Feeling footloose and toe-confident on Father’s Day

I slept in on Father’s Day. We had been hosting soccer coaches from England with the Soccer in the Streets program for two weeks. They were ‘lovely’ and it was a ‘brilliant’ fortnight but extended hosting can be exhausting. I feel like I never got over the jet lag. In a related note, I’m wondering how much longer British colloquialisms will be taking up residence in my brain. But a good sleep had me ‘wellsorted’ and Kristen made me eggs and toast which were well, lovely.

It’s a good deal. Dads get a day in mid-June, and my family generally adheres to the tradition. Some guys might want to spend the day fishing or hiking or golfing but a super busy start to summer had me thinking more along the lines of watching golf on TV.

Margo gifted me a “Best Dad Ever” beer koozy, which I planned to use while grilling that evening so really the only thing I was missing was a flawless set of toenails. At least that’s what the rest of my family had in mind for the day. I’ve never had a pedicure and I’m as ticklish as a 5-year-old in the giggle patch. Plus, I get a little weird about anyone touching my feet. It felt like an ambush.

My sister Eileen once recounted a trip to the salon where the woman massaged her lower legs and said to her “You’re skinny (pause) down here.” And my sister is a pretty small person so my impression was that pedicures entail undue ridicule and an awkward interaction with a stranger. Still, Kristen absolutely needs the occasional pedicure at Viet Traditional Nails in Decatur like I need dental floss after eating corn-on-the-cob so there must be something to it. Elliott’s birthday was that weekend too and he wanted a pair of Birkenstocks as a present. But before he could put his puppies on display, he really needed to address the puzzle at the end of his feet. Toenail grooming is not a top priority to 12-year-old boys. Elliott’s digits have the aesthetic of a caveman who kicks rocks to pass time. He was down for a pedicure, and I was mildly intrigued.

We had spent Memorial Day weekend at Lake Oconee and they still had a certain Georgia Red Clay hue to them. Ultimately, I relented and joined the outing. Margo opted for the full mani-pedi while I decided mine should be called the Manpedi – denoting a man bravely venturing into his first pedicure. Of course, a quick Google search shows that term already exists. Manpedi has its own Twitter handle and Instaeverythings so it seems I’m not very clever at all. I have so much to learn.

It started with a soothing foot bath while the massage chair went to work on my back. Not bad. Then the technician started to work around the cuticles and Kristen asked how I was doing. I hadn’t reflexively kicked anyone so I figured that was a good start. Only I must have thought that out loud. The woman looked up and asked, “Are you going to kick me?” I explained I was going to try very hard not to. She turned to her coworker and said something in Vietnamese and they both giggled. Good times.

But I have to say, it was quite pleasant. It didn’t hurt or tickle and the lower leg massage felt well, brilliant. I think next time I injure my calf muscle I may skip physical therapy and head straight to the nail salon.

Kristen and Elliott came home from Abbadabbas with a pair of Birkenstocks for me as well. I’m feeling pretty toe-confident now so I probably won’t even wear socks with them. Hope all you other dads found your happy place this Father’s Day.

Pet Pick

This 1-year old lab/pittie mix has it all: the looks, the cuteness, the goofiness, the energy, the cuddliness. Tallulah comes across as slightly shy in the beginning, but warms up very quickly, especially if a treat is part of the equation. She gets along well with other dogs, as long as they aren’t all over her. Tallulah seems to like everybody, including kids. We think she would be a great addition to an active family that will take her on more adventures. So, pack up the whole family and come meet sweet Tallulah!

Pets & Their People

INtown is looking for cute photos of you with your beloved pets: dogs, cats, birds, snakes, fish, chickens, etc. Send high resolution images (at least 1MB in size) to editor Collin Kelley by July 15 and you could appear in our August issue. Send photos to collin@atlantaintownpaper.com.