My dad was pretty great. We were so much alike we could almost finish each other's sentences. He called me at least twice a week just to see what was up and I could always count on him to call if the weather was bad in our area. I was a typical daddy's girl. He taught me how to swim. We spend many a day at the enlisted pool at Barksdale AFB. You had to be able to swim all the way across the pool to be able to jump off the diving boards. He was so proud when I accomplished that. He always brought a radio for us to listen to. Even today if I hear a particular song I tell Jon it is a swimming pool song. He taught me how to drive in his 1964 Ford Galaxie 500. It was an awesome car with duels and glass packs. When he wrecked it I was so sad. I tell Jon I wish we could find one to buy because I would love to drive one again. He almost always had a motor cycle when I was a kid and some of my greatest memories are going for a ride with him. He is the reason I love motor cycles. I never did get a chance to learn to drive one but I love riding on the back.
I get my road rage from him. Once he was taking my friend and me somewhere and someone did something stupid. Of course he started yelling out the window at them and honking his horn. I just laughed because it is what he did but my friend was horrified. I looked in the back seat and she was down on the floor hiding. When Jon and I are driving and someone does something stupid I get just as mad as my dad did although I don't honk anymore. You just never know who has a gun and will use it.
He would come up to visit pretty often. Sometimes he just wanted to get out of town and he knew it was quiet here. Even when we still lived in Arkansas he would drive up and spend a week or so with us. One New Year's day we spent the whole day watching The Walking Dead. It was a great day. Even though he was pretty loud in the morning I got used to it. Jon is an early riser so he and dad would sit on the front porch drinking coffee until I got my lazy behind out of bed.
It has been over a year since he passed and I am amazed at how sad I am still. For some reason this week has been hard. It isn't the anniversary of his death although maybe it is because his birthday was earlier this month. Not sure why but I have thought about him a lot. I often wonder if I will ever get over losing him. Sometimes I think I am just being a baby about it. I know he wouldn't want me moping around, he would want me to live life to the fullest like he did but it doesn't make me miss him any less.
If you still have your dad around cherish the time you get to spend with him because he could be gone in the blink of an eye. 
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