My Dad

I need to express a few thoughts about my Dad. He is has had alzheimers for the past 5 years. He had a stroke a couple of days ago. He is now bed ridden and can't speak and in a lot of pain. I think the end is nearing for him. John went up tonight and gave him a blessing. John said, he thinks that he has aged 50 years in the last three months since he has seen him last. So here goes the thoughts that have been rolling around in my head.

My dad is the greatest man I know.

My dad is the nicest man, he would give his shirt off his back if someone needed it. He was always willing to help no matter who or what it was. If someone needed help, he was there helping.

He could talk to anyone. He was never afraid to go and talk to anyone. I remember driving on vacations or something and coming across road construction and having to stop in the long line of cars waiting for the flagman to let the cars go and being stuck and dad would get out of the car and walk up to the cars in front or behind us and talk to them. He would always make a friend.

He could fix anything. He was so handy. I remember the handle on mom's vacum broke and instead of buying a new vacum he made a new handle to fit it and kept it working. He was always fixing things or building parts to fix something. Very inginuitive.

He could fix any car. I remember as a child many times going to the garage and sitting there and watching dad fix the car. It was some of my most fond times. Helping dad fix the car. He always had the engine out of one car or another fixing on it.

My dad is a very smart man. He has been in many situations and he has a great mind. He could always weave a story out of his many many experiences. I always loved hearing about his childhood and teenage years. He had many experiences. Some of the stories I remember are, I remember is on a snowmobile trip, and how he flew off of a cliff and broke all his ribs and how he had wrap duct tape around his ribs to get home. Then when he got home and got better how badly it hurt to rip that duct tape off. I remember giggling at that image. I loved to hear of all my dads chasings in the car. The one I remember the most is the one he tells of my Mom and Dad driving in the pickup and they were speeding along and came across a dip and the truck jumped the dip and flew through the air. And how my dad had to push on the accelrator so the wheels would be going as fast as the truck when they hit the ground. They landed safely and I think my mom was pregnant at that time.

Most of all when I think of my dad I think of cars and driving fast. When I learned to drive my dad taught me how to drive fast. He taught my how to run red lights and how to control the car going at high speeds. I guess this is why I have had such a need for speed when driving. It was always great fun when it would snow and my dad would spin cookies in the church parking lot and we would all be screaming.

I think my dad is the most fun loving, great jovial man. I love you Dad. I will miss you. Thanks for all that you have done for me. I will miss your words of advice and most of all your laughter and twinkle in your eye. I love you Dad.