Here's to you, Dad!

About 12 years ago, I scanned hundreds of  family photos onto "zip disks" - at the time, the latest, greatest thing to store large numbers of high res images onto.  Just over a decade later, I'm dismayed that I no longer have a means to access those images.  Of course, Mom still has all the originals, but as I was writing this post I had hoped to include a few of my favorite pictures of my dad.  Here are some photos I'd include if I had the files.  One of my absolute favorites is a 1960's photo of him wearing a white t-shirt stirring a huge copper caldron of apple butter in the back yard, surrounded by us little kids.  I'd also include photos of him dressed up at baptisms and parties - looking dapper in madman-era suit and tie.  And others in his overalls taking care of what needed to be done.  Still another favorite finds him wearing a yellow sport coat and raising a PBR on the deck of the lake house at one of the many huge family gatherings Mom and Dad would host each summer.  Whenever I go to the lake house, he is there in spirit. My father is always a part of me - I look in the mirror and see his face.  When I figure out smart ways of moving heavy things, I think of Dad.  When I see the Coke cooler in the shop, I think of Dad.  He reused what was available to serve a new purpose.  After I started FOUND, Dad loved hearing about ways my customers upcycled and reused things.  Ask me about the rusty locker basket story sometime.  I know I have a special talent for  fitting more in the back of my van than anyone would think possible - it runs in the family - from my paternal grandfather who knew exactly what space something would take up without needing to measure.  Dad and I can't quite claim Grandpa's ability but we definitely both got the spacial gene.  I also got the short legs/long torso genes from him, but never mind about that.  What really matters is that we strive to emulate the best qualities of those whose lives touch ours.  This Father's Day weekend, I'll be remembering and celebrating things about my dad that have made me a better person. (insert photo of Dad on porch at lake house here.... OR substitute more recent picture since I don't have that image file at this time) Here's to you, Dad!  Love you and miss you.