March 12

"Still no blackbirds! What's going on?" My dad measures seasons by the rhythms of nature, spring is heralded by the arrival of Red Winged Blackbirds. He's anxious for spring to be here, I hope the blackbirds arrive soon.

Dad reports that he gave away one of the canoes. I can only imagine how sad this occasion is for him. It means he realizes he can't take the canoe out on his own anymore and doesn't know anyone who will go out with him regularly. I remember when we bought the aforementioned canoe, the white canoe as we called it. We were at my mom's sister's house in New Jersey for Easter, it was Easter Sunday and my mom was furious that my dad took my brother and I to buy a canoe instead of having us go to church with her. Looking back I don't know how he managed that feat but he did and he bought the canoe Easter Sunday from Jersey Paddler, I still have the keychain the store gave us with the purchase. For the last ten years or so the canoe has been chained to a tree at a local lake. One needs to buy a permit to keep the boat there so my dad has decided he no longer wanted to pay the $60 per year for a boat he rarely uses. A few years after he bought the white canoe he bought a kevlar canoe which he still has stored under the deck at home. So it is not as though we are a canoeless family. That would truly be sad.

In the letter my dad is a little concerned the local naturalist he is giving the canoe to doesn't understand the situation that she has to either buy a permit or remove the canoe from the lake where it is kept. I'm pretty sure they will sort things out.

My parents went to the local Chinese restaurant for dinner one night, a place dad really likes. He thinks taking my mom out for dinner eases the fact that she has to do so much around the house. Maybe it does, at least she doesn't have to do dishes that evening. They also went to Panera for lunch, my dad could eat at Panera for lunch every day. There is a natural food store next to Panera where he picks up supplies for making his homemade meusli ceral.

He signs off with a reminder that daylight savings time is approaching and wonders who is the arbiter of DST. It seems too early in the year for it.

Love, Dad