How's The Weather and Other Ways To Say I Love You

There are many ways to say I love you. Some people say it with roses. Some with candy. The most common way is just to say it "I love You" Then there is the way my dad has said it for as long as I can remember.
"How's the weather?"

Our phone conversations through the years have always been the same.
"Hi, It's good to hear from you.
How's the weather?"

I come to realize that what he's really saying in
"Hi, It's good to hear from you.
I love you."

Words that have been hard for my dad to form with his lips, have been spoken in other ways. I don't know if its because of his generation, or his upbringing. I don't remember him saying I love you to anyone much, until old age set in, and his alzheimer's stripped him of the reason why he won't say it. He says it now, "I love you a big bunch." My dad has always like bunches....bunches of tools, bunches of buddys to hang out with at the bars, bunches of orchids, bunches of kids he had.

I like how's the weather? It covers all of lifes journey.
How's the weather? How's your life...how are the kids...how is your health... It's much easier to talk about the weather and its storms than what is really happening.

In years past, I've always filled him in on the tornadoes of Texas and how close they were to where I lived. Hurricanes are harder to describe to him now. His memory is failing and he doesn't have the words to ask about hurricanes. I showed him a picture of the hurricanes covering the state of Florida, where I now live. In years past, we would have talked on and on about how could three hurricanes hit in one month. He didn't remember I moved there.

He has for years told me, when the weather gets better he'd come for a visit. Maybe he knows of some turmoil either side of the airport. Maybe he is waiting for life to clear up a bit, so he can come in for a smooth landing.

Sometimes when I call him, I beat him to the punch, and I'd ask him how's the weather on his end. I don't do it anymore, It changes the rhythm of our conversation. It takes away the chance for him to reach out to me.

He hardly knows my name anymore. I'm the nice lady that lives across the country. but so far, he continues to ask about the weather....and everytime he does..I smile. How's the weather? Fine Dad...just fine.