By Staff
The sale of ties and grill accessories probably will go up this month, as Father's Day approaches.
There is something special about the relationship between a daughter and her father.
What she learns while growing up may just determine who she chooses in the future as her life partner.
I had a wonderful role model. My father was the modern husband everyone wishes for before that idea was even popular.
He would clean the house and run the vacuum, knowing that my mother was just as tired after her job as he was from his.
Every Saturday morning I would join him in our old Buick and go to the grocery store to pick out food for the week. It was a special time for just the two of us, which I didn't have to share with my two older brothers.
He not only bought the groceries, we would put them away when we got home.
Our oven was set into the wall and a closet had been made from around the corner. Above the top of the oven were shelves – our pantry. When I was really young I had to stand on a stool to put up all the cans of vegetables and soup.
He also cooked much of the time. I really miss his red cabbage with small sausages. It had a distinct flavor which I have only tasted once since at a German restaurant in Minnesota.
My favorite was when we would have breakfast at night – pancakes or homemade waffles with butter and syrup or maybe eggs and bacon.
To this day I would rather have these meals at night than in the morning.
My love of vegetables probably comes from eating them fresh from his garden from the time I was a baby.
He never sought praise, like some men do after they do a chore which women do a million times. He just saw the need to pitch in and he did.
He didn't yell and I only remember one spanking, a gentle tap on my butt.
When he had to travel for work, he would always try and take all us along.
As I was the youngest and he was quite a bit older than my mother, having a daughter at this stage in his life couldn't have been easy.
I was too talkative, asked too many questions and basically never gave him any peace.
When the time came for me to go to college, it wasn't a question as to whether I would go – it was a given, just a question where. The money would come from somewhere, even if he took a third job.
He gave to his community, served the town as trustee and mayor, belonged to all the clubs which help people, such as Lions and Rotary, also serving as an officer.
When I was dating it was very hard on him, his only little girl would someday leave.
Seeing my son's day old face, he burst with pride and saw his own image reflected in his first grandson.
The loss of him in my life was overwhelming. Never again would he tell me how deep to plant the potatoes or take my son miniature golfing.
Each Father's Day I give thanks for having such a father in my life. If yours is still alive, share your appreciation for the little things now, before it is too late for him to hear.