Dad's Back

 Dad got back this past Monday, and has been pretty much straight out since.  He had a great time visiting the kids and meeting his new grandson, and came back with something called a hard drive, with over five thousand pictures on it.
     Okay, so not all of them were from his visit.  Only about half of them were.  Not really.  Maybe a few dozen, but the rest were from his oldest son's collection from over the years, and dad and mom enjoyed going through them all.

     Dad says they've brought back some great memories and showed him some details from his son's life that he hadn't known about, and mom's been hard at work sorting and arranging them in the computer.  
     The weather out in Minnesota last weekend almost couldn't have been better, according to dad.  He had a great time, playing with the baby, meeting his youngest son's girlfriend for the first time, watching his oldest son coach a football game, and helping with a few things around the house.

     Though unplanned, dad was happy with the way this photo came out, since he's not one to have his handsome, graciously-aging face made too public.  This was how he spent much of the weekend.  The baby is a mover, and when he got a little cranky (the baby, not dad) all it took was a walk around the house to quiet him.

     Dad's had a busy week back at work, and I've been back to my zany early morning alarm clock antics.  The other morning, however, dad got a nice surprise when he awoke.  Sneaky, crafty mom had hung a big "Happy Birthday" sign on the living room wall, and planted little homemade cards with "51" on them and tiny notes inside.
     She left him a delicious lemon poppyseed muffin on the counter in front of his coffee maker for when he got up, and I left him a special chocolate treat with my own little card on the coffee table in front of the chair where he reads in the morning.  
     Last night when he came home from work he was greeted by mom (I'll have to be careful here not to share more than they'd want me to) in a slinky black skirt and black heels, a bottle of champagne, candles all around the place, and a delicious steak dinner.  

     Note mom's hand-
decorated plate and bowl, which mom filled with one of dad's favorite good-for-you snacks (they're trying to eat healthier so they can stay around to annoy each other longer- I don't remember which one I heard say that...).  Funny- I've made it as many years as I have without eating that kind of crap.  Hmm...