Where is everyone #5

First time I've flown in probably 20 years. And I'm getting paid to do it.

 

My Dad was just confusing. That is a consensus from all three of his children. Other relatives feel similar or don't disagree with the reasoning behind that conclusion. He worked now, there's no denying that. Built all kinds of stuff. Two houses by himself, one brick, one log cabin. About 7 muzzle loaders that were works of art. Tons of repairs and projects that I wouldn't dream of tackling myself. Pretty much you name it, he built it.

 

My dad passed before I was 2 years old - so I have no memories of a father at all. It was just not an option for me - so experiences differ for all of us.

I grew up in a house with all women - no grandfathers fathers or brothers. So some activities are not in my background but I do not feel handicapped in anyway. My mother taught me to be try to be a decent human and be responsible for my actions and future. She was a lot tougher and smarter than you would think for a woman widowed at 35 that had been a primarily a housewife and mother.

 

He built a still in the attached garage ( his workshop and heaven help us if we had to go in there when he was there ). Didn't keep it operating long though. It was totally legal. You can make all the booze you want for your own consumption. Just can't sell any. Unless you're brewing ethanol for cars. In which case you are required by law to add poison to it to ensure compliance by the customer that they don't drink it since Uncle Sammy didn't get any tax money off of the sale.
That's not a joke.
Uncle Sammy don't get his pimp money, you can't get drunk. Unless you brewed it yourself, for yourself.
Uncle Sammy is extremely clear that he's the pimp daddy and all of us peons are just his ho's. Got a very strong pimp hand.

 

If my Dad had known about ethanol and burning it in cars ( pre internet days so much information was kept secret, on purpose, because $$$. BIG $$$ ) I can just about guarantee we would have been putting booze in the gas tanks. The first gas crisis was around the same time as when he built his still.

 

Enjoy the flight. Good luck with the new job.

 

I'd give a left hangy down part to go back to listening to them men and fetching tools and beers. I still do my tractor work in dad's shop. Somedays I get lost just looking thru things that's always been there. Sometimes it's hard to work, when we spent so much time in there together. Guess if mom ever wants to downsize I'll might have to buy the house and shop. Not sure if I could let it go. But that's not a conversion to have with her. That's for her to decide.

 

You aren't the only one for sure. I was reading some of these posts and thinking how nice it is to have memories of their dads like that. I, sadly, don't have any. I think of certain things while I was growing up of what I could have done different just to have pleased him only to realize later in life it would never happen. My brother fit his mold and never saw our dad in the same light as I did. My brother and I get along great, and I hold no ill feelings against either one, but there was a lot of pain along the way. I don't dwell on what could have been. I just made sure my son didn't experience that type of relationship with me. Did I accomplish that? I don't know, the jury is still out and hope it stays out for a long time.

 

Thanks for saying that.