Dad's in Town

I do have a good excuse for not blogging lately. My dad is here visiting. He arrived last Friday, and will be staying until next Monday. He comes for a visit once or twice a year. He lost his wife, my stepmom, last year to cancer, and he's been lost and lonely ever since.

My dad is a really simple kind of guy. He doesn't have any hobbies, doesn't want to try new things, doesn't have a big social life, doesn't watch TV, doesn't read. His relationship with his wife was perfect because she was a big talker, so he could just sit and listen. When they used to visit together, Wanda and I would visit, and Dad would listen. He used to do minor household repairs for me when he would come to visit, and keep busy that way, but now his back hurts, so he doesn't.

So when Dad visits, mostly he just sits there. I've learned to just go about my daily stuff, but it's hard, because not much of what I do every day involves sitting, and he won't follow me around to keep me company, and it's pretty frustrating to make time to sit there with him and do nothing. I do find little projects to work on while I am sitting with him, but still, I can only sit there so long!

Plus, having a visitor means having to cook nice meals, instead of the thrown together quickies that are so common around here. We even had a little tiff about it. After three nights of big meals, I served a leftover buffet. We had SO MUCH FOOD! The kids like it because they get to eat their choice, and it keeps the fridge from exploding. But Dad wouldn't eat. He thinks he can get away with not eating because the food isn't set out formally on the table. Dad is a big beer drinker, and doesn't eat much. He probably only eats dinner with us most nights out of politeness.

Dad is not a big talker. In fact, he won't say anthing at all unless someone else says something to draw hims out. Normally I bend over backwards finding lots of little things to talk about. He will jump in and comment if I can find something to say of interest to him. Sometimes he'll even tell a story or two of his own. He's not comepletely unwilling to talk, just not interested in initiating conversation. In a strange twist of fate, I developed laryngitis Friday right before he arrived, so it's been a struggle to say anything at all!

The thing is, I love my Dad, and I'm glad he visits. I just wish it could be easier.