Morning coffee with Dad

Before I moved to Kentucky six years ago my old Dad came over every Sunday. We'd have a cup of coffee and talk about anything and everything. This went on for years and years. So when I moved away from the great state of Texas it was one of the things I missed the most. But every Sunday morning as soon as Dad wakes up he fixes his first cup of coffee for the day and calls me from his front porch.

We talk about all of those things they say you shouldn't discuss with your family. Politics, religion, sex... nothing is off the table. Sometimes the conversation drifts to aliens, the world banking system, marriage, gardening, dogs, sailboats, etc. Just wherever the conversation takes us. Today we talked about the crawfish boil and game of horse shoes going down at his house later today, his war with the neighborhood squirrels,Creepy Joe Biden, his new neighbors' grass and my grandson's (his great-grandson) upcoming birthday.

Sometimes (like today) I want so badly to sleep late on Sunday! I get bouts of insomnia and I was up until 3:30am and it felt like just minutes had passed before my phone was ringing even though it had been a few hours, and once I'm out of bed that's it- I'm up for the day. But just like always I remind myself that one day that phone isn't going to ring on Sunday morning any more so I need to enjoy it now.

Dad isn't getting any younger. He will be 74 this year, not ancient for sure but most in our family only make it into their 80s so I know our time is limited. The old bird is tough as nails! He has survived a heart attack, 2 heat strokes, bladder cancer (has a bladder made out of part of his intestines), prostate cancer, 2 bouts with kidney cancer (last bout saw one of his kidneys removed) and has diabetes- and yet he was still working full time with overtime out at the refinery until about a month before the lock downs.

So I will enjoy my Sunday morning coffee with Dad for as long as I'm blessed to still get those calls. When the phone finally does stop ringing early on Sunday morning I think I might set my alarm clock, brew a pot of coffee and reminisce... or maybe I'll start waking up one of my own kids for Sunday morning coffee!

Have a safe Memorial Day weekend everyone!

a reply to: GeauxHomeYoureDrunk

I'm the dad in my story. I live in another country. My son and I communicate by text and voice, occasional video. I'm only 56, but I know that I have less time less than I have already lived on this earth.

Yes, enjoy what you still have. There will be time for sleeping in later.

That was beautiful.
My dad woke up with a beer in his hand every morning.

a reply to: GeauxHomeYoureDrunk

My dad died almost 5 years ago and my mom was 13 years ago.
All I get now are the memories.
Believe me when I say you will never regret missing out on a little sleep to have a nice talk with your dad.
It's unfortunate that so many people have bad relationships with one or both parents. Not always their own doing of course.

Enjoy the time you have.

I would cut off an arm for one more minute with my Dad.

When they are gone, they’re gone...

originally posted by: CharlesT
That was beautiful.
My dad woke up with a beer in his hand every morning.

So did my stepdad.

My son calls me almost daily during the week. He and his wife moved to Cleveland for his job a couple of years ago. I hear from my dad once in a great while. He's 76 now and lives in an apartment since my stepmom passed a year and a half ago. I could call him more but we just don't have that much in common to talk about and he's not much for talking anyway. The one thing we have in common is antiques & classic cars. Since there are no shows or markets open now and he's in a high risk category, an occasional phone call is it.

I just hope I raised my son better than my dad raised (or didn't raise) me. So far it seems like it. He's a far better person than I was at his age.

a reply to: GeauxHomeYoureDrunk

great post. I'm smiling hearing how special this is to you. Don't waste any Sunday mornings.

This is what my dad and I used to do every day too. I would make him a boba tea, and we would just talk. It was in the afternoon though.

I miss him dearly..

Cherish this time you have, as Im sure you do. I tried to cherish it a bit more each day, and I do not regret it.

I do this exact thing but with my mom on Saturdays. Haven’t been doing it for a couple months due to the lockdowns but her husband isn’t in the healthiest state, so don’t wanna take any chances. But can’t wait to get back to our Saturday morning coffees together.

a reply to: GeauxHomeYoureDrunk

My fondest memories of my dad was going to Frisch's Big Boy for breakfast together on the weekends.
I'd give anything to share that again with him.
Perhaps there's a Big Boy in Heaven.

a reply to: GeauxHomeYoureDrunk

This reminds me of my foster dad. We could talk about everything. Until the moment he died and that evening before, where I told him to man up.

Please anybody who reads this, never tell someone you love, who is sick to "man up". I was selfish in ways that I did not take him serious and thought it will all go away. I was not willing to let this happen to me again. I said the words "man up" in a terrible twisted selfish way of isolating myself from the problem and then, the next day it became reality.

Do not be like me.