Datsa my dode

That's my daughter. Datsa my dode is the way my grandmother Sbaraglia said, "That's my daughter." I grew up hearing that line many times. It was my father's mimic of my grandmother, because I never met my grandmother Sbaraglia.

But datsa my dode is a line I have had with me all these years. It's a statement of pride. When daddy was proud of something I did, he'd say, "Datsa my dode." Apparently, that's what my grandmother did as well.

Well, today, I was doing my weekly errands and passed one of my son-in-law's trucks (grammatically it should be son's-in-law, but that sounds terrible) for the veterinary clinic he runs -- and there on the side of the truck was a picture of my daughter watching one of the mobile clinic procedures. This as a form of advertising. And I thought, "Datsa my dode."

I understand there is a bill-board with that same picture up on I-75 (or is it I-71). Since I haven't traveled that way for over six months, I haven't actually seen the board, but if I did, you'd hear me shouting, "Datsa my dode."

Way to go, Cyndi. And thank you Shandon for putting your beautiful wife (and my beautiful daughter) in that picture.