memories of my dad

My fathers been gone now for twenty two years. Every year when his birthday and fathers day come along.... I remember. This year since I have this blog I thought I'd share some of my father with you.

His name was Henry...  

Or some people called him Hank

1. My father loved the beach, my earliest memories were of my father in his beach chair with his radio and his newspaper.  He'd sit sun glasses in place on his nose while reading the news catching some rays. 

2. My father loved to cook and he was a good cook; one thing was he used every single pot and pan in the kitchen usually. God love him he had a great time in the kitchen but he'd make quite a mess. I would be remiss if I didn't mention he was a big believer in the traditional Sunday dinner.  We had two dogs when we were growing up a German Shepard named Major and a Belgian Shepard named Smokey, my Dad would even cook for them! 

3. He was a devoted son, my Grandmother was crazy about him and I know for a fact that he was about her. She was a strong Irish woman who taught all of her children the importance of family and my father learned that lesson at her knee well, and......

Dad and Mom hosted many a holiday's at our house ( Nana's too! ) filled to the brim with happy Aunts, Uncles and cousins and their families eating and enjoying each other's company. Everyone screaming, nobody listening, lots of love!

See there isn't a closed mouth in the bunch!!

4. Dad loved a good Scotch and a good football game. He especially loved the New York Giants. My Uncle Howard my Dad's best buddy and brother- in -law was a Jets fan. They had a friendly rivalry going between the two of them over those teams. I expect if that type of activity were allowed in heaven; they're still at it; over a cocktail of course.

5. He was a devoted husband to my mother. My parents were married for just less then 40 years when Dad passed away. I just couldn't imagine them ever being not together; this is what I heard about how it started. One night in a bar while with friends-story one- Dad fell in love with Mom at first sight- story two- Dad saw Mom's bra strap break and he fell in love with her. He told his friend Buddy Acosta that night, "I'm gonna marry her some day". And he did...

6. Bolstering the whole bra strap story about him and Mom; my father was a beloved Uncle with many nieces many of whom are also his Goddaughters.  He used to pay for my girl cousins their first bras. And no he's wasn't a perv! He would also get his Goddaughter birthstone rings for their First Holy Communion. My cousin Barbara just passed her's down to my niece who made her first Holy communion last year, it was a lovely gesture from Goddaughter to Granddaughter.

7.  Being the only girl with two brothers it was easy to con  trick my father. I would take baby pictures of me and my brothers and shuffle them up and then ask him to pick who was the cutest baby. Of course he would always pick me! I'm not quite sure if he could tell the difference between me or my brothers; that's why I always won every time!! I'm even cute when I'm screaming my lungs out! This picture is the day my godparents my Aunt Frances and Uncle Joey took me to be baptized.(fyi) Back in ancient times (I'm showing my age) parents didn't attend, it was the godparents responsibility to take the child to the church.

my parents and me at my Christening

8. Once when one of my babies was crying over at my parents house, my Dad was was sitting in his chair in the living room. He had his eyes closed, his head was laying back on a pillow and I had to wonder if the crying was bothering; if he was suffering a headache. So I asked him,"Dad is the babies crying bothering you? His reply, " that is the most wonderful sound in the world, my grandson crying,."

9. He was a devoted grandfather to not only my brothers children but to mine, spoiling them shamelessly, giving them soda and taking them for walks to the ice cream parlor. They would follow him like little ducks down the street only to return with ice cream cones bigger than they could handle; dripping with their favorite flavor, smiles all around.

10. And of course he was always by my side at my most important moments, to guide me, to tell me when I was wrong, to lead me in the right direction and most of all to love me until the day he died.

my dad and me on the day of my confirmation