Father's Day

For Father's Day, my parents invited us over. My dear brother (DB) was on leave between Army schools and he was in Raleigh visiting our parents over the weekend. DH and I were invited for Father's Day dinner along with the Girls.

My father hasn't had a lot of hobbies since giving up golf due to his eye problems. He recently started playing clawhammer banjo. He takes lessons once a week and is signed up for banjo camp at the end of the month. When Dad took up banjo, DH mentioned that he saw a banjo related t-shirt. He sacrificed himself and went to the NOC store last time he was in whitewater kayaking and he got the shirt for Dad and we saved it for Father's Day. The t-shirt says "Paddle Faster (I hear banjo music)" in a reference to Deliverance which was filmed in Western NC. Dad has made it clear that he will never learn Dueling Banjos, much to our disappointment. He did really like the shirt and he said that he plans to bring it to camp.


DB recently graduated from the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey where he was learning Arabic. His next set of orders is for interrogation school at Fort Huachuca. No one knows for sure what is after that. He should finish his next school in November. His Guard unit has been activated and it is not clear whether he will finish school before they are deployed or if he will join them or what.

An Early Father's Day

(imported from FB)

9:41pm Wednesday, Jun 13

I will be out of town this Sunday so we had an early Father's Day gifting event tonight. I met my parents for coffee and surprised my dad by giving him his gift this evening.

I heard all about the big trip to Napa and Monterey. They mentioned the tour and lunch at Domain Chandon. The sailing trip from Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Jelly Belly tour (and bag of Belly Flops), and the penny slots at Lake Tahoe. Both of my parents looked happy and relaxed.

They also said that my brother, who is stationed on the Monterey area at the moment, is doing well. Dan seems to have found a good niche for himself.

I ended up getting my dad a bottle of Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir, a bottle of Chandon Blanc de Noirs and a box of Tar Heel Chocolate Terrapins.

I need Father's Day ideas

(imported from FB)

5:30pm Saturday, Jun 2

I need some Father's Day ideas. I hate to say it but I think that Dad may be getting a shirt. I wanted to get him something more creative like the face jug that I got him for his birthday but I am coming up empty. I asked my mom for some ideas and I asked her to keep things secret. She said, "I finally pinned down Dad. He would like a subscription to Wine Spectator magazine." Of course it's tres expensive and he never ever buys anything mentioned in the magazine because they only recommend expensive wines. (I think that maybe they haven't heard of California and the Pacific Northwest!)