Question of the Day, Sunday the 20th of June, 2021

Mia6

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Hello, Hello!! Happy Father's Day in some places and Happy Grandparents Day in others!!

Tell us about your father, or a special man in your life, or your grandparents. Something special.

I had the best dad ever, He was so kind, considerate, funny, treated my mother, Nicole and me like princesses.
I lost him when I was in my 30s but I think about him every day.

LOVE YOU DAD!!!💖 :rbheart:

What about you?
 

Maria Bayote

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Lucky you. :) Happy Father's Day to your Dad in heaven, and to all daddies at TCS.

I grew up without a father. My biological Dad recently passed away but I did not have the chance to be with him. We met briefly and that was it. He was just a name, but when he died I was surprisingly saddened.

The Father who adopted me also passed away early, when I was in Grade School. I had not much fond memories of him, though.

I always wanted to know how it feels to have a father.
 

BellaGooch

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My dad is a very hard worker, patient, and a kind person. He also has a great sense of humor! He gave me my love for animals. (All animals love him! Seriously, I can only think of one animal who didn’t come up to him and love him right away.) I’m so grateful for him. :)
 

NY cat man

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My father was one of those guys who never seemed to catch a break from life. While he was smart enough, he had to quit school after the ninth grade to help support his family after his father lost a leg in an accident. Then came the Depression, and taking whatever jobs were available. He was rejected for service in WWII because he was too old, was married with 3 kids, and had a heart murmur; meanwhile, 3 of his younger brothers did serve, and one of them didn't make it home. His lack of formal education always held him back, but he still did the best he could, although we could see his frustration. He has been gone for 19 years now
Edit: Although I wouldn't have blamed him a bit, he neither smoked nor drank, ever, in spite of everything that life had dealt him.
 
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Norachan

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I spoke to my dad on Skype last night. He turned 89 in February. He has a form of Parkinson's disease, which means he has trouble walking and sometimes he doesn't know who or where he is, but he's on some very good medication that is helping a lot.

Last night he told me about going to look at WWII spitfires at an aviation museum near where he lives.

He was always a very adventurous type. He has done a lot of climbing, worked as part of a mountain rescue group in the Lake District, was in the army and was taught how to drive a tank, hitch hiked around Spain, built a boat which we all lived on for a few years and worked as a carpenter, an outdoor pursuits instructor, a probation officer, a youth worker and as part of the harbor masters team at Bristol Docks.

I guess he's where I get my interest of travel and making things from.
 

Jem

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I lived primarily with my Dad. At 8 my parents divorced (amicable) but to ensure no disruption to us kids, we lived (mostly) full time with my Dad, and spend every other weekend with my Mom. We still had "full access" to my Mom at any given time, and she was always right there when we needed her, but we still "lived" with my Dad.
He was strict and had high expectations from us, but not in a scary oppressive intimidating way. He was (and still is) kind and giving, funny.....well....."dad joke funny" :rolleyes3: :lol: and hardworking. He taught us to be independent, hardworking and caring women. And to this day, he would be at my door step anytime I need him.
He has many other qualities a father should have but I'll just leave it that.
 

Tik cat's mum

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My dad was fantastic, hard working and kind. He also looked after me and my brothers as a single parent when my mum passed. I was 8 when mum passed but it was dad that saw me through those tricky teens, which after raising 4 boy's must of been scary for him. I was 18 when dad passed away, I'm 51 now and gosh do I miss him, he was the type of man I raised my boy's to be. Dad I love you. :rbheart:
 

artiemom

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My Dad had such a hard life. His mother died in childbirth when he was 4-5 years old. HIs fatter drank heavily, was an abuser~~ as far as discipline.. and mean..

He was raised for a while by his maternal grandfather. Then off to live with various relatives in another state... eventually living with his dad, and brother. His sisters were much older and raised in a different state.
He had to drop out of school, are the 8th or 9th grade, to work...

Despite all of this, he turned out to be a really nice man.. A real nice man... The best of his family... so kind, generous... a hard worker.. working 2 jobs for more than half his life..

Served in WWII in Europe in a MASH type unit, as a cook...

He took care of my mom, when she was sick.. He, himself had so many medical issues.. but was so kind, courteous through it all..

We lived together, until he died, at just shy of 91 years. He never lost his faculties.. He knew what was happening..
I will never regret what I did for him.. In fact, I am so honored to have known my dad as a person, and not just a 'father'...

We used to talk and chat, about everything... his past, the current events.. just thoughts.. I asked his advice on so many things..

My Daddy has been gone 9 years, and I miss him every day... I really do...

I cannot forget the 'talk' he had with me...while we were waiting for the ambulance to take him to the hospital, for his last days... He actually, 'thanked' me for taking care of him... OMG.. tears are coming down.. cannot write anymore...
I miss my Daddy...
 

MonaLyssa33

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My dad coached my and my sister's softball team when we were in high school and that was always one of my favorite pastimes. I remember when our beloved cat died by being hanged by her collar when I was 14, my dad actually tried to do CPR to save her. He had no idea what he was doing, but he wanted to save that cat because he knew my sister and I adored her. When I found out my late cat, Willie had cancer and would need to be put down, I called my parents and they both drove to the vet clinic right away to support me.

My dad is a flawed person, but he tries his best. There has been a lot of family drama the last few years because of things he did and it was only recently that he learned he did these things as an unhealthy way to cope with his anxiety. He did an intensive outpatient therapy program for 2 months and my sister and I have noticed a significant change in him for the better.
 

neely

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My father was very nurturing, he would read my sister and I stories every night before bed. He was a proud man and took pride in all our accomplishments growing up. He loved the outdoors especially winter sports and took us ice skating every chance he got. He didn't realize it but he definitely gave us our self-confidence. He worked long hours but always made time for us. I can still remember his friendly smile and beautiful eyes even though he passed away almost 25 years ago. There are so many times I think of him and wish he could have been here longer to spend time with my children, his grandchildren. But in my heart I know he is watching over us. I am truly thankful and feel blessed to have had such a wonderful, caring father in my life. :hearthrob:
 

susanm9006

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My dad wasn’t at home much while I was growing up due to two long stints in prison. He was released for the last time when I was in my late teens, started working with a social services agency and progressed to being a highly respected and long time manager for them serving primarily the Native American community. When he died the largest newspaper in the state recognized his life and accomplishments with quarter page obituary.

He has three children, my older sister and myself from his first marraife, plus my brother who was born after his last prison release. He wasn’t an abusive father, just didn’t have many parenting skills.
 

Lari

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My dad gave me a love of travel. We'd pack up the car every year and drive to places around the US. When I became an adult, we started having international adventures, just the two of us, starting when he came to France when I was studying abroad in college and we went to Italy. I later joined him on marathon tours to China, Argentina/Antarctica, and our last hurrah to South Africa six months before I got engaged. I felt closer to my mom as a child, but to my dad more nowadays I think.

My husband is already an awesome dad. I'm looking forward to seeing the years unfold.
 

allmykitties

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My grandfather on my mom's side ran a service station until he retired. I remember coming down to visit, and he would come home for lunch (which was around the time of day we arrived) and then he would ask me if I wanted to go to the station with him (which I almost always did). He'd tell anyone who came in that I was his granddaughter, and it did make me feel pretty special. The station was across the street from a Dairy Queen, where we would go for a cone to "fortify ourselves" for the trip home (all of about 25 city blocks by vehicle).

My dad is one of those really quiet people. We're very much alike, but unfortunately he grew up without knowing his father (who had died when my dad was 22 months old). I have to admire how he became a good man/father without having known his own.
 

MoochNNoodles

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Its complicated. ;)

But my dad and I are proof that broken times can be overcome. He has become a very giving person. He didn’t always have the ability before. My grandma is wonderful but really struggled with her mental health as a young woman and mother. She had 3 nervous breakdowns after traumatic events. Today it would probably be diagnosed PTSD. But that really had an effect on his childhood. Dad and my aunt are very devoted to caring for Grandma and the family spends a lot of time together. He was at my cousins for a cookout this afternoon. We have some good chats and he always goes out of his way to make our trips to see him special. He makes sure we get my favorite foods and goodies.

I have a hard-earned relationship with my stepdad. He and my mom met and married quickly but a whirlwind romance isnt all sunshine and roses. It might make me appreciate him more now though. He gave everything he could for us kids. Wore awful clothes so we could have what we needed. He taught me to use hot rollers. He was a full time single dad when he met my mother so he had to do girls hair. He ended up being present for DD’s birth. Which was good because it was a bit traumatic and she ended up in the NICU. He adores babies and my kids would fall asleep on him so well.

My grandpa is…amazing. He’s absolutely on a pedestal and that’s just all there is to it. Hes been my teacher, playmate…a steadfast strong pillar in my life (along with my Gram). He reminds me of Bing Crosby when he sings. Its a warm, rich sound. He has been more father to his oldest great-granddaughter than anyone else. He’s in an assisted living now by his own choice. We have long chats about my gardens and whatever project we’ve got going on. He likes DH. He’s still full ofgood advice and plays with my kids when we visit. Hes old school; men don’t cry. But he cried at my wedding. He was incredulous when I got to call him to say DD was born (she was early) and he just couldn’t believe it when I told him DS’s name would be after him. I’ve missed him a lot during covid. I look a lot like him too.
 

debbila

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My dad moved our family from Kentucky, where there were no jobs for men without a college education, to Maryland. I was born after the move, when my brothers and sister were grown and married. No wonder Dad always told everyone, all his life, that I was his baby. He was a hard worker at a shipyard, painting the ships. He worked the night shift and slept during the day so I didn't get to be with him much except on weekends.

When my sister divorced and was not earning enough to support my two nieces he took them into our home and raised them right along with me. He and my mother never complained, and always made sure we had what we needed. When he had a vacation from his job he drove us to Atlantic City, even though he didn't like to go in the water. He did it because it made the three of us kids and my mother happy. Some summers he would drive all day into the night ( before there were beltways ) to my maternal grandmother's home in Kentucky for a week-long visit. That was when I got to spend time with his dad, who we all called Pap because that was what he called his dad.

Dad passed away ten days before I turned nineteen. The time I had with him was short and precious. I wish had gotten to know him better.
 

DownTheLane

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I have so many amazing memories with my grandpa. He lives 2 streets away from me, it's about a minutes walk for me. He used to always play boardgames with me, when nobody else wanted to. He's a really quiet dude, but that didn't matter. I'm at ease with him and don't have to work to fill the silence.
He used to cycle with me to school. It was 10km away, so around a 45 minute ride. I didn't have any friends that went to the same school in my village, so it was always the two of us. He was always there for me, no matter what. We once spent every day of the summer break swimming. Just half an hour of laps, with the occasional conversation I'm between.
He now regularly invites me to dinner. I have a very particular taste and don't like a lot of stuff. So when my parents eat something I don't like, I can sometimes just join his dinner table. Ever since my grandmother died, he's been struggling with making dinner, but he loves cooking for others.
He's the most considerate and wholesome man I know, and I love him with all of my heart. I really wish he'll stay with me for a long time to come.
 
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