Happy Father's Day...to the World's Greatest Junkin' Dad

There is this guy I know. I have known him all my life. He has made me mad, made me sad, and made me smile. He has a heart of gold and has taught me many things. I call this guy my Dad. Around Mother's Day...there are a million sappy emails and sentiments that go around...but Father's Day doesn't seem to have any of this mushy stuff...so I was forced to write my own...It took me a long time...lots of deleting, and tweaking...but here is what I came up with.
Now...my Dad is not your ordinary guy. He is a very talented (and honest) auto mechanic. When you take your vehicle to my Dad to have repaired...he doesn't just mend the problem...he fixes it. There are some who have been touched by my Dad's repairs ...those who are not wealthy would take him their car, and ask him to just make it work....but my dad would not only fix the necessities...he'd take the time to make sure it was all working.. (and not charge for the extras) His reputation as a mechanical genius has spread all the way from the small town where he lives..to where I live.
I have inherited many things from my dad.
- The most obvious...his name. My Dad is named Glen....and I am (in real life) Glenda. gee...wonder WHO named me?
-His crazy sense of humor (my poor mom is often embarrassed by his silliness) He LOVES a good joke...and likes to play jokes on us if he can.
-His green thumb (he loves to have a beautiful yard) one day I will show you photos of how pretty their farm site is...it is like a park. My mom and dad have spent years cleaning up piles of junk (and keeping some) and making an abandoned homestead a HOME.
-His soft heart- he'd give the shirt off his back for a good friend and can be easily injured by an unkind gesture.
-I love using tools....I have to have gotten this from my dad...he has LOTS...and my mom...she's too "girlie" for power tools...lol
-My pride. I hate to ask for help...will struggle through the job...and be proud as punch that I made it myself instead of buying it or letting someone else do it for me.
-His organization and perfectionism....I always know where things are...even in the hugest mess...or what appears to be a mess. When I do something, it has to be done the "right" way...and finished completely...perfectly...just like he does....he is very detail oriented.
-His stubbornness....we won't go there except to say that when he decides to do ...he does
-His love of junkin! (or should I call this an addiction?) This guy was junkin LONG before it was "cool". Some of my fondest memories of hanging out with my dad were when I was a little girl and we would go to the city dump and find "treasures" (and my mom would sometimes not be so happy with either of us) (that's me when I was 3)
This junkin was also one of those things that a "cool" "vane" teenage Tootsie was not so proud of when she was in high school. NOW...well that's a different story.
My sister and I both like to go to the farm and "shop" in my Dad's "superstore" (garage). Some of the great stuff he finds and just stores....well it is like heaven to a junkin diva!!! And some of the things he has made out of his finds over the years....well...I could go on and on...he is very creative.
I tried and tried to get a photo of my Dad...and all I ended up being able to get was "a photo of the back of his legs! He was worried that the next top model people might stalk him or something! (ha ha..posted it anyways!!! ) Oh and those feet in the photo? they are dancin feet! I don't think those feet missed one song at my wedding or graduation! (maybe they were celebrating that I was out of his hair? NO...couldn't be that!-ha ha!)So girls...just play along here...picture in your mind..."Dr. House" Hugh Laurie. (only without the cane, drug addiction and mean spirit) lol That man reminds me of my Dad. When we watch that show, I always think of him. Now he doesn't look EXACTLY the same...My dad has a little less hair...a couple more laugh lines and he shaves most of the time...lol...but boy does this man remind me-and a lot of other people- of him! (right now...he's probably looking at my mom...with a grin that says "boy are you a lucky woman" lolI don't look much like my dad-I look like mom...but I certainly do act like him. I am not afraid to get dirty...and I like a good joke...I am not the most patient girl in the world, I am rarely late....and I LOVE MY JUNK! LOL (oh and did I mention that I like to "miff" my mom sometimes????) lol
Those blue eyes were like magic for my sister and me...he could move us across a room...by just giving us the "eye". Mostly they were smiling eyes...but when he had to give us the "eye"...it was the evil eye...a silent warning...of things to come if we didn't smarten up NOW.
I love it when my Dad will tell stories about some of the rotten or crazy things he did when he was a kid...and I always think to myself..."wonder what the punishment would have been if I DID THOSE THINGS!!!" I also wonder why he waited until I was long moved away from home to tell me these things...lol hmm....
Anyways...I just wanted to mention my great dad on Father's day. He deserved a post reserved just for him...after all...he did have to put up with Lilsista...(I was a perfect child) and all.. hee hee
Thanks dad...for helping me become the person I am today. For teaching me that doing things right the first time is the best way...for the OCD, the Green thumb, the love of building things, your name, junkin and jokin! I hope you had a great day...and be assured...I will prove to these ladies that I am not kidding when I say you look like "House"!
Ya never know when your oldest goofball will jump out of the bushes...and snap a photo of you (like the paparzzi)!
Love ya Dad!
love Leenie