I Thought He’d Smell Good

Me: What's the best thing about Dad as a father?

Owen: He's my Dad….and he's the greatest man in the world that I know.

Ernie snickered and Owen shook his head, saying, "he doesn't believe me but it's true" and then he flopped on the floor and reminisced about a poster they'd made for him one Father's Day and then tried to explain what Leo's answer was.

Leo: He's our dad and he's always going to help us out with things….and Owen you just made it sound like he's a servant and that's NOT what I said.

Me: What's the worst thing about Dad?

Owen: Sometimes he annoys me.

Leo: He cusses and yells sometimes.

My three sweet peas.

In honor of Father's Day I made us omelets. May I just say that is was pretty wonderful? Eggs and bacon from Triple S, tarragon from my garden….with some cheddar cheese and red onion as well. Tarragon and eggs are really miraculous together.

Ernie's mother used to love to watch him with the boys. She would just shake her head and smile and talk about what a good father he was. My Dad did the same thing. I think he's the best father in the world too. I mean I'll agree with the boys….sometimes he annoys me and he cusses and yells…I mean good GOD but he swears a lot….but that's o.k.  We are so incredibly blessed to have him as the rock of our family. Incredibly blessed. Sometimes I'll make these pronouncements of SERIOUS things we need to discuss with the boys…..and 99% of the time Ernie just shrugs and says, "oh, I've already talked to them about that."

When I saw the cute shaggy blonde behind the counter at Record Service did I think he'd be a good father? Nope, I just thought he'd smell good.

In honor of Father's Day here are some more old pictures of Ernie.

The classic Ernie hunch that he passed on to Owen.

Life in the 70's….a Blackwelder boy working on a car model….love the paisley bedspread!

If his hair were a bit curlier he'd have a bit of Ian Hunter going on. This was some kind of award he received when he worked on the airbase.

At a covered bridge in Indiana early 80s

My sweet boy with a full fledged mullet…although I'm a big believer in the value of a good mullet….

Opening Christmas presents at my folks' house in Lisle.

I think this is maybe when we lived in Michigan….not quite sure though….

This is in a bar in New Orleans on our honeymoon. I'm FAIRLY certain he's not as drunk as he looks although I make no promises. I like this picture anyway.

This was taken in a bar in the Wisconsin Dells on the first day we bought our Honda Civic….we were living in Chicago but somehow we ended up in the Wisconsin Dells. Got a hotel room and had to get up early to make it back in time for Ernie to open up Second Hand Tunes in Hyde Park. c. 1990

After the Dead Reckoner's played at Periscope….c. 1996ish? Look at what sweet babies they all are!

And a couple of recent pictures of the guys that kinda capture daily life around here….

Happy Father's Day baby. You still smell good.