Happy Birthday Dad

Dads are sometimes hard to buy for. People like me who try and give super sentimental gifts are usually out of luck with these guys. We feel guilty if we cop out and get them what they really want, freedom!, or in other words a gift card to buy whatever they want at Wal-Mart, Sams Club, Sears, or anywhere else you can buy car batteries, hummas dip, and sweatpants in one location. We all met up in Brigham yesterday for his birthday and although he wasn't feeling super well I think through observing him I know what to get him next year. There has been one hobby he has maintained as long as I have been alive and I am sure it was there previous to my birth. He used to play raquetball, used to hike alot, used to camp and be involved with scouting, but as time progressed, hobbies change and those activities seem to be replaced by keeping up on exercise, traveling to see grandkids, church service, etc, etc. Although one hobby has clung on and I don't think it is going anywhere soon - Scaring the crap out of little kids. My little nephew Ethan crept around him on the porch the other day with a mischevious smile and Dad pretended like he didn't see him, then snapped and barked at him sending Ethan giggling with fright and Dad laughing to himself. Then a few minutes later, he was mulling about, probably a little bored and he grabbed the plastic sand filled owl we have to keep birds from the porch and naturally made his way over to my baby niece's high chair. That thing scares me! I watched him and remembered him behind doors, under staircases, and other dark corner locations waiting to jump out and either, A. bark, B. growl, or C. (my personal favorite) say "HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!!!". I remember being scared of his "noises" even when he wasn't trying. Once he took a nap on the couch in our old house in Germany and I passed through the dining room and didn't notice him there, a horrific snore ripped through the air like a grizzly bear was hibernating in the next room, dishes in the china cabinet rattled and for a second my legs moved frantically but I didn't go anywhere like on scooby doo, eventually scampering off to my room. The funny thing is, most of you are thinking. "sweet, he does it with love, thats cute," but if you saw and had seen what a kick he gets out of this, you would realize it is a straight up hobby, the guy cracks himself up every time. Soooo, next year I just have to find him some scary chewbacca mask or something and some of those claw hands or something. Maybe I could get him something to pop up in the yard via a remote so he could just sit inside and scare people as they walk by the house. Not sure yet, but we I am glad for the insight now. I love you Dad and hope to be as hard a worker as you are. Happy Birthday!