06/21/07 Thirteen Things about My Dad
1. Dad outlived all his brother and sisters, his entire family, by many years. He lived until his mid-eighties.
2. Married late in life, was nearly 40 when I was born, very old school values as well.
3. Avid golfer, but played only on weekends due to work.
4. Dad taught my brother and I to play golf. The way the course was laid out, the four of us would go over there late one afternoon, play the 10th and 11th holes and cut over and play the 17th and 18th. Had I lived in a cooler climate, I may have liked golf as much as they did, but in the FL heat, forget it!
5. He and Mom were insane at least once every summer: play 27 or 36 holes of golf and come home sick. . . just because they didn't get to play that often or something.
6. The only other thing he did outside of the home was take us to the beach occasionally and buy us snow cones.
7. Oh, and he and Mom did come to the pool some, they had family night on Wednesday nights at the country club with some entertainment. Everyone brought their own food to grill. We always had hot dogs and hamburgers and yummy baked beans in the leftover buns. It was fun because they put the lights on in the pool and sometimes the air was actually cool. Who would have thought?
8. Hated going to movies - refused to go.
9. When we still had money and a car, Dad used to love to just throw us all in the car in the cooler evenings and drive around the less developed neighborhoods where we eventually moved with all the uncleared land and winding roads. It was our entertainment. (Writing this I JUST realized that is probably why I love the cool air blowing at night.)
10. When he lost his job and our financial circumstances changed, the four of us used to sit on their bed and play cards, at night: slap jack or rummy, sometimes just double solitaire games. We were too poor to go anywhere by then and cable was not dreamed of yet(?)
11. Daddy was reserved around people he did not know, but at work at a hotel, he seemed to get along quite well with his boss, the employees, and the guests.
12. He adamantly refused to let me get my ears pierced until I was 21, but one day long before that, I stopped to see him on my way to work, he took me to the jeweler's a few doors down with another excuse I fell for, then surprised me and paid to get my ears pierced. Never had known him to change his mind about anything that way before that. Up until that point it always seemed like Dad's way or the highway.
13. He adored his two grandsons. Since we lived near, he used to take our son to school occasionally via McDonald's until we had to stop him from driving. But for the most part he reverted to old patterns and Mom was in charge when our son was down there (meaning only the third house from us until our son was around 16).
And. . .His favorite meal was stewed tomatoes, cabbage, turnip greens with that vinegar or whatever that was in a jar with peppers, rice, ham, and cornbread. Can you say, Southern, South Carolina born and bred? He also loved potato salad and grits and his sister's artichoke relish! She used to mail it to Florida from the hills of South Carolina.
Read more about my dad here: Embracing Responsibility
and here: Unplanned Poetry - My Dad 1910-1996
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9 comments:
He sounds like a wonderful person. I love reading TTs like this, you really get a feel for the writer. Thank you!
Oh how wonderful those memories you have with your Dad. Lovely...
I just had to drop in when I saw the title of your Thursday Thirteen. I too have done a TT about my dad. I really enjoyed reading about yours, I can relate to 12 my dad also ruled with firmness although very fairly.
My Dad was 45 when I was born, and he too was an avid golfer. He taught my sis, and I to play as well, she's quite good, and I suck at it. My Dad passed in 1999. I enjoyed reading your TT, and thank you for stopping by!
awesome memories and a really beautiful post :)
What a neat guy he must have been, Marcia! Wow!
Marcia,
That was great! But I want more....you can't leave me hanging there! He loved potato salad and grits...? and then what happened?
I agree with number 8 - Cannot stand going to movies. I must rent them and watch them at home.
I love stories about family.
Your father sounds old-fashioned but kind. A quiet man with enormous personal strength. You were very lucky. What a great idea for a TT.
Your Daddy sounds like my Daddy in some ways. He sounds like a man who perhaps said what he had to say. My daddy did that, too, but he was never reserved about it. I've liked getting to "know" your daddy! Thank you. I'm sending good thoughts to you. I know it's hard thinking about them on "anniversaries."
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