The best gift (OK, the only gift) that I gave my brother for Christmas was to grow a beard.
Purportedly, I grew it to amuse my wife, and to honor her family’s Thanksgiving-to-Christmas beard-growing tradition. I thought that this year, the first since Kathy’s father died, would be a good time for me to make my first-ever beard attempt.
Kathy was away for Thanksgiving, so I got an 8-day start, carefully nursing my sparse beard into life like an arctic explorer using his last match to ignite a fire. She laughed when she saw it, and so I’ve put off shaving it for some weeks, now.
But the big payoff was for my brother, who spent Christmas with us at the Refuge, as we celebrated my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Mark couldn’t seem to keep his hands off my scruffy face, probably overcome with jealousy and awe at my hirsute manliness (or perhaps manly hirsuteness?). He mocked and sneered, but everyone could tell that he wished he could have a beard just like mine.
As always, I bore his impertinence with quiet dignity.
Too bad, Mark. You’re stuck in the Army for another couple of years, where facial hair is not appreciated. Maybe next I’ll grow a ponytail.
Oh dear, this is not a very flattering picture, dear Tim. Laughed at least three times reading the post, though.
And I should add, it truly moved me that you would remember about my family’s silly beard growing tradition, Tim, and grow one in honor of my dad. Sniff sniff.
HA!!! This photo typifies Tim and Mark and the silliness that seems to surround them when they are together! Much fun! and glad that I cannot be included in this face rubbing…
Great photo! I was wondering what the Grizzly Adams look was all about. Now I am left pondering Tim with a David Caradine look…hmmm….or maybe Steven Seagal…hmmm yes I must ponder more…interesting concept for sure… =)
Oh my! That picture was truly hilarious!!
If you grow a pony … I will come out of hiding to pet it. I will also start a website called http://www.pettingmycousinsponyinperpetuity.org
You get extra points for spelling ‘perpetuity’ correctly, cousin-Ghost. Fun to hear from you.