+ birthdays.

today was my dad’s birthday.

my dad chewed mint flavoured toothpicks and wore a green leather jacket.
he gave me piggybacks and told bad jokes.
he played rounders and ran three legged races with his friends.
he was a successful journalist, and organised successful picnics.
he was a fantastic story teller and listened to Steve Wright’s Sunday Mornings and country music.
he had lots of dark hair, and twinkly brown eyes.
he went sailing in his spare time, and when he talked about the sea, you could see the love of the ocean on his face.

i miss my dad.

he would have been 59.
i brought him flowers and tidied his grave.
i thought about sailing and green leather jackets and stories in front of the fire.

it will be thirteen years this christmas since he passed away.
i miss my dad.