Trending
A friend/colleague told me about how, when she was a child, her parents would take her camping every summer. I never perceived this friend of being much of a nature girl but I guess she was to some degree. She said it was just what her little family did together.
When she told me about her camping experiences, I felt a twinge of envy. You see she is an only child and had the full attention of her mom and dad, especially on those vacation camp outings. I, on the other hand, have seven brothers and four sisters. One-on-one time with either parent was rare. It's just the way of big families.
Families that don't all fit in one station wagon rarely go anywhere together, let alone on vacations. We did however, pitch tents in the backyard and roast marshmallows over the outdoor barbecue grill. It was that grill which our Dad manned when he felt the urge to cook out. It also gave Mom a break from a steamy kitchen on hot summer days. We did not grow up in an air-conditioned house so cooking and eating outdoors was pretty routine.
Mom sewed tablecloths to fit the oversized, custom-made, extra long picnic table that sat in a corner of the yard under the shade of a large, leafy tree. Even on rainy days, Dad would pull the grill into the garage (with the doors wide open) and sit for hours watching chickens rotate on a spit. He concocted his own barbecue sauce with which he basted the chicken. I can still smell the fruits of his labor.
My siblings and I took turns walking out to the garage with an umbrella to deliver supplies to the garage chef.
Among the grilling utensils, seasonings and other items, we also brought a few Stroh's beers to that smoky garage.
If I told you that Dad even managed to get some of his children to eat chicken livers, you might not believe me. His secret was wrapping the chicken livers in bacon and grilling them until crispy. They were better than you can imagine.
There was nothing fancy about our upbringing. Yet, we were doubly blessed to have both of our parents to raise us under the same roof.
Today is Father's Day. It's a good day to remind those fathers who are there for their families that they are appreciated.
Maybe pitching a tent or roasting marshmallows together are all you share. But those moments are priceless. Enjoy them while you can.
Happy Father's Day to all my dad readers.
Heather Ziegler can be reached at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.