…Because of Dad

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Somebody else’s family…

I grew up a very lucky girl.  I had a great mom, a competitive, older sister, a somewhat bratty, younger brother, and a completely awesome Dad. 

Dad himself did not have an easy life.  At 16, he had to quit high school because both my grandparents contracted horrific cases of influenza.  While an aunt cared for his parents, and looked after his siblings, he found a job at a clothing factory to support the family.  Months later, my grandfather, a carpenter by trade, was able to return to work, but Dad chose to keep working and help out as much as he could.  Within a few years, he met and married my mother.

Because Dad had a limited education, employment prospects were few, far and in between, but he always kept food on the table.  One of my earliest memories is of seeing my father coming home very early in the morning still dressed in his milkman uniform. 

same uniform, different Dad

When the dairy shut down, Dad was forced to work as a general laborer, working on such projects as The Pocono Raceway and The Schaeffer Brewery.  Neither of those jobs were close to our home, so Dad drove long hours to and from work, but he never complained.  I learned that there is nothing more important than family…because of Dad.

I remember when I was in grade school,  being frustrated with a homework assignment to write a book report (which was finished) and draw an accompanying picture.  I couldn’t draw a horse; no matter how I tried, it looked terrible.  Dad came out to the table, asked what was wrong and when I blubbered I can’t draw, he sat down beside me.  Taking my blue composition book and a pencil, he explained the shape of the horse as it came to life on the paper.  I was mesmerized.  He then instructed me to take my pencil and recreate the image—making a smaller horse beside his—and I did it! Right there and then I fell in love with drawing…because of Dad.

not his drawing…but close!

As we kids grew older, Dad used our dinner times to not only to ask about our days at school, but to discuss and debate many different issues.  He was the first conspiracy theorist I ever knew.  We debated the moon landing frequently, as well as JFK’s assassination and Hitler’s suicide. I learned how to defend my positions, make informed opinions and how to keep an opened mind…because of Dad.

Dad’s theory

One of the greatest gifts I ever got from my Dad was making people laugh.  He was a musician, played the accordion—had his own band—and played at weddings and dances, and at our home on Sundays. 

not my Dad, although he DID like red

He would play and sing and the neighbors always came over to hear him.  Before long, they were clapping along or dancing, and laughing, because Dad always told jokes. If he wasn’t singing, he was cracking jokes.  Even when he was in the hospital, he was always joking with the nurses and making them laugh.   I learned how to brighten someone’s day…because of Dad.

When I first met my second husband, a handsome, college educated professional man, he was a single father, newly divorced and I thought he was nothing like my Dad.  He wasn’t artistic or musical in the least, didn’t care to debate conspiracy issues or current issues at all, and couldn’t tell a joke to save his soul.  And then I saw him with his daughter, and I knew he was the one…because of Dad.

Thanks, Dad!

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Published by pat frederick

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192 thoughts on “…Because of Dad”

  2. STEP ONE!!!

    entire article
    Fina, swimming’s world governing body, has voted to stop transgender athletes from competing in women’s elite races if they have gone through any part of the process of male puberty.

    The new policy requires transgender competitors to have completed their transition by the age of 12 in order to be able to compete in women’s competitions. Fina will also aim to establish an ‘open’ category at competitions for swimmers whose gender identity is different than their birth sex.

    The new policy, which was passed with 71% of the vote from 152 Fina members, was described as “only a first step towards full inclusion” for transgender athletes. The decision was made during an extraordinary general congress at the ongoing World Championships in Budapest.

    The regulations will have a major impact on the career of Lia Thomas, who earlier this year became the first openly transgender man to win a NCAA Division I women’s swimming title.

    Thomas told Sports Illustrated in March that he wants to continue to compete after college, with the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials as a goal. Thomas declined to comment on the new policy to ESPN.

    https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/victory-penn-transgender-swimmer-wil-thomas-banned-from-elite-competition/

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Well, it’s certainly a step in the right direction, altho I would hope to eventually see it just reduced to a separate category overall who want to pretend to live as the opposite sex. Also, don’t forget that some major worldwide group is getting ready to officially drop the age limits for starting puberty blockers and all other “trans” treatment.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. “Pencil holder….I want one with FJB!!!”

    “Perv…..”

    “Harpoon it, put fire in it’s blow hole and make sure it no longer moves”

    “I have finally made the big time….”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. A bimbo actress…..big brouhaha in a book she wrote about her sexual abuse of her sister when they were young, how many abortions she’s had, one day she’s bi, the next she’s lesbian….you name it, she’s done it! A Hollyweird pig of THE worst kind!

        Liked by 1 person

  5. i had to refill the hummer feeders again so I decided to start my process like every year.
    I held the filled container in my hands and stood by the railing where they hide. I had them flying around my head and getting in my face, but they didn’t land yet. I stayed out there about 15 minutes, then came in because apparently I was blocking the oriole feeder and they were scolding me and scolding me from the trees.
    if it’s nice, i will try again tomorrow.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. last year i got a couple to land on the feeder while i was holding it and then i got one to sit on my hand and feed from this small single flower feeder…if you didn’t see it sitting there, you’d never know there was a hummer there!

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Liked by 1 person

    1. All of this destruction of how many generations can be laid squarely at the feet of FJB and the fake doctor!!! One even has to feel a slight bit of compassion for Hunter. I truly believe that the 2 of them arranged the “accident” when his wife and daughter were killed!

      Liked by 2 people

  11. Pat
    Thank you so much for the beautiful tribute to your father.
    My father went to Heaven to be with Mother almost 16 years ago — in some ways it still feels like yesterday. I miss him.

    Liked by 3 people

  12. hmmmmm…about that picture of Ultra Maggot in the bike shorts…
    pretty dark looking hair…it was blond when he was younger and got darker closer to 80?

    he told the story in 2019 about being a lifeguard…and kids liked to touch his hairy legs which turned BLONDE in the sun…

    “Oh and by the way, I’d sit on the stand [the lifeguard stand/seat next to the pool] and it’d get hot, and I got a lot, I got hairy legs, that turned, that turned, um, blond in the sun. And the kids used to come up and reach in the pool and rub my leg down, so it was straight, then watch the hair come back up again. They’d look at it. So I learned about roaches, I learned about kids jumping on my lap,” Biden said. Then he looked down at one of the children, “And I’ve loved kids jumping on my lap.”

    https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2019/12/01/what-the-fresh-heck-joe-biden-talks-about-kids-touching-his-leg-hair-and-loving-them-jumping-in-his-lap-n121614

    Liked by 1 person

      1. really dusty in here…

        Pat… these photos are some of the most poignant you have ever posted …

        You sure know how to make my heart smile and cry at the same time!

        Wish more peeps could view them …

        you wouldn’t consider … ? If you won’t take them. may I take them to Wolfie’s?

        Liked by 1 person

  14. one of my favorite country songs… about a man stepping up to be a dad

    My Boy by Elvie Sahne

    “My Boy”

    He ain’t got my smile, that don’t bother me a bit
    He’s got somebody else’s eyes I’m seeing myself in
    I’m holding on to every moment, God knows I’ve missed a few
    The day we met I knew I had some catching up to do

    He ain’t my blood, ain’t got my name
    But if he did, I’d feel the same
    I wasn’t there for his first steps
    But I ain’t missed a ball game yet
    And that ain’t ever gonna change
    I could never walk away
    Yeah, he’s my son and that’s my choice
    He ain’t my blood but he’s my, he’s my boy

    It hit me like a train, the first time he called me dad
    In a three stick figure crayon picture with all of us holding hands
    His mama said, “I understand if it’s too soon for this”
    I didn’t let her finish, I took it to the kitchen and I stuck it on the fridge, yeah

    He ain’t my blood, ain’t got my name
    But if he did, I’d feel the same
    I wasn’t there for his first steps
    But I ain’t missed a ball game yet
    And that ain’t ever gonna change
    I could never walk away
    Yeah, he’s my son and that’s my choice
    He ain’t my blood but he’s my, he’s my boy

    He’s Saturday morning cartoons
    He’s “Hey, can I sleep in your room?”
    He’s bigger than the plans I had
    He’s making me a better man

    He ain’t my blood, ain’t got my name
    But if he did, I’d feel the same
    I wasn’t there for his first steps
    But I ain’t missed a ball game yet
    And that ain’t ever gonna change
    I could never walk away
    Yeah, he’s my son and that’s my choice
    He ain’t my blood but he’s my, he’s my boy
    Yeah, he’s my, he’s my boy

    Liked by 2 people

    1. another…from Brad Paisley

      “He Didn’t Have To Be”

      When a single mom goes out on a date with somebody new
      It always winds up feeling more like a job interview
      My momma used to wonder if she’d ever meet someone
      Who wouldn’t find out about me and then turn around and run

      I met the man I call my dad when I was five years old
      He took my mom out to a movie and for once I got to go
      A few months later I remember lying there in bed
      I overheard him pop the question and prayed that she’d say yes

      And then all of a sudden
      Oh, it seemed so strange to me
      How we went from something’s missing
      To a family
      Lookin’ back all I can say
      About all the things he did for me
      Is I hope I’m at least half the dad
      That he didn’t have to be

      I met the girl that’s now my wife about three years ago
      We had the perfect marriage but we wanted somethin’ more
      Now here I stand surrounded by our family and friends
      Crowded ’round the nursery window as they bring the baby in

      And now all of a sudden
      It seemed so strange to me
      How we’ve gone from something’s missing
      To a family
      Lookin’ through the glass I think about the man
      That’s standin’ next to me
      And I hope I’m at least half the dad
      That he didn’t have to be

      Lookin’ back all I can say
      About all the things he did for me
      Is I hope I’m at least half the dad
      That he didn’t have to be

      Yeah, I hope I’m at least half the dad
      That he didn’t have to be
      Because he didn’t have to be

      Liked by 2 people

              1. it was…
                we spoke on the phone, comparing whose ex was worse and he asked me out…
                we were engaged 10 weeks later and married before the year was up…
                31 years ago this month…

                Liked by 2 people

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