Oh Daddy-O!...

So in case I failed to mention this earlier, I'm taking my cues from a book my daughter gave me for Christmas a few years ago. Or maybe I bought it for myself and just asked her to give it to me. I really can't remember. But it's called "Reflections from a Mother's Heart.. Your Life Story in Your Own Words." And since I don't really remember how to cursive very well any more, I've decided to type it.

I'm trying to follow the entry topics pretty much as intended and just changing them up a bit every once in a while so that they apply.

And so this next one asks.. Where did your father go to work everyday and what did he do?

Ok, I think I can answer that one pretty easily.

I have no idea.

Seriously.

I know that he worked for NCR (National Cash Register) and that he always had these boxes of little metal thingies in his office and in the garage (which I suppose equated to some huge technological devices back in the day.) But honestly? Other than that... No clue.

I remember one time in elementary school when my one of my teachers asked us this very same question. And I simply couldn't answer it. And I was so confused as to why she would expect anyone to actually know that.

I do remember that he travelled a lot and that one of our Sunday night activities included sitting down as a family and watching slide show presentations of his travels. I can still remember the "click click" of the slides changing and how I thought the slide show canvas that he'd set into the living room and pull up was very, very cool. I don't remember any of the actual pictures themselves.

But some of the memories of my dad that I DO have were, first, him taking a belt to me whenever I did something naughty. And I think that's so sad that that always has to be the first thing I remember when I think about him! But perhaps those were just the 60's, and it was fairly common then, so perhaps everyone my age has those memories.

But here are some happier ones:

• How he would tell us a joke and how his laughter was always so infectious.
  
• The time he tried to improve our weekly artichoke meal by stuffing it with hamburger.
  
• Him taking my mom and my younger sibling on a surprise vacation to a motel on the beach... even though we didn't leave for it until 2 in the morning and returned right after breakfast the next morning.
  
• The fact that I think he actually attended most of my dance recitals and immortalized every one of them on reel to reel.
  
• And that I don't believe he ever missed a one of my truly important celebrations or proud moments and was proud as well.
  

I just feel sad that I was never able to get to know him better. There was just a problem connecting. Of course we got closer as I got older and our ages merged slightly and for the last several years of his life I actually had a chance to spend quite a bit of time with him. He also got to meet my children and he loved them too.

My dad passed away of cancer in August of 1994, on my younger sister's birthday.

There are just SO many things about my dad that I will never, ever know yet I believe there must have been so many wonderful facets to him that were way beyond my perception at the time. For one, that he really wanted to love and commit to something.. but he just didn't know how. And I also believe that he knew who he was and wanted in his heart of hearts to be able to share. But I know that he had a tough childhood... way tougher than mine could have ever imagined being (and which was overall extremely blessed.) So I'm going to give him that. And also a high five for effort.

My mom recently shared with me a whole bunch of pictures of him though. And I just love having them!


Here he is on a pony as a kid.


High School Graduation.


College Graduation from USC in Business Administration.


Once a drummer in a dance band!


He enlisted in the Navy at age 19 and served as a radio man on an aircraft carrier during World War II.

And this is where my history gets all messed up... World War II or Korean War, I have no idea... but I just really love these next few pictures!


On a ship somewhere...


On a rickshaw...


Relaxing with a friend...


Outside a Naval Hospital in Yakasuka...


Caught writing a letter to mom...


He always loved that camera!

Anyway... I think my dad was an extremely handsome and genuine man. I can completely understand why my mother was so taken by him. And I want to believe they (and we) had at least a couple of really good years together.


Our first family pic...


Visiting the Grand Canyon...


Sailing with his girls...

In 1984, after a long period of seperation and a finally a divorce, my dad eventually married Peggy Jeffries who was a wonderful woman and I feel a really good match for him. And I believe he was able to find some comfort and comaraderie during those last ten years of his life.



I'm just so happy he was able to stick around long enough to meet his grandchildren.



Regrets? Well, there are more than many. But one of them is that I don't think I even have a picture of just me and my dad... together... all alone.

Wait! I just found one...



Another blog about dads...