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Old 10-12-2013, 08:42 PM   #1
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Dad

Today is my dad's birthday (long gone). I spent most of the day reminiscing with family about him. That's the kind of stuff you do when you retire.

Wish a happy (and show some respect, please).

I should have added "share your stories", this isn't about me.
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Old 10-12-2013, 10:25 PM   #2
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You were lucky to have had such a father, and lucky to have others to reminisce about him with. We always toast DH's parents when he and his siblings get together a couple of times a year--that they are so close after six decades is a testament to their parents.
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Old 10-12-2013, 10:32 PM   #3
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This past Tuesday was my daddy's 81st birthday. I surprised him with a visit...he lives two states away. Normally he always knows when we're coming for a visit. Just had to bring some birthday cake and party favors don't ya know.

The love will continue forever...

Happy birthday to our dads.
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Old 10-12-2013, 10:55 PM   #4
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That's great (both of you). i'll post a couple of stories we talked about in the next day or two, but I like traveling two states over to see your dad. Mine jumped on a plane to go to the east coast to make sure I wouldn't kill myself with my behavior.

Happy Birthday, Papi bbbami!
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Old 10-13-2013, 05:00 AM   #5
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Nice memories, nice idea for the surprise visit! My dad died over 30 years ago but still think about him, mostly when I spend time in the workshop as I learned a lot from watching him.

A couple of years ago, I had a bit of a shock when I realized that I'm now older than my dad was when he died- I never thought of him as old so that's a good thing I guess.
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Old 10-13-2013, 06:37 AM   #6
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If my father were still alive he would be 114 this year. He was 48 when I was born.
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Old 10-13-2013, 08:34 AM   #7
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My DH made a surprise visit to my dad yesterday and had lunch with him and my stepmom.

DH's 30th high school reunion was this weekend in a town far from where we live. My dad happens to live in the same town. Due to work, at the last minute I was unable to go to the reunion with DH.

Yesterday afternoon I got a call from DH telling me he'd taken dad and stepmom to lunch and spent the afternoon with them. They're doing well and missed seeing me.

DH is such a great guy!
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Old 10-13-2013, 06:31 PM   #8
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I've got one for you.

My grandparents came from Europe post-WWI. They built a house in near-west Chicago and that's where my dad grew up. These were mainly what I think are called Georgian-style brick houses and are now set close together. When they built it, though, most of the area south was farmland and animals used to come around. One big black cat came and roamed around (but not in) the house. My dad thought he was the best.

He also got a little puppy who lived there. In that area, there are alleys in between the houses (I guess for city maintenance and trash pickup). That puppy somehow got into the alley and a big dog came and was going to mess with it. The black cat put it into high gear, jumped the fence, and landed on the big dog, claws out, and rode him down the alley.

My dad never forgot that and continued to love animals.
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Old 10-13-2013, 06:56 PM   #9
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These are great stories and I hope this thread grows and grows. My parents are both still on earth. My dad and I do not see eye-to-eye on much, but he is one heck of a human being.

As a youngster, I soooo wanted a playhouse. My dad, a rice and soybean farmer with cattle and quarter horses, and who worked all the time, never built one. He got the idea to move his "welding shed" to our back yard. Wish i could describe it. Probably about 100 square feet. It had corrugated metal for a roof---in a half circle. Who knows how many hours I spent in there. Loved my playhouse!!

Every Sunday, my brother and I would sit in Dad's lap as he read us the "funny papers".

Here is to all our dads. Thanks, Steelyman.
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Old 10-19-2013, 07:56 AM   #10
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My Dad passed away in 2003. There are a lot of good memories, like the days we went flying in a plane he rebuilt almost from scratch. It was a little single engine 4 seater job. I was probably 8 or 9 years old at the time. Got a couple of pictures of the plane hanging in my den today. And I remember the days he would drop me off at the golf course on to way to work. He caddied as a kid and loved the game, but couldn't play due to his rheumatoid arthritis. I think he got to play one time with me when he was having a good day. Unfortunately, the disease took it's toll on him. He was diagnosed with RA at the age of 25. I remember him always having swollen knees and having to go to the doctor to have the knees drained. A tough way to live, but he still stayed pretty active.

So good memories, but some sad ones too.
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Old 10-19-2013, 11:38 AM   #11
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My Dad would have been 108 this past July (I am 59) and I think of him in some way every day. He was an extrovert, "never met a stranger", and had a lot of funny witticisms, some of which I still use prefaced by "as my father used to say". A friend gave a pretty little diary a couple of years ago and encouraged me to start writing them down for my son, who never knew him.

He used to take me with him on his ambles around town to places like junk yards, ethnic markets that sold things like cow's heads and pig's feet and olives in barrels, to bars where I sat on the stool next to him and had a Shirley Temple (don't tell your mother!), and to visit his friends...some of whom were decidedly colorful characters.
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Old 10-19-2013, 12:21 PM   #12
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My father just turned 74 last Wednesday... We talked on the phone and will be getting together for dinner soon, my parents only lives a couple miles away....

But, I think he got the best birthday gift he could hope for... He shot a 73 on his 74th birthday. (regulation golf course, carrying his own clubs)
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Old 10-19-2013, 01:07 PM   #13
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Please, please enjoy your dads while you can. We had a lot of great times together and I miss him immensely.

The saving grace was that he passed quickly in his sleep while many with the disease he had (lung cancer) suffer for a long time. The tragedy was that since he was supposed to be home from the hospital in "a couple days" I hadn't rushed to see him and missed the opportunity.
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Old 10-19-2013, 02:33 PM   #14
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My father passed away 20 years ago next February. My DS returned from college for CDN Thanksgiving this past weekend. One thing that will forever stick in my mind is talking to DS as adult to adult about my father, whom he had never met. Everyone else had gone to bed and we just passed the time talking. I know that I am blessed to have positive memories, both old and new.
Cheers
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Old 10-19-2013, 04:07 PM   #15
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This is both about dad and granddad. It was the latter's birthday and we were all going to dinner. Dad had bought a nice Zippo lighter as a present and gave it to him.

Granddad was driving and we kids were in the back seat acting ridiculous as always. He lit a smoke, waved the Zippo in the air to extinguish the flame like a match, then threw it out the open car window.

We were hysterical. Dad just smiled.
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Old 10-19-2013, 04:42 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiliPepr View Post
He shot a 73 on his 74th birthday. (regulation golf course, carrying his own clubs)

May be time to hang up the clubs and go out on top. That's quite an accomplishment.
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Old 10-22-2013, 03:51 PM   #17
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My dad was a wonderful man. Generous, kind, a man of service to others.

He did have a few rough edges that my mom grew to accept - for the most part. A story about Harry Truman (which could be total here-say) would have fit my dad.

Supposedly, Harry Truman was talking about farming and explaining the role of manure on soil.

''You should tell the president to say fertilizer,'' a friend told Mrs. Truman.

And Mrs. Truman replied: ''You don't know how long it took me to get him to say manure.''

Happy (belated) 107th BD, dad. You are still loved and missed.
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Old 10-22-2013, 04:15 PM   #18
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I hope all those that still have their parents around will appreciate what a blessing they have. My Mother passed when I was 25 and my Dad when I was 28; I miss them every day.
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Old 10-22-2013, 05:58 PM   #19
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My parents are still here. Mother is 89 and father 93 and both are in pretty good health living independently in a nice retirement community. The one thing I will forever thank my father for is the lessons about money and living within your means. Also the super table word games and corny jokes I realize how fortunate I am to still have them both.
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Old 10-22-2013, 06:32 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WhoDaresWins View Post
He used to take me with him on his ambles around town to places like junk yards, ethnic markets that sold things like cow's heads and pig's feet and olives in barrels, to bars where I sat on the stool next to him and had a Shirley Temple (don't tell your mother!), and to visit his friends...some of whom were decidedly colorful characters.
+1 on the bars and pigs feet... Sportsman's Club... Shirley Temple and sour pickle and a nickel for the juke box.
He would have been 106, but passed away at 56. The old morality... I never heard him swear, tell a lie, or denigrate anyone... 'cept he used to call bad people "buggers", though I'm sure he had no idea of the meaning. A member of the Textile Workers' Union along with my mom. In those days, '40's and '50's, much of the social life revolved around the textile factory workers workplace. Plays, softball games, picnics, holiday parties etc. They also went to the "Bug Club"... short for the "Military Order of the Cooties".... private night club in Central Falls. I was the kid in A Christmas Story... Flagpole, Santa Claus, Flat tire, Furnace "clinker", BB gun and all... Except my dad didn't swear!

Thanks for a nice thread.
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