• About Me
  • DEBQ
  • The Other Bottom Line
  • Why I do Friday Pick
  • About My Blog

talktodiana

~ Igniting the power and passion in others…

talktodiana

Tag Archives: Father

If I Had Known…

06 Sunday Nov 2016

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, My Stories

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

200 words, Canada, Dad, daughter, death, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, family, Father, grief, growing up, Heinz Schwenk, Life's like that, love, memories, parents, Relationships

One year ago today, Dad passed away peacefully after eating supper in his hospital room…

If I had known that that last time we were together would be the last time I would ever see you, I would have looked at you more closely. I would have listened more carefully to what you had to say. I would have said to you all the things I ever wanted to tell you.

― Anonymous, page 49, Reflections upon the Death of a Father by Harold Ivan Smith

Dad, I wish I would have stayed longer that Friday. I wish I’d taken the opportunity to be with you alone to talk, to listen, to sit silent, to watch you sleep, to watch you eat your dinner.

I wish I would have looked into your beautiful blue eyes that never changed with age and searched them out for the wisdom you’d learned over the years.

But we thought you had turned a corner. And so we left that afternoon as you slept. And we sat the ‘get well’ teddy bear on your table with my handwritten note, “It was good to see you Dad, we’ll be back tomorrow, love you …”

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

I Get That Now

02 Wednesday Nov 2016

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

≈ 41 Comments

Tags

Berlin, Dad, death, Diana Schwenk, family, Father, Germany, grief, growing up, Heinz Schwenk, Hump Day Chronicles, life, Life's like that, love, memories, Opa, parents, Relationships, stories

Opa, 66, with his daschund (Cherry) in 1973

Opa, 66, with his Daschund (Cherry) in 1973.

Opa (my paternal grandfather) became a father at 27 years old when Dad was born on June 28, 1934.

Born in 1907, Opa lived through two world wars and the depression. Over the years, Dad told me many stories of his childhood growing up in Berlin, Germany.

Like the time he stole a horse from the Russians so that his family and neighbours could eat meat.

And the time he and his teenaged buddies lifted a Volkswagen over the owners fenced-in yard with a small gate – too small to drive a car through!

But I know very little about Opa. I know that he was raised by his aunt, and that he may not have known some of his siblings.

And once when Dad was in elementary school, he wet his pants in class because the teacher wouldn’t let him go to the bathroom. Opa went to the school the next day to talk to the teacher. Dad never knew what Opa had said, but the teacher told Dad that day that if he ever needed to go to the bathroom, he had permission to just go, didn’t even have to raise his hand to ask.

I know that Opa was athletic and participated in track and field. I know from our visits to Germany as a family, that Opa struggled with alcohol and by the time he was a senior, a half bottle of beer was enough to do him in. Yet even at a ripe old age, Opa could still walk up the stairs on his hands.

Opa passed away on June 28, 1987 (My Dad’s 53rd birthday). Opa had suffered a stroke on a Thursday. Dad booked the earliest flight he could get but unfortunately Opa passed away around the same time Dad’s plane landed in Berlin that Sunday.

I remember when Dad phoned to tell me Opa was dead. He was so calm on the phone, so matter-of-fact. I, on the other hand, burst into tears. Dad tried to console me. When I composed myself, it dawned on me to ask Dad how he was doing and comment on how awful it must be that his father died on his birthday. “I’m fine. Everyone dies eventually Diana. I’m ok.”

On June 28, 2012, I happened to be back east at my parent’s place for Dad’s 78th Birthday. We were talking about this and that when suddenly out of nowhere, Dad with glistening eyes said, “It’s 25 years ago today that my father died.”

I touched Dad’s arm.

What could I say?

Maybe you never quite get over the death of your father.

I get that now.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

 

Happy Father’s Day!

13 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

Diana Schwenk, family, Father, fathers-day, growing up, Montreal

Dad in the early 60’s

Happy Father’s Day to all the great Dads out there – especially mine.

I’ve written about my Dad before here.

But with Father’s Day just around the corner, I feel a need to dig around some more in my treasure chest of yesterdays and pull out a few more memories.

My Dad is a simple man. I don’t mean simple-minded, just simple in needs.

A hard-working man who spent decades working at Kraft Foods, Canada in Montreal, Quebec.

He was a good provider.

And although not immediately obvious when first meeting him; Dad has more than one side.

The Collector

Dad sold part of his precious stamp collection so that he could make a down payment on our first family home.

Dad collects everything including, but not limited to: stamps, coins, license plates, antiques, military and police uniforms and badges, pins and pretty much everything he’s ever owned – much to Mom’s dismay!

Shock Value

A quiet man…well most times. Dad likes to push people out of their comfort zones…well kinda. I think I inherited this from him but I will spare you the incriminating photos. 😉

There was the time I came down for breakfast and Dad was reading the paper and drinking his coffee just like he always does.

Only this particular morning he was doing so in his underwear, undershirt, long-haired red wig and cowboy hat!

I stood there, mouth open, staring.

He looked at me, with a hint of a smirk pulling on the corners of his mouth, over his glasses and said, “What?”

Another time during one of the most powerful thunderstorms I’d ever witnessed, Dad went outside with an umbrella and watered the lawn.

I can’t even find words to describe the looks we got from neighbours!

The Cure for Everything

Most of you have probably seen ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ where the father’s cure for everything is Windex, right?

Well in our household, whether you had acne, sprained your ankle, got a painful sunburn, cut yourself shaving, had a cold sore, toothache, stomach-ache, earache, cramps in your leg, the hiccups, a bad cough, a runny nose, growing pains, a mole, a wart, a fat lip, a black eye, Chicken Pox, Tonsillitis, ingrown toenail, hang nail – you name it – there was only one sure cure.

He’d look at you and simply say, “Put Nivea on it.”

Kindness and Generosity.

Dad has a kind and generous heart.

Dad always tips well and has a good rapport with all the waitresses in the restaurants he frequents.

Many of them have known him for decades and he gets invites to weddings and other special occasions all the time.

It’s not unusual for him to slip me or another family member a couple of bucks now and then.

When you tell him it’s not necessary, his brow knits together and he says, “Ach come on just take it.”

Years ago when my friend’s Dad passed away, he put his hand on her shoulder and said, “If you want, I can be your Dad from now on.”

He still asks about her now and then and inquires about how she’s doing.

Hopefully I’ve inherited a bit of this side of him as well.

Dad at one of his favourite restaurants for breakfast

Dad surprising me on my 48th Birthday

The Mayor of Hawksbury honouring my parents on their 50th Anniversary

Mom and Dad at home

I hope you have a great Father’s Day Dad.

And even though I can’t be with you in person, know that I’m thinking of you and smiling.

What is your favourite ‘DAD’ memory? 

Related articles
  • To My Dad – A Daughter’s Love Letter (300dayjourney.wordpress.com)

Talk to Diana


"I RELATE WITH, PROMOTE AND SPEAK COMMUNITY WHEREVER I AM..."

Flag Counter

Enter your email address to follow my blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 3,097 other followers

Categories

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Top Posts & Pages you’ve been reading

  • About Me
  • What Can Compare To Love?
  • A jam session and reunion

Archives

Links you've been clicking on...

  • talktodiana.files.wordpre…

Red Deer Alberta

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Blog Stats

  • 102,923 hits

Posts I’ve liked recently…

  • It Has Been A Year on Dare Boldly

My Online Community

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel

 
Loading Comments...
Comment
    ×
    Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
    To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy