New Christmas Traditions

Christmas has always been an important time of the year in my family. We had many traditions that are now impossible, due to my father's poor health. So now, we have new Christmas traditions that we celebrate at my father's nursing home.

Each year the nursing home has a dinner to which all family members are invited. For the last three years, they have had a guest musician, who plays the clarinet, Andrew Kendle, with Suncoast Jazz Legends. His knowledge of music is amazing to me. He takes requests from the residents, and he always knows the tune. Dad's favorite instrument has always been the clarinet , so as soon as he hears the music he perks up, and starts moving in time to the music.

My father was always the primary photographer in the family. This year I gave him the digital camera to see if he could still use a camera. He has Parkinson's Disease and has trouble moving his hands. Here is a comparison of my photograph of him, and his photograph of me. I think he did the better job in spite of his physical limitations

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