I have a billion memories of Dad.  Every one just as awesome as the last.  My favourite one was the first Christmas after Mom & Dad split.   Dad had to go shopping for Christmas presents by himself for the first time... and I wound up with a card that read "All the beauty and everything magic about this festive season are even more enchanting when they're shared with friends like you.  Season's Greetings'.  Dad had signed it, and voicing his displeasure with my unemployment at the time, he'd written "geet a gob" on the card.  I also got the wonderful gifts of Men's Socks and Bacon Bits.  Oh Dad. lol.  I ate every single one of those Bacon Bits!!! ^_____^

Despite being pulled out of school before grade 8, Dad definitely was anything but a dummy.  He could school you on so much, especially on the art of living off the land, and how to pay attention to even the littlest of things.  I have him to thank so much for his artistic talent, and for always encouraging me with my art, even when I felt it wasn't any good.

He loved being outdoors.  In the winter he would shovel off the lake so we could skate, take us to Beveridge's Locks to sled down the steep hill.  Ross and I would get snow all up our sleeves and down our jackets and when we had a particularly good wipeout, Dad would almost split a side laughing.  He built skating rinks at home in Port Elmsley in the back yard and even built an igloo on the front lawn for Ross and I one year.

In the summer he would fish and fish and fish!  Dad's Fish Fry get-togethers were legendary, and the house was full to brimming with people.  He was always taking the boat down the river to fish, nagging and nagging at me to come until I relented.  It wasn't that I didn't like fishing, it was that I didn't like being a mosquito snack every time we went. lol.  He loved living next to the river.  We fed the fish off the rock that was part of the original massive piece Dad blasted with dynamite to build the concrete steps and water pools that cascaded down into the river.  We spent endless amounts of time all summer long every year swimming in the Tay River - but never farther than 'Elephant Rock' (a large light-coloured square stone likely left over from building the bridge at one point).

We caught fireflies and bullfrogs and when Mom caught me trying to kiss a frog in hopes that it would turn into a prince, she demanded that I take that frog up to the house to where Dad was sitting in the basement and show him.  I don't think I've ever seen him laugh so hard. :)

And it goes on and on and on...A treasure trove of memories that I will cherish forever, with the man who was there at Kingston General when I came into the world, and I was there with him when he left it to go to the next big adventure.

I'll be waiting for the first fish out of the pan when I get there, you old bugger. ;)