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" />" width="500" height="214" alt="ccb" />" />I am thinking about my Dad today. We try to talk at least every other day. He called me tonight worried about the low temperatures he read about in the Gadsden Times. I feel bad when I think of him having to worry about us. I imagine him thumbing through the pages of the paper until he reaches the weather page, and making a mental note of the low digits in Alaska. And then he worries. He worries about our wood burning stove burning the house down. He worries about us killing ourselves with carbon monoxide poisoning in the garage. But he's a worrier. He will always be a worrier.
This was one of our last get-togethers at Dad's house before we left.
It was hot that day. It seems like it was hot most everyday in Alabama.
I can't let Candy Corn wander to far off at Dad's house. He lives on a peninsula.
It's the best lot on the river.
Since I am the youngest grandchild in the Mabrey family, I've always been allowed to roam free while all of my aunts and older girl cousins fuss over things in the kitchen. They don't expect much of me. Not that I don't offer. But I guess I will always be seen as a kid in their eyes. In any case, Dad's kitchen is narrow and my Aunt Sara and Judy (Dad's wife) definitely didn't need me crowding the already cramped kitchen just to line up some hot dogs and shape some hamburgers.
They are studying the grill. See the buckets behind them? My Dad is a bucket collector.
Shortly after I took this photo, Dad and Uncle Sonny Boy grew impatient waiting on the grill to heat up sooooo Dad went a got his welding torch. He shot fire out of it onto the coals until they were blazing hot. Fire was shooting everywhere. Why I did not photograph this is beyond me.
Here you see my Dad making a bomb. Yep. I'd say at 1 out of every 10 Mabrey gatherings, my Dad decides to blow something up. This time it was a milk jug. He lit that setaline torch up, tamped out the fire on the bottom of his loafer there so only gas was hissing out, then filled the jug. Afterward, he quickly stuffed that newspaper in the hole to serve as a plug and a wick. He walked it out in the yard a good piece, set it down, lit the fuse, then slowly walked back to the safe zone.
Then, it blew. It was loud. Super loud. So loud Candy Corn began to cry uncontrollably. It was just another day with a Mabrey.
Brothers. 14 years difference between them.
They look like they need a pitchfork or something.
Uncle Sonny Boy means a lot to me. I could say a whole lot more but it would make me too homesick and take me way too long.
Me and my Dad. I love him.
Great post Hayley. Good pictures too.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny...your Dad blows up things in his back yard on purpose and he is worried about your wood stove burning the house down...bless his heart :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like you have a Wonderful Family!! and candy corn is adorable.
Awe - that was a very sweet post Hayley! It makes me miss my Dad. It makes me sad that ya'll are not here too. Yes. It does seem hot in Alabama (and Georgia) a lot, but today (this week) I think it is going to be wonderful, perfect, beautiful... I have to say that because we just came off the most cold Alaskan type weekend. It was COLD! Like freezing, REALLY! 20's and 30's...I was starting to think the good weather was over & it was really going to be cold.
ReplyDeleteI loved this blog. :) You're dad reminds me of my Uncle, who also likes to..um, blow things up. So much so that at every occision, the fireworks come out and he lights them in the backyard, despite it being illegal here in NJ. One time the lawn caught fire. That was a good one. I'll have to tell him about the milk jug...no wait...I really shouldn't...maybe it's for the best to leave that one alone. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great read. I love stories of family. My Daddy passed when I was 15 (29 yrs ago last week). I miss him daily. Candy Corn is fortunate to have a Grandpa who adores her. I love the pic of you and your Daddy.
ReplyDeleteThanks everybody. Miz Liz, Ha! Strangely I wasn't even thinking of the irony in that when I posted this! Dad has always been a little bit crazy. Ok. A lot. A lot crazy.
ReplyDeleteYeah Phyllis, don't they say if you don't like the weather down there, then wait a few minutes? They say that about the weather here too but I haven't found it to be true. I mean it is either cold or colder with wind.
Katie, yeah. You should probably just keep this bomb thing to yourself...for the safety of all of your family. But, he sounds like a guy who already knows how to blow stuff up....sooooo. You should probably just keep your distance.
BlessedMamaofMany, I believe time heals, but it doesn't make us forget. The pain of loosing someone is never completely diminished is it?
I miss Dad, too. AND Uncle Sonny Boy. AND you. AND Candy Corn Oh I miss everybody. I've been missing everybody for longer than a decade now, and it's hard. Like you said about Uncle Sonny Boy, I could say a lot more, but it would make me too homesick and take me way too long. Love these pics. Glad you documented Dad making the setaline bomb. That was one of the recreational activities he and Ethan did together the first time I introduced them, sooooooo.... He's so cute in these pics. Ya'll all look really good. Would you like to have one of these Alabama hot days right now? Or would you still want to jump out of a moving train before having another one of 'em? I personally liked them most of the time... but you're right. It was unbearable at times. Pools are good.
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