Dad & The Heat

ALERT 1 - Non Precipitation Advisory

HEAT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CDT TUESDAY, EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TUESDAY TO 10 PM CDT WEDNESDAY

Issued: Monday, June 22, 2009 1:37 PM CDT

Expires: Monday, June 22, 2009 11:00 PM CDT

Today was very hot and humid! 96 degrees feels like 102! Days like this remind me of Dad mowing and trimming trees. Not even this excessive heat would stop him! NEVER!

I watched him many times at the buildings and the cemetery when he would start mowing and weed eating he would start and not stop until he was finished with perfection! He would wear long sleeve shirts, long pants and boots. He would not take a drink of water until he was finished. Then he would say to me "Kaye, hand me that thermos jug full of water" which held a gallon and he would drink it all at once! Then home to take a long cool shower, play his favorite songs on his cassette player, put on some comfortable clothes and start cooking supper. What a fun and wonderful time with Dad I did not realize at the time was so "classic" and unforgettable!

Dad also told me many times the story of working laying rail road ties in the heat like today. A day like today would spark the rememberence of the story everytime! He said he made 50 cents an hour, not shade to be found for a break except under the rail road cars. Then the finalle' when the water boy thought it would be funny to throw a bucket of cold water on day at the end of the long hot work day. Dad said it shocked him so he instantly punched the kid and knocked him out! I was thinking today wait driving around KC where Dad spent some time as a teenager and told me of going to "Theatre Row" for 10 cents there were 4 different theatres showing different movies all day and he could watch movies all day for 10 cents! Those were the days!