Father's Day rolls around

Here is Mom, Dad, my paternal Grandmother and step-grandfather. All of whom are no longer living in this world. I have fond memories of family visits here at the cottage. Grandma lived in England, and went back to her home after emigrating to Canada back in the 30s or 40s. They lived in England in one of those delightful something-upon-avon towns.

With my late father's passing in 2007, these days are a bit peculiar. For those who never knew their birth parents it must be a poignant day. I met my birth mother, she never spoke of my birth father. I have no clues. It makes me understand how the detached feel on Valentine's Day! That said, for me it is a day to look back at the life my adoptive parents created for me.

My father was a totally supportive man, despite losing his father at age 15. It seemed a common problem in those days, as my mother's father died when SHE was 15, the same year, for the same reason.

(On the left is mom's father, who died in 1940.)

Hiding behind his paper at the end of the day, my Dad cooked and cleaned on Saturdays (before it was kewl) when Mom had to work. I have many memories of fishing with Dad (right). I remember one day, we could see the clouds forming, and could see the wall of rain moving towards us from across the lake. It was incredible. We scurried to clean up our fishing gear and high tailed it into the cottage, laughing so hard.

He was a wonderful grandpa, taking Caitlin, and subsequent grandsons, shopping, giving them spare change for the Balacade. Here he is with Caitlin by the lake he loved so much. Caitlin turns the big 30 this year! How time flies.

I attended a Palliative Care Conference last month. One of the workshops featured ways to celebrate loved ones. To that end, I created an iMovie from our family's slides to celebrate my Dad's life. He so loved 'the cottage', as many do. These slides from the 50s, 60s, 70s showing the old days in Toronto, family picnics, the cottage, Muskoka, pets and parties.

Here is Dad raking his beloved Muskoka property, happy as a clam - Mom ever the photographer.


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Celebration of Dad - music by Bev Foster, Warm Breezes, Room217.ca


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Celebration of Life- for Dad's funeral in Feb., 2007. It is one idea for a memorial!