I wear you with me everyday

Hey dad! How are you today? It is hot out there so I hope you are somewhere on a beach! I am getting ready to go to the Outer Banks on Saturday, I am super excited, but at the same time I am a little apprehensive about going down there. That place has a lot of great memories with you in them. It is going to be rough to drive down past the Currituck Club and see the “Teet” (Harris Teeter….hahaha remember that nickname?!) We are staying in Salvo, I am not sure where that is in relation to Corolla, but regardless, being in the OBX and driving on that beach road into the OBX is going to bring back so many memories. Good ones…so many good ones.  I miss those days and I think about them quite often actually. I remember how excited we all used to get when it was time to go to the OBX, it was something we all looked forward to. I miss the group of family and friends that used to come down with us, I miss the huge dinners you used to cook everyone, I miss the karaoke bar we used to go to (Sundogs…where I always got my five minutes of fame!), I miss playing all the goofy games in our pool with a beer in hand…all those memories are ones that I will always remember to a tee. I still say the OBX is my favorite place in the world. I have been so many great places lately, but you know what? I have to say that OBX is my favorite, probably because it has you in the memories. Anyway, sorry for going on an OBX tangent. I tend to do that with everyone that asks me about the OBX. Ha, I am sure Kel has heard all my fun stories 100 times. This is going to be his first adventure to an East Coast beach, he is in for a good time. We are going down with a good buddy of ours, Schultz… and about 8 other people. Kel is a surfer, so I think I am going to have to show off some of my surfing skills. HAHA oh my gosh… do you remember all the surfing adventures and the extra large board...? How could you forget, right?  HAHAHA I just laughed out loud thinking about it. Em, Gabby and I were so ridiculous, walking the beaches with our surf boards, just for show. Then one year we finally got lessons (thanks to P & P), I guess they were tired of seeing us bust our ass on the waves. Like I said above, so many good memories. Soooooo this Saturday, we will be heading down…probably for one last hoorah, I don’t think I will go back after this time..Mom doesn’t plan on ever going back and I doubt Blair wants to go back either. It is just too hard and full of too many memories for Mom to handle. I will be thinking of you, as usual.

Moving on, enough OBX reminiscing.

I was cleaning last night and listening to Pandora radio (in case you don’t know what Pandora is, it is a radio app on my iPhone), I was listening to my rock, classic rock & 80’s hair bands stations. Whenever a song came on that I knew you would like I wrote it down on a piece of paper. I am weird sometimes, lol, but I thought it was necessary to document every song that came on that reminded me of something you would jam to. Remember last May when I made you all those CD’s with your favorite music? Well I decided to make you another “Daddy J Mix” CD. Wanna know what was on it??? I am going to have to pluck my memory because I don’t have the sheet I wrote all the songs down on with me. I may add some more I think you would like on the list…no repeats from Mix #1, 2, &3 though, promise!  

Blinded by the Light-Manfred Mann’s Earth Band

Pride and Joy-Stevie Ray Vaughn

I Remember You-Skid Row

Dirty Deeds-ACDC

Simple Man – Lynyrd Skinner

I Wanna Rock – Twisted Sister

You Don’t Know How it Feels – Tom Petty

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix

Look At Little Sister-Stevie Ray Vaughan

War Pigs-Black Sabbath

All Right Now-Free

Smells Like Teen Spirit-Nirvana

Don’t Fear The Reaper-The Blue Oyster Cult

Separate Ways-Journey

Free Ride-The Edgar Winter Group

Slow Ride-Foghat

I think that is a pretty awesome mix if I do say so myself! You would approve! If you were here I would put it on a CD for you and then call you everyday to check and see if you rocked out to it. Hahaha remember when I did that for two weeks in a row last time I made you the CDs? I called you every day for two weeks and asked if you had listened to them yet, for TWO WEEKS I got the same response, “nope, not yet!” I remember finally calling you and getting the “yes they were great” response. I was so happy that you finally listened to the darn things!

Well dad, I will catch up with you later, I have some business to handle! I love you!!! Miss you much.

Oh, PS. I have a new necklace that I wear everyday now. Allison gave it to me, it is a heart with a picture of you in it. She gave it to me a while ago but I finally put it on a chain, I love it. I wear you with me everyday =)