The other reason for going to the early Mass this morning is that we’re due at Dad’s at two o’clock for celebrating. We’ve got to fit grocery shopping in between church and Dad’s, so the usually long ten o’clock Mass, and maybe even longer special Mass for Archbishop Wuerl, isn’t working so well for us today.

I’m especially excited because we’re giving Dad a scarf that Dawn knitted. It’s actually like a lot more expensive than just buying a scarf, because the scarf companies get like huge volume discounts on yarn, whereas we pay shockingly high prices at the local Stitch DC store. But it’s the hours and hours of work that she put into making it, making it especially for him, that makes me so excited that we’re giving it to him.

Well, not exactly we. I even put simply “to Dad from Dawn” on the tag when I wrapped it, since it was Dawn with the hours and hours of work, not me at all.

And we don’t eat a sit-down dinner either, just snacking on a constant flow of appetizers that Sharon keeps bringing out. I’m not sure if it’s easier or harder for her, not having to prepare anything complicated, but rather having to heat up and serve a lot of different things. But it works out much better for being able to just sit around and hang out and catch up and be together.

Dad takes me on a quick tour of the basement, showing me where he wants to install some electrical outlets, which activity he asks for my assistance. Should be a lot of fun. I’m expecting to be dazzled and confused by the circuitry in his house, enormous compared to mine and its little 100 amp box with ten circuits.