Tag: dad

Father’s Day

I adore my dad. I have just returned from spending time with him. I get to see him quite a bit luckily. He is a very good man and I know I am blessed to have him in my life.

He has retired and is loving it. I’m pleased he has this outlook as I have seen people retire and be miserable. He worked so hard during his life. He would be gone by 6.00 and return after 6.00 each night. He had a sand quarry and was in partnership with my pa. He told us that they never had an argument whilst they were in business for over 30 years.
It’s hard to buy for my dad as he never suggests anything and always says he wants for nothing. He is not a drinking, golf playing, fishing kind of dad. He doesn’t have any interests other than his wife and family. He takes photo’s and has all the old family photo’s. He already has all the equipment for this hobby. He buys what he wants, when he wants it.
Still, I found a PC Chess tournament game. I was never able to beat him at chess, not that I am much of a player. I hope this will provide a challenge and I am also trying to get him to use his computer more.
He has never had to use a computer for work, so his usage has been limited to checking bank statements online. He wants to scan all the old photo’s he has onto disk and fix some of them. He has boxes and boxes of great photos. It will be a great resource for the family.
This is one of my favourite photo’s in the world. It is from left to right, my great grandfather, grandfather, dad and godfather, Uncle Jack. Dad is the only surviving member of this hardworking team. This photo was taken before I was born and we lived on the farm near Yarragon.

Re-arranged

I don’t know if this happens to others, but I have noticed that sometimes my life just seems to have a big shift and all the old routines and habits stop working as they have always done and I have to make changes. Well this has just happened. Andy is in between jobs having just finished the contract he’s had for as long as I’ve known him and beyond. My parents have acquired a caravan and have taken off for a trial run trip. Pa is home from hospital.

At work things are on the boil also.I want to help out with the school musical this week, I wish I had done more to help to be honest. I have been doing some PD’s after work, and loving them. I have to write reports at the end of the term. I am going on camp with my homeroom next month, as well as two separate day excursions. This adds up to a week out of the term. I am trying some new projects which always takes more energy, but makes life more exciting.

Towards the end of the term I am having visitors stay and the room they will be staying in is half way through a renovation project and honestly in a pretty grim state.

All of the above as well as some reorganising of files and cleaning up of lots of spaces has meant that my routines have changed and become unfamiliar. I like it. It feels positively different.

I am glad I have a holiday tomorrow though, because I need to fine tune the changes and I have no commitments for the day.

Dad’s Retirement

My dad has sold his business after 38 years of delivering sand. He started the business with my pa and they have worked hard to make a living from this business. Dad has raised 6 children, the youngest is now in her mid twenties. Mum has never had to work. I know he has had stressful times throughout these years and yet he has persisted and I hope his retirement is long and enjoyable.
It is so good to see him and mum planning trips and the weight of the responsibility he has carried, lifting at last. I remember when I was a kid dad often worked 7 days a week and he left before I woke and got home after dark. I also remember times when the building industry was quiet and he would be worried about meeting his commitments.
My pa retired officially around 10 years ago probably but he has still worked out there from time to time. The funny story from this is that he apparently told the local butcher that my dad had sold his job and he was a bit cranky about it. Pa is 87 this year, yet he still enjoyed going out to the sandpit and putting in half a days work from time to time. He had cancer last year and underwent chemotherapy and had just ‘got back to work’.