6.19.2010

My Dad

Father's Day, time to honor dad and make him special. My dad died a little over three years ago, on Valentine's Day of a broken heart. My mom had passed away a few months prior and I don't think he wanted to live without her. And since today is also my birthday, I wanted to share some pictures of me and my dad! Ernest Everett Moore, but was always known as "Pat", as in Pat the Irishman is what everyone called him. Born in the early 20's, he was like most as he grew up in Joplin, Missouri during those times. He served his time in WWII and always loved telling the story about coming home from Germany on the Queen Mary. He and my mom had something special. I don't know how to describe it, but I never even came close to having it during the 22 years I was married to Mr. Wonderful. He was a family man. Him and my mom bought their first and only home in Long Beach, where I was born and raised. Katie and her family bought the house after my mom and dad had passed away and now are raising their family in the house I grew up in, just a remodeled version of it!It's funny, this picture was taken at my mom's Aunt and Uncle's house also in Long Beach, and very close to where I live now. I've never strayed to far from the "LBC", my hometown. Of course I don't remember hanging out with my dad on our back porch, but I like to think I do. He was the one that kept the "memories" alive in my family. He took most of the pictures, wrote on the backs of them with stories and dates. He was that kind of guy back then. Just a family man that worked for SoCal Edison as a lineman. He got paid every two weeks and on those Fridays my sister and I would go out to dinner with my folks at Heartwell Golf Course coffee shop. And YES, that is still here, close by.When my folks bought their house, it was brand new. Douglas Aircraft had just opened and there were new jobs to be found. My dad planted this magnolia tree in the front yard. The magnolia tree that my sister and I grew up under, the magnolia tree that my three kids played under, and now the tree that Riley plays under and soon her baby brother will join her.
This is one of my very favorite pictures of my dad and me, again taken in our backyard. He really did his part in raising us. He could fix anything and I do mean anything. I remember when I was going to school over at Cal State University Fullerton, I was driving an old VW bug at the time. As I was getting ready to drive home after class, my clutch went out. Not a probem for my dad. He met me at school with a rope in hand. Tied it to some part in the engine and ran it through the driver window. I drove his car home, and he drove mine by using the rope to "shift" since the clutch had gone out. My dad, Mr. Fix It! I have this picture framed in my home, I love it! My sister, Teri and I, were at Pier Point Landing down at the beach in Long Beach with my folks. It's no longer there but was such a cool little place. They had seals, little rides, nothing like the scary Pike that use to be down there! Sadly Pier Point Landing is no longer there. I would have loved to take my grandbabies there! This is a picture of my dad holding Riley for the first time. He was so excited and just kept saying, "your mom would have loved this baby". I've told this story many times before about my mom passing away a few days after Riley being born. My folks had been living in assistant living at the time. My dad saw Riley at her funeral, but none of it registered with him. He had Alzheimer's and was grieving over my mom. He was such a "challenge" to me at the end. The things he did were comical but the messages he use to leave on my answering machine at home were so draining. I would work all week-end, come home from a BSC Sunday and play my messages and hear, "Susan, this is your dad, we have NO cat food, what are we supposed to do, our cats are going to starve to death"! After my dad passed away and my sister and I were cleaning out his room, we discovered cases of cat food everywhere. That was my dad, torturing me to the very end! My dad, Pat the Irishman!It's funny when you've lost your parents and your own kids are grown. I see so much of my dad in Bryce. His appearance, his efforts to fix everything, and the way he loves his little Morgan, just like my dad did with his girls. I know my dad would be SO excited to know Katie is going to have a little boy pretty soon. Our family needs more boys. So, tonight as I go out to dinner with my family for my birthday and Father's Day, I will remember all the good things in my life. What our past has taught us and what our future holds for us. When I got up this morning, I had an email from my sweet "RuFie"! Here's what she sent me: "Life is too short to wake up with regrets~so love the people who treat you right~forget about the ones who don't~and believe that everything happens for a reason and if you get a chance, take it~if it changes your life, let it." Thinking of you today Dad!!

10 comments:

Kate said...

Happy Birthday Sue!!!

I loved this post about your father and all of the amazing photos of him. Enjoy your day today and I truly hope that it is wonderful.

Take care
Kate

ginny said...

sue: happy birthday!!!

how fortunate you are to be able to write such a tribute to your dad.

lulu redstar said...

Happy Happy Birthday, Sweetie PIE! I love the stories about your dad...the clutch one is a classic!
Isn't amazing how your parents will live on through you and the babies? take good care. Glad I could make you laugh today!
xooxoxox

Boogieboard Cottage said...

Happy Birthday Sue! Wow, what a wonderful father you had, and what a blessing that you are surrounded by so many friends and family members. Have a great day! Mary :O)

Vintage Market Place said...

Happy Birthday!
Whoa what a wonderful dedication to your dad. It is great that you have such fond memories of him and the pictures are awesome. I don't know, the cat food story is pretty good.
Have a great time tonight with the family and take lots of pictures for the babies to have to show years from now with wonderful stories of their grandma.
Amy

The Boston Lady said...

Hey Sue,

First of all Happy Birthday young lady!! I so enjoyed reading about your dad. He was born in the same era as my dad, so I understand very much the essence of the person he must have been. What a wonderful legacy he has left behind. You all have obviously inherited his work ethic.

My parents, too, had a tough end of the road and I still have to fight to remember the better times.

I so appreciate your kind comments on my blog for my husband. I am a very lucky person to have him and my kids are lucky as well.

If you ever want to read a bit about my dad's life. I wrote a post on Nov 22 of last year for his birthday. He was of Scottish decent and he lived up to the "tough Scot" reputation wholeheartedly.

I love to hear about your wonderful family especially how connected you all are to each other. Thats such a blessing. Hope you had some fun on your birthday and I still hope to make it to your place this August!

Betty's corner of the world said...

Dear Sue ... Your post about your Dad is wonderful ..it was so sweet and soo full of love .. You were truly blessed with a great Dad.
By-the-way ...I get phone calls from my Mom like the ones you got from your Dad .. funny ..but not..I too had a wonderful Father who has been gone for 26 years ..but I can still hear his voice in my head if I think about him hard enough. :^)
You have a wonderful family... Big hugz .. and *HAPPY BIRTHDAY*
Betty

MJ Ornaments said...

Happy Birthday to you! I loved your post, and the photos were so sweet to see. I just lost my mom to Alzheimer's so I understand the torture it is to watch. It's so wonderful to see the good traits of your dad in the next generation though, and what a legacy he left for you. Take care, Martha

Tanza said...

Happy Birthday Sue !! WoW !! They keep a comin', don't they !! I agree, LIVe each day, and just be thankful for what we have, and who we surround ourselves with !! You are loved, and Sue, you STILL look like just a little beach kid .. Your looking great, and your heart is beautiful !! Have a happy day and evening of celebrating ~
Birthday HuGs ~Tanza~

Jane said...

Hi Sue,
Hopped from one blog to another and ended up finding out it was your birthday! Happy Birthday to you! I hope you enjoyed your day.
I really enjoyed the post about your father. He sounded like a wonderful man.
I read through a few of your posts....I'm a blonde, left-handed, Gemini too!
Jane