Happy Birthday, Dear Daddy

Saturday was Dad's 82nd Birthday. Wow. I thought about how lucky I've been the last couple of years to be there for his birthday. I was there for 80, when my sisters and I all played ukuleles for him, as he has for us since we were kids. We'd all met at Mary's and my hotel room to practice the night before. Five ukes, five out of six crazy sisters (Janet was missing) and probably five bottles of wine. We were great at our 'open mike' debut. Really.

I was there for 81, when Alina and I had just finished our drive from Houston to Boston. But I missed this year, since graduation didn't coincide with the August festivities. So I tuned up my uke, called before we left for Portland, and sang the Happy Birthday song for Dad. My crazy sister Janet (you can hear her laugh) caught him on her cell phone, singing and playing along with me over the wires. So, without further adieu, Here's Larry!