Beautiful quiet morning here in the Arizona desert where I am as I’m writing this, visiting my dad . . . it’s still dark, frogs are croaking on the golf course across from my Dad’s house. I’m all set up with my computer in his kitchen, drinking the Earl Grey tea he put in the cupboard ‘specially for his first child so she would have all the comforts of home. ♥ Here we are, in this photo below, last night after dinner at Nic’s, me, my dad and his darling, wonderful wife, Jeannie. It’s a fuzzy photo Joe took with my iPhone, but we’re all there together, on a gorgeous starry night in the old town of Cottonwood, in the high Arizona desert.
We brought Dad his belated birthday present, an iPad, which we’ve been practicing up on while on this trip, trying to learn it ourselves, so we could “teach” him.
This is the blind leading the blind. But together, we ended up seeing the light. What a fun little machine this is! First stop my dad made, was to Youtube, to hear Johnny Cash singing I Walk the Line.
My dad’s fingers are big and wide and hitting the keys just right on the iPad looks like it might be an art! Something learnable and doable with practice, but at first, not so easy.
My dad’s name is John Patrick Stewart, Jr. But most people call him Jack. His fingers are wide, but his hands are square and strong and beautiful to me. These are two of the hands that raised me. I like to put mine in his still, to this day, all warm and pure comfort in there. When we hold hands, I feel six-years-old again and I don’t want to let go. They are the hands that made my childhood safe and secure; they’re the ones that tied the tent on the roof of the car so there’d be room inside for his eight children when we went camping to the High Sierras every summer; they planted the plum tree in our backyard, and built the playhouse for my sisters; they dug the hole for the swimming pool, and held us while we learned how to swim. Strong enough to fix anything, soft enough for putting babies down for naps. ♥
He sends me his favorite recipes, written in his own handwriting. His strong and creative hands helped to build the house that is my life. ♥ His sense of humor is the furniture!
Here he is with his dog Daisy, feeling the morning sun. We leave here today, back on the train overnight to California, with more memories. I wish we could stay. But you know, life moves on, I can’t move back in. Just one more hand-holding will have to do for now. ♥ I love my Daddy.
Dear Susan, I was so happy to see that you added this post to be permenantly seen under “About Me”. I just wish that for those who did not read the post the day it came out… could read the comments that came with it. So many beautiful testimonial’s of our Fathers! I along with everyone else read the post and coments through tears. What beautiful memory’s you painted of your Father.
Love, Love, Love your blog,
Debbie
I tried to take the comments with this, but couldn’t do it . . . so we’ll just have to gather some new ones here! The others are still back there under the original posting if anyone cares to go back on the blog to read them — I agree Debbie, they are truly wonderful and heart warming, made me cry too! Thanks for being here!
Happy to see you tucked this blog over here! This blog is such a treasure (as are you), and your Dad must be so pleased! Dad & Daisy enjoying the morning sun, love it! Hugs!
You brought tears to my eyes; my Dad has been gone for 16 yrs. and I still miss his strong hands. They will always “raise me up” when I need it. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Laurie.
My Mom and Dad live in Pennsylvania (an hour from where I am in NJ) and I love my Mommy & Daddy too. My dad also has strong hands being how handy he is, but also soft hands because he’s a Baker.
His hand is always in the dough. 
I take after him with the baking and cooking from my Mom and grew up in his bakery. He is now retired but works part-time at a young, 70 yrs old and so now when I have a cake order to make for someone, he comes over to help me finish the product and it’s so fun working together in the comfort of my home. thanks for sharing.
I just discovered your blog today. I have spent quite a while exploring. I, too adore Gladys Taber and her writings. This post regarding your dad is where I will make my departure from your blog, as my shirt is spotted with tears. When thinking of my dad, I first see his blue eyes and then his hands, adorned only with the thin band on his left hand, a gift from my mother. Both parents live only in my memory now and in my heart forever.
So sweet Nan.
How is your mother doing? The one that taught you everything you share with us?
She is wonderful, thank you for asking!!!
Oh, how I miss my Daddy. He’s been gone for almost 25 years, but I can still feel his flannel shirt, soft against my cheek, when I’d hug him. I can still smell the Old Spice, the sawdust and the “Daddy” smell of him. He left us way too soon at age 67, but I’ve made sure that the grandchildren and great grandchildren he never knew, know all about him. I too loved my Daddy’s hands. They were strong, capable of doing so many things, but not afraid to hold a tiny teacup when his “little girl” would have a very important tea party with him as the guest of honor! Thank you for sparking these memories. Although the tears are coursing down my cheeks, I’m smiling from ear to ear at the memory of him. Blessings…
Your dad sounds wonderful, and you are keeping his memory alive. Thank you Lori.
Susan, I was just searching all the different sites at the top of your recent blog and found this….how moving and Dads are such a special part of a girls life aren’t they? I still have my Dad who is 91 yrs. old and just now starting to show signs of his age….this man was climbing up on roofs in his 80′s scaring the bejeebers out of all of us…I finally said to the family “who wants to tell Dad that he isn’t 40 anymore”…none of us had the nerve. Dad worked hard his entire life and gave us a good life..he was in the Air Force for 20 years, when he retired we returned to his boyhood farm which was now his and he worked so hard from sunrise to sunset and beyond. Dad is the smartest man I have ever known and even with the signs of aging which is very hard to see, he will always hold a special place in my heart. A true Dad teaches you how a man is suppose to treasure you; so that when your special one comes into your life…you know he is the one for you. I know this because it is exactly what happened when my Jim walked into my life. Your Dad seems like a character just like mine, and I enjoy when he comes on your blog with his comments.
He’s very funny — the smartest person I ever met!
Hi Susan. I was so glad to see the blog about your Dad. Dad’s are so very precious to us gals. I need to write you, even through the tears and a broken heart. My Dad was diagnosed 2 yrs. ago with Mesothelioma (a type of lung cancer caused from exposure to asbestos); and we found out tonight that he’s not doing so well, it looks like the beginning of the end. So, it did my heart good to see you honoring your Dad. He sure is awesome, as my Dad is too. I feel better now after reading your blog; so I guess we can never underestimate how much the good we do in this world can affect others for the better. I love everything you do, and I have most of your books. My life and heart are such a mirror image of yours that it is almost scary. But you get to live yours “out loud” and we’re glad you do. Thank you for all you do and for sharing your life with us.
I’m so sorry to hear about your dad
Makes me very sad. He’s so lucky to have you, and of course, vice versa . . . God bless you and your family. xoxo
Hi again Susan. Thank you so much for your response and kind words for our family. I am also the oldest in my family, and at a time when I can’t think clearly for myself, I am getting inspiration, ideas, strength from you. I gave your books to my family for Christmas gifts this year. They loved them! One niece (my mini me) actually squealed in delight when she opened your “Home Cooking Traditions” recipe keeper. My Dad has been making breakfast for all of his girls, and everyone else who happened to be around, for 60+ years now. So, I plan to get my Dad to write out his “breakfast recipe” (among others) on your recipe cards. I will add your kind words and the recipe cards to the front of each binder (I bought one for me too) to be treasured forever. Thank you for being part of the healing for me and my family. Hugs from N.B. Canada. xoxo
XOXO sending love Rhonda. Thank you for those sweet words!
Susan
Is it OK if an 83 year “old man” sends a note for your blog?
A little choked up reading “My Dad” blog. Great hands.
My Dad never hugged or said I love you but his heart and providing
hands did. He was at every sports event that us boys were in.
Taught us to box (in kitchen of old house) Enjoyed and encouraged
our quartet singing and playing in town band. So you see that even
sons were proud to have a “Great Dad”. Still love and miss him.
Regards to your Dad I am also a Navy vet.
How nice to hear from you David! Love you being here. xo
Hello David – what a loving and sweet comment. Thank you! Tears on my cheeks right now. My dad was a lot like yours I think. He loved us – I know he did – but showing it just wasn’t something men felt comfortable doing in the 50s and 60s. But he worked so hard for us, came home every night to my mother and his 6 kids – every paycheck went for our needs even though I’m sure there were a lot of other things he wanted & missed out on. God bless you and thank you for your service to our country in the Navy. PS – my dad was an MP in the Army during the early 50s in Berlin – I can still hear him telling us stories about that at the supper table.
Love these memories!
Oh how I miss my dad!!!!
XO
Thank you Janet
It’s nice to draw from good stored memories.
Susan B is very fortunate to be able to keep filling her “memory store”
and also have close ties with her Dad. He sure sounds like a good one.
This is so wonderful, I hope you frame the picture of his hands, such a beautiful picture and tribute to a ‘love’ that is precious to you.
Susan youre so wonderful. I just love the pictures of your dad. I still live in Henderson Nevada its been a while since i have written. I would love to go to Nics and take ur dad and his wife to have a nice dinner.I know Cottonwood isnt too far.I pray all is well in your neck of the woods. Are you and Joe going to live in Ca any more. I love seeing the cats that rule the house on your site. I will send a snail mail card soon . Where are u both now and where can i send it ? Happy Feb almost St Pattys day.Let me know bout visitin your dad probley some time in Apr- May i will be going to Cottonwood Az.I am now a grand mother of 2 one girl Isabelle and one boy Jake he was just born Dec 2011 alot of blessings from Heaven. My love to you and Joe and the kitties be well and know how much you are loved by me and so many others.I am in the process of moving so when i do i will send on the address. Miss you love you God Richly bless u and joe and your mom and dad and family and of course the kitties too Love Cheyenne
Love your newsletters, blog, your old dishes, linens, charming house, cats, drawing style, garden, and zest for life! Would love to be your neighbor!
Thank you!