It’s been a while since I wrote about my hubby for Father’s day, and today I’m writing about all the things he did with his sons, Jonathan and Addison.
It began over forty years ago and continues until today. The first memories my children have of their Dad are going to Denniger’s and being given a taste of their veal bologna while shopping for the house. I was at work while they made this weekly jaunt and would regale me with their visits. Another good memory that I have is them playing with their Dad outside, baseball, touch football and red rover coming over. When they were 7 and 5 respectively they were enrolled in Kinsmen baseball and their dad was the coach for both of their respective teams, so four nights a week, off we would go to the park and on the weekends would practice.
As these two, full of energy children grew up, their Dad drove them to all of their events, including singing lessons and Sears drama for the youngest Addison.
The Boys’ Day out was usually going to a movie and lunch at McDonald’s while I was waiting to see what they saw and heard all about the movie. In the car on trips we always played music, especially Billy Joel and Harry Chapin, to which the boys memorized all of the lyrics and I can still hear them singing as they returned home. This treat gave me a break and Dennis an entire day to enjoy his children.
After they each graduated from highschool my hubby, took great pleasure in driving back and forth to each of his childrens universities to ensure they had all of their requirements for living and succeeding in today’s environment.
Now they still go to the movies and Boys Day Out, and on special days, Addison goes with his Dad golfing for the day and a meal. I’m fortunate to have such great sons and look forward to when they get together with us. Happy Father’s Day to the Man in our lives.
Another year another memory about Father’s Day. It’s been a long time since I heard my father’s voice, but I can still hear him on the phone calling and leaving his one-word message, “Dad” and that’s my cue to call him back long distance.
I’m still talking to him long distance, but he’s available 24/7 now. I miss our lunches in Hamilton and Oakville when we talked about everything under the sun, including his library borrowing habits. At the end of his life, Dad was mobile, using a scooter to go to the library, but only on good days. I would come in and take him out for groceries on sale at several locations and then our favourite lunch at Swiss Chalet. The waitress knew us well and brought a bread basket over while we decided on the menu items, and Dad would always try to pay but not on my watch.
After lunch, we went to get his hair trimmed and shopping at the local Sally Ann where he took an inordinate amount of time checking out the wares.
I went to pay for the purchases with my debit card but he thought it was a credit card, and wouldn’t accept it, so the cashier showed him how I used the card, and he was amazed. I showed him my receipt and then my cash in my account, and then he felt better, knowing that it wasn’t a credit card.
Upon leaving there we meandered home with a bag of goodies and I stayed for another cup of tea while Dad unpacked his prized possessions and I talked to Mom. This happened on a regular basis and its these types of visits that I miss about my Father, the hugs, the kisses, the voice of his and memories like these that I treasure forever.
All I want to impart to everyone is a Happy Father’s Day and if your Dad is still alive, call him, show up or just be there for him in any capacity you can. Trust me you will regret it if you don’t.
I want to wish my youngest son, #AddisonPearceSiemko, a very Happy Birthday. One filled with much love with that special woman #MaddyAlyson who will treat you as you deserve, with lots of hugs and kisses and cake too!
You came into this world almost seven weeks prematurely but made up for it quickly. I remember your birth like yesterday, a cold winter night, much like today; it only took me twelve hours until I met you, face to face. Everyone left us to get changed, although you decided to make your debut, so I caught you myself. It was amazing to see you all after all these months of being on bedrest, not allowed to move, and there you were, all 6 lb 13 1/2 oz and 21 inches long. Somehow you didn’t have a squished head, instead, it was perfectly shaped like an oval, with lots of dark curly hair that would be shaved off for your I.V. and placed into an incubator at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital! Shortly thereafter, all of your hair fell out, and was completely replaced by the spectacular blondie boy with those #blueeyes that we were always receiving compliments on! We knew you’d be tall just like your Father, and you were also a good little eater, so much that I couldn’t keep up with you. Then, at three weeks came the colic for eighteen WEEKS, we slept at four hour intervals and then at exactly twenty-two WEEKS, Addison, you stopped crying and became a HAPPY BABY, very portable, and regardless of having an older brother that adored and played cars with you, I never heard a complaint from you.
You took your first step at eleven months, and then you ran! You ran all around the house, and at that time was a three-level townhome. There you went, with me and your brother Jonathan following before and after, down the stairs. Since you had an older brother to watch and emulate as you grew, it was good and not so good.
At times, I would find you both trying to get the treats down from the top of the refrigerator, by hearing the garbage can being dragged over by both sons, then the smallest, climbing quickly up to the countertop and cupboards, standing on his tippy toes….just then I swooped in and grabbed BOTH off the garbage can and the counter. Boy, their time out can still be reminisced about today, just ask either one about the incident. No cookies or treats were to be had that day. No, and no sending them to their rooms, as Addison’s room had a TV with games and Jonathan’s had books on tapes. So they were sanctioned to the stairs where I could watch you not move a muscle, save your blankets that were allowed to be of comfort; after all, you were only three and five years of age, respectively.
Then there were your pets, Barney and Fred, Goldfish that you were allowed to adopt, feed and follow the responsibilities at the ages of eight and ten. Cleaning the fishbowl became a huge chore because you both wanted to do it, but the transfer of your fish to a holding bowl made them jump right back out. We had a fun time trying to scoop them both up without squishing the life out of their little gold skins. Then one fatal day, we came downstairs to the family room to find Fred floating on his back in their home. Tears flowed, and we had to call Father at work to calmly discuss what to do. He recommended giving Fred a way to Lake Ontario via the toilet, and he would take you after work to adopt another one.
You were above all others in your video game skills and took it upon yourself to call YTV and Nicholas Picolas to attend his Gameshow with Mike Bosak. I was in the hospital for surgery, while watching you so proudly with your “A” sweat shirt on, you played so well that you won, and brought home a NEW GAME of Mario Bros., a T-shirt and a video of the shows previously. When I saw you on TV, I moved my head so much that the nurse had to inject me with a needle, she didn’t know why I was so excited.
You were never one to sit and be quiet; you were always a busy little guy, especially in your artistry, that is, until the day we found out that all five reams of paper that we had provided you with were now used up and hidden in your closet and drawers of the bed. Uh oh, Father was in his cleaning mode, and there went all of your artwork in one fell swoop; however, I kept at least ten pages and put them in a prominent place in the kitchen.
After growing up gleefully and joyfully in a home that professed much LOVE, LAUGHTER, and weekly LIBRARY visits, you aced your school subjects, including extracurricular activities, and graduated on the Principals List to be accepted at the tender age of 17, to McGill University in Quebec. I always cried upon leaving you after visiting, but it only lasted 3 years, and an extremely inexplicable amount of time to secure full-time employment with your Father at RBCDS. I would say that you have done very well for yourself as you managed to work on many interests and extracurricular projects during the same period, and that was your music. First, with self-recording (www.Idylly.com), then your band,www.RedNightfall.com) which has just released their most recent EP (all of the original members were fellow students from #LordElgin).
I congratulate you on your most recent endeavour, one of homeownership, which delivers you and your Bride much Joy and Knowledge in your present role as an active Board member of your new home. I love your Mila and Momo and how you show love to them daily, after all, they are my grand kittens, and you shouldn’t expect less from parents.
Never give up, always be patient with others, and the rule about the library is as follows: always be reading a minimum of three books, hot, hotter and cold, so you can always be learning like what we did when you were little. The library allowed us to borrow the amount of your age, but I made sure we didn’t go over 14. Always ensuring that the #booksontape were separate. Nowadays, being a patron of the library is so much better and satisfying than when I took Grandpa Pearce every Saturday in Hamilton. That’s how he learned from his daughter, similar to you teaching me the Computers and Music. I hope that you enjoy these memories and #warmwishes from a Mom that loves you from the Bottom of Her Heart, To The Top Of Yours!
Addison, my closing note to you, my baby boy, is to keep smiling, singing, and showing love like the Pearces and Siemkos before you.
Here I sit at the ophthalmologist’s office to see how my new I.O.Lens is working. Yesterday, I joined 27 others, patiently waiting for relief in their serious, disgruntled state of blurry vision. My first time was three weeks ago, and I was given 20/20 vision in my right eye, so I now know what it feels like to get my eyesight back after several years of blurred, painful, scratchy, and extremely dehydrated eyes. I was initially informed that these two operations were not available until two years from last October 2024, that’s when I sat down and cried an ocean; or at least tried to, with closed-up tear ducts! Although my tear ducts were extremely dehydrated, my hubby assisted in dispensing the specially prepared eye drops six times a day, along with two separate ointments for nighttime. After the initial surprise when I was informed that my surgery date was on January 6, I was ecstatic learning that it was only a month away; however, I didn’t have my guardian angel with me for my surgical checkup, and the Surgeon postponed me until my eyes were more hydrated! At this point, he sent me home, tearless and discombobulated. I had been working so hard at getting these #BlueEyes less dry and bloodshot; then, finally, on April 23 was given the nod for my first surgery. It went off without any problems and after three weeks has healed nicely, to the point where I can see distances and bright landscapes. It’s awesome to have your sight restored to the point of 4K, 20/20 vision. If all goes well with my second cataract surgery today, only three weeks apart, I should have the same vision in my left eye. I’m not allowed to perform any of the following:
-NoBENDINGOVER
-NoLIFTING
-NotTRAIPSINGAROUND
-NO SHOWER use your back only on Wednesday, Thursday Friday.
Thankfully, I had washed my hair and this entire senior’s body the day of the surgery! When I reported to the Surgical Operating Unit, it was like old home week, at the hospital for us #secondtimers (95% of the patients ), all knowing, intellectuals. As they were exchanging #warstories, and sharing #thatswhatIhave too, we were slowly called into the Operating Room, one by one! I was number 20, quickly prepared with oxygen, an IV, and heart monitors, and at 2:45, I was me being given sedation and strapped into a head brace with strong tape, no moving allowed. Within minutes, the surgeon was digging into my eye, and minutes later, done! Slapped an eye patch that makes you look like a creature from #startrek #cyborg and in a level 6 pain. Trust me about the pain level, as I have endured #Chronicpain for over thirty years and deal with it by various means, mostly exercise, daily affirmations, and a minimum of meds, and #triggerpointinjections. I did get a #migraine from the procedure, but was finally able to rid myself after using my medication at home.
Overall, I am very pleased with the progress and the outcome of the surgeries. It’s been three weeks to the day of my first surgery, and it is still healing, although the brightness and clear vision have been a Godsend! I was entirely blind in my right eye, so the results can only be described in one word #wondrous
And the second eye has been examined today by the very competent surgeon, #DrDanielCote stating he is thrilled with my progress to date. So no BLT for me, just resting my eyesight and body until the weekend. I’m fine with that, as I completed the majority of all tasks required in the home prior to Mother’s Day and enjoyed a lovely meal with my Siemko men on the night before.
Here’s to modern technology and medicine that enabled this type of surgery, which allowed me, along with my 27 other cohorts, the time to chat away their fears while waiting their turn in the O.R. with the surgeon. The last point of oddities in a clinical situation was the fact that you were never given any hospital gowns, funny shoe covers, yet we were outfitted with a hairnet and wore our street clothes. Just different from the other visits and surgeries that I have attended. Hopefully, this left eye will recover as quickly as my other, and I will only have to use readers for the rest of my life.
Gail Siemko 