Happy First Father's Day with the Brewers and Bergquists

First Father's Days aren't unlike first Mother's Days in that they're brand spankin' new and all a guy can do is go about his business as he normally would and then just hope that every once in awhile he gets a beautiful reminder of what the day really means. Today I got about a million beautiful reminders that it was Father's Day.

We started the day with some hesitation about slipping down to the ballpark in Detroit like we had intended to. A quick email check reminded us that our friends, Kevin & Aimee were headed over to Comerica from Ann Arbor and we quickly re-evaluated. We shot down I-94 to the Brush Street exit and snuck into the ballpark in better time than most days when we have every intention of going.


June and Charlie Brown hunting for shade and a good view of Prince Fielder


Zedder has more fun at the ballpark than any 5 month old ever, I think

We caught the Brewers and Tigers with Justin Verlander pitching and the Bergquists somewhere in the crowd of 41,000. It turned out to be a beautiful day to be down at Comerica and we stumbled into Kevin, Aimee, Harmon and Simon with almost no effort. Zoey got to meet her eventual college crush and we got the chance to catch up a little with Kev and Aim while Harmon drank his popcorn (odd explanation that includes your average young boy's propensity for not caring what falls out of their mouths and into their beverages). We missed most of the game just sitting there on the concrete with the scoreboard in sight, but it was a beauty day anyway. It was SO cool to just casually chat with Kev and Aimee (we worked together in Sports Information at the University of Michigan) and it made Dad's day to just loosely yap with Kevin and watch June and Aimee get along as if they'd known each other for a dozen years. Zo and Simon connected just fine, aside from some Bergquist barf and some excessive Zoey exuberance, and now I can't wait to see them all again.


June and Zed with Aimee and Simon...little do those two little funsters know that they'll be dating in 18 or so years


...or wait, maybe they do know somethin's up?


Either way Zedder's damn happy about today's meeting


Maybe too happy...settin' herself up for a heartbreak

We snuck home in good time and tossed Dad's flame thrower at the charcoal to cook up steaks that were actually wrapped in butcher paper ( a reminder that we need to do that more often) and accompanied the grilled beast with some pee-stinking asparagus and some shrimp well drowned and drenched in butter. Dad got his hands around some Pump House Red and then a few glasses of a 2005 Cellier Du Dauphins Carte Noir and settled in to watch the Dodgers and Angels.


Brian loves himself some butcher paper and beers...Impressive transition from Tigers gear to Dodger blue don't you think?

I double dog dare you to ask me if I can think of a better day.

Mom and Zo gave me a card that made me cry...

Got to catch up with two people I quietly and from a distance adore...

Hung out with my smiling and giggling daughter who smiled and giggled all damn day...

Hugged and kissed my smiling, sun-freckled, girlfriend who just happens to also be my soft-lipped, brown and green eyed, beautiful wife...oh-so lucky me...

Kinda sorta saw JV pitch 7 3/4 innings of his 8th win...

Introduced Zoey to her eventual heartbreak kid (and that he is...Kev and Aimee have disgustingly beautiful kids)...

Ate and drank like I earn waaay more money than I actually do...

Played with a happy, healthy Zedder until long after her bedtime...

Life is pretty damn good. I could get struck by lightning tomorrow but it kinda feels like I already did today...I mean, if lightning strikes can make you the luckiest man alive.