Happy Birthday George Mckinney: 80 Years of Humor and Hardwork

He looks happy, doesn’t he?  I am going to be that happy, too, if I live to be 80! I know it is much more common these days, but dad has severe athsma and so do I. We both got it later in life, and I think what has kept dad healthy and strong is his amazing work ethic, and his tender sense of humor. He gets up every day, and has a project. Maybe his days would be longer without his projects, but there is always work to do for dad, and if there isn’t, he finds something that needs maintenance. I admire that. (But, don’t think this comment is encouragement to get up on the ladder and clean the roof again this year, dad!)

His sense of humor is what endears him to me. I was always so proud of him as a little girl as he would even tease the paper boy. My firends loved him, and still do. He was always warm, friendly, and funny. The perfect kind of dad you would want to bring your friends home to. Not exactly the kind of dad you would want to bring a guy home, to, though, later in life. His warm friendly humor would then turn into black sarcasm and none of the fellows I dated ever liked him. That is, if I ever let them meet him! Until Vanja, of course. By then, life had moved on and my dad was just thrilled someone was glad to take me off of his hands! (I was an independent woman then, and for years, I might add, but that is my dad!)

He and mom have been married almost 59 years, and she will be 80 in April 2010. What an example of commitment they have set for all of us. My dad’s humor has come in very handy in more ways than one, I might add! A young Saskatchewan farm boy born in 1929: just before the “dirty thirties”. His parents were Catholic Irish immigrants from the “Derry” area. He had three brothers, and one sister. His father had him working fulltime on the farm when he was thirteen. Maybe that is where he began to develop his incredible work ethic. He worked on the farm until he was 17, then tipped his hat to the rural community of Bengough, Saskatchewan, bid farewell to his not too pleased family, and took to the open road, kicking his heals together, jacket over one shoulder. He had really been independent since he was thirteen, but now he was free!

I am not sure how dad ended up in Red Deer, Alberta. It seems to me, it may be because there was someone he knew from the farm there, but that is where his road trip stopped. And, because he was such a hard worker, he didn’t have trouble getting a job. He immediately started working for Vern’s Taxi, and met mom shortly thereafter. Here he is, over sixty years later. It is only when you get a little older that you realize how fast life passes by. I remember, as a child, hearing that from elderly people so often that I wanted to slap them. It was completely meaningless to me then. But, not now. Not at fifty four with a father who just turned 80, and when I look at him, I still see the most handsome young man with the wavy dark hair and dimples in both cheeks grinning at me. I have such wonderful and happy memories with him, but most of them are during the time we were all in the family home. I guess that is “normal”. Is it? I have other vivid and important memories. They are not “fun”, but they are profoound: working with my dad as he built my deck, or as we used an auger to did holes in the window wells of my first home to aviod basement flooding. And, yes, of course, the all too common trying to please him earlier in my adult life and never being satisfied I had. What’s that all about, anyway. It is such a waste of relationship time. When I just stopped trying to please him, and worked to please myself, the sun was really shining in the morning sky!

So, here we all are together, to celebrate the birthday of this important man’s life. To celebrate our years of knowing and loving him, and to remind us that each day we have is a gift. What a gift I have had to have George as my dad, and what a gift I still have to have both of my parents still married, healthy, and happy at this phase of my own life. Lots of reasons to party!

“And” and “but”, in true “George” fashion: no big celebration aloud! The family would go together to dinner. He was paying, or he wasn’t going. He has always been a hard fellow to give a gift to. He is generous to a fault, but when it comes to giving back, it is almost impossible to do this with my dad. So, it is his day, he can have his way. Besides, how hard is it to enjoy a dinner evening at La Ronde? I used to go often in the late eighties and early nineties in my “dating days”. It used to be fabulous. I was curious, for sure, to see how it had changed.

The entire space has had a facelift, but the feeling and presence was still the same: elegant and refined. Loved it. Mom and dad were really excited and mom was having such fun enjoying the view as the world turned around her.

While waiting for our meal we shared our cards and gifts with dad. Such a tiny symbol of what he means to each of us.

The food was really lovely. I think the prices are about the same as they were twenty years ago. Truly. Maybe a little more. The  menu is faily conservative in some ways, and very innovative, in others. I was charmed by the sage and apple sorbet with whiskey jelly, but didn’t taste it. I will be back! Our family, for the most part, is a fairly conservative bunch, so the main course selections were perfect. It was really nice to see that attention to our local farming community and our local producers is starting to be recognized by this restaurant. I did notice that still many of the main dishes do not disclose their source, and that means, megamarket, to me. But, hopefully, La Ronde will get the entire menu on track with local independent producers.

Our waiter praised the Casaer Salad as the dressing is made fresh in the kitchen daily. I have become so blinded by my expectations that I had expected nothing less! My sister is a Cesaer Salad fanatic, so that was her main course with the seafood on the side.  She figured out a way to give dad a little treat, that smartie! “It is just too much seafood for me!” she exclaimed convincingly as she pushed it over to dad. He loves anykind of seafood, particularly shellfish! He was complaining all the way home how he shouldn’t have eaten that last shrimp… but we are all glad you did, dad. It is such a pleasure to see both mom and dad enjoy an evening like they did this one.

And I had the Butternut Squash Soup with a Quail Egg Sunny Side Up… it was good. It was pleasant. It was satisfying. The presentation was fun.

Dad had the Cheese Crusted Roasted Chicken and loved it. We were all very surprised to see him slect chicken when he is definitely a steak or seafood man. But, he loved it.

Mom had the Spice Rubbed Strip Loin with the Herbed Butter. She thought it was the best steak she had eaten in her entire life. She asked me what the herbed butter was for, as she tried to rub it onto her vegetables and meat, and it wasn’t melting. Either it was frozen, or her meal wasn’t very hot. She was happy, so I didn’t point that out.

Ragan got the highly recommended (from our waiter) Arctic Char with a Creamy Broth under it. She did not enjoy it, but didn’t tell anyone until later. She said it was far too rich and fishy tasting. I did taste it and it was rich, but the flavours were as they should be, to me. Yummy.

Jason ordered the Pork Tenderloin and was so hungry that he practically inhaled it. He really doesn’t have a very big appetite, so it is unusual to see him so hungry. He was still hungry when we went home for Birthday Cake!

Vanja ordered the tenderloin and didn’t say another word until his plate was empty. I think he had a wonderful plate. I did sample all of the sauces, and none of the meat, except the fish. Each was excellent.

You can tell by the look on dad’s face how much he is enjoying his meal. That is the best part of any meal, for me, to watch the enjoyment of others. Particularly, when I am the cook. That is the only reason I love to do it. It was a lovely meal with a lot of laughs.

We had expected a sparkly something for dad at the end of the meal as we saw another table receive upon our arrival. I made sure they knew it was his 80th, and was assured all had been arranged by phone, but nothing happened. Probably just as well, as dad doesn’t like a lot of attention, but not a great compliment to the organizers of the floor, that evening. One only turns eighty, once, and it is an incredible rite of passage and a very important evening for all family members.

We all missed you Lauren, and Denver, and Sarah. You are always with us in our minds when you cannot be with us in person.

Now, we have some serious party preparations to get started on. Mom turns 80 in April, and she will let us do something for her. YAY! And, then the 60th Wedding Anniversary next November. We’ve been thinking about it. Good thing mom will let us cook and prepare. I love to do it, and this will be a really fun event to take on.

Thank you, dad, for the lovely meal, and the “Leave It To Beaver” homelife that I had growing up.