A Daughter's Tribute to her Dad (Short Story) - 11/20/2013 10:50:42 AM
What a wonderful story and legacy! My story is similar but doesn't have the happy ending.
My father earned well as a truck driver, but was somewhat of a spendthrift that my mother had to constantly curtail. Like your father, he was hard-working, though. My parents bought a lake property in Northern Wisconsin in the 1960s when I was in college. As a city kid at 16, our church group went out to the local flow age one Saturday and a rich guy with a powerful speedboat, took me up on the first try and I was in love with waterskiing.
On weekends, holidays, and vacations, my dad continually improved the property. My younger brothers learn to ski with a 15 hp Evinrude and then my dad bought a bass boat that they learned to do fantastic tricks on. While I skied a couple times after being paralyzed, once on Lake Mendota with a small boat pulling me, and with my girlfriend on the Tennessee River, I never skied at the lake, but enjoyed it every time I could get there for fourth of July or Labor Day when we would have as many as 30 people engaging in all kinds of activity. I most enjoyed going out fishing although I never fished.
In 1982, my parents retired to the lake, and spent their winters in South Texas. About 1999, dad said that he couldn't "take care of it" anymore and they sold the place. Wouldn't let us kids buy it. Recently the people that bought it died. I would buy it for the family, but I am no longer able to be there to enjoy it. My dad died in 2008 and my mother is moving into assisted living on Friday.
I'm so glad your family has that property. Sometimes, you can't go home again.
Ron
