• Sarah:

  Chris took this picture while driving today,11/23/2012,  Madison County NC. A lone beauty in the last weeks of fall. "Tree on fire".

• OK, another shamelessly reprinted installment of my oldest daughter's Facebook series of things to be thankful for in her life.  Curiously I find myself as a recurring theme.  But each child's perspective is different.  My son thinks I wasn't 'close enough' to him, he wanted more from me than I was able to give at the time, me stupidly thinking I had to treat each kid exactly the same. My third, well, we spent every waking moment of her first two years together, different relationship, different expectations.  Thank goodness we moved to SC and she started meeting normal people in preschool.

• Sarah:

  Today I am thankful for my Dad. I am the lucky one. Thanks to biology, everyone has a father, but I got lucky and got a voluntary "Dad". I don't have a single moment in my lifetime that doesn't include him in my memory banks. When I was two, he and my mom met playing softball. I remember sitting at the softball field watching them play, while eating my happy meal (if Mom brought me), or my single yogurt (if Dad brought me to the field, bless his heart). I remember his mustache. I remember when he shaved it off and told my little brother it fell off while he was sleeping, and John spent hours looking for it around the house. I remember driving cross country multiple times and him having to fix the car if it broke down. I remember going to work with him. I remember him carrying that early-90's camcorder around for every holiday and special family moment, recording all of our memories. I remember him coaching me in softball until high school coaches took over. I remember him still being there to watch me play. I remember watching how proud he has always been of my mom. I remember every single hug (he's a great hugger). I remember watching him as a dad to my brother and sister. He's a quiet parent, but an awesomely funny, fun guy. And if it weren't for him, I never would have known what that could be like. I never ever remember feeling different, like I wasn't really his kid, even though I was part of a pretty awesome package deal with my mom. I am so very grateful for my Dad - thanks for coming into my life, Bill M.

• Funny?  Fun?  After a lifetime of cultivating the persona of a Curmudgeon?   
• OK , OK, I cried too,  but I'm not going to say I'm sure why, exactly, 
• (I'm a guy.......there are rules aren't there?  Well?)