Last Friday, my younger brother, his family and Therese and I went to visit our father's grave and put flowers there on his 10th anniversary. Once we found his site, we noticed a homemade fleur-de-lis spray painted gold and trimmed in black with the words,"Who Dat" and the score printed on the front with the words, "Enjoy it" and a love note. Underneath the sign was some Brach's mints, and Mardi Gras beads. We knew immediately that our other brother, Tony, made a visit early that morning before he went to work and in classic Tony fashion, the craftsmanship and the sentiment was right on.Dad wasn't a big Saints fan. Baseball was what he grew up with and loved. But Dad was a big supporter of anything New Orleans, so I am sure he did enjoy the win. Our father did love Mardi Gras unless it came early and he had to celebrate it freezing in the cold. I don't think he ever recovered from those four years in the Pacific war. Just couldn't handle the cold.
The mints represent his sometimes dry sense of humor. When I was a kid ballplayer, I always played first base and every year would get my glove hand bent back, smashed or stepped on. He'd always tell me to soak it in Epson salt. He'd always prescribe soaking it no matter what the problem was. As I got older and tired of this prescription, I asked him to suggest something different in his sarcasm. He suggested I, "Take a Mint". I forgot my anger and cracked up laughing. From that point on, it was, "Take a Mint" for everything. You got a headache? "Take a Mint." You got cramps? "Take a Mint." Can't find your keys? "Take a Mint." Whining about the bills you have to pay, "Take a Mint." To this day, it is our family running joke now starting in a third generation. Got something that ails you? Well...
Take a mint! Take a mint! Haha!
ReplyDeleteLove the blog!
Thanks again, Jolie. I'm getting there!
ReplyDeleteI have heard the "take a mint" story from Betsy before. It always strikes me as funny!! I like your blog and your sites. I can't wait for my son and husband to see your aircraft art. My son, Austin, just got his pilot's license and has been an airplane buff since infancy. You will inspire him, no doubt!! Kitty Tomlinson Wood
ReplyDeleteHi Kitty,
ReplyDeleteWell at least I can inspire your son, but it seems to me that if he has his pilot's license, he doesn't need any inspiration. I am jealous! I always wanted to fly but just always had something else get in the way... Like life!
Thanks for visiting my blog and websites. Please keep in touch.
A charming, heartwarming story! Do not have much time for sentimentality since I must quicked wrap, the rather enormous box, of chocolate covered mints that will be given, with love, to the father of our most precious, adored and most importantly so very Loved 2 daughters!
ReplyDeleteA lovely and charming story! No time for sentimentalities since I must wrap, thee rather large box of chocolate covered mints, that will be given to the father of our precious, admired, and most importantly, so very much loved 2 daughters! Yummy, even chocolate covered!! <3
ReplyDeleteThank you Dorothy for the lovely comments and thanks for being persistent. As I mentioned in a comment to a Cal buddy who misses his dad, "Father's are like that. Oddly enough, on Father's Day, I never think about my "fathering". Not that my wife or son ignore me on Father's Day, but I always think of my father and his way of being a father. In other words, it is always about one's father and not about being a father. Strange how that works!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, if you became a follower, we can communicate through the blog... though "Ballet Mafia" works as well.
ReplyDeleteI am sure your family wants this holiday to be all about you. So play along, and have a Happy Father's Day for you and your dad!
ReplyDelete