Humming and whistling through his teeth

"Oh, mein Papa, you were so good to me.
Oh, mein Papa.....dee-dah-dee -dah-dah"

Who remembers this?

How true it is. We can all sing it. In our own words we can sing it.

vonnie

These are a few of his favorite things

Friday afternoon at 4pm
Sizzle Steaks
Frosties
Deviled eggs
Potato Salad from secret recipe
Ponderosa
Foster Brooks
Stan Musiel
FDR
Harry S. Truman
salt in the squat Stroh's bottle
Moose tracks
schock-lot
knik-knaks
apple fritters
"may-zhure"
"lay-zhure"
"tray-zhure"
"down home"
Mason shoes
brownies
1/2 cup of coffee
"tater wagon crossin' the bridge"
Christmas
Max
"the little ones"
potpourri
roses
the perfect lawn
spraying the dandilions
"I'll let her rake my leaves any day"
"Crossing Jordan"
ConnieChung
"Chief cook and bottle washer"
Chrysler
yellow Maverick
sea-foamgreen Ford station wagon
Hedgerows
Waist-high zinnias
grapefruit sections
cold tap water out of a used and re-used and re-used frozen orange juice can
Malabu
Green Hornet
all cotton underwear, none of that polyester stuff.

..to be continued

The "automatic window"

The « automatic window »

On Sunday, February 19^th ( With a grin,Daddy would have said « Today is my birthday-the 19^th!)

we drove Daddy hometaking the old familiar route. This was the only way.

As we changed drivers in the Green Hornet near Ft Wayne, Bill went to ride shotgun with Chris and

Daddy.It was time to enter I-69. Bill designated Leah as driver, Mary Katherine was up front

with her. I sat in the back seat behind Leah. We drove, chatted a little, maintained silence a lot.

I still could not fathom where we heading. It was surreal. An out-of-the-body experience-

Then suddenly the Green Hornet's rear passenger window opened up all by itself. Just enough to allow some fresh air in. (Remind you of someone?) Leah's first reaction upon being startled by the sudden sucking of an open car window at 75 m.p.h. was something like, « Aunt Vonnie, what are you doing back there? » I do not recall her exact words. I merely assured her that I hadn't been

playing with the window controls. I said, « You are the only one who has access to all window

buttons, but you have had both hands on the steering wheel. « It couldn't have been Mary K. either.

After I closed the window I remarked that Daddy liked to roll down a back window from time to

time when we would drive down to Bloomington. Just think of the symphonic music for a moment.

Why try to find an explanation when we all know WHO it was. Too many similar things took place

in those days. Deliverance and comfort. Daddy's thoughtfulness knew no bounds. On the road again. He had to have enjoyed the ride with us.

Cards and holidays

This was the first year since I can remember that I did not receive a birthday card from Daddy.
You all recall what a stickler Daddy was about assuring that the greetings were sent out in a timely fashion.
How many of you remember him fretting about not being able to find a card with an appropriate text?
If he ever "forgot", he would say things like "oh, I could just kick myself...."

Well, that was so important to him.

This is also the first year since I have had an adresse of my own that the Easter Card did not arrive.
I only realized a day or so after each occaision that something was missing. All those cards meant so much to me. So much that I'll
never get used to never receiving one from him again. I am just glad that I never threw a single one away. And, I never will.

For next week I have been assigned a lesson to teach. My subject: "The merciful Father" (from the story of the Prodigal son).
My first reaction was to flee from such an undertaking. I still think about it. You all know who shall serve as my model. Just thinking
about it causes me to weep as if were February 15th all over again. Do you all carry the bookmark with Daddy's obituary around
with you? My theology professers (every single one of them) calls it a geneology. They are not familiar with the American method.

I still feel like I did in February. Of course, this is not about me. Since Daddy went home - and that is where I think he is- recall
those of you who heard it, the symphonic music, the "hey!" the speaking floorboards, I have been blown away by the lonliness and
still , at times, pick up the phone to call him. It is now midnight on a school night. "Night-all "It's time for the???? to drop, the ???
to pop... and silently the old cow slips away" I am grieved that I do not remember what I should. Maybe one of you could complete
Daddy's bedtime parting words.

vonnie