Ninety!

My father turned 90 last Monday.

 

 

NINETY!!

 

He and Mom married "late" when they were well into their 30s.  By today's standards, that's not late at all, but back then all their friends had married and had kids probably before they were 25.  So my parents were a good 10 years older than my friends' parents, and I was often teased about the fact that my mother looked like my grandmother.  My dad aged much better, and even now there are few wrinkles on his face.

 

We had a nice family celebration for him at my sister's place.  She has a place in the country, and we were blessed with a beautiful summery day and ate outside under the shade of a maple.  Dad was a bit lost in the crowd, as his memory is fading fast and he doesn't remember us all anymore.  But he knew he was amongst family, and he was happy.  Here he is listening to his youngest grandson sing "Happy Birthday" over the phone.  His two youngest grandsons were away in Scotland at the time, and unable to attend. 

 

 

He was happy, but he was missing my mother very much and tells me often how he wishes she were still with us.  Happier times for my dad ...



My parents cycled with a hostelling group in Hamilton, Ontario

 

On their wedding day ... just love  their smiles!

All of us (me on Dad's lap).



Dad is also missing his old home and being able to care for himself.  It is one of his biggest regrets to have moved into a retirement home and leave his country home of 37 years behind ...

 

"Back Acres"

 

My bedroom was in the corner (little window on end & big window on side).

 

I gave him a framed photo of his old home for his birthday.  Thankfully he remembered it well, and was happy to have it for his room.

 

 

Me (left) and my siblings and Dad

So after a really nice visit with my siblings and their families, I got a call from my oldest sister this week that Dad had got up in the night and somehow pulled his grandfather clock over and it landed on top of him.  I think he must've lost his balance and grabbed at it for support, but it came crashing down on top of him.  I cried when she sent me this photo.

 

 

I'll be over to see him on the weekend, and he can tell me all about wrestling with the clock.  Hopefully, we can find some humour in this somewhere like he usually does.  For some reason that song "My Grandfather's Clock ... was too big for the shelf, so it stood 90 years on the floor ..." keeps running through my head.  The clock had recently stopped working, and I thought at the time that it was an omen.

 

So here's to my dear old Dad and all the trouble he can get up to!  We've had many stories that were worse than this one with my dad, and I'm sure my mom is up in heaven just shaking her head "here we go again". 

  

 

 

Thanks for stopping by :)

 

Wendy