an ode to dad

I've got Sammy out today, as today is Veteran's Day and my dad passed away 13 years ago today. But, instead of being sad for you, I thought I would share some funny things about my dad with you.

Here goes:

• My dad ate his buttered popcorn with a spoon, since he didn't like to get his hands greasy.
• He named all our dogs Fuzzy. We never had more than one at a time, but they were all named Fuzzy.
• He called our Ford Festiva a Ferrari all the time, even though it only had four speeds.
• He taught me to drive stick shift.
• He introduced me to James Bond, Garrison Keillor, Michael Crichton and the Shadow.
• My addiction to magazines comes from my dad.
• He drove us from Alaska to Florida in a two door Cadillac the year I was eight.
• He collected antique radios and all us kids have one now.
• He recorded Dave Letterman every night and we watched the monologue and Top Ten list every morning over breakfast.
• When we were kids we had these things called "run-and-hold-you-ups" in which we ran down the hall and jumped into his arms and he held us up over his head. Fancy name, I know.
• He would dance with me in the kitchen. He was killer at the twist.
• He was 6 foot 6 inches tall.
  
• He loved Grey Poupon.
  
• He wore flannel shirts before they were cool and let me steal them when grunge was cool.
• He encouraged Senior skip day.
• He laughed like Bill Cosby. He pulled pranks like Bill Cosby.
• He loved a La-Z-Boy recliner which I have inherited.
  
• He loved Wendy's Frostys, McDonald's Hamburgers, and pizza with salt and pepper.
  

He loved me, too. And I miss him.