Daddy's Playboy Cards

The things that have made me laugh recently

If you’ve thought the last almost-eight weeks have been nothing but depression and sob-fests over in Ali-land, you would not be far off. This has been a seriously bleak time.

But despite losing Daddy and being thrown into a logistical nightmare that includes commuting from Merritt Island to Orlando and Melbourne, seeing Mia ride a roller coaster of healthcare, and picking up more dog shit than I ever wanted to see in my entire life, there have been a few really bright spots in all of this.

And so, to change the tone on this site for just a brief moment, (and I do mean brief), I’d like to tell you about some things that have made me laugh…

    • When we thought we were going to lose Mia only a week and a half after Daddy, I stood in her room brushing my hair and I was almost knocked over by feeling my Dad’s voice in my heart saying “This woman can’t even give me two weeks of peace in the afterlife?!”
    • When we saw Mia in ICU and she was finally able to respond, I pulled out Daddy’s iPad and asked her who she was posing with in a photo from 2010. It looks like some random band dude and we couldn’t place him. She didn’t answer WHO he was. But when I said “He looks like he parties… does he party?” Her eyes got wide, she nodded big, and mouthed “OH YEAH!”
    • I knew Mia and Daddy were gun enthusiasts and we had a good idea that they were “preppin’.” But none of us knew the spare guest room had been converted into a full-blown bunker and that there were guns and knives stashed in nearly every available surface. When we found our 6th handgun in a box at the top of the closet labeled “Photos and Important Documents,” we had to laugh.
    • Daddy installed a wall safe in the house. We had to look EVERYWHERE for it – under every photo, behind every piece of furniture – and the only reason we even knew it existed was because we found the instructions to install on the surface of the “bunker.” Β It was behind a pretty big picture and when we took it off, it’s clear Daddy missed the studs in the wall at least twice before finally getting the right spot. Oh to imagine his frustration with that… πŸ™‚
    • Cari went to see Mia a few nights ago to say goodbye before heading back up to North Florida. I forget what Cari said to her, but I’m sure it was something sweet like “make sure you get good rest for me,” or “I need you to calm down so you can get better.” Mia mouthed, quite clearly, “Shut the fuck up.” hahahaha!!! (She mouthed “I love you” later to make up for it, but it was still hysterical.)
    • We found the original drafts of their wills that clearly state “it is recommended that wills be drafted for each spouse at the same time, with all children in mind, to prevent sudden onset of Wicked Step Parent Syndrome.” LOLWUT?!
  • I’m starting to plan Daddy’s memorial and thinking of stating, “in lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to the National Rifle Association or The Republican National Committee. C’mon, you know it’s what he would have wanted.” No, seriously…
  • And finally, we found Daddy’s Playboy Club and Casino membership cards, with little bunny stamps marking each month he went to the club, from the years 1975 through 1982 – yeah like, eight freakin’ YEARS! And I was born in 1982!! Daddy!!
Daddy's Playboy Cards

Seriously Daddy?

And oddly enough, there’s been a lot more. Cari and Corey, Vince and Cliff, my Uncles, even (and especially) my co-workers; everyone has kept me laughing. Sometimes that laughter turns into tears, sometimes tears turn into laughter.

But there’s not too many memories I have of Daddy that don’t end up making me smile.

8 thoughts on “The things that have made me laugh recently

  1. luckiestgirlever Post author

    (if you just got a weird email that I edited your comment, it’s b/c your email address wasn’t formatted right so I fixed it and look! There’s your photo again! yay!)

  2. Paula

    I wrote one a long time ago but I’m due again since I’ll be running Chicago for him. So consider that on my list of blogs to come!

  3. luckiestgirlever Post author

    My Dad IS the best. I miss him so much… I just want to call him and tell him about this crazy shit storm but then I remember I’m in this crazy shit storm because he’s not here… it’s awful.

    I’m surprised you found something like that in your Dad’s desk. Your mom is probably hiding something good though. I know, I know, she’s a saint. But seriously – she’s gotta have an ittttty bitty skeleton in her closet somewhere. πŸ˜‰

  4. luckiestgirlever Post author

    πŸ™‚

    There have been many ‘happy tears’ in the last few weeks. I expect many more at your wedding. πŸ™‚

  5. luckiestgirlever Post author

    Dude Dad’s and music – sooo funny! I remember my Dad hearing It’s a Hardknock Life by JayZ and freaking out about someone “ripping Annie off.”

    Seriously thought, it sounds like you got your Dad’s sense of humor. And he recognized that at 13 you were old enough for him to say that around? He must have been a seriously awesome guy. I vote for more posts and memories about him on your blog. I would love to read them. πŸ™‚

  6. Grace

    Your Dad is the best. I LOVE that he was a Playboy club keyholder AND that he still had the cards.

    The only thing I’ve got is that I once found a PINK LION shaped pipe in my dad’s desk drawer. Also, a couple summers ago he and my mom were on a Circle line cruise with me and Aaron and we could smell that someone was smoking weed on the boat. Aaron met my eyes and Dad actually said out loud that someone was smoking the reefer. I about died.

  7. Paula

    LOL to the Playboy Club. That. is. awesome.

    My favorite memory of my dad was when we were driving from Chicago to Dubuque, IA to visit my grandma. We’re in the car and Zoot Suit Riot comes on the radio. (I’m like, 13, mind you.) And my dad goes, “I like this song, who sings it?” I said, “it’s the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies.” My dad goes, “The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies?!?!! I’m gonna make my own band and call them the Vagina Lovin’ Dildos.”

    LMAO. Makes me laugh every time I think of it.

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