Good riddance

Six years ago today I was the guest of honor at the world's worst going away party. It was the last day of summer programs at the recreation center and my last day of full-time employment before I became AtHomeDaddy. The Talker was 8 months old.

The college students that I supervised planned a going away party for me. I think it was supposed to start at 6 pm. The only problem was that I was going to finish my work at an off-site program across town before I came back to the office for the party.

So several of the co-eds baked a cake. They probably robbed the rec center 'fridge for some other snacks. All in all, it was a really nice gesture. But the timing didn't work out so well.

I got stuck at the off site program. Didn't leave there until sometime after 8. Then I hit a huge traffic jam. So the party had all but broken up by the time I arrived. A couple of stragglers were cleaning up. And the cake? I did get the last piece. And someone had snapped a picture of it, so technically, I saw it. Other snacks? I think they were gone.

The college students had gotten together to make a really cool gift for me. They pulled all of their favorite pictures from around the recreation center and the girls turned each into an iron-on transfer. All of the pictures and some of the center t-shirts that I had designed over the years went onto a super awesome quilt that everyone had helped assemble. It really was a cool idea.

The quilt wasn't totally done. So one of the college students was going to take it and have someone help her finish hemming a couple of loose edges. And that is the last time I ever saw my going away present. But I remember that it was super awesome. And I am sure it made me cry.

For several years I helped out once in a while at the recreation center. And the topic of the going away gift would come up sporadically. Somewhere along the way the blanket disappeared.

The college kids that worked for me have all graduated (some of them several times) and gone on to bigger and better things. The kids who came to my programs are all 6 years older now and most of them don't remember me. The blanket? Who knows.

But what I do know is this: The past 6 years have been rough in spots. Downright ugly at times. Sometimes interesting and hugely entertaining. Al things considered, it has been a good ride, thanks to The Boss Lady, The Talker and The Princess.

Yep, it's been a good 6 year start to my AtHomeDaddy career.

Late nights, traffic, lost blankets and all.