Friday, September 21, 2012

Papa's Birthday Made the Headlines! Black and White and Read All Over

 For as long as I can remember, my dad has loved to read newspapers. I mean LOVED it. The man will read all once a month, once a week, quarterly, or daily publications he can get his hands on. 
A lot of people can picture their dads in a recliner with a remote--well, I can picture that, too--but more prominent than that image is my dad sitting in a recliner with piles of newspapers around him. Even that newspaper smell of paper and ink reminds me of him.
imitating Papa

Our son is in the learning-to-tell-a-joke phase. Many (okay, most) of his original ones don't make sense and we try teach him some old standards. One came to mind and I had the perfect theme for my dad's birthday dinner:

What's black and white and read all over?
A newspaper! 
(insert wild four-year-old giggles here)

hunted red, black, and white tableware and used shredded newspaper to decorate. Instead of tissue paper poms, I made them out of newspaper.
 And since Papa likes newspapers so much, I invited a couple of famous newspaper journalists to the party.
Papa with his Lois Lane and Clark Kent

We had a "super" time.


  1. Okay, in that last photo, A and M look almost the same size!!!

    1. Yep. She's stretched out and he's curled up. Trust me. She hasn't grown that much!

  2. Ah, yes. I remember that joke-telling stage.
    Kristin (about 4, talking to Bill): Why did the chicken cross the road?
    Bill (after a few seconds pause): I don't know. Why?
    Kristin: To get to Mexico!
    Bill: silence, confused frown on his face
    Kristin: Ha! Gotcha, didn't I?
    Bill (slowly, still confused): Yeah, you got me, alright.

    1. That's pretty cute.

      He has one really funny joke he learned about a duck. I asked him if I could record him telling it. Five videos and a little sister who looked at the camera with a look of "what were you thinking?" later...and he still didn't tell the joke I wanted. I'm sure I'll the think the others are hilarious later.


  3. Hold onto that Newspaper photo- it is priceless! I will start digging out some of my knock knock jokes to share- got a million of them!