What a poignant story! It's nice you have those happy memories. The pictures are so lovely! I have found that food is such a strong memory of childhood. Excellent family dishes that were part of some tradition take on legend status. Thanksgiving at my grandparents' house in the central valley of California is legend for me. It is still my favorite holiday because of those memories, especially the food, and I can't exactly duplicate the spread no matter how I try. Thanks for posting this, it was a fun read. Blessings on you, and a toast to your dad.