Truly its a shame non of our critters can relax on this Memorial day….

I always wondered about my dad a brave man, a war hero.
He refused to speak of the war; he said it was enough that he was home and alive.

My dad loved his girls, the whole gang of us; yes all of his nine daughters.
I cannot even imagine what life was like for him, a six bedroom farm house with one bathroom.

As a kid I was “Daddy’s Girl”. It was a source of contention with my sisters.
I got my butt kicked many many times for it.

Life was mostly fun, I learned to follow directions, run a welder and figure protein for feed.
I learned when alfalfa was ready to cut, and I was allowed to drive the tractor that pulled the mower.
I also ran the rake and baler. Hot dog!

I also spent way too many years throwing bales of hay onto hay wagons,
And stacking hay in hay mounds.

I have no regrets. I had a good childhood. I knew I was loved by my dad.

We worked hard, we rode horses, roped calves, then rode them…We laughed together.
We had our own mini rodeos… got dumped off some bad to the bone Bulls and horses.

We learned to hitch and drive teams, castrate calves, and run a hot brand.
Any of us girls could drive any piece of machinery made.

We could stack hay or firewood and make it pretty.

My Dad served in the Navy during WW2.
He was wounded during a sea battle. A head injury and burns that got him sent to Louisiana to recover.

He had a plate in his head and Hugh scars on his chest.
His best friend Billy lived up the road from us, Billy was a Battan survivor, and he never spoke of it. He and Daddy sat out in the barn sipping a jug of whiskey and talking softly.
Billy was scary; he never came into the house.

On this Memorial Day, I remember the sacrifices of my father and I am blessed to be his daughter.

I also am thankful for all of the heroes that are on the front line, protecting me, and mine.
I ask Gods protecting hand for all of these heroes.

And most of all, I am thankful to live in a country that’s free!

Trackposted to Blog @ MoreWhat.com, Mark My Words, Committees of Correspondence, stikNstein… has no mercy, DragonLady’s World, Pirate’s Cove, Leaning Straight Up, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.