I posted this on May 6, 2013 (on a different blog I had active at the time). Seven years on, much has changed, including the lack of NHL playoffs. But, I’ve been thinking of him a lot lately, and it’s time to honour him again with a couple of reblogs of posts dedicated to him.

Happy 93rd Birthday, Dad. I’m sure you are enjoying a heavenly gin and tonic, and a thick slice of chocolate, topped with premium ice cream or maybe now you like whip cream as much as I do. When I can travel again, I’ll be by for a visit. I’ll bring some wine and helium balloons. We’ll exchange tales of plagues past. Miss ya. (But you already knew that).

happy b’day: chocolate cake, helium balloons and hockey

(original publication date: May 6, 2013)

Today would be my dad’s 86th birthday. Certain protocols to follow on his b’day: a bottle of Mateus wine; several possible main courses; and of course, dessert. Not a great chef, mom did have a small repertoire of yummy comfort food such as baked beans, scalloped potatoes, roasted potatoes, 3 meat tourtiere, turkey noodle soup, and “poor man’s dinner.”

The dessert would be chocolate cake (with lots of icing) served in large or small wedges in a bowl and topped off with ice cream. Growing up, I was allowed to pick any kind of cake for my b’day . . . as long as it was chocolate. My favo(u)rite was the DQ ice cream cakes – not so chocolatey but oh, so ice creamy!

Since he passed, if I was home, I’d go to the cemetery to wish him happy b’day and have a chat about sports, history, humo(u)r. These last few years, I brought helium balloons. A brick held the ribbons down while the balloons swayed and danced in the breeze; or held fast when the wind pushed them sideways

May continues the chain of colo(u)r; lilacs and cherry trees fill the air with colo(u)r and the blending of sweet smells. As the spring bulbs (tulips, daffodils, narcissus) give way to columbines, pansies, violas and violets, colo(u)r even returns to grey spaces like cemeteries. The dancing balloons, all silvery shiny, add their own palette.

So, hey Dad, happy b’day! And the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders are in the play-offs this year. You wouldn’t recognize the format, but you would still love the game. Third year you’ve shared it with Mom; sorry I’m not there to bring balloons; I’m sure you can celebrate without the trimmings.

balloons: szabojaons (pixabay.com)

chocolate cake: flitsArt (pixabay.com)

Ice hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Photo credit: , Wikipedia, Conrad Poirier. This image is available from Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec under the reference number P48,S1,P2493)