My Dad

My Dad,

Today’s blog is dedicated to my dad. He passed away suddenly on March 18, 2001. I had just driven home with my daughter to visit him that past January and nothing was amiss. I have a picture of his gravestone.

I was always a daddy’s girl. I remember always pretending to be asleep on the couch so my dad would have to pick me up and carry me to bed. My mechanical aptitude I get from my dad. I use to “help” him fix cars. My dad loved to tinker with cars. He was a good mechanic. Trained in it, among other jobs he held in his life. I loved handing him tools out his toolbox. He also helped me build my first book shelf, with a hand saw, hammer and nails.

My dad loved to be outside. I think he spent more time outside than inside. He loved his garden and he loved the lake and the mountains. Weekends for our family were usually spent outdoors. My dad’s brothers’ and their kids would join us. We would either be at the lake, barbecuing, riding in our boat, exploring the woods, or we would be in the Smoky Mountains barbecuing, exploring the woods, or playing games. From early in the morning to late at night. I loved those weekends. I miss those weekends. I guess that’s why it’s natural for me to want to be outside on the weekends.

My dad also loved to travel. He would take the whole family on a road trip at a moment’s notice. My mom was the opposite and that was a source of friction. Because of my dad I have seen the entire east coast of America, Texas, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Canada, Mexico, and the entire South.

My dad was one of those people that would literally give you the shirt off of his back. I remember one of my dad’s friends coming to our house to borrow money to buy milk for his kids. My dad gave him all he had in his wallet, even though that meant he would not be eating lunch or dinner at work that day.

My personality is a reflection of my dad. I get my calm nature from him, as he would not let most things get to him. My sense of humor I get from my dad also. His favorite part of the newspaper was the comics. He is the one that got me hooked on reading comics. Iron Man, Superman. I think Batman and the Green Lantern were his favorites.

With my dad if I made a mistake it was not the end of the world. “Baby girl,” he would say, “what happened?” Or he would just move on, knowing I had beaten myself up internally enough.

My dad loved me more than anyone ever has, and understood me more than anyone ever has. I am thankful he was my dad, and for the person I am today because of his love.