Father's Day 2008

As with most little girls, my dad has always been my hero. Here's a little of what comes to mind when I think of my father... first he was a young man, many years before even thoughts of me twinkled anywhere.
My father was a cowboy who would tell me tales of his horse and how the horse would work with him. A cowboy's horse is an asset like another set of arms or legs.
My father was/is a U.S. Marine, and being a cowboy and Marine I always thought of my dad whenever I saw John Wayne movies.
Here he is with the VMSB 343 - Marine Scout-Bomber Squadrons. He's in the back row, right of center.
Another hat that daddy wore was that of a singer. One of the family's favorite pastimes was to get together and sing, and Ohhh the harmony was glorious. Nothing will bring tears to my eyes quicker, or joy to my heart, than to hear, or even think about my dad and his brothers singing. Dad rarely went to a gathering without bringing his guitar along.
When I was small my dad was the biggest, tallest, strongest man anywhere.

Dad could do ANYTHING. He 'helped' us make wooden rubberband guns and sailboats...
...and he built heavy duty swingsets for us. This swingset was actually used to pull engines before it held swings, and it stood in my parents backyard for many years.
The years have flown by, he's not as tall or strong as used to be, but my dad still and always will be MY HERO!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD!

Last night I went into Wichita and joined my brother's family for a Father's Day dinner with dad. Below he's sitting next to my Aunt (mom's sister) reading Father's Day cards while waiting for our table.

My brother and his granddaughter...
...one of my grandsons in the middle and my brother's two grandsons, wife and my mom.

The next two shots are two of my grandsons and their bottles of Sarsaparilla...
...they thought that was some pretty good stuff.
After a filling meal and by the light of a beautiful evening moon...
...I bid my dad Goodnight!

I Love You, DAD!

HAPPY TRAILS!!!

My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

(From the song)

I grew up a-dreamin' of bein' a cowboy,
and Lovin' the cowboy ways.
Pursuin' the life of my high-ridin' heroes,
I burned up my childhood days.

Grandson came to visit this last weekend and asked pa-pa to come play cowboys with him. I set up the table and grandson got the bucket of cowboys and Indians which he began sorting through, "this one for me, that one for you..." and while he was thus occupied "pa-pa" instructed me to get "his" from behind the computer. When I came back I palmed the item to pa-pa unbeknownst to young cowboy and when he turned his attention back to the table....
...there stood this GIANT red cowboy! He paused... looked at pa-pa... and said,
very calmly and matter-of-factly, "put.. that.. back." LMAO!!!