Father's Day!!!
When I was a little girl I had to share a bedroom with my older sister. When Ann was a baby my parents started her on a Madame Alexander doll collection. Every birthday or Christmas she was given a new doll. Around their waist's she would twist thin wire and then tack the dolls on the walls around our room. Most little sisters would have looked at these pretty little dolls and dreamed of having such a collection, but I wasn't like most little sisters. When I looked upon these dolls (I rarely ever did) I saw little people that stared right back at me. I was terrified of my room. When night came, there was never getting out of sleeping elsewhere. I had a bedroom and a bed and that was where I was to sleep. One night when I was being tucked in by my Dad, I told him I was scared. I was embarrassed to tell him why because I feared my big sister would make fun of me. I asked him if he would, "leave a little light on the door." I believed that if there was light that shined into my room from the hall I would be safe from all those dolls that wanted to eat me. Of course Ann complained saying she couldn't sleep with the light shining in but Dad, knowing I was scared of something, solved the problem. To the door he did a jig and sang this little song, "Leave a little light on the door," Kicking out a foot and throwing out an arm, he'd continue, "Carrie wants some light on the door. Leave a little light on the door," etc... Ann and I would laugh and those pretty monster dolls would suddenly go away.
I love my Dad. His quirkiness has always made me smile and helped define who I am.
What is one of your favorite dad, uncle, grandfather or father figure stories?
My dad would sing...'I was goin' down the road, makin' 90 miles an hour when the chain on my bicycle broke. I was found in the grass with a sprocket in my pocket, and choked on a spoke."
ReplyDeleteNot sure where he learned that one at. ; )
I remember my dad taking me fishing for the first time. I was about 5 and I caught a few little Brim. We put them on a stringer and they kept flopping around in the pond. I was so worried they would get away that I kept bugging my dad to check on them. Relenting, he went down the bank and promptly fell in. It was my first experience with guilt.
ReplyDeleteMy dad and I loved to sail on Lake Michigan. We bought an old sloop from the YMCA ( you could see daylight throught the cracks in the bottom, trailered that broken down boat home and for the next year we rebuilt that boat; outside during the summer and fall, in the garage during winter and spring. I remember crawling way up into the hull and holding new ribs in place while my Dad screwed them in place. I remember holding the flame torch to blister the old paint while my Dad followed behind me scraping. I remember sanding and sanding and sanding the railing, and the new mast and boom. I remember sewing on those heavy sails until my fingers bled. I remember trying to get that #%*@ centerboard in place so it would retract. Oh the memories of working and sweating, and getting mad, and laughing beside my Dad. What memories he and I will have forever. What to know something funny? When we christened that boar the"Liahona" and launched her, she promptly sunk. We found a thumb size hole around that
ReplyDelete@#%* centerbord that we forgot to plug. Dad said I should have caught that, but I know he was just passing the buck. We plugged her up tight and took her sailing. What fun we had on Lake Michigan with our little sloop, the "Liahona". I will cherish that year together. My Dad was a best friend, and I miss him terribly now that he is gone. But I know that at times like this he is very close, and he knows that I love him .
My dad taught me to live a life I could be proud of. I am who I am today in great part due to the person he is. I am ever grateful.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful comments guys! Such wonderful Dads out there!
ReplyDeleteI loved dolls growing up, and I still have several I want to give to Piper as she gets a little older. Brandon says they are creepy, therefore Piper says they are creepy. I don't know what will happen there...
ReplyDeleteI had a great porcelain doll collection (got one every year for my birthday), but no little sisters for them to eat. They probably got pretty hungry. :-)
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite memories of my dad is when he used to stuff a pillow up his shirt and parade around as Tevya from Fiddler on the Roof singing "If I Were a Rich Man." He used to be really shy, but when he started singing all the shyness disappeared and he waved his arms and hollered. It was awesome.
Shanni that is hilarious! I would love to see your Dad's version of 'If I Were a Rich Man'! :)
ReplyDeleteJenn...sorry, but I have to agree with Brandon and Piper. This is kind of funny, I now have antique dolls all over the house. They are the creepiest things I have ever seen but I love them. The history in those dolls is amazing! Funny how things chance when you get older. I'm sure Piper will like them when she's your age. :)
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