Monday, June 13, 2011

In Loving Memory.....

Today marks the 14th anniversary of my father's passing.

My dad was a very good man and if I could choose any father on the planet, I would still choose him.  He spent 9 years in the US Air Force where he trained as a medic.  He was a machinist and carpenter by trade and could fix anything from automobiles to a teenage daughter's broken heart.

I think of him every single day and I always wish that he would have lived to see my own life turn around.  I find myself at times thinking, if I knew then what I know now, I would have been much less of a screw up when I was young.  Then of course I snap out of it because truth be known, I probably would have done no different.

Ah, but the one thing that I do know is that no matter what, my dad loved me unconditionally.  He was an amazing person and I really cannot think of a single person that knew him that didn't have something nice or funny to say about him.

Dad was a prankster.  He enjoyed playing a practical joke, which some of them I will be telling in future posts, but this one, I want to focus on the loving and teaching side of him.

Being an only child until I was almost 8, I had the opportunity to pal around with dad all the time.  When he was doing carpentry, he would sometimes take me to the job site where I would haul lumber for him and explore the site, trying to imagine what it will look like when it was all finished.

He took me fishing quite a bit when I was a kid.  He taught me how to bait my own hook, how to cast, how to throw a cast net to catch bait, how to catch crabs and crayfish.  He taught me how to water ski.  Dad was a great water skier.  He could get up on one ski with a beer in his hand and a cigarette lit in his mouth.  The cig would stay lit!  Now that took real strength and talent!  To this day, when I'm on the water, I think of my dad and I can't help but to smile.

When I was 10 he bought me as a birthday present, my .22 rifle.  The first thing that dad taught me was how to safely handle it, how to take it apart and clean it and of course how to put it back together.  He taught me how to shoot at the very range where I go and shoot my Tokorev.  To this day, when I'm at the range, I feel close to dad.

When I was about 15 or 16, dad took me to the golf course to teach me to play golf.  That trip didn't go over so well because being a teenager, I knew everything, right?  I will say though that regardless of his frustration with me, he kept his cool and just being with dad that day was nice.  When I started working where the hubby works, I started playing golf.  Eventually mom gave me dad's clubs and I took lessons.  I shot with his clubs for a long time, now my hubby uses them when he plays.  As you must know the pattern by now, every time I'm on a golf course, dad is right there with me.

When I was 17 years old, I bought my first car.  We brought it home and the first thing that dad did was make me go into the house and put on something that I didn't mind getting greasy.  He taught me how to change my oil and how to change a tire.  Over time, he taught me how to replace a water pump, an alternator, brakes and various other repairs.  My hubby is a shade tree mechanic and I've been known to give him a hand from time to time when I need to.  Heck, I've even done my own brakes, changing out the caliper by myself.  The last thing that my father and I did together was my brakes.  That's another story that I will tell another time but let's just say that particular brake job led me to my husband.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't miss him and that I wish that he were still here.  There's so much in my life that I wish that he would have gotten to know and experience.  He would have loved my husband and my stepkids.  My two granddaughters he would have been over the moon for and I know that he would be so proud of what beautiful women my two daughters have grown up to be.  It makes me a little sad at times, but all in all, I know that it was just his time.  One door closes, others open.  It always works that way.

So without further ado, I leave you with two songs that remind me of my dad.  I hope you enjoy.





And then this tear jerker......



4 comments:

  1. Savor each memory. I'm sorry for your loss.

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  2. I am still fortunate to have my Father. I do savor each memory. Even now. I do not know how I will be able to give up the friend I talk to almost every day. God Bless you.

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  3. I lost my father over 18 years ago, and the pain of his loss has turned to wistful longing...but reading how other people remember, how other people grieve - brings tears to my eyes in grief every time. He is missed. I know how you feel.

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  4. He must have been a great man, because he raised a great daughter.

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