Love your Dad Today

With Fathers Day today, and just like every Fathers Day, it brings a tinge of sadness and excitement for our household.
I love spoiling my husband Maurie, he is such a great father not only to our own Little Miss Mischief but to his step children, 'my other 4'. I also think of my own dad, and Maurie's dad too, this is where the sadness comes in.
The one thing I wished I had done was tell Dad more times how much I loved him, I don't think I said it enough.

SO, if your Dad is around, love your Dad today!

I often think of my Dad, who was as soft as my mum was tough. Dad was an all round good guy, who loved to help anyone who needed a project completed, something built, something fixed. Wherever Dad went, so did his tools. Being an engineer, it suited him.

Dad was always around, helping us build our extension, building pathways, cubby houses, the pool etc. Everything in our home has a hand from Dad.

There wasn't a thing he wouldn't do for  me or his beloved grandchildren.
Have a problem - call Dad
Need a fix job - call Dad
Want something built - call Dad
Need some babysitting - call Dad
Help at the markets - call Dad
Build a spud cannon - Call Dad
Take kids to sport - Call Dad
Flat tyre - call Dad
Driving lessons - Call Dad
Frames for my art work - Call Dad
You name it, "who ya gonna call" - Dad


While I was heavily pregnant with #2 (the chef), I found it difficult to drive with such a big belly. Being short had a lot to do with it, with the seat set at the closest, my belly got in the way. Dad to the rescue again, constructed a set of pedal extensions, which I used in all of my cars, until our family car, a Nissan Nomad, dubbed the Freedom Van, died a premature death at the age 19.5 years. Vans are not designed for paddock bashing, the much older 'Chef' found out. I forgot until it was to late to retrieve the pedal extensions my Dad had lovingly made. A stab of pain hit my heart so hard, no longer possible to get on the phone "hey Dad....."

I remember at one stage when the boys were little I wouldn't let them watch South Park, an animated series, rather controversial and definitely not to my liking, definitely not to my approval. I had given strict orders to my parents that my children were not allowed to watch the show, which my parents didn't seem to know anything about. Having watched mostly documentaries & British sitcoms most of their lives, I felt confident that they wouldn't approve either.

Suddenly each Monday, Dad would religiously collect both the boys for a sleepover at Oma's & Opa's, under the guise "I'm helping them with their softball training", where I assumed that they would spoil the boys with chocolate & chips.

This went on for a few month's until I discovered that secretly my parents thought the show hysterical, that I was a stick- in- the- mud, and it was their weekly time together for silly fun. My rules didn't count when it was their time together and  besides, what I didn't know wouldn't hurt me.

Over the next few years mostly for my parents sake, in particular Dad who really enjoyed the charade, egged on by the boys, who thought it a real hoot to bypass their mum's rules, I kept the 'no South Park what-so-ever' a permanent rule. 

After they left each Monday, I would chuckle at the rebellious 4, Dad, Mum, Ry & the Chef indulging in their weekly cheeky dose of authority defiance.

After Dad passed away I did confess to the boys, that I knew the real Monday reason (softball my arse). We all laughed. The boys, now young men, even after 10 years still miss those Mondays.

The one thing I wished I had done was tell him more times how much I loved him, I don't think I said it enough.
SO, if your Dad is around, love your Dad today!