Artwork, Transportation and Dad

This is a catch-up post of sorts. A fun crew of 'real-life' friends are doing a photo a day challenge, and it's been fun to see all the different interpretations and shares from lives that I'm more familiar with.  The ones I'm sharing today are based on the words artwork, transportation and dad. 

Dad

I took this picture of my dad in December of 2007. It's still my favorite. I consider myself to be a good mix of my mom and my dad. As far as looks, I've gone back and forth with who I favor all my life. The current opinion is that I look more like my mom. 

I hear my dad in me daily - in my thought processes, my banter and how I tackle sales solicitors on the phone. He's taught me so many valuable lessons in life.  I hear so much of him in my head with my day to day thought processes. He has more patience than me though, and isn't nearly as ornery as I am when he's not feeling well. 

• When I was growing up, he never allowed me to use the excuse that I'm a girl. He had me wrenching on the car, changing my own oil, fixing things and mowing the lawn following the same time table he would give the boys. I'm thankful. 
• When my parents split up during my high school years, my dad turned into the target of my teenage anger mostly because heartbroken teenagers need a target and he was an easy one by default, as he was the one who moved out. During those days, I was the champ of the silent treatment and my dad got that silent treatment loud and clear for more than a few weeks.  But he didn't deserve it. He was waiting for me one night when I got home in the wee hours of the morning and he told me in no uncertain terms that my treatment of him had to end. We talked things out until the sun came up and to this day - I'm grateful. Because of that conversation, I have become the one that is the first to say that there are two sides to every story and that we should never judge or assume. Even if we think we know all the story, we really don't - the only people who ever really know the story are those who are directly in it. 
• I love you, dad. 

 

Transportation

But not for long. While I would have liked to try and push this van just one more year, the time has come that we have to trade it in for something more reliable. And I'm thinking a/c might be nice to have again. We've been to the bank, we have our favorite car dealer on the hunt for us, and we should have a new(er) set of wheels by the end of the month. 

Artwork

The teenager's pile of to be photographed artwork was getting thick again. I knocked it off my list yesterday.

They've been reading a bit of Shakespeare in English. 

This was my photo attempt of artwork yesterday. This spring break has been pretty much a dud. Wendy spent three hours finger knitting an entire skein of grey yarn. It goes completely around the circle in our house. Not sure what she's going to do with it wonders the every practical mother, but hey - it's cool. 

This guy has spent most of his spring break hours working. I'm proud of him for not answering his friends texts and calls while he's working. I know he isn't because they are calling and knocking on my door here wondering where he is. He's very serious and focused.  He's been digging culverts and painting the lines on flag football fields this week. 

The littles treated me to a puppet show. Wait - I recognize that grey yarn....

***

Happy Thursday!

Day 5 of the head cold for me. I'm ornery. 

Comments

[Steph @ Steph's Stuff]

The part about your dad made me all teary-eyed. Especially as a child of parents who divorced when I was a teen - I know exactly what those feelings were. (((((hugs)))))

[tania willis]

okay. so this post made me cry. you have such a lovely way with words, and i can so related to being a teenager in the midst of trying to wrap my brain around divorce as my parents split when i was 15. anywho. thank you for blogging.