I have a book’s worth to say about the man who raised me. Do not be surprised when it comes out.

He would have been 75 Earth years old today.

In the first pic, he’s on my swingset with me, looking at me as adoringly as a man who’d been through so much already could look at a little adopted girl. He’d already raised two of his own girls, who were in their thirties by the time I rolled around, and neither they or their mom had given him an easy time in life. He loved my (adopted, but real) Mom (his 2nd wife) till the day he died. Not to say they didn’t have their own troubles; that’s part of the book of course.

The second pic is James Nelson Skelton with our favorite goose ever (we raised them from incubators) named UG. UG stands for Ugly Goose if you were wondering. Though you can’t tell it from the pictures, UG had a deformed wing. To compare it to a chicken wing (and Lord I hate to) it was the end part of the wing that you don’t *gulp* eat, that obtrusively protruded from his body. However, something about this anomole made the goose the sweetest, most loyal and loving animal that ever existed. He would “flea” my Dad’s beard, which unfortunately is shaven in this pic.  I was probably about 10 (1985) when this was taken.

The last pic was shot by a good old friend in ‘95 who adored the simplicity and old school ways of my parents. My Dad was fascinating, although I just didn’t realize it at the time. It was actually complex growing up with such an intellectually stimulating Father, while at the same time he was literally a “hillbilly”. He taught me of Bach and Beethoven. He broke the erasers off my pencils in Kindergarten and made me start over if I messed up… but I ended up skipping Kindy, getting Most Outstanding Student and eventually a scholarship to Duke which I did not pursue to his dismay). He taught me to love how Shakespeare wrote, although I’m not sure why I associate that with him because he read Louis L’amour religiously.

To say the least, I am ultimately so proud to have been raised by such a hardworking, straightforward, (secretly funloving) Alabama raised man. His mama done real good raisin’ that boy. His Dad died when he was 13 and he was the baby of 6. One sister had schizophrenia, and his mom died of Alzheimer’s when I was 9. She was my Granny and she epitomized a strong woman. For her, I am so thankful.

God works in Mysterious Ways. For so long I felt victimized by the hand I was dealt. I now revel in the beauty and mystery and wonder of what I’ve been given.

I miss you so much Dad. I feel you looking down on me! :)