This is the first May 5 th I get to say Happy Birthday to my Dad...

because I found out in the past year that we had the day wrong, we had always celebrated his christening day, according to church records. And he was Joannes, not John.
my avatar is from the only picture of him that exists before he came to america and joined the army for ww2. it's his confirmation day, Roscommon, Ireland, ca1929 and those are my aunts and uncles. aunt betty is on the end.
He taught me the alphabet, to read from the newspaper, all about Rasputin and the importancce of good shoes, beer, and taking time to go look for the moon with someone you love. He was at turns stern and incredibly friendly and warm, and i think i was one of the only people on this earth that was never frightened of him.
he made sure I registered to vote and went with me for my first election and got all choked up about it. he was quite sentimental in odd and sly ways.
I bought him two heavy shirts for xmas right before i left home for good, and for the next four years every time i saw him he wore those shirts. if i just showed up unexpectedly, he would sneak upstairs and change into the shirt, or both of them, layered. he wore them in summer, i have pictures. well, the flannel one in july, not the wool. and when he stopped doing this, i knew something was wrong.
whenever i don't know what to do and it's important, i think of him. I inherited his big furrowed brow, intense glare, sense of humour and a million other things. Even with his brain 3/4 gone with parkinsons, he didn't know who i was, but somehow he knew he loved me, truly till his last hours on earth. i still miss him after 17 plus years.

Thanks for the story and the tribute to your father. Mine died coming up 13 years in July. I will always miss him terribly.

:hug: bettyellen :loveya:

choked up! He taught you well and loved you madly! What more can you ask for? BTW, my mom died in 1990, and she too was a Betty, a name you don't hear often anymore. :hug:

:hug:

missed you. been werking hard.
they started work on my new apt this morning, i think that's a good sign.
:hug:

That's cool about your apartment.

When you get a tub, you can turn it into your very own spa.

:loveya:

eration American. What a nice tribute to your dad, bettyellen.

my parent were both from the sticks. the northwest, thatched cottages, no water or electricity. nyc sure was a shock to them.

I can totally see you in his picture. :hug:

:hug:

Here I am sitting at my desk at work....crying. :cry:

What a beautiful post, Betty.

Happy Birthday Joannes. You have one kick-ass daughter.

don't let the spawn catch you balwing your eyes out like that.

the spawn is in daycare putting out imaginary fires and fixing sick dolls.

:hug:

you're a proud parent too. and no wonder.

if i become one of those parents who cannot stop bragging about their offspring. i find them insufferable and one-dimensional.

You obviously love your son very much.

:hug:

Nothin wrong with lovin your kid.

no endless cookie stories like some friends (who i love despite the cookie story)

then let me tell you the story about the time progspawn...
just kidding.

:hi:

have the workmen started yet?

Sorry you lost your dad but he seems to have been a great one.

or joannes, which is what i'm calling you from now on.

but its better than damned jonathan :).

Thank you.

if i told you who i thought it was at first you would probably get pissed...so..nevermind. :P

interesting story though.:hi:

someone said tom cruise or some other worthless actor.
won't bother me at al, so spill.
it's just an image.

:shrug: I knew it was your dad early on because I think you may have told me or mentioned it somehwere. You mean Tom "I am dating a girl 16 years younger than me to cover up my rumored to be true homosexuality" Cruise?

that's who.

and that would be cool w/ me.

Beautiful post. Happy Birthday Dad! :toast:

:hug:

You're father sounded like a wonderful man. Happy Birthday, Joannes.