Happy Birthday Big Lar!

When my husband was gone, a few weeks ago, Nora and I had to come up with creative ways to entertain ourselves, in his absence.  

Luckily, for us,  I received an email from my High School BFF (although I still consider her my BFF) complete with photos of her Dad's recent birthday party.  I always loved this man.  Being Italian, he liked to joke, sing, drink wine, walk around the house in his shorts and black socks, and invade my VERY BIG SPACE with lots of hugs--TIGHT hugs. He was funny, kind and, ya, he  could scare the crap outta me when needed.   

The Birthday Boy:  Not ONE BIT Scary :)

The real deal:  Look at those meatballs! Yum!

But think about it.  I was a teenage kid from a totally dysfunctional family dealing with a lot of stress.  And we were Lutherans!  Of Nordic descent!  Which explains my Big Space Issue.   

Despite my afore mentioned description, Big Lar could also seem quiet,  stern.  Now, having played the parent card myself, I can guess he was probably just tired.  He worked all day as a Very Important Person at a Very Important Company, and he commuted to and from his Very Important Job (I just love saying this)  by ferry, making his long days even longer.  Not to mention,  by the time I met him, he'd already raised 4 other kids:  putting them through college and getting them settled into their careers and marriages.  So I'm sure he was just too damn tired for any of our teenage tomfoolery.  

When he came home from work tired and hungry,  all he wanted was a kiss from his wife, a hot plate of pasta, a chair where he could put his feet up and not be bothered for a few quiet hours.  Or wait, was this MY dad?  (minus the wife, and of course my dad would've called them Noodles)  At any rate, he didn't want to have to deal with all the troubles we got into.

I don't know how this man felt about me then, but because he and his wife so graciously accepted me into their home and family during my teenage years and put up with all the shenanigans his daughter and I got involved in, I hope he knows how grateful I am for that.  Not that we were bad girls, by ANY stretch of the imagination.  But girls, as I have come to learn, can be emotional and tiresome and pains in the ass.  So, because Big Lar and his wife loved and comforted me, when my family was failing in that area, I wanted to take the time now to wish him a Very Happy Birthday and to let him know that those days I spent with them will always be special and important to me.  

So that's just what Nora and I did:  We had a Happy Birthday Larry Party.  

There was music:  The Italian Mambo Station, provided by Pandora

There was a pasta dinner; which I would NEVER feed to him!  I mean sauce from a jar!  Egads!  I did, however, throw in some fresh onions, and lots of garlic, and something green, apparently.  

Not even close to The Real Deal

And since Dave was gone and NJ eats like a bird,  (especially at dinner) we skipped the salad and opted for sliced cukes and baby carrots.  

And, of course, there was the wine!  

Now Jr. did not have wine, obviously.  She only looks like she did.  

Like I said:  Eats Like A Bird!

And I only had one glass.  Yet,  due to Nora's photography skills (or lack thereof) I only look intoxicated!

First Try at "Capturing the Moment"

Second Try....

I haven't seen Big Lar in a number of years, but keep up with him via my friend,  and I think of he and his wife, D-, often.  Just as Lar was the father figure I needed back then, D-was really my mom.  In fact, she probably has no idea just how influential she was to me.  I can't count the times, I have asked myself over the last four or five years, as the mother of a teenage girl, "WWDD?"  I should probably write to her and thank her.  Thank her for loving me.  Thank her for teaching me.   Thank her for letting me come over to her house after school EVERY DAY and watch Little House on the Prairie, while eating her popcorn.    And Thank her and Lar for all the crap that her daughter we did back then.   

But that will have to wait!  Ha!  Because this is Big Lar's Post:)  

So Happy Birthday Big Lar from Two Stone Cold Sober Nordic and Not-So-Lutheran-Anymore Girls!  

SALUT!

And, yes, somehow I STILL look slightly tipsy!  

xoxoxo
Son

P.S.  I should thank Edye for letting me Steal the photos of Big Lar and his lovely pasta dinner.  I probably should have asked first, but since my "blog" seems more like an online diary and I only have five followers (ha) I figured she wouldn't mind.  Thanks E- :)