My excellent father Frank was born 59 years ago today. He knows how to tie knots, make furniture, and fly model airplanes; he can fix anything; he taught me to clean as I go; he has a catgorical knowledge of The Music Man, sailing ships, and how things work; he reads voraciously; he’s pretty damn tough; he taught me the meaning of the phrase, “That would be the easy way, but it wouldn’t be the cowboy way”; and he gave me my curly hair. So I think I’m pretty lucky to have a dad like him and I hope he has a happy birthday.