(Psst! Contest 2 is underway! See the new Contest Question in the post below for another chance to win a free, autographed copy of THE LOST HEIR.) And now, back to our regular programming...

Hiya! Hope this finds you in fine fettle, as our friends across the Pond say. I am sure you young'uns enjoyed your first full week of GLORIOUS FREEDOM. (Do I sound jealous? Cuz I am.) 

This weekend is Father's Day, a chance to thank our dads for all they do for us and for all the humor they (often unwittingly) add to our lives. My Dad (G speaking) has always been a jokester. My Mom has a bird phobia and it was all she could do to get herself to cook our Thanksgiving turkey each year because it meant handling a whole dead bird. 

My Dad couldn't resist messing with her on this, of course. When her back was turned to go get the stuffing, he would grab the poor plucked carcass and put his hand in it like a puppet and run around her, making it "fly" around the kitchen while making loud turkey gobbling noises. My mom would run out of the kitchen screaming, and hilarity ensued. My Mom much preferred for him to stay out of trouble and go watch the Steelers game, but nooooo, not my slightly-demented (in a good way) Dad.
 
E's got a Dad story below, but first, take our fun Father's Day poll!     

Despite many health challenges, he just keeps trucking along and doing
remarkably well. You'd never know by looking at him how many death-defying things he's had to face. Now, if you were driving behind him putt-putting down the road, you'd realize you were driving behind an old fart, but other than that, my Dad's is still quite spry. He kicks my butt at golf and Scrabble every time. (He plays mean.) But my Dad has got nine lives.

Father's Day is kind of sad for him, though, because his Dad died when he was 12. Seeing all that he's been through makes me appreciate having him around. 

G: My favorite story about your dad, E, (my father-in-law) is when he dressed up as a giant blue M + M for Halloween and took his lil granddaughter trick or treating around the neighborhood.

E: Yeah, and we got the pictures if we ever need 'em for blackmail.

G: Ha, ha. I thought it was cute!!!

E: Yeah, but an M + M??

G: Aw, leave him alone. lol. Dads do goofy things, that's why they're dads, and I guess when they're grand-dads they get even goofier. *grin*

E: What about you guys? Got any good dad stories?

G: Or what's the best thing about your dad? We wanna know!

Congrats to Sandy from Ontario, winner of Contest 1! Her email was randomly drawn from all correct answers to the first contest question.

If Jake gets caught by Constable
Flanagan with the mincemeat  pie that he stole from Harris the Pieman, what's the name of the infamous prison where he will be sent?

Many of you guessed it!
Newgate Prison.

Whoa, look at that old place. I wouldn't want to end up there. But I have feeling Jake just might...

By the way, if you were wondering what the heck a mincemeat pie is, anyway originally it meant simply a potpie with ground beef inside of it, you know, like the crumbly meat on a taco (though not with those spices, of course). They used to blend it with fruit like apples and raisins and various spices. At some point, they took the meat out and nowadays the mincemeat you can buy in jars in specialty shops no longer contains any - it's just the fruity bits. But I digress.

Fear not if you did not win this time. We are back with a new chapter and a second chance to win. Here is your Contest Question for Contest 2. You'll have to read Chapter 2: A Family Resemblance if you want another shot at winning a free, autographed copy of the paperback LOST HEIR. Ready?

How did the old beggar ghost in the alley die?
 
Send in your answer as before. (No repeat winners.) Contest 2 closes on June 22, next Friday. Good luck!