MAY 19th, or "ARVID'S DAY", AS IT'S BETTER KNOWN!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

(I know I tend to come back to this picture often...maybe because it's a recent favorite...)

The mischievous twinkle in those young eyes, STILL there...he's the little guy in the photos - Arvid Carl Anderson, with big brother Robert, or Bob.  Obviously best of friends, too!

The son of a Swedish immigrant, Carl Rudolph Anderson, who jumped a ship at 16 and came to the United States - married himself an Irish-American gal, Catherine O'Brien, and raised two handsome and gentle sons.

The youngest of whom married and raised three children of his own, who went on to raise children of their own, and so on and so on...OK, mine are still single, and childless, and we want to keep it that way for awhile, at least.  Idolized by kids, grand kids, and great-grand kids, alike.

QUICK witted (Oh, is he EVER!), "all-knowing" (he arms himself with anything he can get his hands on to read, history wise, to this day), and patient enough to pose for some of the goofiest pictures and still smile through it!  He's a veritable walking encyclopedia, he is.  While my kids were growing up (and still to this day), if we couldn't figure something out answer, one of us would look at the other and say, usually in unison, "Call Grandpa!"  He knows some shit about some stuff, for sure.  Big Chief on Campus!

He's a "mover and a shaker" - I had to try and beat him up and out the door one morning, when visiting this Spring, to shovel the walks for him...no such luck.  His yard looks like a park (and that's why he hates on that squirrel in the back so much); his flowers look like a botanical gardens; and he's always fashionable and well mannered.  He's a card, he's a gem - he's my Dad...

HE'S MY HERO, in SO many ways!

Happy Birthday, Dad - I love you, and I WILL be there for the date next year, come hell or high water!

XOXOXOXOXO - TONY