With Father's Day coming this weekend, I can’t help but to think how lucky I am to have the ol' man around.  He’s 87 years old, still gets around, a little bit, and still has a smile on his face… most of the time.  My dad never met a stranger and could work a room, meeting people and shaking hands better than anyone you have ever seen.  He was the best at it back in his day!  Now he has traded those halls at the Capital and political functions for waiting rooms and doctor’s offices. He can't be missed bumping into you with his walker or rolling over in his wheel chair to ask you about your t-shirt, how many kids you have, or anything he can think of to start a conversation.  We have now traded those road trips out west in the old Blazer for road trips to the doctor or to just grab a burger.  FSU football games are no longer watched in his seats on the 50 yard line he has had forever.   Games now are watched from his well-worn chair with that confusing remote control where the volume button always seems to evade him (and be on high!).  Boiled peanuts are always a staple on game day along with a nap, neither of which do I mind.   Someone once said, “growing old ain't for sissys”, and truer words were never spoken.  Yet, this old man is taking it in stride and I am proud of him.  Sure he has some bad days, don't we all,  but he goes with the flow and finds a way to laugh and smile at strangers wanting to find a way to help them with their problems.  I wonder if he knows how much his smile and kind words have helped so many, even if it was just in a waiting room.
 
If you have kept up with us in 2019,  you would know we have had our hands full dealing with our elderly parents, on both sides, and all that comes with it.   Care taking is as much our family business as Wm. Lamb & Son at times.    All are doing better at the moment though,  so we are relieved to take a breathe and step back for just a moment and try to all enjoy living our best life.  So if you are still hunting, fishing, road tripping, or sitting around watching the College World Series with your Dad, we have a t-shirt just for him.  And if you happen to be in a waiting room or doctor's office, look out for that gray headed man with a smile on his face that can't drive a wheel chair.