Of Food And Love: Father’s Day Weekend

This past weekend we visited my dad.

It was very special for two reasons: it’s the first conscious memory I have of spending Father’s Day with my dad (there may have been others, but I do not remember them) and second, it was my cousin’s last couple of days back East before moving back West.

We drove in Friday night, got up early Saturday morning and headed for Coney Island.  We couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous weekend.

Getting there a little after 10 was probably the best idea, ever.  The beach was nearly empty and we got to see the morning rituals of the lifeguards.

 The parks were still closed, but it wasn’t too long before they opened.  The kids jumped in with gusto.  Roma so badly wanted to ride the little whales.  First ride of the day!

There are bits of the park that haven’t been touched, keeping that authentic Coney Island feel.  It was nostalgic for my dad, who remembers going there in the 60′s with his mama.

I jumped on a few rides with the kids…

D did too…and so did my dad.  They were giggly and smiley the whole time.

It’s not a carnival without a little Skee-ball.  Cy and Roma could NOT get enough of this game, which happened to be an all time favorite of mine when I was their age.  My dad used to take me to Chuck-e-Cheese’s and I would play it all night long.

And even though the kids were excited about the games, it didn’t hold a candle to the beach.

Cy was begging and pleading by day’s end.  And finally, we made it.  I sort of wish we had packed a picnic to help tide us over until dinner.  Maybe next time…

We stuffed our bellies with New York pizza slices, Nathan’s hotdogs, Slushies and fries.  Our faces turned red from the sun, the kids got sand in their booties and by nightfall, our eyes were drooping.  It was a beautiful, beautiful day.  I can’t wait to do it all over again.

Memories with cousin…who Cylas happens to adore.  We’ll miss him when he goes back.

Then, Father’s day…maybe this should be a whole post on its own.  Words can’t really do justice to all that I feel for my dad.  Our relationship is one for the books.  It has gone through so much.  And, although we’ve endured some pretty tough times, it has become more and more evident to me that love conquers all, truly.  From the time I was a little girl, it seemed like the odds were against us, but that didn’t stop my dad.

Thanks, dad, for being so determined to be my dad no matter what.