Wide Open Spaces!

Morning all from CALGARY! We made it.  We are going to pick Keith up in a few hours.  It is HOT here. We spent a steamy night in Walmart. Everything is booked because the stampede started yesterday. We’ll check into our campground this afternoon.  The kids are totally pumped that we don’t have to travel today AND we are staying for 3 days AND there’s a pool.  Life is good.

This entry is for my dad. He would never know this is written for him, but my mom is following (Hi Mom) and she will make him read it and he’ll nod and say something like, ‘that’s good that she’s in Calgary’.  He’s gotten even quieter in his older age, but still waters run deep, real deep and I want him to know that I love him.

Al is turning 80 today! 80!

There’s a song that says,

So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart…

So much of me is my dad. I don’t know if he would’ve ever embarked on a month-long journey out here, but I think he gets why I’m doing it and why I’m not there to celebrate with him today.  When your mom hits a milestone birthday, you take her away for the weekend and shop and have room service and high tea. But dads are a bit simpler. They don’t need a special day all about them anymore. They are content if you’re happy and safe and Dad, I am both of those. 

Happy Birthday! I’m driving ‘er level and being careful. You’d be impressed with how many people have passed me on this journey. I don’t mind, I just ease up and let them go. I’ve been careful to take corners slowly and wide.  I’ve only hit 2 curbs, which considering the distance we’ve gone, that’s pretty good. I’ve only had to slow down once to the point where everything shifted forward in the motorhome…We’ll tell you about our ‘other’ adventures later.

18 years ago, after my 1^st year of teaching I NEEDED to go to Europe.  I went all by myself and I’m sure you worried then as you’re worrying now.  You gave me a card that I still have all these years later.  In it you wrote, ‘how can we keep you on the farm now that you’ve seen Paree (Paris)’.  I took that to mean that you understood my wanderlust and I’m going to assume you still get it today.  I’m sorry I’m missing the actual day, but there will be a slice of watermelon that we can share when I get back.  I hope you have a ‘fisherman’s feast’ tonight and think of me.  I’ll be thinking of you xoxo

Happy 80^th Birthday PAPA! – Love Abby & Parker xoxoxoxo