Tedd Thompson

I spent the last two days together with my dad doing what we have done all our lives, shooting, hunting and exploring in the desert of north eastern California together. Nothing special happened, antique single shot rifles were shot a few varmints died, good conversions were had, most of the worlds problems were discussed, you know just the usual. Pop is 87+ years old now and I can't express how much I enjoy our time together. It sucks that he is on the wrong side of the hourglass and if this reaches anyone who has a aging relative do what you do for fun because time is very short and soon we will have only our minds and memories on take us on our special trips...Just a few thoughts from yesterday.......Tedd

oldcutlass

Enjoy all the time you can together. I regret not being able to anymore.

Octania

Cool story
good job counting your blessings!

edzolz

How lucky you are to be able to do this with your dad. I had visited my dad two days before he was killed in a car accident. He was 87 also and was still very active. Don't hesitate to tell him how much you love him every time you can.

don71

My Pops is 84. I can relate to that.

Sounds like it was a good weekend.

Lonestar

As the title says you are both lucky and blessed to be able to share that time together. It seems I miss my Dad more with each passing day.

jag1886

I'm happy for you, I always wished I'd would have had one of those Ward Cleaver dads, my dad was always a screaming yelling DICK and I couldn't imagine spending days with him, but I wish I could.

Rocketowner

I lost my dad when I was 21.He was a huge fan of Oldsmobile.He died in 1963,had 21 cars
on the car lot,and 9 of them were Oldsmobiles.I guess I'm A "Oldsmoholic" because of him.
Luckily I still have the list by make and model ,and the estimated values at the time of his death. Larry

z11375ss

I made it through emergency surgery a week ago last Sunday. No one promises you tomorrow. I spent time with my father as much as I could. He's been gone a long time and I never regretted that time spent. Good for you to recognize this. Enjoy him. He won't be here forever.

redoldsman

Tedd, you and your Dad are both fortunate. Man you guys look alike. I lost my Dad in 1987 when he was 70 and I was 40. He would have been 98 last Saturday. We had some differences for several years over some things he had done and had no relationship. I finally decided that I was not going to change him and I had a choice to make to either accept him or continue as we were. I made the choice to accept him and we had a great relationship the last 5 years of his life. I am thankful I made that decision. My father-in-law was a man I loved and admired. Unfortunately he as killed in an accident 43 years ago last Saturday. I still miss him very much. He was a great guy. So fellas, don't be afraid to tell you Dad or you child that you love them.

springbryan

Enjoy every minute you can sounds like a great time. You never know when will be the last Dad would have been 80 next Wednesday and it is also my 20th wedding anniversary. We had a great relationship but the last few years were tough. Dad had emphysema. I bought a Farmette 28 acres in 2008. my dad never got to see it we lost him in January of 09. I know he would be proud. I also got married on dads bday which will be 20 years this year.

coppercutlass

It's always great when you can spend time with your dad/loved ones specially when it's doing something you love . Every Saturday I go to my dad's work and work on his car . My dad is 64 im 24 I know anything can happen., he had a health scare a few years back and I have been close to my dad for as long as I can remember but the cars have always brought us together whether it be fixing his daily driver or his Pontiac.

MDchanic

Amen to all of what you-all said.

My Dad's starting to get to that "not getting any younger" stage, and I only get a chance to see him every couple of months, and that's starting to bother me, but living and working circumstances being what they are, I can't change that right now.

We get together a number of times a year and work on old cars and motorcycles, though, and we both enjoy it a great deal, even though we don't say much about it.

- Eric

Tedd Thompson

We have been very close all my life and as a poor farmer we worked on all kinds sorts of mechanical things that break on a farm and that eventually got me into cars. At an early age he was the one who got me into firearms and hunting then put me through gunsmith school at age 18. He has been there for me at all times, when sick and in the hospital when things were in doubt it was he who was by my bed when I woke from recovery. It would go on and on. He's not a demonstrative type of person probably only told me a few times in my life that he loves me but there has been no doubt from day one.

Thanks for putting up with my emotional reminance, it was just a eye opener for me this last week that time was so short and how it was going to change my life after he's gone.....Thanks ....Tedd

tru-blue 442

God bless you both Tedd.
A lucky man indeed.

70cutty

Thank you for sharing this.

I was so inspired by your story and made me realize that I need to find more time for my dad.
Yesterday after I read it, I left work early, took him out to lunch and spent the afternoon with him.
I know it was small thing but I surprised him and it made him so happy to spend some time together. I promised that I will find more time for us and I will.

He is much like your dad. I don't ever remember him telling me that he loves me but I do know that he showed me, in many ways, that I am the most important thing to him. I have no doubt that there is nothing in this world that he wouldn't do for me. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be the man I am today.

Thank you again.

redoldsman

For you guys with young children you need to listen to Cat's In The Cradle by the late Harry Chapin. It was a 70's song and got the attention of most young fathers that heard it. I know it did me. Here, I made it easy for you.

MDchanic

Okay guys, time to bring this thread back to the top.

Thanks for starting it, Tedd - though it's not one of those rip-roaring forty-pagers, I think it's one of the best on here.

- Eric

Professur

Oddly enough, this one comes to mind .. and I'm no country fan.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9TShlMkQnc

11971four4two

HEY TEDD

Hope you and the OLD Man have more fun times and adventures

All the Best
brian

Tedd Thompson

Time passes on but he is still working on the good times, just a little slower at 92 now. He asked me If I would load him up a few more rounds for his K hornet varmint rifle as the ground squirrels are coming up around the property. Never get too old unless you absolutely have to....Tedd

blakes7

A lot of wisdom written above. Quality times with family and friends, those times are the most important. It doesn't have to be anything special, even just chatting and coffee. My father died of lung cancer 7 years ago at age 63, those damn smokes he couldn't give up. I look forward to seeing him (and so many others who've gone before me) again one day...

boese1978

So true!! I am moving my 86 year old dad to assisted living in the next couple weeks and so miss he being able to just "get around" his college professor wit and intellect are intact but the body is going.....spend time with your family while you can!

droldsmorland

Priceless! Soft spot for me too.
Dad has a 68 327 stick Vette roadster. He's 76. Just made it through lymphoma and balder cancer...both caught pre-stage 1. So it has special meaning to the whole family.

He sacrificed for the better of his family for many years growing up. Wife kids and family always first.
He always wanted a late C2 early C3. I clearly remember going with him as a 6-7-8-year-old to look at new 70-72 LT1s and a bunch other used 427s & 454s Even a 70 LS6 Chevelle and a 440 Dart. The LS6 Chevelle was the dealer's way of letting him feel the engine before almost ordered one in a vette, He knew the dealer personally so we got unassisted test drives. We test drove them all. He never pulled the trigger on any of them(vettes). Opting for the more family-friendly rides, My uncle always had hot C2s, C3s so dad lived vicariously through him.
Dad did own many cool cars, All of which we wrenched on together, 57 Belair Vert, 65 Impala SS Vert, many Oldsmobiles 66 Toro, 69 442, 70 S, 71 CS, 76 S, 79CSB, 81 Toro etc...but never the vette.

Now retired in 2004 and having a few fat stocks that needed to be cashed in the opportunity and right C3 presented themselves. I told him to jump.

Since then we (him lending a hand and conversation) have rebuilt 80% of the car together. I have put a ton of his and my money and my labor into it. Most of it is new. He's happy a hell. There is not much more it needs. He has made it a point to tell me its OUR car. And I do grab it and go when he's not driving it. He's got the keys to the 442 and can do the same.

We go to cruise nights with his and my car friends. Some have 5s, muscle, vettes and modern muscle amongst our beer swilling tire burning gas n oil breathin friends. He drives it like its stolen. Says that's what it's for. Last summer I took him for a ride in my buddies 70 SSRS 592 Rat Infested 700 HP Camaro. Scared the **** out of both of us. What a laugh. And what a smell. Rubber and Sunoco blue 260
We street race. THATS PRICELESS. When the Olds and the Vette leave the hole hard door handle to door handle spinnin and both grab an 8-foot patch of 2nd gear rubber side by side scaring small children & old ladies. Ill look over and he's got an ear to ear **** eatin grin. You cant buy that. .
We both got pulled over once for these antics...best friends are not bailing you out of jail.
If its not cars were releasing gun powder at game or targets. I took him to see 3 Dog Night last year. We both got snot hanging drunk listening to 3Dog. Awesome!
He will be sorely missed when his hourglass runs out of sand.

Greg Rogers

Great thread... So glad to see your Dad is still with us at 92, Tedd. How fortunate you are. And you are a smart man to spend time with him. My Dad and Mom are both gone and I miss them.
Wow what great times you are having with your Dad, Drolds!