Dip Cones, Fishing, Steam Boat Days & Dad!
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| The Esquires – Dad is on the far left. |
A few weeks ago, Glenn, a guy I go to Underwood Baptist with, told me he really enjoyed my blog posts, but they lean a little toward women. Well, I do have a women’s ministry, but since it is Father’s Day, I am going to venture out a little!
First, a little about my own dad. Vewis Lanier Seals – what a name! He was given the nickname “Dick” as a kid and it stuck. You talk about some talent and hard work! These are the various jobs I remember Dad having as he and Mom provided for 7 Seals kids:
- Worked in a licorice factory (explains why I LOVE black licorice) in Rock Island, IL!
- Lead singer and guitarist for “The Esquires” – this is his true passion. He can still play a guitar like nobody’s business!
- A couple of different manufacturing plant jobs after moving to Alabama.
- After Hurricane Frederick hit the Gulf Coast, I remember Dad loaded up his little red pickup that had a camper shell on it, and went down to help with construction. He slept in the truck bed! He was gone for a couple of weeks.
- Pulpwooding (see my prior post “Lessons from the Pulpwood Truck”).
- Arvin Manufacturing – they made various automobile parts.
- Maintenance for the Lamar County Board of Education to this day!
Wow – that list makes me tired! I am sure I have not listed them all, but that is what I remember. He was – and still is – a hard working man to say the least. Everyone always says he is a “Jack of all Trades”. He has a lot of hobbies too such as wood working and bee keeping. I think he can fix just about anything!
Because there were so many people in our family, there weren’t many times we got to spend one on one time with Dad. But, I do remember going fishing on the Mississippi River in a green fishing boat that he had refurbished. I can still smell that fiberglass and the varnish he used to repair it. Oh, and I can really still smell “Charlie’s Fishing Bait” that we used to catch all those Mississippi River catfish – YUCK! One time when we were fishing from the bank, a big old snake slithered right across my feet and I didn’t even know it. I remember the look on Dad’s face and him asking me, “Did you see that snake?” Kind of glad I didn’t!
But my favorite memories are the times Dad would say, “Load up – we are going to Dairy Queen!” Now that was a quite a trip and quite a site! Imagine at least 5 or 6 of the kids wiggling into a car with Mom and Dad heading across the bridge into Burlington, IA for a dip cone – YUM!Living right on the Mississippi River, we would often spot the Mississippi Delta Queen steam-paddling her way up and down the river. “Steam Boat Days” was a huge carnival (huge in a kid’s eyes) in Burlington, IA. I always associated it with my birthday because it usually fell during the last half of June. During the time Dad was playing with the Esquires, they were asked to provide music for “Steam Boat Days”. I thought it was so cool to see my Dad up on stage! When he saw me and Mom come into the music tent, he had the band sing Happy Birthday to me! Talk about a thrill. I got so involved, that I didn’t pay attention when Mom started moving on and I got lost…but not for long.
Not many days after “Steam Boat Days”, we would walk over the Mississippi River levee and find a spot to watch some spectacular fireworks on July 4th. They were launched from a barge in the river. Now that is some real Americana memories right there!
Sometimes us adults are tempted to dwell on the bad times we had in childhood. We often use those bad times as excuses for not moving on or for excusing bad behavior. The memories we dwell upon are our choice. We did have some rough times in our family – just like every other family – but I am choosing to remember the dip cones, “Steam Boat Days”, and fishing on the river with my Dad! Now I am not denying or repressing the bad times – I have learned valuable lessons from them and choose not to let them spoil my good memories.
Exodus 20:12 tells us to honor our Mother and Father. This post is dedicated in honor of one of the hardest working, talented Father’s I know – VL “Dick” Seals! I love you!
This link is to a video I made a couple of years ago. The background music is from the almost famous “Esquires”! The Seals Family Video.
What a sweet tribute to your dad!
Very nice and great to see a daughter appreciate her father and speak of him as you did in this blog Shelly! Kind words go a looong way in a dads ears when he hears the right ones. 😉 Keep up the good word and efforts!