When I was a young girl about 7 or 8 we were on our way to see the 4th of July parade. Parking was always a nightmare and some roads get blocked off so they can have the parade on Main St here in Racine. It's kind of a crazy affair down there and I'm sure it didn't help matters much when you were two parents trying to watch out for an 8 year old a 6 year old and a 2 year old toddler. Somewhere in the mayhem of parking and everyone getting out of the car and lawn chairs getting taken out and blankets and all the other things little girls need with them my mom slammed my fingers in the car door.
And it was locked.
Imagine that scene if you will! Young girl screaming her head off, her sister crying right along side her in solidarity and two parents frantically trying to get the door unlocked. Needless to say we did not go to the parade. Instead my dad piled all of us back into the car and took us to a real old fashioned drug store with a wooden floor and I got a root beer float! My first ever root beer float I believe. And just like that no more tears
And so it began--that was the first time Al Lutze fed the hurt or the scared or the sad in one of his daughters and it would continue on for years.
When I was 8 or 9 we were camping in a pop up camper in the middle of the thunderstorm and my mom wasn't at the camp ground yet. She was a nurse and couldn't get off on Friday night so we went out there without her. OMG it was a nightmare! Thunder, lightning, the rain hitting hard on the roof and our poor dog Beauregard almost drown! Oh yes for real!! He was tangled around the camper leg and we kept hearing a bump coming from under the camper and dad figured out it was Beau hitting his head as we was trying to keep his head up. The rule of no dogs in the camper was broken that night when Beau was let in to find the safety and comfort of our young girl arms. All three of us were bawling--me, Lisa and Lynelle--and of course we were all crying for our mom who wasn't there LOL! Dad opened the camper cupboards took out the box of ho-ho's (that was meant to last the entire weekend) ripped off the top and said "here girls eat these!" and we did.
When I was 10 my mom had to go in to the hospital to get false teeth. She had to be admitted overnight because it was dental surgery and back then they didn't do the whole you're in and you're out in a hot minute. Dad was trying to explain to us what would happen because we were afraid for our mom--we were worried it would hurt. He told us they put her to sleep--well that is not the right thing to say to me for sure because I was positive she wouldn't wake up and then I would never see her again so BAM the waterworks start. And back then if Laurie was crying so was Lisa and so was Lynelle. Poor dad he went to the freezer took out the huge bucket o vanilla ice cream he bought by the gallon and just stuck 3 spoons in it and said "here girls eat this!" and we did.
Many times in my life food has been a great comfort and I can tell you this--it's never been celery. Give me mashed potatoes and gravy and macaroni and cheese and chicken n dumplings and tapioca pudding and cherry turnovers.
When Lisa died our entire family was present. We were all at her bedside watching her take her last breath and for me it was especially hard because I was so glad my sister--my beautiful sister--was no longer suffering. But she was also gone--my best friend for almost 45 years. We all felt a little lost. We spent days with her in the end, no one left the house, no one moved too far from her bedside, and now suddenly she was gone. Dad gathered the family together and said "I want everyone to go home, freshen up, change clothes, and we'll all meet at the diner in an hour". So there he was once again at the saddest, most difficult time in our lives trying to ease the pain with food.
We grew up laughing at these things and teasing him but really these are some of the most treasured moments I have of my dad. Despite the hardships I did suffer occasionally throughout my life my dad was there for me--my rock and many times my savior.
Today's mani is a celebration of all the wonderful memories I have of him
Thanks for letting me share my story with you tonight!
