There are times, like today, that I really miss my dad. Or during the hockey season. Or when something needs to be fixed. I find I have started "channeling" him. Like giving one of the daughters a tickling pinch at the waist while making a weird noise. I remember as a kid, trying to see how close I could get to him and just staying out of waist pinch, weird noise range.
Now I find myself saying "Hank" words, such as pritnear (pretty near). Or one of his favorite phrases "Colder than a witches tit." Or trying to figure out which of his granddads was Peepaw and which one was Popoo. Popoo was how my kids referred to him. That great mystery solved - Peepaw was his grandfather Percival, grandfather Bowman was Popoo - I remember calling him when something needed fixing, replacing or installing (dishwasher, 1984, Redford township.) My dad loved being called on to fix things. And he loved telling us how to do things, because his way was the only way. I even remember him telling me how to get someplace in the town where I grew up.
My dad would occasionally tell stories of his childhood, and one time while on vacation with some of us, he told a story of a proper dinner party his parents held in Detroit. Then he cracked us up with the caveat: This was before my mother died. Okay, so it didn't take much to make us laugh. My dad was a real softy under a tough outer skin. He'd get that real strict look on his face at dinner time and in the next instant make us spit milk out through our noses.
Coming from a large family of one brother and 4 sisters, I swore I would marry an only child, which I did. I know he is still sometimes speechless when we all get together since we are a bit of a loud, rowdy family. Sometimes I'm not sure that he is just speechless or just can't get in a word edgewise!
I married a man like my dad. No my DH is in no way handy. He worked a desk job all those years with numbers and finance being his strong suits. But his family always came first like my dad. He is always happier at home, than away from home. He loves to travel like my dad, for which I am eternally grateful. He is a warm loving man and not afraid to show it, even if he sometimes presents a stern countenance.
To my DH! You are the best father to our kids, that a man can be. I'm so glad I gave you the chance!
Copyright 2010, ACK, for Generational
Daddy doesn't say 'Look at me!' when you're trying to look at a map to get directions, though :-)
ReplyDeleteI say 'colder than a witch's tit' all the time too. which some people probably find odd...