THE 4TH, THEN AND NOW

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

THEN

ABOUT MR. BOB

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

You expected something patriotic today, I'll bet. Well, be patient and we'll see what we can do. Meanwhile, I want to tell you ten ways to Mr. Bob's heart, should you ever need to know.

1.  He's very, very fond of low gas prices, although he has to be coaxed to use a product coupon at the supermarket and in no other area does he exhibit a leaning toward frugality.

2.  One of his favorite foods is the licorice candy, Good & Plenty. He usually has a little stash of them in the vestibule of his minivan door. He thinks I'm unaware of it.

3.  If it's aeronautical, Mr. Bob is drawn to it. I've helped see to it that he's ridden in a Goodyear blimp, flown twice in gliders, and in a helicopter over the Grand Canyon and twice in a hot air balloon. He tells me he does not want to go on a simulated fighter pilot mission. (Chris reminded him that he's been on one that never left the ground, but Mr. B. is talking about going up in the air)

4.  He likes television a lot. Most especially, CNN and the History channel and recreated murder stories.

5.  He's drawn to dogs and cats like a magnet and has been heard to speak to them in baby talk, which seems out of character. He's adamantly against the idea of acquiring a pet, mostly because he doesn't want to follow one around with a plastic bag at the ready. He seems particularly fond of chihuahuas.

6.  Playing solitaire on the computer brings him hours of pleasure. He claims it keeps his mind sharp.

7.  He makes a mean tuna sandwich. And it's the item most often ordered by him at lunchtime in a restaurant.

8.  I don't need to remind you that he cherishes his siestas. And he sleeps around, so I never know where I'm going to find him when he goes missing. Once he was gone so long I was getting close to notifying authorities when he turned up tucked away in an unexpected place.

                                  

9.  Have you noticed that he's usually wearing one of those Hawaiian shirts? Almost alway it will have, where you can't see it, a Reyn Spooner label. The shirts wear like iron. It may be only in my imagination, but I think we counted something like 36 in his closet once.

10.  Flags and the moon.............two subjects on which he's keen. If you want to unsettle him, hang the flag with the blue field to the right. More likely you'd prefer to captivate him, in which case call his attention to the new moon when it's just a sliver in the sky. That will make him very happy.

NOW

A few more bits of information about my favorite man........

1.  Almost every one I know loves this gentle man.

2. For some unknown reason, he positively loathes Elvis.

3.  He's not fond of celebrations or holidays, but he seems to enjoy carving pumpkins at Hallowe'en.

  4.  One of his most positive traits is his willingness to be silly.

5.  He was a handsome young man and still is, in my eyes.

6.  He used to like popcorn, but now it catches in his throat. He forgets that sometimes.

7.  He's proud of all three of his grandsons.

8.  The youngest one, because he lives closest, has brought him much joy.

9.  Although he no longer can drive, he's still interested in gas prices.

10.  He's thankful there's no further need to be a gardener.