Un-Father's Day Revisited

The first Father's Day after my dad passed away, my brother, Ira, called me and said, "Happy Un-Father's Day." Pretty fitting at the time, as it mirrored exactly how I felt. Even though I was in Baltimore with my family, and I had just been blessed as the Godfather to Ryan Porter, my best friend Bob's son, I was still in a pretty rotten mood. Last year wasn't any better, so the "Un-Father's Day" theme colored my attitude.

Today, I was greeted by my children, in fitting nine and six year old fashion, with a cherry, "Happy Father's Day," and a few quiet moments lying with them in bed. Cyndi made egg white omelets, at my request, while the kids treated me to a "present hunt." Given the fact that we just spent some cash on a new shed and new landscaping, there was a standing "no presents" rule. But Cyndi and the kids are creative, and they can take a few bucks and make even the sourest of men, sweet.

After an easy game of "hot and cold," I was able to examine a wooden "Dad's Grilling Box," which contained a bag of Tootsie Roll midgets, my grilling tools, Pam Grill cooking spray, and some new Bon Appetite and other assorted grilling magazines. My family knows my love of cooking and grilling, so their effort was definitely appreciated.

On the menu this evening, we had: grilled Pot Roast, rubbed with Felicia's (the local butcher shop, which supplied the Pot Roast) Peppercorn seasoning; an Avocado Sauce (recipe taken from the Food Network magazine I received this morning); grilled asparagus; corn on the cob; a red cabbage Ramen Noodle salad; and red wine ("three buck Chuck").

While it might be "Un-Father's Day" whether I like it or not, I still have two very good reasons for making this day a great day...and it was...