It’s been a rough week.  What to write about? Running is always on my mind, but so is my as of late not so happy life. Looking at my $8 lamp on my donated dinner table that I currently  use as a desk,  I think I will write about my life.

How about a little background to who I am? Well, my dad was almost given away as a baby. His mom was so poor that she considered giving him away to I’m not sure who, but decided to keep him. My dad adored his mother! Maybe because he knew he was loved. My grandma was married to a drunk, which seems to be a strong gene in our family. They were poor and my dad was born in 1939 after several other children.  He picked cotton as a kid in East Texas. Later his family moved to Houston, which was a smaller city at that time.

My dad’s grandpa was  a preacher. My family is a mix of alcoholics, drug addicts, Christians, and food addicts. We like to overdo things.

My dad was awesome. Everyone loved him. He was very good at social skills, unlike me, but he worked at it. He took courses from Dale Carnegie. He was the #1 salesman.  But before that he was  a ‘kid’, working in a grocery store,  who caught my mom’s eye. She was just a girl, 15, whose mom had died unfairly from blood poisoning, when she was just a wee girl. Raised by a Black housekeeper and her dad, along with 5 brothers,  that shaped who she became, an amazing woman. She determined she would marry my dad and she did, God bless her. They had three kids in 4 years. Then a few more for good measure.

Deep breath. My dad had a knack for bullshitting so he was good at customer service and sales. He spent his life selling various things including cars. He started having some health issues in the year 2000. Who knows what caused it but he had cancer and he died mercifully at a very young age.   I miss him so much! If ONLY I could speak to him now! I hope you are proud of me dad. I love you so much!

Dad in red shirt with his  youngest brother and  his older sister. They were very close. My Uncle Paul and Aunt Mae are still alive.

 

Sorry, I got a bit emotional there. My dad loved gardening, dominos, dogs, fishing, being outside, his mother,my mom,  food, and people. Oh how I wish we could spend more time together! I am so thankful for the good times. My dad and mom had six children. My sister Susan Kay died, and I was born after her, so they named me Paula Kay. Now you know.  My dad and mom were very traditional. She did all the housework and never complained. Then later she started working to help pay bills. She was and IS the best mom ever! My mom is amazing.  She is 77 years old and still working. She works for American Express Travel. They should give her a  raise. She is the QUEEN  of corporate travel. I love hearing her stories of how she has rescued various clients from impossible situations. I am so proud of you, mom!  I am so blessed by my parents. Another deep breath.

 

Okay enough. I could brag on my parents all day and night. Sure, they made mistakes, but as a middle-aged parent myself, I am very sympathetic to how hard parenting can be. The patience and forgiveness and love they gave is really extraordinary. I can only hope to do the same with my brood.