Today, four years ago my Dad passed away - I miss him every day! It has not been easy without him - my mother was not able to cope - she spent one winter in the house with home care, then I had to move her to a community care facility, now she sits in the hospital waiting for a nursing home bed - dementia has taken over my Mom's life - she is only 74 - it is very sad.
We used to talk often on the phone and then started using instant messenger on the computer - of course, his main topic would always be Carla and Darcy. Every summer we went home to Prince Edward Island - those are the best memories.
Dad was always puttering around in the basement - he took up wood working - and did such beautiful work - besides wood turning of bowls, plates and the like he started doing other things, like these car models
Then he got into building model boats, he did three of these - this one is the tug Glenlivet that he used to work on - the case measures over three feet -it's such an impressive piece of work!
Dad also got really interested in genealogy - researching the Horton's back to when they arrived from Scotland, he also did work on other family groups - Sharam's and Nicholson's - he also had some of my mother's history on the go as well.
Dad was a closet musician - he had great talent but he hardly ever showed his skill. He could play the piano and accordian by ear, he took up the guitar in later years too. When he retired he started fiddle lessons - I found this great picture - it might be the only one of him taken ever playing an instrument.
Dad loved the old time gospel hymns - he picked this one for his funeral - it's not the greatest version but the best I could find http://youtu.be/m2iQRKjHGqc
What a sweet tribute to your dad! I feel as though I know him a little bit just from reading your happy memories. The picture with the fiddle must be really precious to you.
ReplyDeleteMy dad's been gone almost 30 years and I still miss him, too. In my mind he's only in his 60s -- it's hard to imagine he'd be 90+.
Jill, that is a wonderful tribute to your Dad! I was very close to my Dad also. It's been 16 years and I still miss him very much and think about him every day. My mom wasn't able to cope either and was diagnosed soon after Dad's death with Alzheimers. It's so very hard to lose parents.
ReplyDeleteA great tribute to your dad. I lost my dad five years ago, and he was only 57. I also lost my grandmother on Aug. 26 three years ago, so I've been in a similar reflective mood this week.
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