Ten Things I Still Miss About My Dad

My dad died in 2003.  He was part of that greatest generation, who served in World War II (he was in the D-Day invasion).  An Italian immigrant, he built a life and family using his tailoring skills and enjoyed life and its simplest, but most valuable pleasures.  These are the ten things I miss most about him:

1. His Bostonian-Italian accent, especially the way he pronounced my husband's and son's names.
2. His ability to savor a meal, and how he ate his salad after the main course.
3. That he never minded fixing my clothes.
4. His laugh.
5. His enjoyment of summer fruit, a brisk walk, window shopping at a mall, engaging a stranger in conversation.
6. His playing bocce at family reunions (and I have a photo of him, my husband and son doing so).
7. How he always carried a comb in his shirt pocket and frequently ran it through his hair.
8. How he dressed in a coat and dress shirt for the most casual of occasions.
9. His pet name for me.
10. His unconditional love.

Happy Fathers Day, Daddy.  I miss you everyday.