Wednesday, October 6, 2010

77

My dad.
He was easy.  He loved very few things in life but what he loved, he truly loved.  He was a farmer.  He grew up with two brother and two sisters on a family farm.  When he married my mom, rather late in life (28!) he was able to purchase one of the family farms and moved a very small half mile away from his family.  My grandfather passed away young, so I never met him.  But my dad made sure I knew who he was.  I think he would have been an awesome grandfather.  My grandmother used to let me spend the weekends with her.  We'd cook, nap, crochet, and play games.
I think that's where my dad got his game playing skills from.  She was competitive.  I used to spend hours sitting on my dad's bed playing cards with him.  When we were younger we'd play Monopoly.  I remember the day I finally won.  But we didn't stop playing we just learned new games (and kept Monopoly for those rainy days and holidays.)
My dad was a hard worker.  He loved his job.  He knew more about cows and farming than anyone I've ever met.  He had a passion about it.  He was sad the day he had to retire from farming.  It broke his heart.  But his family stood by and helped him through it.
Family.  More than farming this was the word to describe my dad.  He loved his family more than anything.  I'd like to believe I was his favorite, but I know he loved each one of us.
There are days that he is heavily on my mind.  We used to go grocery shopping together.  Or we would garden together.  We cooked often.  We made bread.  We used to build things.  Or we'd go visit my uncle and talk about farming and growing chickens.
He was a wise and generous man and is greatly missed.

My favorite photo of us is in my office.  I took it to the printer and scanned it and this is what I got.  It is a photo of my dad and I on his last birthday we celebrated together.  I love this picture because of the smile on his face.  All I can say is "love."

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