As his time on this earth nears its end, I would like to make a tribute to my Dad, all the things he has helped me with lately. Meaning, apart from attentively raising me and teaching me everything I know. He has been our go-to handyman and construction guru, and he was always willing to help, he may have even enjoyed it.
He risked his job when we asked if he and mom would like to drive one of our cars back from CT. It was the end of the school year, but he didn't even hesitate to say yes. I didn't even get to come on that trip, but I bet it was memorable.
He risked his job when we asked if he and mom would like to drive one of our cars back from CT. It was the end of the school year, but he didn't even hesitate to say yes. I didn't even get to come on that trip, but I bet it was memorable.
He was our 1-man moving crew as we moved out of our first home. He and Ben filled the truck themselves. While he didn't help us move into our current home, it was only because he and mom had taken our kids to the family reunion so that we could get moved in without them underfoot.
Last spring he helped me plant 28 trees to start my new "orchard." He was pretty excited about this one. He also installed a sprinkling system when I was out of town.
We borrowed a tractor to move some railroad ties around in the orchard. I think he enjoyed it quite a bit, this was a very similar tractor to those he had once owned.
2 summers ago he and Jan spent a month building me a new deck.
This was the last of about 10 trees that he cut down for me at this house and our first house. He liked an excuse to whip out his chain saw.
He built us this sandbox in our backyard, he was so patient and encouraging to let the girls help out.
One warm February I asked him to come build a new floor for our playhouse. He and Thad worked all morning installing a floor in a playhouse.
When I had a truckload of gravel delivered, he bought me a wheelbarrow for an early birthday present, then helped me spread it out on the side of the road.
He helped Beetle and Russell build this pergola in our backyard while Ben and I sat on a beach on vacation.
Above all else, the best thing he did was love us and love our kids unconditionally. They may not remember him much, but I will miss him every stinkin' day.
2 comments:
What a wonderful tribute. Your dad is great
He is/was a great builder and willing to help anytime. I love his calm, "chipping away at it" attitude of getting jobs done. Consistently working, but not to the point of exhaustion and dehydration. I'm going to miss him terribly too.
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