It has come to my attention that my dad makes too rare an appearance on this blog. So, even though it's a few days after Father's Day, I thought I'd go ahead and say something about my father, because I appreciate him all the days of the year.

[In the sunroom, taken October 2009.]

My dad is a hard-working, self-made man and I am so grateful for everything he has done for me and my family. He has believed in me from the start, and he has been a constant source of every kind of support to me, my brother, and my mom.

Dad, I love you. Thank you for everything you do. I love being your daughter.

In this house, there is always mate.

Most people drink it from a pretty little gourd, and we do, sometimes, but this little white cup with a rose on it is my favorite. It sits at the ready on our counter-top, sometimes still warm and full of tea from the morning, sometimes empty as it waits for tomorrow.

I can picture my mom as a child in Argentina, passing mate around with her Italian family; but now here we are--one olive skinned woman and one fair skinned--taking quick sips together in the morning before we leave the quiet house. 

I think about my father and the freckles and Irish names he passed down to my brother and me, and then I think more deeply about that white cup with a rosy exterior, filled with another culture. It makes sense to me.

After straining something in my arm on Wednesday, I took a little break from CrossFit and then ended up coming down with a little cold on Saturday, so I took the weekend even easier than usual. We spent a lot of time on the back deck in the morning with coffee, read books and fell asleep by the pool in the backyard, actually sat down to drink tea, and really only ventured downtown for 9:00 mass and breakfast afterward on Sunday.

I'm still not feeling that great, but my brother, mom, and I are headed to Charlottesville this morning so we can pack up a few things that are still in the apartment there. We'll make all the food and coffee stops that are necessary when one visits, and then we'll be back to Roanoke on Tuesday afternoon! Hopefully Dad and Rocky won't miss us too much.

It is so nice being home with my family. Now I just need Rob to come back!

How was your weekend? Who watched True Blood last night?

Happy Monday, friends.