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My father passed a long time ago. it has actually been over 23 years now that he has been gone. I still miss him like crazy at times still. I was young when he died. I was caught up in day to day life, raising a young family, breaking out of my shell, and i never really had an appreciation for my parents until after he passed on. Of course by then it was to late. One thing I did come to realize was how much I had miss understood my fathers actions and love until after it was to late to let him know I appreciated it.
For example I always thought my father while not causing family issues, stood back and never really got involved in the daily he said she said issues that siblings have. However, once he passed on I began to notice a lot of sibling fighting. Some of that of course thought was siblings taking advantage of my mothers kindness and unwillingness to say no.
I am eternally grateful that my father was able to walk one of his daughters (myself) down the isle on my wedding day. I am glad as well that my father got to meet each of my children. Of course they were all young when he passed on and the younger ones really don't remember him at all.
I was young and stupid and never took the time to get to know my father as an adult. I thought we had all the time in the world. If I could go back in time and do one thing over or meet 1 person and speak for an hour it would be my father. I would ask him for detailed information regarding his heritage. I believe he is English and part Scotish but Im not sure. I would ask him about how he came to burn his legs. Was he in a fire? Was it oil or hot water? How long was he in the hospital. I know that he took up leather work as I have an old book of his with individual pages of leather work patterns and tools. These go back a ways and there are quite a few. In later years he never did leather work and I wonder if that was just a wishful idea or if the materials were supplied in hospital. Why did he not keep it up? Did he not like it was was cost a factor.
My father came from a large family and he was a twin (however the other twin did not make it). He had several brothers and to be honest I am not even sure if he had sisters. They are of course all gone now. I do have several cousins and second cousins on my fathers side and I have thought about trying to put an ad in the Toronto paper to look for them.
My father was a proud man, he was a strong man, he was also not very healthy. He had poor circulation and he could not walk more then half a block without having to stop and rest. This I can remember from my teen years onwards. Working was difficult as he could not walk. He was a security guard at one point and a mailman at one point. Both requiring him to walk.
Growing up our lives were not the greatest and we were very poor, however, my parents did try their best to provide for us. I can recall when we lived on a farm before I was 12 we had no electricity. I can remember my dad built a brick fire pit to cook on. Sun and rain and snow he was out there cooking. Could not of been easy. I remember my dad going fishing and bringing back a tonne of fish that we boiled cause we had no grease to fry it in. I don't ever recall him complaining thought.
Sure my parents were not perfect and they had their faults and when I was younger I was quick to point out their faults. Now I realize their faults were not faults but part of life's ups and downs.
For example I always thought my father while not causing family issues, stood back and never really got involved in the daily he said she said issues that siblings have. However, once he passed on I began to notice a lot of sibling fighting. Some of that of course thought was siblings taking advantage of my mothers kindness and unwillingness to say no.
I am eternally grateful that my father was able to walk one of his daughters (myself) down the isle on my wedding day. I am glad as well that my father got to meet each of my children. Of course they were all young when he passed on and the younger ones really don't remember him at all.
I was young and stupid and never took the time to get to know my father as an adult. I thought we had all the time in the world. If I could go back in time and do one thing over or meet 1 person and speak for an hour it would be my father. I would ask him for detailed information regarding his heritage. I believe he is English and part Scotish but Im not sure. I would ask him about how he came to burn his legs. Was he in a fire? Was it oil or hot water? How long was he in the hospital. I know that he took up leather work as I have an old book of his with individual pages of leather work patterns and tools. These go back a ways and there are quite a few. In later years he never did leather work and I wonder if that was just a wishful idea or if the materials were supplied in hospital. Why did he not keep it up? Did he not like it was was cost a factor.
My father came from a large family and he was a twin (however the other twin did not make it). He had several brothers and to be honest I am not even sure if he had sisters. They are of course all gone now. I do have several cousins and second cousins on my fathers side and I have thought about trying to put an ad in the Toronto paper to look for them.
My father was a proud man, he was a strong man, he was also not very healthy. He had poor circulation and he could not walk more then half a block without having to stop and rest. This I can remember from my teen years onwards. Working was difficult as he could not walk. He was a security guard at one point and a mailman at one point. Both requiring him to walk.
Growing up our lives were not the greatest and we were very poor, however, my parents did try their best to provide for us. I can recall when we lived on a farm before I was 12 we had no electricity. I can remember my dad built a brick fire pit to cook on. Sun and rain and snow he was out there cooking. Could not of been easy. I remember my dad going fishing and bringing back a tonne of fish that we boiled cause we had no grease to fry it in. I don't ever recall him complaining thought.
Sure my parents were not perfect and they had their faults and when I was younger I was quick to point out their faults. Now I realize their faults were not faults but part of life's ups and downs.