Sunday, Father's Day!

Part 2

Just like a bad penny, I am "back again!" You won't get rid of me easily, LOL.  Ah come on, I know you ya'all like me or are starting to, & I absolutely love ya'all!

I still haven't stopped washing clothes!  I am telliing you, I don't think there is a bottom to the baskets!  I actually love to wash, but I don't like to have an ironing build up & I will. I iron down in the basement & I can't stay down there and iron now, until it get decontimaninated. I run down to use the washer & dryer & race back up here. That place gives me the creeps since the flood.  I can't WAIT until the cleaning service that does decontamination work gets to our name on the list.   I had no idea; but we have heard it gets up into more than one thousand dollars!   When they get here, I will let you know if what it actually cost.  Don't know about you, but we don't have extra thousand dollars laying around. But, what can we do?

I would attach a picture of Gorgeous Jack , the grandson I have been braggng about, but we haven't downloaded the recent pictures of him  The old ones I have he looks like a baby yet in.  I only see him about every 2 1/2-3 months & he has changed dramatically every time.  He went from looking like a baby & crawling aroung to become a very tall slim toddler, who runs (never walks, LOL) around. Always with a smile on his face and like my own Dad, a twinkle in his eye.  He is precious beyond what words can say. When I hold him, I hug & hug him, and sometimes he squirms.  We waited 45 years to become Grandparents, most of our friends have Grandchlidren that are teens, some even in college. But Gorgeous Jack was worth waiting for! 

Today is Father's Day!  I have to pay a little tribute to my own Dad.  I can't believe it, but today I figured it out & my Daddy has been gone for 23 years.  Sometimes, it seems like only last week, but sometimes finally after many hard years, it seems like a LONG time ago.

My Dad was my Knight in Shinning Armour!  He was MyPrince Charming!  I was the baby in our family, I have one older sister.  I was born more  than 2 months early in a blizzard in Hinckley, MN.  I was born at the doctor's nurses home; because my Dad could not get Mom to the closest town that had a hospital.  I weighed 3 lb. They put me in a dresser drawer with warm jars all around me--that was my "incubator."  The doctor came shortly after the nurse phoned him and said he missed the big event.  He gave me 2 drops of whiskey, slapped me on the bottom & told my parents I would be fine.  I was & I am!  The only hard part was after I was born, for months my Mom had to feed me every 2 hours.  My sister  went everywhere with Daddy, until she went to school (she is 5+ years older than me).  But make no mistake I knew I was the baby, and I loved it!  My Dad always called me, Jo Baby.  (My middle name is Joann after his Mother). I could do almost no wrong in my Dad's  eyes, and he was my very best friend for the first 37 years of my life. At this point my parents moved to Florida, and we left Davenport, the Quad Cities and moved to Mason City, IA.  Dave's office transferred him here. But he could have chosen to go elsewhere; I had to talk sweet, to get him to Mason City--it was as close to MN as I could get him!!  (Mason City is about 20 min. tops to the Minnesota border!)   My Daddy was a  a caring, kind, compassionate, & gentle father to both my sister & I.  But for me, there was no one single person I would rather be with throughout  all my life than my Dad.  I had more fun with him than even my closest friends; and I have always made friends easily.  So, today, on Father's Day,  I am remembering all that my Dad did for me.  It makes we cry, but it would even make a stranger cry if they knew the dynamics of our special relationship. My Dad's only flaw was that he could never say no, and also, he could not discipline me or my sister.  Poor Mom had to do all that (in later years she told me she hated that, but "Someone had to inforce some rules on you two girls"). Daddy, I know you are looking down on me from Heaven above, and since Mom died 7 years ago, I know you aren't lonely anymore.  I miss you still, not every day like I did the first few years, but when I do, it is a deep loss.  Life without you, Daddy has never been quite the same.  But in his own way, Dave has become my Prince Charming and even my Knight in Shinning Armour. My parents always loved Dave, so, Daddy, I know would understand my feelings of transferance, and approve of it. When I picked Dave, I picked the guy that was the most like my Dad in every way that mattered to me!  Of all that I have done, I know you loved having Tim for a grandson more than any other single thing, I did.  But I also know you would be very proud of me. You taught me the love of reading and books, you instilled in me a deep quest for knowledge and while you were still alive (you were 71) at the age of 39, I presented you with my first College degree. I'll never forget the smile on your face.  Ten years later I was back in school on that quest for knowledge in a different field.  I know you weren't here anymore, but I also know you saw me graduate from Heaven.  Daddy, I love you just as much today as ever & I hope I have made you proud.  I know that you gave me another great gift.  You always had a way with people and you had many, many friends. Everyone who knew you, liked you.  I don't think I can match you there, but I do know I love meeting people, and I love my friends.  You, Dad taught me that a friend was one of life's other biggest gifts.  Here's to you, Daddy.  Hug Mom for me & hold hands, I hope it'll be a while before I join you! I am having too much fun, to leave this earth, so I hope God gives me a few more years here. I love you, Daddy!  Jo Baby

I have to go cry a little now, (but only a little, because I know you wouldn't want me to be sad!  So, I will leave you (finally, LOL). Then I'm going to watch TV with my dear husband, Dave!

See you all later,

Merry

PS Remember hold hands, look both ways and cross streets carefully. (This is something my sister use to say to me.) I guess Father's Day reminds us of all family.  Sooooooooo, I must add, I love you, Bev.  No matter what you will always be my big sister!