Please forgive me while I indulge in some introspection. Yesterday was my birthday. I am now 63. Very soon I will have been retired for a year.

Yesterday was very unique in another respect. It was the day of my father’s death. My God allowed me to hold my fathers hand as he moved from this world to the ever after. I looked at that strong hand and let my thoughts return to 63 years ago. That same hand surely held me for the first time then. He probably looked into my eyes in wonder even as I looked into his eyes. He could only imagine the rich rewarding life that I would have. I can only imagine the joy he is surely experiencing as he is reunited with his loved ones. Please share with me the celebration and the joy of my father’s long and wonderful life.

Once the events of the morning had played themselves out, I dropped by to visit my nephew, Carl Morgan, at the construction site of his future home. Before I knew what was happening I was seated in a “Bobcat Digger” with a joystick in each hand. Now this is a “video” game with realism. It has full seat-of-the-pants sensations, wrap-around view screen and audio that is perfectly synchronized. You tilt and tip the sticks and the bucket extends. With velvet smooth, seamless movements you dip the bucket into the soil and smoothly scoop up a full bucket of soil. Tilting the left hand, you smoothly swing and your right hand simultaneously extends the bucket and drops the soil precisely where you want it…..in my dreams, of course. Each movement of my hand produced a jerk, a bounce and oftentimes the opposite movement to which I expected. Slowly I was able to coordinate the desires of my mind with the motions of the digger. What a blast! Check below for a photo of Gary in the Bobcat.

In memory of my father, Chester C. Dinsmore, November 2, 1917 – April 26, 2005.