Remembering my dad on Father's Day

I’ve been thinking about my dad lately. Father’s Day is approaching and even though my pop died more than 20 years ago, I still think about what kind of gift he might like to have for Father’s Day.

Dad had a weird sense of humor and wasn’t particularly helpful when we asked him for gift suggestions. Each year it was the same.

Me: “Dad, what do you want for Father’s Day?”

Dad: “A new butt. Mine’s cracked.”

My dad is in the center wearing sunglasses. This  picture was taken 

at a Cub's game  at Wrigley Field in 1960.

This was the same response for Christmas, birthdays and other gift-giving occasions. I don’t know which was sillier, his corny response or the fact that my siblings and I continued to ask the same question.

That is not to say that we didn’t come up with some good gifts over the years. My brothers Terry and Dennis took him to ball games, my older sister, Diane, bought tickets so he and mom could go out to a show, my sister, Tina’s fiancé bought him a new television and VCR (back when the technology was new.)  My sister-in-law, Joanie, always bought him a new pair of slippers. Dad wore slippers all the time so he needed replacements on a regular basis.

However, the gift that I think he enjoyed the most was a nutcracker my spouse, John, and I bought him. It wasn’t any ole nutcracker. This little marvel held the nut in place and a weight (released from a rubber-band-type launcher) cracked the pecans perfectly in half. 

My dad loved nuts and we had three pecan trees in the yard. Having grown up in the heart of Chicago but probably being a country boy at heart, my dad loved it that he could go outside, gather nuts and pick fruit (especially citrus) and make something from scratch. Even during his years of dementia he never tired of making fresh squeezed lemonade or cracking a bowl full of pecans. 

What made this gift special is it was directly related to his passion. Now cracking nuts is not MY passion, but it was something my dad loved to do. So rather than buy him Old Spice or another useless tie, we hit the mark with the nut cracker that year.

But now that my dad is gone, I still think of how I might have done things differently.  What my father (and I think most fathers) want is to spend quality time with their children. As we get older we have the money to purchase bigger and better things, but finding the time to spend the day with dad is sometimes more difficult than cracking a nut without a nut cracker.  It makes me think of the Harry Chapin song, “Cats in the Cradle” song chronicling the busy life of a father and son.

It can be difficult to find the time to spend an entire evening or afternoon with dad, but there are options - even for those of us who are time challenged. Why not ask dad to come and join you for a simple errand? It could be a trip to the post office, a walk to the store, or you could even ask your pop to ride shot gun while you pick up the kids from school?

I miss my dad, but when I think of the corny things he used to say, it still makes me smile. The other day I was helping my granddaughter with her toilet training. She goes to preschool and she is obsessed with naming things.  She pointed to her butt and said, “What’s my butt’s name?” I told her “Briannah’s butt.” If she would have said “I want a new one, mine’s cracked” I would know that my dad had reincarnated back into our lives again.

Briannah is the ghost on the left and her sister, Rosannah, is on the right.

Of course she didn’t say that, but when she smiled at her question (she knew she was being funny) I couldn’t help but think a new nut was born.  And with her budding sense of humor it would seem the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.

If you’re interested in a unique gift for your dad, consider buying a copy of my book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. You can buy it through Amazon, Smashwords or by contacting me through this blog. For more information about the book go to

https://www.prlog.org/12646426-unique-fathers-day-gift-offers-help-for-grouchy-dads.html

 

Cuts Like A Knife But It Feels So Right

Call me sexist, but I have always found shopping for a Father’s Day present much harder than its maternal counterpart. My dad passed away, but that did not solve my problem as I like to honor my spouse with a present. It’s my second marriage, so the children we share are of the furry variety, but CB is the co-parent none-the-less and deserves a gift.

Fortunately I hit a homerun this year with a Parker River knife. I gave it to CB a bit early so I could review the product. I can whole-heartedly recommend this item as the PERFECT gift for any dad, husband or mate.  CB sails, scuba dives and enjoys many other outdoor activities where specialty blades are a necessity. However the Parker River knife is an ideal choice for everyday use.

The rosewood handle and solid construction make this a handsome instrument to use and behold.  It comes with a handy (and masculine) burlap bag.  It fits comfortably in the hand and opens with the right amount of pressure to make it both safe, yet easy to use. One of the coolest things about the Parker River knife is you can get it engraved. There are all the standard sayings one can choose Best Dad, Grandpa, longitude and latitude co ordinance, or even the person’s name. However, something I would suggest that would make this gift extra special is picking a moniker that denotes a complimentary adjective. I chose SELF RELIANT for CB. It’s a fitting inscription that fits my spouse to a tee.

Another unique component of the gift is the box has a penny on it.  This begs the inevitable question so I’m going to quote the Parker River website www.parkerriverknife.com for the answer to this one.

"Why is there a penny taped to the knife?"

In many cultures around the world the act of giving a knife as a gift is sometimes utilized to symbol the ending of a friendship or relationship. But knives are useful and beautiful tools that make great gifts. A tradition that goes along with knife giving in these areas is to include a small coin, usually a penny with any gift knife. When the receiver of the gift opens the present, they immediately give the penny back to the giver of the gift. This way they have symbolically purchased the knife, which prevents both the blade from going dull and the friendship from being severed. 

CB has a distinctive and portable cutting implement, I have the penny (I kept the box too) and all is well in our household.  

Since I have given CB the early Father’s Day gift I have caught my “self-reliant one” turning it over, admiring the distinctive craftsmanship, and of course looking at the engraved moniker that is a true compliment to my spouse’s character.  I have to admit, I like to pick up the knife and admire it to too. I guess it gives new meaning to the lyrics sung by Bryan Adams when he croons, “It cuts like a knife, but it feels so right.”

So if you want to cut to the chase and find the perfect Father’s Day, be sure to visit www.parkerriverknife.com . But time is running out so chop, chop, check it out today.

Father's Day Tribute to My Nutty Dad

I’ve been thinking about my dad lately. Father’s Day is here and even though my pop died more than 17 years, I still think about what kind of gift he might like to have for Father’s Day.

Dad had a weird sense of humor and wasn’t particularly helpful when we asked him for gift suggestions. Each year it was the same.

Me: “Dad, what do you want for Father’s Day?”

Dad: “A new butt. Mine’s cracked.”

This was the same response for Christmas, birthdays and other gift-giving occasions. I don’t know which was sillier, his corny response or the fact that my siblings and I continued to ask the same question.

That is not to say that we didn’t come up with some good gifts over the years. My brothers Terry and Dennis took him to ball games, my older sister , Diane, bought tickets so he and mom could go out to a show, my sister, Tina’s fiancé bought him a new television and VCR (back when the technology was new.) My sister-in-law, Joannie, always bought him a new pair of slippers. Dad wore slippers all the time so he needed replacements on a regular basis.

However, the gift that I think he enjoyed the most was a nutcracker my spouse, John, and I bought him. It wasn’t any ole nutcracker. This little marvel held the nut in place and a weight (released from a rubber-band-type launcher) cracked the pecans perfectly in half.

My dad loved nuts and we had three pecan trees in the yard. Having grown up in the heart of Chicago but probably being a country boy at heart, my dad loved it that he could go outside, gather nuts and pick fruit (especially citrus) and make something from scratch. Even during his years of dementia he never tired of making fresh squeezed lemonade or cracking a bowl full of pecans.

What made this gift special is it was directly related to his passion. Now cracking nuts is not MY passion, but it was something my dad loved to do. So rather than buy him Old Spice or another useless tie, we hit the mark with the nut cracker that year.

But now that my dad is gone, I still think of how I might have done things differently. What my father (and I think most fathers) want is to spend quality time with their children. As we get older we have the money to purchase bigger and better things, but finding the time to spend the day with dad is sometimes more difficult than cracking a nut without a nut cracker. It makes me think of the Harry Chapin song, “Cats in the Cradle” song chronicling the busy life of a father and son.

However, I found a simple answer while promoting my clients, International Academy of Hair Design, ITS Academy of Beauty, Hair Benders and Olympian University. They have a father/son special for TWO haircuts for $10. The regular price is $8 each. Here is a link to the Arizona press release, but the same deal is in effect at all their schools in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Florida.

http://www.prlog.org/12150439-double-duty-savings-for-fathers-day-at-international-academy-of-hair-design.html

You can also visit their website www.BeautySchoolRocks.com.

It can be difficult to find the time to spend an entire evening or afternoon with dad, but we all need to have our hair cut. Why not ask dad to come and join you for a simple errand? It could be a trip to the post office, a walk to the store, or you could even ask your pop to ride shot gun while you pick up the kids from school. The added bonus to the haircut idea is it shows dad that you know how to manage your money wisely. I don’t know about your father, but my dad would have been very pleased to see that I knew a good deal when I saw one.

I miss my dad, but when I think of the corny things he used to say, it still makes me smile. I remember an anecdote last year. I was helping my granddaughter with her toilet training. She goes to preschool and she is obsessed with naming things. She pointed to her butt and said, “What’s my butt’s name?” I told her “Briannah’s butt.” If she would have said “I want a new one, mine’s cracked” I would know that my dad had reincarnated back into our lives again. Even still, it’s nice to know the little nut didn’t fall far from the tree.

Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut, A Father's Day Tribute

I’ve been thinking about my dad lately. Father’s Day is approaching and even though my pop died more than 15 years, I still think about the kind of gift he might like to have for Father’s Day.

Dad had a weird sense of humor and wasn’t particularly helpful when we asked himfor gift suggestions. Each year it was the same.

Me: “Dad, what do you want for Father’s Day?”
Dad: “A new butt. Mine’s cracked.”

This was the same response for Christmas, birthdays and other gift-giving occasions. I don’t know which was sillier, his corny response or the fact that my siblings and I continued to ask the same question.

That is not to say that we didn’t come up with some good gifts over the years. My brothers took him to ball games, my older sister , Diane, bought tickets so he and mom could go to a show, my sister, Tina’s fiancé bought him a new television and VCR (back when the technology was new.) My sister-in-law, Joannie, always bought him a new pair of slippers. Dad wore slippers all the time so he needed replacements on a regular basis.

However, the gift that I think he enjoyed the most was a nutcracker my spouse, John, and I bought him. It wasn’t any ole nutcracker. This little marvel held the nut in place and a weight (released from a rubber-band-type launcher) cracked the pecans in half.

My dad loved nuts and we had three pecan trees in the yard. Having grown up in the heart of Chicago but probably being a country boy at heart, my dad loved it that he could go outside, gather nuts and pick fruit (especially citrus) and make something from scratch. Even during his years of dementia he never tired of making fresh squeezed lemonade or cracking a bowl full of pecans.

What made this gift special is it was directly related to his passion. Now cracking nuts is not MY passion, but it was something my dad loved to do. So rather than buy him Old Spice or another useless tie, we hit the mark with the nut cracker that year.

But now that my dad is gone, I still think of how I might have done things differently. What my father (and I think most fathers) want is to spend quality time with their children. As we get older we have the money to purchase bigger and better things, but finding the time to spend the day with dad is sometimes more difficult than cracking a nut without a cracker. It makes me think of the Harry Chapin song, “Cats in the Cradle” song chronicling the busy life of a father and son.

However, I found a simple answer while promoting my clients, International Academy of Hair Design, ITS Academy of Beauty, Hair Benders and Olympian University. They have a father/son special for two haircuts for the price of one. Here is a link to the Arizona press release, but the same deal is in effect at all their schools in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Florida.

http://www.prlog.org/11888004-show-dad-you-know-how-to-save-buck-on-haircuts.html

It can be difficult to find the time to spend an entire evening or afternoon with dad, but we all need to have our hair cut. Why not ask dad to come and join you for a simple errand? It could be a trip to the post office, a walk to the store, or you could even ask your pop to ride shot gun while you pick up the kids from school. The added bonus to the haircut idea is it shows dad that you know how to manage your money well too. I don’t know about your father, but my dad would have been very pleased to see that I knew a good deal when I saw one.

I miss my dad, but when I think of the corny things he used to say, it still makes me smile. The other day I was helping my granddaughter with her toilet training. She goes to preschool and she is obsessed with what the name of everything is. She pointed to her butt and said, “What’s my butt’s name?” I told her “Briannah’s butt.” If she would have said “I want a new one, mine’s cracked” I would know that my dad had reincarnated back into our lives again.

Of course she didn’t say that, but when she smiled at her question (she knew she was being funny) I couldn’t help but think a new nut was had been born into the family. And with her budding sense of humor it would seem the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.