My Dad...

I've written many things about my Dad. He was a good man, a protector, a provider and a listener. He was also a jokester who loved life and often would pull silly pranks on us kids. This first photo was taken on vacation in Eagle River, WI. My mom and I ended up sharing a bed because he snored so loudly. Our bed was a pitiful excuse for a bed. It slagged down in the middle and we got no good sleep all week. This is my Dad in his good bed pretending to sleep all rested and sweet. You can tell he's pretending because of the shit eating grin on his face! 

My Dad loved to fish. Whenever we went up north he would sit for hours with a pole and a bobber. This is one of my favorite photos of him. One time he rowed out onto the lake to fish. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. He sat out there all day and when he came back it was evident he had the worst sunburn ever! He had second degree burns on his legs and had to sit in the shade with cold, wet towels on them in order to relieve the pain. He learned from that and never went out without sunscreen again!

My Dad always looked good in a suit. Here he is just before my sister's wedding - ruffly tuxedo shirt and all. He was my escort to the Father Daughter Dinner Dance when I was in high school. He had a rust colored polyester leisure suit back then and he thought he was going to wear that to the dance. Thankfully, my mother intervene and made him go out and buy a dark blue suit. 

My Dad's sense of humor extended to the patrons of our bar, which he ran. He would send away for some strange exotic candy, like dark chocolate covered grasshoppers, and he would keep them behind the bar. When one of the regulars would come in he would "offer" them a piece of candy and watch while they ate it. Then he would take great delight in telling them it was a bug! Many regulars vowed to get him back but they never did. 

I miss my Dad very much. I think of him often. 

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I love you!