Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my Dad's birthday.  

This is a photo taken in 1945 of my dad and his dad, Norman Adelbert Robison.

One thing that you may or may not know about my dad is that he always, Always, ALWAYS wore cowboy boots (well, except for that stretch when he took tennis lessons).

He was even known to wear his boots when he rode his bike.

He wore them to work.  He wore them to Church.  He wore them to bed...well, not in bed, but all the way TO bed when he would sit down on the bed, take off his boots, and slide into bed.

The boots were right there waiting for him when we got up the next morning.

A quick shower and then the boots went right back on.

I remember as a child when my mom and dad would travel (usually to places like Reno or Sun Valley for Arctic Circle Conventions) my Dad would come home with a new pair of Tony Llamas (boots, for those of you who don't know your brands).

He would usually only get a new pair of boots every 1 to 2 years.  And I don't ever remember him throwing away a pair of boots.  Ever.

(I have a story coming about some boots that my dad purchased...maybe later today.)

Another story that I think about when I think about my dad woking on the farm with his dad or when I am doing yard work and the kids want to help me,  I think of this story...

My dad told me that one time he was helping his dad haul some hay to feed the animals.

They were in the back of a pickup truck, using pitchforks to toss hay out to the animals.

When they were done, my Grandpa dropped his pitchfork down to the ground so that it stuck into the ground and then used it to hang onto as he jumped to the ground. (all in one quick motion)

Well, as all little boys do, my dad wanted to do it just like his dad.

So, (as I imagine it)...this little boy, helping, and wanting to be just like his dad, tossed the sharp end of his pitchfork over the side and hoisted himself out of the truck and landed on the ground.

Only when he got to the ground and reached to pull out his pitchfork, did my Dad realize that as he tossed his pitchfork out, it had not made it into the ground, but into the back of my Grandpa's leg.

So, every time I see a pitch fork, or my kids want to help with the garden tools, I tell them to be careful and remind them what happened to my dad and the pitchfork.

And it's snowing today.  There is a photo of my dad shoveling snow on his birthday.  So, we always remind ourselves when the weather is bad in March, that it can snow a foot as late as March 25 in Utah because it always snows on my dad's birthday.  Except in 1995 when the weather was perfect.