Father's Day Contest

[cinda]

[Eville]

I am going to have to go with 777

Everything I have learned about manly things I have learned from my dad. He taught me how to cut down trees with a chainsaw and good old fashioned ax, how to maintain cars, how to ride motorcycles, how to shoot guns, how to grill, how to build a quality fire, how to wire a garage, fix plumbing, etc. Thanks Dad!

[cinda]

[ashauler]

I'll go with 410.

Well, like many, I learned everything I know about how to be a man from my father. When I was in the 4th grade my father was working 3 jobs and, unknown to us kids, was very unhappy raising his children in the city. He and my Mother both grew up in rural Arkansas, but were forced to come to Kansas for work when my father was discharged from the Navy.

My Dad was so dedicated to his family that he purchased a plot of land out in the country, when he had enough money saved to pay it off. Then he had a basement dug and poured.....again, when he had the money saved to pay it off. Once the basement was completed, all the lumber for the framing, rafters, shingles, etc....was delivered on semi-trucks and unloaded on the property. With the "help" of us kids and Mom, the floor deck was put on that basement and the walls were framed and sheethed. Then we moved in.

From that point on, my father would come home from his day job, shovel some grub in, grab me to be the nail/saw/hammer/level runner and we'd work on something until it was time for him to leave for his 2nd job. When he got home from that he would take a nap, wake up and go to the third job, and the whole process would start again. He made certain that his weekends were free from Saturday afternoon on.....and we'd work right through.

My father almost killed himself providing for us all. He instilled in me an all consuming love for my family, and the desire and determination to do whatever it takes to provide the best life possible for them.....no matter the personal sacrifice involved. The memories I have of all of us living in an unfinished basement, heating the bath water on the stove cause the hot-water heater wasn't hooked up yet.....no TV.....blankets hung from the ceiling for walls, are the best memories of all.

Dad has had it rough the last few years with serious health concerns and touch and go hospital stays. Through it all though he has remained the rock, and is always more concerned for everyone else than himself.

[sammis]

Hi Cinda

Nice Contest!

I'll have to go with 327 (engine size of my favorite car: 69 Chevrolet BelAir)

My Story:

My dad was from the typical small town North Carolina. The whole "I used to walk to school, both ways, in eight feet of snow..." A bit of a rough upbringing, his Dad owned a gas station where my Dad worked after school and his Mom worked in the local fabric Mill. 8 kids all told.

From the time I can remember, my Dad was always the strict disciplinarian. No beatings except for the occasional spanking that us kids generally deserved, even though we might deny it now

He always had me being his gofer, as in "gofer that tool". I grew up doing all sorts of stuff.

The result of all this is that now as an adult, I have the confidence to do anything I want to do. It's not what I don't know, it what I haven't figured out yet.

I find myself in the role now of taking care of him and my mom now. It's the least I can do for everything he and my mom have done for us kids over the past 50 years.

Love you Dad!

[cinda]

[hondahondaf4]

Cinda, great contest.

I'm gonna go with 520

I don't really have a good story to tell you about my father since he left us at an early age and mom never remarried.

So to all the Fathers on the forum,
Happy Fathers Day!!!!!!!