28 May 2009

Happy 75th Birthday Dad!

Yesterday I got a parcel through the post from Molly of Blackberry Crafts. A couple of weeks ago she ran a pay it forward feature on her blog after receiving some gorgeous hand painted yarn from Katrina of TomatoTea. I happened to comment on just how lovely handmade yarn is and Molly kindly picked me to receive a parcel. It lifted my spirits so much to just receive the parcel let alone to receive what was inside. I can't adequately explain in text just how bouncy happy I was once I'd torn open the brown paper. Inside were the contents below, some super soft knitted hand warmers, a bright red knitted bracelet with 3 cherry red buttons and a giant brown button badge. They are all so gorgeous and all are handmade. Molly's work is fabulous! Thank you for cheering up my day Molly!!!

Why was I feeling down? Well today would have been my Fathers 75th birthday, if he hadn't have passed away at the age of 60 from a massive heart attack. I was kind of dreading today coming, because although it is 15 years since he died, I can't help missing him and thinking he should be here to celebrate 3/4 of a century of life.

Molly's generous parcel reminded me that he was full of kindness and joy and would have been over joyed to see me bouncing about singing at the top of my voice. He would hate to think his birthday was a cause of upset for me and my brothers and sister, so today we will celebrate how fabulous he was instead of spending time being sad at him not being here.

My dad is one of the main reasons I became creative. He always encouraged me as a child to find out how things worked. The number of things I took to pieces just to see what made them do what they do, I've lost count, and where most parents would chastise their child for pulling apart an antique clock, he smiled and ask me if I'd figured out what made it tick yet. After I'd told him how I thought the thing I'd dismantled worked, he would then ask me to try and put the thing back together, so I learned how to create and build things too. This is how I came to learn to both knitting and crochet. I took things apart by unravelling them and watching how each stitch worked and how they fitted together. Thank you Dad for your support and for not trying to curb my inquisitive nature!

So to pay forward Molly's kindness and generosity and to celebrate my dads 75th birthday I'm going to make 3 parcels of handmade goods and send them out to 3 people. If you'd like the chance of being one of the 3 tell me something you love about your dad/main male role model in the comments on this blog post and the 3 I like best will get a PIF parcel.

11 comments:

  1. What a wonderful PIF! I do love Mollys crochet bracelets, they are different to what you see around. Plus, she uses really nice high quality yarn :D

    Your Dad would surely be very proud of you now. Its also wonderful of you to dedicate this PIF to him :D
    Its certainly got me thinking about my Dad more - he's going to be 60 in June.

    And thank you for the mention! :o That's certainly something I was not expecting!!

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  2. Your blog just made me cry! (I'm feeling that way out today lol)
    I'm lucky enough to still have my dad, he's always supported me in whatever I've done, whether or not he agrees with it! He comes around every Tuesday (three buses here, three buses home) and brings sandwiches, a bottle of beer each for me & him, oh and gingerbread men for the kids. He's a big bloke with a bald head and an earring, people daren't sit next to him on the bus! But he is a hugely intelligent man with a massive heart and I adore him.
    Happy Birthday to your dad, I'll be thinking about you today :)

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  3. That's a lovely post Lynne, what a star Molly is!

    Happy Birthday to your Dad :)

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  4. That's beautiful :-)

    Lots of love xx ♥

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  5. Ruby, your dad sounds like a great person to know. I would most definitely sit next to him on a bus. I've always found that the big blokes on the bus, that look slightly scary to some, are usually the nicest people to sit by. It's the sharp dressed men in suits that always pinch your butt and try to chat you up.

    Katrina, you are welcome. I think the wool you sent Molly is gorgeously coloured.

    Yes Kev, Molly is a star!

    Thanks for the love Spring.

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  6. This is a hard one because my dad is a man of few words and (it appears) few emotions. A workaholic and incredibly shy, my dad is really hard work to get to know and to spend time with but over the last few months we've hung out more and I realise that he works to provide for his family and he sees providing as how he shows his love. It's a different way of thinking to me but at least I am beginning to understand a little. It's his birthday tomorrow so I'm looking forward to a weekend with him and (hopefully) learning a little more. xx

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  7. I really admire your openness about your emotions in this post. :) And I'd like to tell my story, even though it's a hard one for me.

    When I was younger, my mum had to leave my dad for various reasons. He wasn't a good father for her kids, and over time and getting to know him as I grew up, I agree with her. My mother has been with her new partner, my steppish-father (they never married), for a good few years now.

    He isn't a nice man. I am sensitive and creative, and he is arrogant and brash and critical. For years, I thought he disapproved of me and everything I did - he would even tell me off for reading too much! It's hard to describe just how small he made me feel.

    Some years later, after I had left home, I found out that he has a lot of love for me and he respects many of the choices I've made. I think he's made a lot of difficult choices himself, although he's not open about them at all. These days, even though I don't enjoy spending time with him, I have a surprising amount of respect for him as a person. He's stuck by what feels instinctively right for him, he's seen a lot of life and him and my mum are a great duo. I want what's best for my mum, and if she's happy, I'm happy.

    On the other side of the parental fence, I've learned a lot from him in our conflicts and through resolving residual resentment I've come to understand him better and to know myself more. Although we've had some rough times, I am a better person and we're on much better terms with each other. He's made me unhappy over the years, and now I realise that I am happier now because of the challenges he's presented me with in the past. I'm glad he's been in my life.

    Thank you for listening. :) I know it's not the funnest of stories, but I've come a long way and I thought maybe other people in similar situations might be able to relate and have hope.

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  8. Lottie that must have taken a long time to write and it must have taken quite a bit of courage too.

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  9. When I think of my dad, the word "integrity" comes to mind. He never treated anyone badly and he never took the easy way out. He taught me how to live a life to be proud of and, even though sometimes I felt he was being too hard on me, I now know that even a few words from him could change my life.
    He's been gone for almost 11 years and I still miss him so much, but I know he is with me always.

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  10. Lots of feelings bared in this post and these comments, it's been a lovely read. Thanks for such a lovely review of my things, I'm so glad you liked them. :) You're all wonderful!

    Molly x

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  11. Thank you for reading it and appreciating it. :) I've enjoyed reading some of the responses, I particularly felt for Rhonda and haecceity78.

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