The tears were streaming down my face when I finally banged the clamp off of the old battery. The boat wouldn’t start and the old battery had somehow overheated last summer and needed to be replaced. I had a feeling that the problem wasn’t the battery– I suspected it was the starter– but I wasn’t sure. And the one person that I always counted on to help me, was no longer here.
The kids looked at me in surprise. “What’s wrong, Mom?”
“I’m just thinking about Dad,” I explained. “Every time there was something wrong with the boat, he was the one to fix it or to tell me what was wrong with it. I’m just missing him.”
This week, there’s been one thing after another wrong with the boat. The battery clamp broke off and I had to run to town to buy a new one. The starter was indeed the problem, and I ended up writing a check to the mechanic for that one. “Oh by the way, Mom, the gas gauge doesn’t work,” David informed me just before pulling me for a run earlier in the week. I fixed that. “Mom, the water pump isn’t working and the boat has some water in it,” he told me tonight after another barefoot run. Joe fixed the broken wire and got the pump running again.
Lately, I’ve been missing Dad a lot. The house seems empty without him. If you recall my earlier post about seeing a red-winged blackbird, then you know the story of that connection with my Dad. Last week Friday, I was doing a clinic up at the Blue Moo Lake and I was feeling a little bit anxious about being able to put together a trick run. I had struggled on the water earlier in the week at Cedar Lake and had not yet even practiced a trick run. I was floating in the water, waiting for the boat to return and a lone bird landed on the bank. I turned to take a closer look and saw that it was a…
Red-winged blackbird.
I threw my head back and laughed.
Comments
3 responses to “Missing My Dad”
Karen.. I can so relate. I have several of my dad’s shirts and just hung one up today and started crying. It is so hard, isn’t it? So many things we wish we could ask/say/share… It is much easier to see the someone’s role in our life once they aren’t there.
I’m a little late reading this but wanted to reach out with virtual hugs anyway. I have learned that grief can rise and fall over the years, often at unexpected moments. Whether the memory causes tears to fall or laughter to rise up from our belly, it is a reminder of the bond, and the love that had the blessing to share. {{{hugs}}}}
Hi
I’ve know these days but not with boats but cars.
Funny thing is I don’t drive but still remember the
younger days working with my hubby on cars.
But this Mom’s day hit me like a ton of bricks..
For several reason. My mom isn’t here no more
I just found my sister after more than 16 years
and she still mad and bitter. Than I seen a picture
of my mom for the first time in over 16 years and balled
my eyes out. Than our son took an odd job to get me a
gift from all the kids and me being sick and not doing the things mom’s do just made me so much more emotional that day. It is a day I’ll remember for a long time.
I’ve not read your other post about the bird but I bet you
that was a sign from your dad that he watching down over you.
Thanks for sharing
Bonnie Squires