That time of year again.

*sigh*

Here we are again. Another year gone by since Pop died. Soon to be followed by another year gone by since Lilly died.

I find myself having "mental hiccups" for lack of a better term. I can't seem to keep a thought in my head long enough to finish it. I went grocery shopping today and totally could not find the macaroni and cheese. And I mean I HUNTED for it... then forgot completely about it. Until I got to the next store.. and then I remembered it. But couldn't find it there either.

What the heck? I have a boy who LOVES mac n cheese... I buy it by the truckload... how in the world could I not find it? And not just in one store.. but in TWO!!??!!

As I was typing that line above, I had a thought of what I wanted to say next... and now here I am in the place where I am supposed to type that... and I can't remember what it was. Now, for those of you who don't know...I am NOT a hunt and peck typer. So it did not take long for me to type that sentence.

And I STILL can't remember what it was.

Blake was picking at his rear last night and I said, "Are you going to the movies?" and he said, "What?!" I said, "Well, you're picking your seat so I thought you were going to the movies." Mike laughed and said, "You SO got that from your dad!"

My dad was full of funnies like that. When my friends would call the house, he would sometimes answer the phone "Lum 'n Abners". And they'd stammer, "I have the wrong number" and he'd say, "You have the right number. Who do you want?"

Or, they would ask for me, "Is Jolene there?" and Pop would say, "No." And they would ask him to take a message and he'd say, "Well don't you just want to talk to her?" The poor victim would reply, "Uh, I thought you said she wasn't there?" Pop would say, "She's not HERE... she's upstairs. Do you want me to get her?"

He always told me he loved me. He taught me how to check my oil and change a flat tire... but whenever I got a flat tire, he'd come running to fix it for me. If you totalled the car he didn't give a rip as long as you were OK.

Once when my friend Theresa and I went in the ditch on our way home from shopping, my boyfriend at the time came (I called him because we were close to his house) and he looked at my dad's car in the ditch and said, "Oh man! You're dad's gonna kill you!" I knew Pop wouldn't care. The car wasn't hurt... but even if it was... the first thing he would say is, "Are you all OK?" (we had Theresa's baby with us too). And when he got there, with Mom and the dog... that is the first thing he asked. Then he said, "Ok, let's go call a tow truck." End of story.

To explain the dog... I had a dog named Coalie Bae (after a horse I'd read about in a story... LOL... I LOVED horses!). Whenever I would need help (which seemed to be a LOT... and which always seemed to involve Theresa) Pop would come... with Mom and Coalie Bae riding shotgun! Theresa and I laugh about it to this day.

I could go on. He was a great father. He would do anything for anyone. He always wanted everyone to be happy. He had a great sense of humor. My friend, Tricia, and I made him little tiny jumper cables out of wires and clips... because he had told us that he couldn't "get it up" if he wanted to... so we made him those as a joke. He had them til the day he died. He wore the star trek belt buckle that my niece bought him at her school santa shop one year. He worked hard at a GM shop all day... and came home to work hard there too. He bought me a used camaro... then a new skyhawk... then he wanted to buy me a truck when I came to college. I told him he didn't need to buy me a truck. We argued. He said, "I'm buying you the damn truck! What color do you want?"

I got a red one.

He thought Blake was a hoot... and I'm sure he cracks up from Heaven watching this boy's antics.

He loved my mom more than life itself.

He loved me almost as much :)

I miss him every day. He was my pillar. He made me believe in myself. He encouraged me to take risks. He showed me how to find joy in the simple things in life.

I wish I had so many memories to share about Lilly.

I am so glad she is with her Bumpa.

Miss you Pop. Love you. Happy Angelversary. *sniff*