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Thursday, June 26, 2014

Fond memories and no hope

Now for the good stuff

Father's Day snuck up on me this year. This first one without Daddy was especially bittersweet. It seemed like a good time to think about the stuff he said.

In Part 2 I explained that my father spoke with a certainty that made it almost impossible to tell if he was sharing factual information or messing with you for the sheer pleasure of messing with you. It occurs to me that it won't be nearly as amusing to see the things in print. You really had to look into his face and hear him say these things to experience the humor. But since I can't re-create the family moments, we'll just have to do the best we can with the written word.

Some of my personal favorites:
Women from Minnesota have thick ankles. It's a well known fact!

Sherman burned Atlanta on his march to the sea and nothing good has come out of Atlanta since then. It's a well known fact!

Short women are bossy. It's a well known fact!

 

His own perspective on life

When you know the context behind some of the things Daddy said and did, you actually get a glimpse of the soft heart and interesting perspective on life.

When a black snake got into his bluebird box and ate the eggs he'd been checking every day, I tried to sweep it away by saying "It's just nature."
I know it's just nature, but nature doesn't have to happen in my front yard!
When a gelding my parents boarded turned out to be more of a rigg (don't say you never learned anything in this blog) and galloped frantically around the pasture when a mare was in heat, occasionally rearing up on his hind legs, sometimes whinnying and pawing at the grass with frustration, my father explained to my mother.
Honey, that's what happens when you have fond memories and no hope.

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