Heirlooms

I keep finding these things that I do that I never really attributed to my Dad before.  Actually, I take that back.  I didn't realize that these are the things he would leave me as his legacy until now.

- I love a good baked potato with extra butter and especially extra chives.
- I order my steaks medium rare or medium when somewhere that's not a renowned steakhouse.
- Listening to waves crashing calms me.
- I always look for something on the menu I haven't tried before that sounds exciting.
- Pate. But with baguette, not with Ritz crackers as my Father liked it.
- I hate overcooked vegetables.  They need to be crisp and bright.
- I never salt my food until I've tasted it.
- Nancy Wilson (the jazz singer, not the lead singer of Heart) - I used to listen to the Nancy Wilson greatest hits tape my Dad had all of the time.
- Yelling at people who are dumb.
- Directness.
- Eau Savage by Christian Dior
- Tight pants.
- Late night eating.
- Late nights.
- Camping.
- Weekend day trips that involve long car rides.
- Hole in the wall establishments.
- Cheap but good eats.
- The process of cooking.

I have gotten so used to saying what I've missed out from him during my whole life, but when I look back, I realize that I have a lot that he gave me that keeps him real, alive and present to me.

Oddly enough, I felt his absence from my life more when he was alive than I do now that he's gone.

- Being unorthodox.

That's another thing I got from Pops.