Father's Day and Job Insecurity

 Due to conflicting engagements, our family spent most of Father's Day separated today, only coming together at the supper hour.

Audrey took us out to The Captain's Boil where we enjoyed the tastiest of seafoods served in the most unpretentious way imaginable - steaming hot in a clear plastic bag, dripping with spiced butter.

The five of us gorged ourselves on clams, shrimp, mussels, and lobster accompanied by okra, corn, potatoes, sausage, french fries and fried rice - the bibs and gloves they provide are definitely a good idea and not just a gimmick.

On the way over to the restaurant, the girls gave me a gift of Haupy's Moose Rub, a pair of neat-looking barbecue sauces and a plaque that says "Dear Dad, You're doing an amazing job!"

It's my favourite job, and I am by no means perfect at it, so I honestly appreciate the validation. The benefits of hindsight only seem to increase as my senior years loom (hmm, going to need a new blog title at some point too!), so sometimes the errors seem more prominent.

But my relationship with my daughters is honest and fun and good and certainly rewarding to me, so it is gratifying to have a little reminder of it. 

This is my tenth Father's Day since my own dad passed in 2012, and I am glad to report that I can recall him now almost completely without pain or tears (or could, right up until typing that sentence, argh). 

Like me, I know there were things he wished he had done or approached differently, but I also am glad to have had his guidance and humour and companionship for as long as I did. But talking about him with my church friends at our booth at the St. Albert Pride Festival yesterday, there was nothing but joy and appreciation in my voice.

To all my fellow dads and brothers and others in fathering roles of all sorts, Happy Father's Day - keep up the great work, and don't be too hard on yourself.