... and here's my report.
Four days and three nights in world-renowned Bathysphere, in the fabulous eleventy-star retirement community where my dad, who's now 93, lives in what is basically a condo. My dad has real trouble getting around, but he's sharp as a tack upstairs. Ol' Wifehorn had a little more time directly discussing stuff with him, on account of they both watch the Tee Vee, which is against my religion, as you know. I'd sit in the next room, but I could hear it while I was reading and sometimes I'd butt in. But between the two of us, we spent the whole time talking to him about politics and the news, and our health insurance business and stuff, and he was soaking it up and asking intelligent questions. He's a really interesting guy, and can tell stories going back to the 1930s. He and she would watch the news and he was following it so close that they'd have really detailed conversations during and after. Then I'd talk to him about anything new and interesting on Fogbow that he might have missed, on a wide variety of threads. He knows more about Afghanistan and Hurricane Ida and the other news of the world ... it's amazing, and fun. He's a big fan of Fogbow, gave me a t-shirt once with the LFBC on the front. When I get up there to visit, I know I'm going to hear, "So what's new on the Fogbow?"
So it's nice that we get to go up there a few times a year and spend a few days with him. This is the second time this year, and I always bring a toolbox so I can do little repairs for him, and ol' Wifehorn brings up food and cooks every meal for him, and we take him to the Navy Exchange (think government-funded version of a smaller-sized Wal-Mart) on the grounds of Walter Reed. He has to show ID to get us into it, but he gets a nice salute from a Navy man at the gate and I think it kind of reminds him that he's still in the greatest club he ever joined. He can't get there by himself, he doesn't drive, so when we show up he goes and stocks up on those black boxes of wine. He gets enough so it will last until the next time we come up there, so about 6 boxes to last to Christmastime. He's not a lush.
All his other groceries, he has delivered or gets them in the little store downstairs.
And one night each visit he takes us out to a Mexican restaurant we all really like, which is another chance to make him walk some and move his bones. Between that and the trip to the Navy Exchange, he got more exercise than he's had in a while, but he came through it well and was still moving around -- at his own pace -- when we left him this morning.
Ya know how teenagers in the '60s and '70s tended to be wild and rebellious leftist liberal swine, and their parents hoped they'd come to their senses if and when they ever grew up someday? And some of us really did become political conservatives as we grew older.
But not me. I'm still the knee-jerk urban elitist liberal Democratic tree-hugging weenie I always have been, so instead my dad came around to my point of view after all these years. I've been talking politics with him my whole life, and he voted for Obama twice and was as horrified and traumatized as any of us that TFA was in office. As a teenager, I used to argue vociferously with him about the Vietnam War. Both my parents grew up in conservative families outside Scranton, PA. When I was 18, my dad was a lifelong Republican and Navy commander who used to brag, "I
am the military-industrial complex!" and would pound his mighty chest. I'd just say, "Peace, man."
Now he and I are on the same page politically. He came around to my point of view. We still talk about politics on the phone and when we visit for many hours every year, but we never argue, we agree on everything. Ol' Wifehorn and I so lucky to have him and to be able to spend time with him, and he really likes it because we spoil him rotten and try to leave his place in better shape than when we arrived.
Now it's time to unpack and do laundry.
s titular Mama June in Fogbow's Favourite Show™ Mama June: From Not To Hot * Official Theme™ Edith Massey's "I've Got The Evidence!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5jDHZd0JAg
x4
Re: Up Here in Bathysphere (or wherever it is)
Happy trails to you...
You’re a lucky, good son, Leghorn.