Pa turned 90

Last year, my Pa turned 90.

90 laps around the sun and still going strong! 90 years of strength, love and dependability.  Pa has always been our rock. A great support and someone we can always turn to for sound advice, especially when it comes to our cars. Pa was a mechanic, working in his own business and working for the RACV later in his career. I always remember him having grease on his hands and smelling of the hand cleaner he would use when he came home from work. To this day, one of the first questions he asks “how’s your car, love?” or “how was the drive down?”

Pa always worked hard  and spent a lot of his life looking after my Nan. When he retired, they traveled around Australia in their caravan. Then when my Nan got too sick for that, he spent the rest of her life looking after her and being her carer. Four years ago she passed away and he keeps himself busy with shopping and looking after their dog. He had cancer a while back, had some major skin cancers removed from his face and now he just keeps soldiering on.

My sister and I decided that we wanted to write something for him in his card, something so he knew how he has helped us and taught us in our lives. This is what we gave him:

“Once we are old enough to drive, our life as an adult starts and we have a new car, or its new to us. We think we know a lot about life and we drive fast, we think we know a lot about life but maybe we don’t.
We work hard, we service our car and we drive it smoothly for years.  You did that, you worked hard, you provided for your family and you did everything with a pride, and finesse that you should be proud of. You always had grease on your hands and I thought that you were the man in the Bob Jane T-mart symbol.
We hit a few curbs, we straighten our path and we keep on driving.  No matter what life threw at you, you have always held your self with a calm steadiness that is to be admired.  I never saw you lose your temper or lose your cool.
We might have a few dings and our car might not always look like it did when we were young, but you can still Macgyver something that you need, it may be a step or a little cupboard but you’re always able to make what you need.
We have a blow out while on the freeway driving at 100 and we wonder if we will survive.  You’ve shown us that the blow outs are survivable. If you are sensible and keep your wits about you. You’ve handled your health issues with such strength, you’ve slowed down when you needed to and listened to advice of professionals and have trusted in God that he will give you a strength and determination to get better.   You’ve shown us that we lose people in our lives and even though its hard and we miss them, we can still go on.
We are so proud of you, and all the wonderful things that you have done in your life.
Thank you, on behalf of all of your Grandchildren, and great Grandchildren for always being a wonderful supportive Pa and Great Pa, We appreciate what you have done for us, what you continue to do for us and what you will continue to do for us.
We are very Proud of you, as we know that you are of us. Thank you for caring about our lives, our direction and our cars.”