Today happens to be one of my father's two birthdates. According to legend, he was born on the 4th of July. His mother, not wishing him to have to share his birthday with the nation, convinced the doctor to state he was born after midnight, rather than before. The man celebrated two birthdays each and every year I knew him. I tried to pull a similar tale off, but, as the closest holiday to my birthday was at the time, two days away, no one was buying it. (The holiday has since been moved to the last Monday of the month, making the tale even more unrealistic.)
Some of my favorite Dad quotes: "No one person can know everything. Every person you met will know something you don't. Respect that and learn from them." Another, "Fix the problem, not the blame." And of course, "Your legs are younger than mine." Ie, fetch that for me, will you?
I love my father's god, because his god was a loving god. His god was a forgiving god. And if his god could forgive, so could he. I do believe we could have burned the house down and he would have sighed and moved on to fixing the problem. The only thing he could not abide was siblings squabbling. We should love each other and that was final!
He was a jolly man who loved to tell stories and jokes. As a child, most of them went over my head and it was only when I went to repeat them that I learned they were of a risque nature a young girl should not be hearing in the first place let alone repeat. Oops.
He was a bagpipe playing Scotsmen, hence my love for men in kilts.
Anyway, for me, today is Father's Day.
Favorite Dad quotes? Jokes a young girl can repeat?
Pa used to say when he heard one of us kids bang & crash & then bawl in some other room ,”That’s a lesson well-learned!”
My Dad was 5'8", 150#. I am 6'2", 250+. He was Steve. He called me Stevie. He was the only one. I guess I don't look like a Stevie to anyone else.
He'd say, "There was a squirrel looking for you Stevie. He was holding a sign. It read, 'Where's Stevie?' He thinks you're nuts!"
One evening after supper and between songs (we often played music after supper) we had a few people visiting and the jokes started flying.
Dad said "Look down your shirt and spell "ATTIC".
It went over very well and coincidentally the next day we had a "Tell your favorite joke" time at school.I was in the 4th grade and when asked if I had one I gleefully recited Dad's joke from the night before.
Shortly thereafter our teacher took all the other kids across the street to the library to see some new books that had arrived,but I was told to stay at my desk and ponder what I had said.
Edited by - steve davis on 07/07/2026 13:56:59
quote:
Originally posted by steve davisOne evening after supper and between songs (we often played music after supper) we had a few people visiting and the jokes started flying.
Dad said "Look down your shirt and spell "ATTIC".
It went over very well and coincidentally the next day we had a "Tell your favorite joke" time at school.I was in the 4th grade and when asked if I had one I gleefully recited Dad's joke from the night before.
Shortly thereafter our teacher took all the other kids across the street to the library to see some new books that had arrived,but I was told to stay at my desk and ponder what I had said.
Ah yes... the good old days when one could reasonably expect a 4th grader to know how to spell ATTIC.
My Dad also said "Eat every bean and pea on your plate."
Often followed by a wink.
Me Fathers form of a encouraging comment...
"If you tried ..just..a..little bit harder...
You might work yer way up to being...
Pathetic........."
quote:
Originally posted by Jon Borcherdingquote:
Originally posted by steve davisOne evening after supper and between songs (we often played music after supper) we had a few people visiting and the jokes started flying.
Dad said "Look down your shirt and spell "ATTIC".
It went over very well and coincidentally the next day we had a "Tell your favorite joke" time at school.I was in the 4th grade and when asked if I had one I gleefully recited Dad's joke from the night before.
Shortly thereafter our teacher took all the other kids across the street to the library to see some new books that had arrived,but I was told to stay at my desk and ponder what I had said.Ah yes... the good old days when one could reasonably expect a 4th grader to know how to spell ATTIC.
I won my first spelling bee in the 5th grade.
quote:
Originally posted by steve davisquote:
Originally posted by Jon Borcherdingquote:
Originally posted by steve davisOne evening after supper and between songs (we often played music after supper) we had a few people visiting and the jokes started flying.
Dad said "Look down your shirt and spell "ATTIC".
It went over very well and coincidentally the next day we had a "Tell your favorite joke" time at school.I was in the 4th grade and when asked if I had one I gleefully recited Dad's joke from the night before.
Shortly thereafter our teacher took all the other kids across the street to the library to see some new books that had arrived,but I was told to stay at my desk and ponder what I had said.Ah yes... the good old days when one could reasonably expect a 4th grader to know how to spell ATTIC.
I won my first spelling bee in the 5th grade.
Confession: I tapped out in the 4th grade county spelling bee on the word "ILLEGAL".
I was nervous, sweating bullets, and obviously destined to be an outlaw.
My dad’s most famous quote that I lived by and taught my children.
“Other than a house or a car, if you can’t afford to pay cash, you don’t buy it.”
Slammer!!!
The thing my father said to me more than once, that would seem applicable to many younger people today, would be;
"Don't let your mouth write checks that your a$$ can't cash."
Tell the truth............
You can work around a thief.
But you can do nothing with a Liar.
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