I have been quietly dreading this day.  It’s come with sunshine and birds, dogs yelping and the community garden next door is in full swing.  Dad you would have been 85 today.  When Mom died I started calling you on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.  Here we are now,  not quite two months since you gracefully left this world.  Your birthday, Father’s day all piling up on me and no one to call.  So I am writing to you from here.   I love you Dad, I miss you terribly, thank you for teaching me how to drive so I can now go off on adventures.  Thank you for forcing me to help you map out family drives, I now can do it by myself and enjoy it so much.  Thank you Dad, I know when I jump in the car and take off you are riding shot gun with me.  Every turn I take I can feel you seeing it through me.  But honestly Dad, the one thing I don’t know how to do is not miss you.  My phone mocks me because your voice isn’t on the other end.  E-mail is delivered without your annoying jokes or silly rumors you actually fell for.  I know it was you who delivered the unexpected John Wayne movie to my DVR early in the morning…..so I will keep writing and driving, feeling those places from the past, because that is where you are now.