Mother's Day Weekend at My Father's

My sisters and I spent part of the weekend in Tioga, ND, with our dad, helping him sort through photos, documents, and other items while we were all together. We ran some errands in Williston on Friday but spent Saturday at his house, reminiscing as we looked at old photographs, programs from our high school events, and other gems from the archives around his home!

This morning I made an early-morning departure so that I could get to Dickinson, ND, in time for church and brunch with Susan for Mother's Day. In the afternoon, we had a family video call with our daughters, who live in Tennessee and New York; and we ended the day with supper at El Sombrero.

By the way, Susan's Mother's Day gift from me was 13 bottles of wine: a variety of her favorites and potential new favorites, based on what I know she prefers. Why 13? Well, she will have 13 weekends off from school this summer, which means 13 opportunities to sit outside on our veranda on a Friday or Saturday evening, enjoying the summer weather and each other's company while sipping a beverage.

(Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

The siblings: Sandy (middlest), Kevin (youngest), and Cathy (oldest).

The patriarch: Dad (oldest-oldest).

The western sky looked awesome Thursday evening when I arrived at Dad's in Tioga.

I took a walk around the neighborhood Thursday evening and enjoyed this view of my cousin Jeffrey's house with its lighting matching the sky behind it.

On Friday in Williston, we had a delicious dinner at Gramma Sharon's. These cheerful cattle greet patrons in their parking lot.

Cathy looks excited to start sorting and organizing.

It's always fun to hear stories from Dad about the days of yore. He wishes his memory were better for remembering recent conversations, upcoming appointments, or other short-term details. However, seeing an old photo or letter can trigger memories from decades ago, which he can retell in great detail. We love hearing those tales and continuing to learn more about our dad, even after having known him our whole lives!

I had had flowers delivered to Susan at work on Friday so she could enjoy them until I could get to town on Sunday. Happy Mother's Day!