Father's Day 2007

For all you Fathers out there, this day is for you, reminding you that the toughest and most worthwhile job you'll ever have is being a father to your kids.

Since you have a vital role in how your kids will turn out, it is nice to get a day of recognition for the good you've done, and a day for reflection on how to do it even better.

For example, My Dad I'm sure is still reflecting how a fine, gun-disliking, liberal and proud Canadian ended up raising a conservative, gun-owning and patriotic American.

Other than that (and I don't consider the result to be a fault, indeed its a feature) he should be happy to know he did a bang-up job, and I owe him a lot. The greatest praise I have for him as I'm raising my own kids is my constant thoughts regarding how he raised me of "Oh Sh*t, he was right"...about just about everything.

Dad, you did, and still do, damn good.

Today for Father's day I was awakened with Abby my 3 1/2 year old giving me a kiss and a Father's day card, with an "A" on it that she drew herself. And the day just got better from there.

My fine wife took me out to breakfast, after which we looked at some cameras to see about replacing the ones that were stolen.

We returned home and then took the kids to Crossroads Village and the Huckleberry Railroad in Flint, Michigan. Think Greenfield Village, in terms of a historic array of 1800 vintage buildings and staff in period costume, but smaller, more quaint and a staff that is incredibly friendly and enthusiastic about their jobs.

Abby's highlights were a chance to get in a Fire Truck that was there from the Genesee Township Fire Department including getting a demonstration of what a firefighter in a mask coming to save her in a fire would look like, so she'd know to go toward them and tell them where she was -- important stuff and the firefighters were real nice to her and I think some of it sunk in. She then had a ride on a 1912 carousel that was fast - I was holding on to her worrying she was going to be spun off.

The Carousel was followed by a train ride on a vintage 2-8-2 Steam locomotive train along with vintage passenger cars from the 1800s for a 40 minute ride through the Genessee County countryside - with the train run exactly as it was in the 1800s when the track was part of the Flint Pere Marquette Railroad Line. Interestingly, some of the passenger cars came from a train that ran in California at the time when Wyatt and Virgil Earp left Arizona and took up in California, and there's a pretty strong belief that one or both of them had been in that passenger car at that time. Very cool. Leah, at 10 months, loved the train ride and was smiling and waving to people on the train - her first waves ever.

The Crossroads Village closed at 5 and we hadn't seen or done nearly enough -- we missed the paddle steamer boat ride and most of the building exhibits so we'll simple have to go back.

We then had a picnic at steppingstone falls and saw a man-made waterfall that was quite nice.

Then we piled back in the van and went to the beach for a swim.

The day ended with the tucking of the kids into bed - For me, Father's Day could not have been more perfect.