I'm an only child. I hated it. But I had a Dad to top all Dads. He taught me how to fish from a boat, use the oars, fly fish, sit on a bank and hope no fish bite so we could doze (yes, I put my own worm on) He took me hunting and taught me how to shoot. Took me to basketball games (saw the great Babe Didrickson), we LOVED baseball and never missed a game, took me to wrestling matches, fights, wherever he went I went. No football as they had no games in our area. Sometimes we just walked in the woods with the hounds to hear them pick up a rabbit trail. He taught me his Archie Bunker view of the world, which I didn't buy but listened anyhow. And Grandpa took me fishing and caught my nose with a fish hook. He faked a whole page of printed Cs for me, as I turned them upside down. This got me a trip to the Fair. Grandpa chewed plug tobacco and I kept a cabbage heart in my pocket. When he took a chaw, I chewed on my cabbage. Unfortunately at age 16 I became a girl and the local boys took over. Poor Dad. He lost his playmate, best buddy. I miss that guy. Marilynn "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving > safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in > sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, > totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!" ---------------------------------

Marilynn, What a warm and wonderful picture that description conjures up! Delightful! Jill in Washington state "Gypsy gold does not chink and glitter. It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark." Gypsy saying ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marilynn Masten" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 10:02 AM Subject: [ARMSTRONG] Girls > I'm an only child. I hated it. But I had a Dad to top all Dads. Grandpa > chewed plug tobacco > and I kept a cabbage heart in my pocket. When he took a chaw, I chewed > on my cabbage. > Marilynn