My dad turned 95 this year, and to celebrate we had a big party at Rachelle's house. My dad cannot see much anymore -- just shadows, I think -- which must be hard for someone who loved to relax by coming home and spreading out the newspaper on the living room carpet.
He also cannot hear very well, which makes sense since he had to tune out his seven kids in order to survive, I think.
His memory is very limited. He seems to have one core memory for everyone in the family that he has latched onto.
Obviously, Garry's is his job. My dad takes a lot of pleasure in talking to Garry about his job.
Mine is the time I took him to A Christmas Carol at the Shakespeare Theater in downtown DC right after Molly was born. I was unsure of the best way to get home that night and told my dad that in DC the key was to follow someone who looked like they knew where they were going -- they signal early, the don't hesitate at intersections -- and follow them. It worked that night. It almost always does work. I used it last night at Molly's soccer game, actually. My dad has told that story probably 100 times now.
For Emma it is school. He's so happy she's going to BYU and talks to her about it every time. And sometimes when he thinks I'm Emma I have to answer questions about BYU. Luckily I can ;)
For Macey it is also school. I do not think that he knows she's studying medicine. He would have really loved hearing that back in the days when information went it and stayed there.
For Molly it is obviously soccer. He can't go to her games -- not really a point if you cannot see or hear -- but he asks my Mom to call and check on the score.
For Braden he asks about school and sports. Braden has moved from soccer to tennis to swimming. He's involved in a lot, and he'll fill my dad in.
He's in a Helen Keller world without a Helen Keller brain. But he never complains and appreciates time outside and good food.
