Happy Flag Day!  June 14 is always a day of mixed emotions for me; it is my father's birthday, and I always miss him - he's been departed for 19 years now, since a brain tumor took his life.  But it is also the anniversary of my first date with Shirley, the start of our wonderful life together, and the beginning of our family.  And of course the day on which we all fly our flags and feel a bit patriotic, and think about our country and the life it makes possible.

We had a great dinner tonight - perfect scallops, with a '97 Peter Michael 'belle cote' - and spent most of it talking about our fathers.  They never met, unfortunately (at least on Earth :), but would have enjoyed each other's company tremendously as well as having a lot in common; both from Europe (Netherlands and Scotland), both naturalized U.S. citizens (and very proud of it!), both WWII vets, both aviators, both members of Rotary.  And both with a somewhat, er, unusual sense of humor.

Anyway, here's to you, Dad, and to you, Shirley, and to you, Old Glory; long may you wave...