December 21st

This day always makes me think of my dad and smile.

I have a very vivid memory of being home on this day once many years ago hearing dad as he headed out the door to do morning chores: "I'm going to go kick that ox right in the a**."

First off, he was being witty which wasn't rare for him (referring to the equinox) but what was rare was the curse word. That's probably why I remember it so vividly. Probably not even viewed as a curse word nowadays but it certainly was to him as were "darn" and "heck" and various other words. He was a man who believed in speaking your mind more succinctly and eloquently and not just falling in to exclamations. I even remember times when he would look at me sharply when I said "shoot". He thought they were unnecessary and cheap.

But, I digress. Back to that ox. It's winter soltice. The shortest day of the year. From here on out, each day there is a little more sunlight. Winters were hard on my father. He was not a man who was up at the crack of dawn. And so having evenings get dark oh so early in the winter played heavily on his emotions and moods. It made it hard to live with him during some of those dark, cold winter days. (Keep in mind he was also a farmer so he was outside at times when most of us would just cuddle under our throw blanket and switch the channel on the remote.) And so the glimmer of hope that today offered him made this one day of winter a little less painful than most.

I feel like I should drink a toast to him today or something. But, since he was a teetotaler that might not be so appropriate. Perhaps a cup of instant coffee instead?