twigs that littered my lawn. Although as he got older he couldn't do as much as he had in years past, he did his best to earn his keep when he was here.

I miss that. And him.

And, here come the tears.