I have some awesome dads to celebrate for Father's Day: My friends with whom we spend most Father's Days together for countless years. The guys going to Dave and Leona's house to listen to punk records and drink beer, and the more recent tradition of them coming back to my house to then feast on backyard picnic foods (and drink more beer).
Black and white photo of famly of three all of them making silly faces.
Side view of a man laughing.
Black and white photo of man holding infant.
David - whom I met Freshman year in the dorms, we have been friends ever since. He's a rock climber, hiker, outdoors-man, loves to cook and eat, and is making sure that his children know the important cultural facts like the Bad Brains are the best punk rock band ever. (Although I am also informed that the kids also like Depeche Mode - clearly discernment is a skill developed later in life.)
John - I met him in my sophomore year in college when he was my next door neighbor in a crappy apartment in Boulder. He was a sushi chef at Zanmai and I was a death rock girl wearing lots of black eyeliner. John recently took my youngest son to Japan on their family vacation. John's a giver of gifts, drinker of beer, lover of good old fashioned rock and roll. He is also John Bole named after (and descended from) THE John A. Bole of the USS John Bole, US Navy destroyer ship named for John's great-uncle. (Useless but kind of cool factoid, right?)
Smiling man in a Christmas gnome ugly sweater.
Man in a cowboy hat with a Landseer Newfoundland dog on a desert hill.
Man jumping above a hay bale.
My husband, Jeff - my best friend, my boyfriend, and my partner. He holds my heart, he is funny and brilliant and possesses a wealth of useless facts. He knows way too much about beer. He can almost always tell you the name of director of any random film you can think of, who wrote some obscure piece of Russian underground literature, or the history of the world. He cannot, however, abide crowds (unless at a punk show), malls (WTH?), or the color yellow.
Celebrating Dad Photos man and two women posing for a picture.
Man loading a black powder rifle with a teen boy.
My stepdad, Shannon, who has been a part of my family since I was 11 years old. He's a rock hound, artist, general jack of all trades, and builds handmade black powder rifles. He doesn't like cheese (????!!!????), he has an entrepreneurial spirit, and he is wonderful with kids.
Family strikes a pose in a beautiful field with their dog.
My brother-in-law Craig - artist, designer, business owner, bike-rider, ping-pong player, possessed of droll and sarcastic wit. He does domestic brilliantly and is dedicated to his family. He is handsome and funny and I can never tell if he's just tolerating me or if he really likes me.
Adult man grimacing kissing teen son on cheek.
Uncle George - hunter, fisherman, family chef, smoker of salmon, world traveler, lover of dogs, Cubs fan, a good sport and generally fun to be around.
Plate holding a huge pile of cheetoes and four pieces of black licorice.
Man wearing baseball cap and backpack in the trees.
Sheltie with man and woman in background.
My Dad, Jack, lover of the family hike (aka death march), finder of arrowheads, collector of records, reader of science fiction, player of darts, and eater of the most unbelievably unhealthy lunches you can imagine. Dad is deeply loyal to his family, loves his children and grandchildren, can't boil water, is extremely artistic and clever, and plays a mean guitar.