Dad is at his home on the family farm, in a hospital bed, and cared for 24 hours a day—mainly by the pastors of the local church, supported by (I think) hospice caretakers. He is lucid, but declining, which is his wish based on other health considerations. The man has proved to be physically stronger than the doctors predicted, however. Our Wilcox clan comes from hearty stock.
My parents eloped to Canada at age 16. The eldest child, I was born just as mom turned 18. My parents always seemed young to me, because they were. Only as an adult did I understand how much and the ways we kind of grew up together.
In the Featured Image, captured by my uncle, Dad casts a fishing line; his father sits back-to in the boat. Grampy passed away in 1972; doing the math, the oldest dad could be in this photo is 30 and more likely Twentysomething. For perspective, I was 29 when wed to my wife. When dad was the same age, I was eleven.
Say, is that an open can of baked beans in the bow, with Grampy? Yum.
Photo Credit: Glenwood Wilcox