I've been thinking of my Dad today. It has been almost 10 years since he passed and it still seems very recent. My Dad was an amazing man. He began his work career a a fireman with CP Rail -- the position that shovelled coal for steam locomotives. When diesels arrived on the scene, he was placed on spare board with many others. He did many volunteer jobs to keep busy and from these found part time work, one of which became a full time job with the government. He worked as assistant storekeeper in Dept of Education, followed by storekeeper with Dept Agriculture and then chief storekeeper with the Dept of Highways. That road wasn't as smooth as the typed word suggests -- when the agriculture branch he worked for disappeared one day, he was able to move into a stock clerk position until a the Highways position opened. He was always working no matter the position level -- he was a hard worker and provider for his family.
My Dad could be called a 'handy man' but I think this term doesn't quite cover his creativity. He designed and built the house I grew up in. The house was build to the point we could move in -- sub-floors, tar papered picture window spaces, stairs into the back door but not the front door and no sidewalks. These were completed as money was available. Again, Dad did all the design and work. I recall getting to ride in the wheel barrow. He demonstrated infinite patience with a pre-schooler who wanted to understand every step of every process. It wasn't until I was an adult that he told me that there were times when he'd turn on the table saw -- which I hated -- so he could have a few moments to himself before I returned <smile>. He built camping trailers for many of our childhood summer travels. Two were canvas tops on trailers and the last was an original design of a hard-sided trailer where the top fit down over the bottom for more streamlined travel. The patent for the latter was sold by a 'friend' with no mention of my Dad's input. He made fibreglass canoes and kayaks -- he and my brother paddled around Kingmere Lake to hike into Grey Owl's cabin in Prince Albert National Park -- in matching magenta kayaks. When working on my Masters degree, I needed a device to provide different elevation angles to a piece of equipment. Dad designed and built that for me <smile>.
My Dad had a delightful sense of humour. One Christmas I had asked for a gold chain to wear. All boxes under the tree were way too big and weighed more than this gift. I was surprised when I opened a large heavy box to find 24" of logging chain spray painted gold -- I still use this as a paper weight <smile> -- and under all the packing was a small velvet box with the actual jewelry. He had a smile at the ready and loved to pay monthly bills in person to chat with the clerks. Walking anywhere in town he'd find several someones that he knew by name and greeted. He lived in the same city his whole life, much of that time spent within a 2x6 block space. He loved to travel, though and had been across Canada, the US, Hawaii and the south Pacific islands. I hope that I have some of his sense of humour, ability to greet people on the street and my love of travel. I've been places that I know he would have loved.
Finding a song today was challenging -- there are so many songs about fathers. I settled on one that speaks to Dad's creative abilities and is a tribute to his workshops. Enjoy!
Daddy's Hands -- Holly Dunn
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