Dad was insisting he hasn’t seen the grandkids in a long time.
This is an exaggeration, but I know he just misses them. When my kids were 1 and 2, I moved back home to live with my dad after a bad breakup. Dad insisted I stay as long as I needed to get back on my feet. What was meant to be a year turned into 3. Dad and his grandkids grew a close bond because he took over nanny duties while I was at work. In the third year, I got a new opportunity and had to move away, so he no longer spent all day with them. Last month, I decided to surprise him with the kids and went to visit. I also intended to check out the cooling system he’d been complaining about. It’s rare for my dad to ask for assistance regarding things around the house. He’s a retired contractor and knows his way around home repairs and upgrades. But, he draws the line at cooling systems and says it’s best to leave such work for the experts. I’m an HVAC expert by training, and this is why dad asked me to come by and take a look. The only issue was I never told him when we were coming. He was pleasantly surprised when the kids rang the bell and started calling his name. As they swam in the pool, I noted the cooling system was too worn out and opted to get another one for dad before we left. He was so happy with the new unit and kept calling to update me about it.