Dad

Joe Edmundson and his first kiddo - me!

Today is my Dad's birthday.  Happy Birthday, Joe!   We're celebrating with real German Chocolate Cake - [which should be called German's Chocolate Cake] made from scratch with Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate  by K1, who is a marvelous baker.   German chocolate cake was Dad's favorite and I encourage you all to break out those cake pans, melt that chocolate and join us in the celebration. 

The photo above was my first Christmas - sometime just after the earth's crust cooled.    Dad was 22 years old and he loved me - you can tell.

Dad taught me how to work.   When I was thirteen years old he let me mow lawns for him in his lawn care business.   He mowed Big Lawns.  Acres and acres.  Miles and miles.   He got to ride the Big Mower with the 54" deck.   I got to use the push mower and trim around all the blasted trees.  For $1.75 an hour.   I pushed that mower as long as my fat 13 year old legs could push.  Then I sat down under a tree and moaned.   Eventually Dad came over and asked me what I was doing.   I said, 'Dad, I'm tired'.  He said, 'Rob, you're not done'.   So, we got a drink and then I finished.   Slowly.   Really, really slowly.  

Dad taught me not to quit until the thing was done - even when I was really uncomfortable.   And then he let me sleep on his arm all the way home.    

Dads don't get much better than that.