Dad Jokes

The Aussies talk about this a lot..... not sure if the English do, must find out.

Our dear old Dad is notorious for this in our family. So this article from a weekend paper sums it up.

"Now that we've all come down from the euphoric high of Christmas bonbon gags, you're probably wondering how we can enjoy that wonderful brand of humour year round.After all, why should such dazzling comedy be contained to one 15-minute frenzy of miniature yoyos and stylish paper crowns? Oh, don't worry, I hear and agree with you: it shouldn't. We should have access to hilarious puns, snappy wordplay and clever quips all the time.

Thankfully, there is a sector of society that gallantly carries this comic flame 365 days a year: dads. Celebrated for their wisdom, life experience and leaning the outdoor chairs against the table when rain threatens, the common father is also known for his ability to solicit great mirth from any crowd and situation using a powerful, ancient tool called 'dad jokes'.

Dad jokes, for those who are unfamiliar, are generally written off as lame, cringe-worthy and unfunny, yet others consider them to be absolutely intolerable. I personnally think they are tragically underrated.

Take a simple family dinner. "I'm hungry", you complain, seeing that the food is still ages away. "Hi, Hungry, I'm Martin," a fast-thinking dad might say, defusing the situation. Wonderful stuff! You pour gravy on your meat. "Fancy some lamb with your gravy?" asks Dad. Uproarious laughter! Dad drops a pea on the table as he serves himself. "Oh no...I've gone and pea-d on the table!" The room erupts again! You ask if you can please leave the table. "Sure...but can you leave it somewhere we can all find it at breakfast tomorrow?" And the family cracks up once more. What fun.

Dad jokes deserve more respect. These guys work tirelessly to make us laugh with their hilarious puns, classic jokes and perfect delivery, and all they receive by way of thanks are loud groans, eye rolls and the occasional tea towel to the head.

It saddens me that I'll never be a father and, therefore, enjoy the elevated status and popularity that comes with telling dad jokes. Oh, well. Guess I'll have to find amother kind of schtick. (Zzzzzing!)"

Zoe Foster Blake

January 2014

Life's Gems of Wisdom

Dad's birthday celebrations went really well thanks to a great team effort and my brother's family's hospitality.

Then Dad became ill and had to be hospitalized. I prolonged my stay in Australia and accompanied them back home to help them get on with downsizing their current home ready for a move into a more suitable place. How many of us are at that stage with their parents?? There have been a few articles in the Australian newspaper lately about these things and about accumulation of material things! Very timely.

However, what I enjoyed looking through was a little book of thoughts on being 80 that Mum gave to Dad. As we accompany our ageing rellies, we are also faced with our own perception of time, of wealth or modest means or even poverty. We have to revise our idea of what is normal and revise our idea of ourselves - where does my sense of identity come from? My social status, my work, my function as ...??? We are especially challenged about who would be there for us when our time comes: but it raises the question of dependency, independance, what all that means, and if it is one of our core values. Then I've been comparing these  themes with the Christian message.

In particular, I'm getting a lot out of a book called:

Here are some gems from that little book about turning 80:

"Memory is the place where our vanished days secretly gather, providing a beautiful shelter and continuity of identity."    John O'Donohue

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.            John Wooden

At the age of 80, everything reminds you of something else.               Lowell Thomas.

2014

Greetings to you all!

Taking this opportunity to wish you all a rich and rewarding New Year. We often feel part of a very uncertain world: some of us jump at the challenge of making our way and fulfilling our dreams. Others feel even more insecure and fragile. Yet others are bemused and sometimes paralyzed by the demands of our information society and the number of choices with which we are faced.

May this new year help us all to focus on the important and not just the urgent. And to accept our fragility as proof of our humanity - a grace and not a handicap. God accepted our human fragility when he came to live among us : he supports us in our fragility through the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit.

My year started with a bang! After an invigorating 2-week visit from my sister for Christmas, we flew back to Australia together to surprise our Dad for his 80th birthday. It's been a very special time and we are all grateful for the chance to be together once again. The only down side was that my husband and children couldn't be there.