You'd think, with raising me looming in his future, that he should have looked scared to death. Not MY dad.
I dug for photos of Daddy showing things that I most remember, but there were only a precious few with me here. He always seemed to be behind the camera taking pictures of his family ... a lot like I have been.
Germany, late 1970's
Italy, 1969.
Some of you wanted stories of military life ... here's one. My dad bought this Fiat 500 when we moved to Italy in 1969, to have as a second car and to use when we went to Pisa or Livorno, or to any other city. The Italian streets were much too narrow for our larger American car that we brought with us (a 1964 Plymouth Valliant). All five of us would load up into this tiny Fiat, with me in the middle of the back seat so I could stretch my legs between the front seats. My brother and sister and I were completely shoulder to shoulder in there. I still can't believe we fit ... or that we had any room for the things we brought home with us.
Helping my sister with her garden.
What Daddy loves most is being with his family. We moved all over the world when I was growing up, and we kids rarely saw our grandparents ... they were in California. My parents, my brother, and my sister and I all live within 45 minutes of each other now. My kids grew up knowing their grandparents, and my parents know my children (and now my grandson). I am very grateful for this.
Here we all are about 10 years ago. I love this photo. (I wish it was higher resolution ... ancient digital image, ya know.)
One of my favorite recent photos, taken at our youngest daughter's high school graduation in 2005.
Here he is reading stories to our grandson.
My two favorite guys, taken at my sister's wedding in the mid 90's.
Happy Birthday, Daddy!!
(he probably won't see this because he has dial-up and it takes a year and a half for this page to load for him.)
(written by Hartwood Roses. Hartwood Roses blog.)