Muddy Pond, VT (Rutland), by William Henry Jackson (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It is Father’s Day weekend. I have not been able to celebrate Father’s Day with my Dad for twenty years. Quite simply I miss him. I miss his stupid jokes. I miss his good jokes. I miss his music. I miss him riding his bike over to my house for a cup of coffee and a visit. When I had a store, he would ride his bike uptown, stop at a café a couple of doors down and buy me a coffee and bring it to me. And he would always deliver it with a smile, and a comment on the weather. Little things. Boy, little things do mean a lot.
My Dad was a musician, and to this day when I hear someone play a fiddle, I cry. He played many instruments, but it is the fiddle that makes me cry. I don’t know why –
He never asked much. When I would ask him what he wanted for his birthday or Father’s Day he would always say—“a kiss and a hug”—
So, Dad, I am sending you lots of kisses and hugs to celebrate your day on Sunday, and your forevers—because you may not be on this green earth, but you are always with me. Right there beside Mom. Love you.
Father’s Day Cake 2009 (Photo credit: Jim, the Photographer)
On the Homefront 
So sweet. This is beautiful and I hope you continue with so nice memories on Father’s Day. :).
thank you – hope you have either nice memories or are making some more this year
Made me cry…..thanks Lou
we all remember different things -what stands out in your mind?
So sad and yet so lovely. Thanks for sharing this with us. I hope you have a very special Father’s Day even though your dad can’t be with you.
Thank you – I miss him but will concentrate on celebrating my husband’s day–he and my dad were good buddies
One of my fondest memories as a kid is when Dad played his guitar or fiddle and said “dance Peg, give your leg a shake!” and of course I would dance around and he would praise me like I was ready for “So You Think You Can Dance.”
I love that – what a great memory!
Beautiful! He sounds like such a lovely man.
a good description – thank you
What lovely memories you have of your Dad. This one really tugs at the heartstrings and made me appreciate the fact that mine is still around. Thanks for sharing LouAnn.
Thank you for taking the time to comment – and enjoy the day with your dad. I enjoy your blog.
My dad has been gone for 21 years now too. I also miss him all of the time. He used to write Robert Service style poems – what is that style called, iambic pentameter? Anyway, they were funny, but unfortunaely his books got lost over the years. I’d love to find them now. I look like him – I have people come up to me still, knowing that I am his daughter because of my looks. And I’m quiet like he was. I wish he had been around to see my kids, too.
Thanks for sharing your memories – hope you find your dad’s books. I have a tape of my dad’s music but have not been able to listen to it yet–we played it at his funeral– I must get brave and give it another listen or two, or a hundred. We have our memories………..
It’s lovely to have those memories. Good relationships with people who have such a big impact on your life is a real blessing.
so true – I am blessed
Beautiful!
Thank you Christine 🙂
[…] Ode to My Dad (onthehomefrontandbeyond.wordpress.com) […]
Thanks 🙂
This is such a nice post. Little things do mean so much.
Thank you Nancy — you remember what is important sometimes
thank you so much, i really enjoyed this post. you feel about your dad the way i feel about my mom. have a beautiful sunday.
you are welcome – your mom is (was?) a lucky girl to be so loved
hi – my mom dies over six years ago. i miss all the silly things about her that made her so endearing. she was very very deeply loved. 🙂
I understand – my mom died a year before my dad – I felt cheated about loosing my parents for a long time–just like you – they were very deeply loved–so sorry for you loss
I have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog award. 🙂 Best regards, – Mary Ann
I am honoured – thank you so much
My pleasure. 🙂
Sweet memories – thanks for sharing and honoring your dad this way.
Am happy to honour my dad – thank you for enjoying it 🙂
Aw. Very well said.
thank you – 🙂
So very heartfelt and sad. You are so right in that it is the little things a person does or is that defines them for us. And it is those little things that we miss the most when they are gone. I am sorry for your loss.
Thank you – he was a special man – and it is the little things we miss the most, isn’t it?
This actually made me tear up a little. I don’t know what I would do without my dad, so I can’t even begin to imagine how you’ve been coping for the past 20 years. But, I guess life goes on and we don’t have a choice, but to accept losing our loved ones. Just keep in mind that as long as you keep him alive in your thoughts and memories, he’s never truly gone. This is a beautiful tribute ❤ .
Thank you – your words are wise and comforting. Hope you have your dad for a long time — time does help, but you are right– the thoughts and memories keep our loved ones alive.
This was beautiful. I am very close with my father and I enjoyed reading this post as a lovely tribute for Father’s Day weekend. I intend to visit your blog often!
thank you – I just “followed” yours, so I will be visiting you too
Your dad reminded me of my dad. He too won’t ask for anything. Just a hug, a kiss, a magical , ” I love you , dad.” I have not spent a Father’s Day with him in person for 10 years but I did spent a tropical Summer with his last March. It was beautiful. Thanks for sharing a post with so much love and warmth. I very inspiring ode to you dad. Thanks. Hope you can join this Wednesday’s image challenge.
It is nice to have special memories–a tropical summer sounds wonderful – thanks for visiting
Hi Lou,
How sweet and poignant…I know what you mean. I’ve missed my dad too (four years ago he passed away) and have been reminiscing since Father’s Day.
It is hard isn’t it – and it is surprising sometimes what we miss about our dads. Father’s Day makes it come home to roost.
Well done LouAnn – makes me wish I’d known your dad.
I wish you had known him too – we were close.
sweet post! I know what you meant because I miss my dad too…
we have our lovely memories though
True! 🙂
Sincere and heartfelt. Only the best for Dad.
I agree – only the best -thanks
My mother had a German saying that went something like this…”As long as we remember those we love they will never truly die but live forever in our hearts” ~ memories are our greatest treasures! Thank you for sharing…~Patty
I wish I had had that quote when I wrote my Ode to my Dad for Father’s Day – will have to save it for next year-thanks
So beautiful and touching. You brought tears to my eyes with this post. I am so sorry for your loss(es).
Thank you – time may heal, but you never ever forget – I have wonderful memories of both of my parents
I’m so with you here. No matter how old we get, we still miss our parents. 🙂
we most certainly do
Ever since I wrote my post and my article about my father for Father’s Day, I’ve become interested in others’ Father’s Day posts. It’s great that your husband and dad were friends. Mine were more like enemies. I can understand that better now though. I remember the small things about my dad, but I also remember the big things, like when he saved my life. I still feel like my dad is around and sometimes when I’m alone, I’ll say a few words to him, just a few, just in case he can hear me.
I think he can hear you – I talk to my parents even though they are not on this earth anymore
-must read your post about your dad –they were such a big part of our lives
Reblogged this on On the Homefront and commented:
I wrote this last year and the only thing that has changed is that I have now been without my Dad physically for 21 years, but he is always with me. One more memory I would like to share, and one that solidified our relationship was the many car trips we made together when I was at university. I lived in residence at university but was really only about 30 miles from my hometown. My Dad worked in the same city where I went to school and communted to work–so I could go home on a whim as he was only a phone call away. We shared much precious time on those trips chatting and talking about our favourite things. Years later when we would be in the same car going into the city, he would point out a house that I particularly liked and say “That was always your favourite house wasn’t it Lou”? And it was my favourite house–but the best thing about that observation was that he remembered. And this weekend Dad I am remembering you – here are my kiss and hug to you. You are always with me xoxoxoxoxxooxoxox
I still appreciate this post, one year later. I see I commented last time too. My dad also noticed and remembered the little things. And he is responsible for my warped sense of humour – or so I’m told. Cheers to Dads, present or much-missed.
a warped sense of humour is a wonderful thing to pass on–and I drink to your cheers with my coffee (and three sugars and quart of milk) this morning!
Your dad is always with you. Sweet post. I miss mine as well. Hard holiday to celebrate. But I try to focus on the fact I had a great dad.
and that is what I focus on too —
This is such a lovely tribute to our dad. What happy memories you have. Mine has also passed on, but on Fathers’ Day, I can also remember the good times. xx
and that is worth a lot xx
Great post LouAnn. 🙂
thank you 🙂