Several months ago I posted my recollection of a heart breaking talk with my parents. Well, here is a followup from a last week. While some of the conversation seemed a bit tense/awkward at times, it was still good to have a normal conversation talking about everyday things. I miss my parents.
Last friday I emailed my Dad the following:
Hi Dad ,
I hope you and mom are doing well. I was wondering if we still have the telescope as I am getting back into enjoying stargazing (recently bought and am using 20x80 'giant' binoculars - great for deep sky, moon, and animal life). If we still have the telescope, and only if you aren't using it, would it be possible for me to pick it up, at home or meet you somewhere?
Thanks.
Love,
XXXXX.
He responded, but with bare bones correspondence, but did arrange for me to stop by to pick it up. So once I got there we did talk for just a bit. So in the same style as the above linked post, I'll recall the conversation:
Pulling up to the house, I noticed the telescope already outside on the driveway. I thought to myself, "Hmm... he didn't want me to come inside and probably will not talk to me. Okay, so I'll just pull to the telescope and take a look at it." I also looked inside the garage windows to see if they were home... and they were. So as I was considering what to do (just take the telescope without knocking on the door, or try to contact my parents), then he opens the garage and comes on out (mom staying inside).
Dad: "Ah, you already found it!" (The driveway wraps around a bit so it isn't all that obvious it was outside, especially depending on the direction one comes from)
Me: "Well, I came from the other direction and saw it out there driving up."
Dad: "Wow, that still looks like new." (Speaking about my 4 year old car).
Me: "Thanks Dad."
Dad: "And there isn't even a scratch on it!"
Me: "Well, there are a few. I also had to get new tires on it as the tread wore down on the originals."
Dad: "How many miles are on it?"
Me: "50,000."
Dad: "Still looks great."
[Us walking to telescope and fidling with it]
Me: "So how are you and mom doing?"
Dad: "We are doing okay. You?"
Me: "I'm doing well, Dad, Thanks."
[Then some silence as we disasemble some of the telescope and put it in my car, which didn't take long]
Dad: "You look good and like you lost some weight."
Me: "Yep, lost 25-30 pounds in the last year or so."
Dad: "That's impressive. How did you loose it?"
Me: "Well I started walking a lot."
Dad: "You lost that much weight from just walking?!"
Me: "Well... my friends and I at work go walking 2x a day for break, about 1.5 miles a day. Plus I walk another mile or so when I get home on average."
Dad: "Wow, that's still impressive."
Dad: [Walking back towards the garage] "Did I tell you we had to replace the transmision on the new car?"
Me: "New car?" [Then I noticed the car in the garage, which was the same color as before, was a slightly newer model]
Me: "What happened to the old one?"
Dad: "Well it got totaled, didn't we tell you?"
Me: "Maybe you did, but I don't remember. What happened."
Dad: "Back in [a few months back I think, don't quite remember when he said] someone rear-ended us while we had so-and-sos in the the car."
Me: "I hope everyone is okay."
Dad: "Yeah, we're okay, we were just sore for a few days afterwards."
Me: "That's good to hear everyone is okay."
Me: "By the way, your new car looks nice too."
Dad: "It was well taken car of. We used the issurance money to buy this one." [he opens the door]
Me: [I sit inside and comipliment his car again]
Dad: "Yeah the transmission went out but it was still under warrenty. Would have costs $X otherwise."
Me: "Well car's are expensive aren't they? I've told you I had to replace my engine under warrently too years back remember?"
Dad: "Yes, I know... Well I gotta go now." [Abruptly walking back to the door]
Me: "I love you guys!"
Dad: "Aww... we both love you son so very much!"
Me: "Good bye Dad"
Dad: "Bye."
I was planning on sending my dad and mom a hand written letter for a while just to update them on my life. But I decided instead to email him again that night instead. I'll write mom later. I sent him this:
Subject: Thanks for the Telescope and here's a nice pic from the moon :)
Hi Dad ,
Please feel free to share this email with mom, as there is something here that she would just adore (the last part about the ducklings for sure!). Anyway, attached is a picture of the moon through the telescope (on the camera on a cell phone). Same view I remember seeing as a kid when we were outside looking at the moon. What a view! You also asked me about how I lost 25-30 pounds. Walking 1.5-2.0 miles a day is part of it (for each mile you walk that is about 100 calories burned. I also walk up and down stairs at work 3x a day (that's up and down 234 steps every day). In the winter I walk on an elliptical machine at the clubhouse gym and still walk at work (we are determined). The other thing I do is try to eat healthier. I try to really up my vegetables, even eating vegan or vegetarian meals about 25-50% of the time. I've attached three dishes I like to cook (there's more but the risotto's are really high in carbs, so I left those out). You and Mom will like the summer vegetable soup I'm sure! Again, I'm glad to hear no one was hurt in the car accident. Regardless, that must have been upsetting and scary! I also got an update from [my brother], he's doing better right now. I'm happy to hear that as things sounded quite rough for him recently. A brief update about my life. [My ex-wife] and I officially divorced as of XXX. I want the best for her, for her to be happy, even if that means it cannot be with me. I do still care about her and love her, but it just could not work. Aside from work, I've been spending time taking some free online college classes at www.coursera.org and www.edx.org. Awesome that one can get this education free! These don't count towards a degree however, but that doesn't mean they are not valuable. What I learned has enabled me to volunteer part-time for the [local museum] at one of their research labs working along with a local scientist's research program. We are learning a lot from each other and he mentioned to me this week the following:
Thanks again XXXXX. This is all really great. I can see myself learning a lot about programming form you! I'm starting to see you as an author on some future papers too as these contributions are very valuable.
Attached is my copy of security card. I think this is really cool. :) I never thought I'd have a chance at being a scientist, but it looks like that soon will be a reality, if at least on a volunteer basis. Once last thing, I've had a few little friends that I've been taking care of and will introduce with the rest of their buddies at the lakes around my home when the time is right. These guys are so cute and double in size in about a week or two (little mallard ducklings). The pics are with my cell phone so the quality isn't great, but they sure are cute. Well, I love you guys very much. Your son, XXXXX 
