My Dad

Well, he will probably never read this because he claims that he cannot find my blog, so someone please help him or tell him what I have said.



I have many memories of my dad....probably my earliest was when he went out on a date with my mom and he gave me the "superstar 77 Barbie".  I adored this doll and to this day wish that I had not loved her to death.  A very brutal death mind you, I cracked her neck.

Another memory, and really one of my favorites was looking for the nothern lights (which we thought we saw once), Hailey's Comet and eclipses.  This particular night there was to be a full eclipse.  It was supposed to be late when it happened so he grabbed the guitar and took me outside on the back steps.  He played Beatles songs and redneck country songs while we waited and waited and waited for this eclipse.  Honestly, I don't remember if it ever happened I just remember the music.  That had to be like 1980.

Another day was the day that he told me that John Lennon had died.  We were in the living room in our North Circle Drive house in front of the tv.  I don't remember if the news was on tv or if he just told me.  I just remember being sad that a Beatle was dead.

Then little did he know that he would instill in me a love of volcanoes.  He made me (at the time I was not into the news) watch the stories on Tom Brokow (maybe this story began my love for Tom) and the nightly news.  The story was about a volcano in Washington that was getting active.  Then a few days later it was very active, it BLEW......Mount Saint Helens.  I saw never forget how the ash plume excited me.  How I had tons of questions about the ash field, and the death toll, about the wildlife, about whether I could go.  He could not answer them all, but he tried. He even bought a National Geographic about it (wish I still had that).  This magazine had photos of before and after.  Of a lava dome, ash field, and the devastation left in her wake.  We read it over and over and then I read it myself.  This was very cool stuff.  Isn't it funny that I married a guy born on May 18? 

Another cool event about the eruption was that an ash cloud was moving across the United States.  Dad was determined to let me see it.  It finally did come through western ky, all be it very small, but it was evident.  I was still wanting more.

A movie was soon made about Harry Truman the inn keeper of Spirit  Lake.  Harry had lived in or around the Lake all his life.  He loved the lake and trusted the mountain.  As the volcano was proved to not be dormant, the residents were warned to "get out".  Harry was like the President of the same name, head strong and stubborn, he was going to stay right where he was.  When the volcano erupted Spirit Lake was forever changed and Harry's body was never recovered.  It is believed it was buried in an avalanche of ash.  Harry was played by the lovable Art Carney...and dad got the movie for us to watch.  it was incredible!  INCREDIBLE!!!  I wish we still had this too or at least let me see it again.

There were the times we went to Colorado (even the time with the big fight), North Carolina,  Cumberland Falls, Cumberland Gap, Knoxville, Nashville (I loved to go there).

Oh Colorado.  There was a time that Dad drove up Pike's Peak (and tried to scare us around every hairpin turn...and that is why I will not let my husband drive up there we always take the train) and we went to Summit House to eat.  We spent 2 hours on the peak (14,110) eating doughnuts, chili, soup, chips....whatever we could put in our mouths.  Dad and I got VERY sick.  Attitude sickness and all that food DO NOT mix, but man was the view great.  I could see Cripple Creek (where we had just been the day before....I love the stories about this town), Denver, and the Continental Divide.  I have never since seen the sky as clear as I did on this day.  I have tried many times, but it always clouds up before I get there. 

I remember him taking us to Cherokee NC.  He kept saying "this is where are people are from" and I believed him, since we are part Cherokee.  We drove by this one dude and he says, "he is related to us" and gets out and asks about Berryhill's.  At the time, I thought this guy was really kin to us, now I know he was just trying to impress us and I am ok with that, because we have a great picture of all of us with the dude.  And I got a necklace that I still have to this day and this was 1988.

And the time that he performed my wedding ceremony....there are some to dismiss the ceremony, but it was perfect for me and that is all that matters.  Perfect groom, perfect dresses, perfect music, perfect decorations, perfect food, perfect guests, perfect walk down the aisle dude (love ya Dwayne), and perfect preacher (DAD).





There were times I'd rather not remember too....

the time that mom was somewhere and dad fixed me a glass of milk.  I told him that I was allergic, but he thought I was faking.  He made me sit at the table until I was finished with the milk.  I did not drink it for a while because I knew I was going to throw up.  It felt like hours but it was probably not, and crying I gave in and drank the stuff.  Guess what, I threw up just as I predicted...and dad was very sorry that he did not believe me.


Then there was the one and only time that he made me mow the yard, again another allergy issue.  I cried the whole time because I was sneezing and miserable, this was before allergy pills were given to me.  It was awful, and he realized it and did come finish it.

Then there was the time that he raised tobacco and made up work in it.  We had to set the tobacco on the setter (which was not horrible), weed the tobacco (in the heat....horrible), top the tobacco (in the heat heat....HORRIBLE) and strip the tobacco (done in my grand daddy's warm garage....man I loved to play in that garage).  Yeah, I will not do that again.

I remember him getting very sick and having to stay in Vanderbuilt for what seemed like forever while we lived with our grand parents.  I was afraid that he was going to die and I would not have a dad anymore.  It was so scary.  Then when his body changed from the meds I was still afraid that he would die. I was not happy about that.  Of course, it did not help that my grandmother kept saying that he was going to die.

What about the time he was mowing the yard and threw a wire through his foot?  Or the time he stepped on a toothpick and it broke off and got caught in his foot?  Or the time he was making something on a table saw and the wood flew out of the saw and a piece of his nose bone is stuck inside the wood (I bet you still have this don't you)? 


There are many other times and things to remember, but I will neither bore him nor you....all that matters is that today I am honoring him.  I love you Dad, you are the best dad ever....

thank you for your love and devotion.

Michelle