Flypaper thoughts Sunday night

• Thinking tonight of my dad who died 20 years ago
• He filled my childhood with humour
• That lasts
• A lifetime - his and now mine
• Marking a mountain of assignments as summer 1 ends
• These are my rules
• Never spend more time giving feedback than a student did in writing the paper
• Take a break when you find yourself wanting to write "You're kidding."
• It is worth it you know
• Every once in a while you read something that is so smart and wise it takes your breath away
• Usually from someone who stayed quiet all term
• Once this is done I am in heavy sewing mode
• Shirts and a T shirt for sons
• Youngest is going off to work for six months in Texas
• Middle son's fabric just arrived on backorder
• Then we start the bridal sewing
• Three adult dresses and a formal skirt for family
• Four flower girls 
• Last, whatever I am wearing
• When I used to show my dad works in progress he always said the same thing
• "It would look better with sleeves"
• Or " Are you going to leave it with those threads hanging down on the bottom?"
• Worst was when you tried to impress on him how much money you saved
• And you asked him "How much do you think this cost?"
• "Five dollars" he would say, always five dollars
• He thought everything in the world should cost five dollars
• When we ate out he would price the ingredients
• "Why aren't we eating at home?" he would ask
• Heidi my middle granddaughter asked me who God was this week
• Knew I had to get this right but probably wouldn't
• "Sort of like a grandfather who takes care of everyone" I said
• "Papa Leo is God?" she said
• Poppa Leo is my husband
• You could do worse
• How long do you think all this sewing is going to take me?
• Factor in I am taking all kids to tennis and swimming lessons all summer
• Factor in I am still working until the end of August
• When my dad went out he would always bring me back a cherry blossom
• Those are hard to get these days
• Lump of chocolate with a candied cherry in it
• They always know when you sneak one in the car because the steering wheel is sticky
• I'm thinking two days a dress if I don't answer the phone
• Or check email
• Or cook
• Or eat cherry blossoms
• I am taking all fall right off to teach sewing classes and babysit
• Need to recharge 
• That will do it
• Then back only part time
• It is hard to mark and hold your breath
• My dad used to eat sandwiches late at night
• Made of buttered bread, brown sugar, and Spanish onions
• That man really knew how to enjoy himself
• You can't get food like that in a restaurant
• Not even for five dollars
• I have shirts I made him hanging in my closet
• Shirts are always worth making
• He was a chemistry teacher 
• You can see the holes he burnt in them
• Always was a bit sloppy
• But being funny made up for it
• As it does most things