Father's Day 2010

My family is spending this Father's Day working on an old 1983 Ford 3/4 ton pickup truck we are trying to sell. It has been sitting for a year so we are gassing and cleaning and changing whatever needs to be changed. I say we because my husband, daughter and myself are all part of the process. Everyone expects the dude of the family to work on cars but I have worked on cars all my life. I am teaching my 16 year old daughter to do the same. And where did I learn how to work on cars?

Why my dad!

My mom and dad did not believe in gender duties or tasks. For Mother's Day my dad would buy my mom


a new pipe wrench. For Father's Day he got a new vacuum. Before any of us kids (and there were 5) could get our driver's license we had to be able to change a tire. Or better yet, rotate all 4. My daughter can change a tire, because I taught her how. She will never be stuck out in the middle of nowhere, scared and not knowing what to do, because she has changed lots of tires. My daughter also checks her air pressure, changes her oil, checks her coolant, fills her washer fluid, and does not think that is a big deal. She also knows enough about how an engine works that when she has to go to a mechanic she will NOT be clueless.

I owe a lot to my dad. One time I told him that every time we get a little money ahead, something breaks. He said "No, every time something breaks, you have extra money." He always looks at the half full cup, never the half empty. Because of him (and you mom)


I try not to sweat the small stuff. Things will always work out, somehow. My family has gone through a lot of things in the last 40 years or so, both financial and medical. How your parents handle the problems of life teaches the children how to handle the same things that might happen later in their lives. Thanks to my folks, I feel like I can handle just about anything.

Happy Father's Day dad. I love you.