My Old Man

It was Father’s day last Sunday, a day to celebrate fathers everywhere. I sent a card to my dad, phoned him and had a wee chat. I do speak with him (and my mum) during the week so I know what’s going on with them, but it was a great day to acknowledge him for being the great dad he is!

My dad is a doer, he has to be doing something, so growing up he was always tinkering with something that needed fixing or doing. I learnt a lot of my DIY skills from him, well I give things a go…! He always had and has jars filled with old screws or bits and bobs that ‘may come in handy one day’. When I was a kid, most evenings he spent time in his study doing one of his hobbies – calligraphy and artwork or family tree research. Bearing in mind this was before the internet so any research was usually done through physically going to churches and libraries.

Every Saturday morning for breakfast, he would make me a milkshake, I loved it. We also had some strange concoctions for lunches – prawn and egg sandwiches – or homemade soup with a tin of soup added (it always tasted blah as it had that tin taste!) But I survived and as you do when you grow up, you have your ups and downs with them, as he didn’t have a clue about being a teenager (cos he was never one…right?) we argued and annoyed each other, but we still loved each other.

He came with me to the orthodontist when I had train track braces when I was 10/11 he held my hand when the nasty horrible evil dentist called Mr Right ripped out the wires and hurt my mouth and clearly had no people skills especially when it came to kids. I am surprised my dad could use his hand ever again, cos I know how hard I was squeezing. He came to the hospital with me when I fell down a hole and needed stiches in my leg, blugh 😦

He would help me with spiders, well he would try, lets just say, I think he didn’t like them either – like the time he put one in the bin and it crawled out… I mean really, put it outside at least over in the neighbours garden! He would try to help me when I called his work about a spider in my bedroom ‘I’m at work, what do you want me to do’. Well dad, drive home and rescue me cos I don’t want to die!

He met boyfriends….questioning them, he saw me drunk on numerous occasions, mainly the aftermath when I was making my snack when I came home – a sandwich and would forget to clear up, listening to me waffle on about the night in the pub and the antics of me and my friends, listening to me and consoling me as I complained about the guys and cried over the ones that really weren’t worth crying about. All the while, he is watching tv or a movie and trying to enjoy his night. He did give great advice but most of the time I just ignored it.

He rescued me when I locked my keys in my car…yeah I don’t know how I did that either! 🙂 He drove home from work, then picked up the spare keys and drove to my uni so I could drive home. Thanks dad!

We both have a similar sense of humour and were always doing something for a laugh. We used to play tricks on each other….covering door handles in vaseline, throwing water out the window onto the other person, put things under pillows…..anything silly that would make us laugh. If we were running round the house….my mum would be shouting ‘stop it the pair of you, you sound like a herd of elephants’! But always good fun.

I was so excited when Scott and I were getting married….how grown up was I! I gave my dad the task of choosing some piano music for him to escort me down the aisle. It was lovely.

My dad and I are close and despite the fact that using a mobile phone is one of life’s difficulties for him, I know he is only at the other end of an email or home phone if I need him.

Dad, I just want you to know, that I love you loads and appreciate all the life lessons you have taught me! You have been a fantastic dad and have helped shape me into the crazy ass, determined girl I am!

I am very lucky to have the dad I got, and I know some people aren’t so lucky, so if you have a dad like mine, then tell them you love them and appreciate all they did for you.

Take care and have a great week.

Look after you 🙂

Love Emma

xx