re: .

Fishing with dad and my great uncle, every now and then they would let me stay home from school and go.
I was always around my dad outside, learned to work on, build, and fix all kinds of stuff. We still do projects together all the time, glad I was interested in all that when I was young, can't wait to teach my lil man.

I had a fantastic father. He's been gone twenty five years now, but set the example as to what a father should be. It wasn't this:

Cats In The Cradle:

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

So thankful for what my father was to me, and what he taught me, so I could instill into my son. I've had my son listen to this song many times over the years as a reminder of what not to be. Just this past Saturday, his first son was born. My son looked up at me while we were admiring our new addition to our family and said with a smile, Cats In The Cradle.

My favorite thing to do with my dad when I was growing up - and still is - was watch football.

Cleveland Indians games at Miniciple Stadium
Golf
Watching "Nature" on PBS
Listening to Jazz music

A real CSB

my fondest memories of childhood with my dad:

going to the duck pond(off of East Kings Hwy) to feed the ducks and then getting an Icee

going to our fishing camp on toledo bend

him "shaving" my face with his electric razor so I could feel like a grown up

listening to "say it isn't so" by hall and oates and wearing the tape out because i listened to it in his car over and over and over

dang, i need to call him today and tell him i love him

Hunt
Fish
One on One in the driveway when he got home

hunt

Watch Sportscenter with him in the morning before school.

Just throw the baseball out in the back yard.