Letter to Dad
Soon after this amazing trip and still in the same year came my 60th birthday party which was memorable. We had a small celebration at a favorite restaurant with the children. Both Luke and Ryan wrote some beautiful things but it was Luke’ s letter that was so touching to me.
It takes along time to become young- Pablo Picasso JEEEZZZUSSS! … 60 years young.“ Am I getting old, or what?” NEGATIVE!
Just two of the many phrases that I have heard( and used myself) over the past 23 years. Happy 60 th Birthday! You don’ t look it and you certainly don’ t act it, so as I see it, it’ s yet another number.
Dad, I really don’ t know where to begin with describing how much you have done for all of us. We have a great family, great home, great lifestyle, great future and we couldn’ t ask for more. We are where we are today because of you and all of your hard work, right decisions and drive over the past 60 years. If it weren’ t for that decision that you and Mum made to move to Perth, we never would have had the life we have today. But lets take it back a bit further.
From what I gather, directly after the Lincoln assassination, you had an interesting up bringing in New Joysy. I remember you telling me stories about the school that you grew up in. And the neighborhood. It wasn’ t until my trip out to the USA last year that I found out from Aunt Marcelle and Aunt Linda that you were such a trouble-maker. I don’ t know a lot about the specifics about what you encountered on a day to day basis but all I can say is that Ryan and I are so lucky to have been brought up the way we have in our early life. But soon after high school, you decided to go Alaska to be not just a“ cashed up bogan” but to study at the University of Alaska.
I remember clearly the stories about you being the go-to person for pegging out road alignments and how your team“ blew helicopters out of the sky”. The pipeline; grizzly bears; Uncle Don; carrying 30 odd 6’ s; wolves; skiing to university; shooting with your principle; hunting.- All stories that I remember you telling Ryan and I. I really wish Ryan and I could have gone with you and Mum over there earlier this year however I think it’ s really great that you guys went there for your 30 th Anniversary. Alaska sounds amazing and I haven’ t told you before but after seeing the photos you recently took, I know I have to go there sooner rather than later and explore the wilderness.
After returning to New York as a: Hasseblad-Browning12 Guauge-Mercedes Convertible yielding bogan
with ankle long hair, you met the infamous Singaporean /( Japanese at the first instance) who straightened you out. It was certainly fate that brought you together when you were looking at the same apartment.( I’ m sure the red Mercedes Convertible didn’ t hurt to have). And if it weren’ t for mum sprinkling salt in her coke, she would have been just another regular Asian in Singapore. Broadway shows; the Guggenheim; starPD 45’ s; Harlem, are more things that I can recall you telling me about. Life certainly was different back in the 1920’ s. Just kidding.
Utilizing your new ultra-sonography degree at Johnson and Johnson saw you trotting the globe showing people how to use the new technological breakthrough. And I believe you were quite high up in the chain over there at the time. That’ s why it would have been incredibly hard to make the decision to give things a go here in Perth.
Our family is incredibly fortunate, one of the reasons why is because of that critical decision you made to come out to Australia. Things would certainly have been very different if you decided to stay in NYC. Not the place to raise a family; I agree with you. But Perth’ s unbelievable lifestyle that includes the spectacular weather all year round, beaches, relaxed attitude and culture certainly trumps that of NYC. With the Challenger shuttle blowing up the year of your arrival to Australia, it certainly marked the start of a great adventure. Of which you and Mum fully succeeded in.
While we were in Tranmore way, you still travelled a bit to such exotic places such as China. Ryan and I certainly recall the stories from dipping the dumpling in the other persons dipping sauce to:
… But then I got him back the next day …
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