Yesterday on my way back to daddy's house, I was on the phone with Sue (my bestest bud). I was telling her what to expect when she meets Daddy tomorrow...he will find something to joke about or pick on you, he is great at trying to embarrass you but it's all in fun, he's friendly, a talker and everyone loves him. She laughed and when I asked what was so funny, she said he sounds just like you.

Well after spending the day with that comment in the back of my mind, I looked at Daddy with different eyes (blue eyes, just like his). I'll be day~umed she's right. I went to a funeral a couple of years ago and when it was over and we were standing around chatting long after everyone else left there was laughter. When telling others about the experience, they said they've never been to a funeral and ended up laughing.

Daddy and I went back visit my hometown and of course visit a few gravesite. We stopped at my grandparent grave to leave flowers. They had several funerals going on so the funeral director was out and about. He stopped by to speak (we were in a small southern town, so it common for the locals to stop and speak...*g*). I had a few questions because my grampa's death year wasn't on there. I didn't want to go into the whole family dysfunction with the poor fella so I just told him to check into it. Give me a call and I would pay for having it done. After giving him my address and phone number the jokes began. We laughed and joked back and forth for about 20 minutes over every thing from me leaving the best city in the world to me being a halfbreed (daddy bein'' a yankee and all but that was ok cause daddy's has lived here year round for over 50 years). I had forgotten how daddy can make anyone laugh even at a somber place such as grave yard talking to a serious man in a black suit.

After leaving there we drove by our old house and stopped because a neighbor we knew way back when, still lived there. They recognized daddy right off (they haven't seen me since I was 19), the husband thought I was daddy's new wife (or girlfriend) but the wife knew me right off...she said...Smitty she looks just like you (boy have I hear that all my life).

We visited my father-inlaws grave. Of course it's been about 10 years since the last time I was there so we had to traipse around looking for it but we laughed about how my hubby would be sitting in the car...he has a thing about graveyards...*g*. We finally found it, thank goodness. I told Daddy how much I missed my father-inlaw cause he loved to laugh and joke with me too.

We drove around more looking at schools and churches we've been to over the years. We looked at houses we've lived in and places we worked. Daddy and I have a sort of short hand we talk in cause neither one of use can remember names worth a day~um. So each person get a bit of a story...you remember that man that use to...

We hit the grocery store on the way home and again it's the abbreviated coversation about the list of things we needed...we understand each other and have for as long as I can remember. My hubby calls it Smithanees...*shrug*...what can I say, my son does the same thing and he hasn't grown up around daddy the way I did...must be genetic...*g*.

So on my drive back to the hotel last night, again I was thinking about Sue's comment. I think I'm old enough now to realize...yup, I'm like my Daddy and you know, that's not a bad thing at all. He's well liked, never meets a stranger and can laugh at about anything including death. Even his own, cause he wants to be cremated and I told him that's fine but I'm not scattering him on the 18th hole cause my luck the wind will pick up and I'd be brushing him off the rest of the day...*ggg*...what can I say, nothing is sacred when it comes to picking on each other.