What We Learned from our Dad's

[Ozark Tracker]

Been thinking today about all the things my Dad tried to instill in me and how much of it maybe I retained,

Hard work never hurt you,   I guess I musta got it from him, we sure did a lot of long hours back then and I still find mayself working to get it done when it needs doing.

Be honest no matter what,  that was one of his biggies

several things I remember,  he's been gone for 32 years last Feb, but I can still hear him telling me a few bits of advice 

have y'all got a few memories?

[Forty Rod]

Sassing Mom is painful.  "You can say whatever you like to your mother, but don't you EVER talk like that to my wife."

[Texas Lawdog]

My dad always worked hard while I was growing up. He hekped me buy my first car and taught me how to repair it. I got tobe a pretty fair mechanic growing up. I will always thank for that. Teaching me about hunting and fishing. Being the Best Man at my wedding. Being at my initiation into the Masonic Lodge. He loved horses and dogs and past that on to me. He passed away in 1978 and I miss him every day. OUr birthdays were only 4 days apart, so we always celebrated them together.

[Advertising]

[Arcey]

Things I remember the most.  When I was little he came home for lunch in that Red company pick up. Before he went back to the shop he’d ride me around the block. His days off were Sunday ‘n Monday. Monday mornin’ he ‘n I would go visitin’ his ole racin’ friends. Buy me a Coke ‘n a bag of Lance peanuts. It was always a gas station or someone’s shop or junk yard. Didn’t think I’d ever lose the nickname of ‘L’il Roy’. Had folks callin’ me that well into my thirties. They’ve about died out now. Wish I’d have known some of them better.

He worked hard. Many a Sunday he ‘n I’d be out in that tiny garage freezin’ ta death with a little kero heater goin’ workin’ on someone’s car. Old fashioned fender covers. Never work on a man’s car without fender covers. He really had a good business goin’ when the Y-Blocks started needin’ rocker arm oiler kits. Installin’ those things was the first hands on he ever let me do.

Taught me to cut grass. Then he went around the neighborhood ‘n lined up jobs. Went to the bank with me to open a savings account. Looked at my pass book to make sure I was puttin’ it away. Used ta tick me off. But the first time the ole gal added interest my eyes bugged out ‘n I ran home yellin’ for everyone to look at my interest! He let me keep some for movies ‘n such. These days I watch my investments closely. His doin’.

Wanted me to have the education he didn’t have. Didn’t settle well when I dropped outtah college the first time. He hated me bein’ a cop. He just slam didn’t like cops. Never told me my step-grand daddy was a cop. I think some of that changed when he attended K-9 graduation. We worked the dogs while family sat in the classroom watchin’. I was sooooo glad when it went without a hitch. We put the dogs up ‘n came in I could see the pride wellin’ up in him.

He wanted me to dress nice, work in an office ‘n be important. I did ‘n I was but I don’t think runnin’ squads in the Bureau or bein’ the XO of Internal Affairs was quite what he had in mind.

Went back school. We had our rough spots. I hope I made ‘im proud. He lived long enough to hold both my daughters. Died January 1, 1990. Gave a new meanin’ to New Year’s day.

To this day I believe I could put an oiler kit onna ’57 Ford – without instructions - with fender covers.

Sorry ta run off at the mouth, boys.

[litl rooster]

good stuff here...looks like we all have similuar raisings

[Texas Lawdog]

I think my dad and Arcey's dad would have liked each other. Both of them were mechanics and shared a love for FORDS!

[Arcey]

Them ole boys loved their flatheads. With a precious few exceptions, the neighborhood looked like a Ford, Lincoln/Mercury, Edsel used car lot.

Remember him buyin’ two Chevrolets. Both ‘63s. A black Impala SS with a red gut ‘n a four speed. In my eyes one of the most beautiful cars I ever did see but he’d out grown it before he bought it. Dumped it ‘n got an Impala gold on gold 283, auto. Bland ‘n borin’. Then he bought the ‘Bird. The one that’s in my barn right now.

Sumthin’ I forgot last night. Thanks, Pop. Love ya.

[Texas Lawdog]

My first car was a 56 Chevy Bel Air 2dr Ht and he didn't say anything about it not being a Ford. I had a couple more Chevys. My first fancy car was a 60 T-Bird.  I found it the want-ads of the Fort Worth paper. He drove me down here on a Friday night after work(trip was about 390 miles to here).  We picked it up Sat morning and drove home Sat. night. I was the only kid in HS that had a T-Bird. The asst Principal had a 61 model. He did so much for me that I could never repay. We got to be closer after I became an officer and we even got to work on some burglaries together. I envy you with the T-bird.

[Leo Tanner]

Glad I found this. A day late an a dollar short as usual, but I'll say my bit.
     
     Dad was a hardass.  Sergeant in the Marines over in Guam.  Went from that to a college football coach at UC Davis.  Linebackers was his specialty.  His idol was Vince Lombardi, my middle name came from him.  There were times I hated the man, but now I see how well he did his job. 
     We're like best friends now.  I got him into single action shooting recently, an he calls me everytime he comes back from the range.  When my Mother got sick, the insurance company said they'd pay for a home nurse.  Dad said no, he'd do it himself.  I went down to visit and watched him change IV's and colostomies.  He was better than any home nurse could have ever been.  That was his wife, and damnit, he was gonna take care of her.  We'd set out on his back porch every evening and have a beer and just talk about old stories, and some I'd never heard before.
     He's a great man and I understand and thank him now.  I hope he'll live to be 112 years old.


Leo

[Arcey]

LOL!!!! I can imagine werkin’ a breakin with mine. He’d drop by, sit in the drive ‘n blow the horn ‘til I came out then he’d roll the window down. ‘Where’s that gaw-damned dog?’

Had a ’55. Got my license but he wouldn’t let me drive it to school. Come home one day ‘n he was waitin’ on me. Both us got in the car ‘n he tells me to drive to Tommy’s place. Tommy’s was in Kill Devil Hills, NC. Got there ‘n he says ‘go back home’. Back home he tells me I can drive it to school. Three ‘n a half hours? We did do a lot of talkin’.

Reckon they did good. Can’t pay mine back either. Told Ali, she’ll be 28 tomorrow, she pays me by the way she raises hers.

Wife’ll assemble with what’s left of the ‘City Hall Gang’ Thursday for dinner. One of ‘em has a son Ali’s age in jail. Another has kids, adults, with psychological problems big time. I blame her husband, a flamin’ liberal. The other has one of the most beautiful daughters, grown, ya ever did see. She’s suffered crohn's disease since childhood. No upbringin’ could help that.

I’m grateful. Ours are healthy ‘n well grounded even if the younger one is more than a bit hard headed. Geezzzzz I can bring out the old man’s temper in that kid talkin’ taxation. Hehehehehehe – she’ll get boilin’ mad.

Reckon that’s in part because of  the way we were raised. Much of that has to be credited to the fathers.

[Leo Tanner]

OK, ya got me thinkin...

     Dad out in the garage makin things outta wood.  My sister's birthday was comin and he carved her a submarine.  Wander if she still has it, it sat on her dresser the whole time we grew up.  He even painted it the right shade of grey.  I was into fire fighters an he made me a plane, I held on to that forever, wish I hadn't lost track of it.  It was painted red and had "51" on the wing from my favorite show, "Emergency".
     Haven't thought of this stuff in years...  Thanks


Leo     

[Tricky Trina]

Well, I was about nine years old when my dad fell off of a telephone pole working for Ma Bell.  I remember times were tough - Mom started working cause money was tight.  I think we were on assistance for a short while.  He didn't like that.  I remember my dad working two jobs as quickly as he could after his back surgery- the one with Ma Bell and one at a gas station at night.  I used to like going to the gas station with him.  The good ol' boys that worked there were really nice to me and my brother.  I remember him doing everything he could for anyone.  He instilled good work ethics in me - we never really talked about it, but it was a learned lesson.  He encouraged me to go into the Navy when I was a junior in high school and showed an interest - I think I instinctively knew he thought I should get out of that one horse town, though he never said a word about it.  The day I left, mom said he went into the woods and didn't come back all day.  She could see he had been crying.  Everytime I came home, I heard all about how he bragged to his friends about his little girl and how proud he was of me.  He's retired from Ma Bell now and has served our hometown in many ways - councilman, town supervisor, zoning board and some other town official titles.  Today, he's still on the town council and has adopted an older lady that has no one to care for her.  I know I have always been daddy's little girl - always will be.  In my eyes, he's my Daddy - and I love him with all my heart.  I think I'll give him a call and tell him how much I love him...........

[Ozark Tracker]

My Dad didn't do any wood work, no working on the cars, he had been to a John Deere Mechanic school in Moline Ill. back when he was younger, he farmed that was his thing, he always worked at it and it had to be just so so to please him    two other things he did,  he could catch fish when nobody else was and he loved to hunt Bobwhite Quail, every bird day he would be out there hunting if he wasn't farming.
I've walked many a mile hunting with him, he got me a single shot 20 gauge when I was 8 to hunt with him,   I've got his bird gun a  Belgium Browning Sweet 16 with the gold trigger,  that shotgun put many a meal on the table.

[Arcey]

Yer l’il girls are sumthin’ special, cuz Trina. Bet he was upset when ya left.

Andi sez she’s movin’ out next month. She needs to to finish growin’ up. It’ll hurt ‘n it might kill ‘er Momma. But it’s necessary.

[Tricky Trina]

Maybe, but knowin' she's got such wonnerful, lovin' parents at home helps when things get tough. 

[Silver Creek Slim]

Lernt carpentry, woodworking, wiring, cutting firewood, hunting, and fishing from my Dad.

Slim

[Major 2]

Integrity , honesty , my craft ( He was also in Film /stage work )
love for seafood....and fishing for same... Boat handling and seamanship....
respect, loyalty... patriotism , VERY conservative politically.


Dad would have been 104 on this last June 8th... gone some 22 years,  but not from my thoughts...
He lived through and saw a lot in his time 1904-1986 !
Happy Birthday again DAD 

[Russ T Chambers]

Must be a Wisconsin trait Slim!  My Dad and his Dad built the house in Racine I grew up in, and helped my Aunt and Uncle build their house across the street.  Then he and my Mom’s Dad built a cottage on Okauchee Lake. 
I wasn’t old enough for the building, but was taught everything I need for a lot of remodeling done on all of them.