John Howard Panter

This is my dad.

He is 80 years old today. Earlier this week I asked him what he wanted for his birthday and he replied "to be alive". I bought him the first season of "Walker, Texas Ranger" on DVD and two Corelle dinner plates. He and Mother eat off paper plates most of the time because the dinnerware they have is so heavy neither of them can carry it. And when they heat something in the microwave, there's always a fear that it will end up on the floor ~ splat! He says the day is just another day but it should be special in some small way, don't you think? I'm taking him a banana pudding and he can eat the whole thing if he wants.

Daddy is slipping a little in the memory department but when I look in his eyes I can see he's still in there. He laughs at my jokes and lets me fix things around the house for him. (we pretend he is helping me by handing me a tool or giving an opinion on how it should be done)

I remember waiting for him to come home from work and catching a ride on the running board of his truck. He would reach out an arm and hold you around the waist so you wouldn't fall off and sometimes there was a "treat" in his lunchbox. He would save a little something for us ~ like a peanut butter and cracker. It tasted like ambrosia because it came from his lunchbox.

If you saw him standing you would see a crooked little man with a crooked little walk but I see a straight, tall, strong man who could do anything ~ and he wasn't afraid of ANYTHING ~ even the wampus cat that lived in our woods. (family joke)

He enjoys visits from the grandchildren and great grandchildren. He may not be able to get out and throw a ball with Kim's boys but he likes to watch them. You can see pride on his face when they lead a song at church. He is looking forward to a visit from Jennifer and her girls in a couple of weeks. He and Mother welcome company because they don't get out much themselves anymore ~ just to church, the doctors offices, grocery shopping.

If you are in the neighborhood drop in on them.