Cd cover

This is the cover I designed for the cover of the cd of dad's tape that he made.
On his tape he did not talk about his football season except to say that he sat on the bench most of the time. He never mentioned the saxaphone that he's holding and I don't remember him talking about camping with his folks. So all of you who read this blog ask about the pictures you see of your folks or grandparents and WRITE it down. You'll be glad you did.

Father's day

My father was a good man and a good provider and I know he loved me but I didn't know him very well. He was a master electrician by trade and loved his work. He had lots of hobbies: ham radio operator, hunting, fishing and photographer. My brother spent quite a bit of time hunting and fishing with dad but I never did. Now I don't know if that was my decision or dad's. I don't remember him ever asking me to fish or hunt with him - although I remember one time I went out in the boat with him. He fished and I read a book. Maybe that's when he decided I probably wouldn't want to be a fisherman but I enjoyed being in the boat with him and I have always loved the water. About the time I asked him to teach me the morse code (I thought ham radio was fascinating) I became interested in Lowell --- so much for morse code. :) So even though I knew what my dad did I don't remember ever talking with him much as a kid. Not like my sons do with their children.

When I was a little girl and then as a teenager mom and dad didn't get along very well and since dad loved his profession - home didn't seem to be a priority. In later years mom and dad learned to appreciate their differences for the most part.

The winter before he died he made 2 45 minute tapes about his life. I wish I had been able to listen to those tapes before he died because when I did listen to them I had questions. But I'm grateful for those tapes. I had a friend record them onto a cd so I could make copies for my kids.

My blue bike

I loved my blue bike even though it wasn't new and it was a boy's bike. I rode it everywhere. No matter where I went - to Grandma's, to my cousins, to my Aunts, even to town where my dad has his electric motor shop - I had to cross a brige and go up a big hill. But such fun going home!!! down hill all the way.

We lived just a couple of blocks from the park where my friends and I spent a lot of time. It was and still is a beautiful park. It had 3 levels so going to the lower level was lots of fun because it had 3 curves and you could really pick up speed. But coming up was really hard work. Ramsey creek flowed through the lower level with a bridge made out of stone by the CCC or WPA (works progress association)in the late 30's or early 40's. The pavillion was also made of stone by the same group of men. Sometimes my friends and I would pack a lunch and spend the afternoon on Ramsey Falls. Now that I think of it I'm surprised my mom let me do that because it was quite a drop from where we would sit to the water with lots of rocks between. Maybe she didn't know we did that. hmmmm.