Sunday
Jun192011
Sunday Sweets For My Dad
June 19, 2011 We all know dads' tastes are just as diverse as, well, non-dads, so when it came time to choose today's Sweets I decided to hone in on one specific dad: mine.
So, here 'tis: Father's Day Sweets for my dad, Jim Yates. But the rest of you can feel free to look, too. :)
Hey, Dad, remember that time the neighbor's little boy snuck in to our house, grabbed your guitar, and dragged it down the sidewalk? Ah, good times.
Also, I don't think your guitar looked quite this cool:
Submitted by Kathy H. and made by her sister, Carol V.And remember how you'd take me for rides on your motorcycle? The turns always scared me, but I loved having my very own kid-sized helmet, and the thrill of climbing into the seat behind you, hanging on for dear life, and thinking maybe my parents weren't quite so embarrassing, after all.
Although, come to think of it, your motorcycle wasn't this cool, either:
Submitted by Tifany D., made by Charm City Cakes It's possible you've blocked this from memory, but you really did teach me to drive. In our ancient green Toyota pickup, no less, with a floor stick shift.
It took me years to figure out what you did for a living. All I knew was you worked at a big, intimidating office/factory and you wore a suit every day. (Btw, you're, uh, some kind of project manager/engineer type, right?) I still remember the first time you asked me if your tie went with your shirt; it made me feel so important, that you'd ask for my opinion. Actually, I still feel that way, any time you ask.
And for the record: that tie + that shirt = perfect.
Remember when I came home crying because all the kids were making flashy, expensive models for a school project, and I didn't have anything flashy OR expensive? You sat me down and asked me what I'd like to do. Then we went to Skycraft Surplus (remember that?). In the end, I couldn't have been more proud: my project board's little Styrofoam car had real working headlights!
To this day, I clearly remember "The Sociological Impact of the Lightbulb" - because my Dad helped me build it.
You were forever doing home projects, and I loved weekends when you'd ask, "Shorty, want to go to the Home o' de Pot?"
By justcakinmytimeWe'd pile into our old green pickup, and you'd sing "Greasy Grimey Gopher Guts" and "On Top of Old Smokey" along the way. Thanks to you I still love the smell of sawdust and grease that hits me every time I walk into our local Home Depot - and today I rock my own tool belt.
One night I peeked into the living room to see what you and Mom were laughing about, and there on the TV was a curly-headed man in a long scarf bouncing into a blue police box.
Soon we were all watching together, just like we watched Star Trek and Night Court and Monty Python together. The next year you brought us to my very first convention - a Doctor Who convention.
(I like to think my geeky lineage came full circle when John and I brought you and Mom to Dragon*Con last year - thus starting a yearly tradition, perhaps?)
When we were little, you seemed to take sadistic glee in waking Ben and me with loud jazz music, water, or banging suddenly on our bedroom doors - but I'll never forget the time you woke us with "Who wants to go to Disney World?!"
Sub'd by Stacey R., made by nice icingYou never set limits on my future, Dad. When I wrote lousy poetry, you submitted your favorite to a national magazine - and you were more disappointed than I was when it wasn't printed. When I thought I wanted to be a professional clown, you got brochures for Ringling College. When I first introduced you to John, you asked if we'd set a date yet.
So thanks, Dad. Happy Father's Day. You taught me to pursue my dreams, marry only for love, and to always finish my Brussels sprouts.
Hey, two out of three ain't bad, right?
(Oh, and see you at Dragon*Con.)
Reader Comments (141)
Jenn...this was the best post I have ever seen. Had tears in my eyes. Happy fathers day to your dad and all the others out there!!
I don't know if you were getting teary while you were writing this, but I sure was while reading it--especially the last part! Well said/written, your Dad will feel honored:)
That was awesome, Jen. Behind every successful gal is a dad who loved her. Happy Father's Day.
What a wonderful tribute to your father! He sounds as wonderful as my father! Oh, I thought my dad was the only one who sang "Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts!" And now I have "On top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese...." stuck in my head!
I LOVE Skycraft. You can find ANYTHING there.
(Beautiful tribute to your Dad too.)
Oh Jen, this was so sweet! Your dad will love it. (And can I tell you, I kind of forgot to look at the cakes since I was more interested in what you wrote?)
:)
Becky
Awww!! I've never commented before, but this was such a sweet (appropriately) and loving post. You and your dad are lucky. :)
Bravo, Jen, Bravo! What a great post!
That's one of the nicest tributes to a father I've ever read.
It tells us exactly what's so great about your Dad.
One of the best CW posts ever! Glad I'm not the only sap who teared up at this. Well written and beautiful cakes. Happy Father's Day to all the great dads out there!
So, so sweet! What a great tribute! And the cakes were awesome, too. Thanks for sharing that.
Oh how sweet-love the starbucks cake :D
Awwww, that was so sweet. I now wish that I had my own blog so I could write such a tribute to my own dad.
I don't usually comment, but that was such a sweet post, I can't resist! Well done!
*jumping up and down*
Skycraft!!!!! I know that place!!!! My Dad took ME there to make my UFO project! (Only we affectionately called it Skyjunk)
Hugs for all Dads!
I'm with Nancy. (:
That was so sweet, I think my teeth ache. (:
I'm sure your dad will not be embarrassed by that lovely tribute. :)
What a beautiful tribute, missing my dad today so much (we lost him in 2006), and glad that I was able to see this, teary smiles this morning!
How sweet! (Both literally and figuratively, of course!)
sweet indeed!
Dang you! Now I'm crying. That was a wonderful tribute to a great Dad.
Good post but the bike cake was a grooms cake.
Glad I wasn't the only one tearing up! Excuse me I need to go call my Daddy!
What a beautiful tribute to your dad! I feel like I know him just a little bit now. Nice job!
Happy Father's Day!
What a sweet and loving tribute to your dad, Jen! I'm also indebted to my wonderful father for so much of what I am today and the great upbringing I had (mom definitely deserves a lot of credit too, but it's not her day today, is it?) Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads out there!
That was really lovely.
That was a great tribute to your dad. You did some neat things together.
Fabulous post, Jen. You made me miss my dad.
I think this was your sweetest sweets. :)
Fantastic post Jen. I too teared up a bit reading it.
Dad's can be so amazing. Happy Fathers Day.
that was such a sweet post!!!!!
and on an aside i think the optimus prime cake and the ducati cake (omg sooooo realistic) are amazing awesome!!!!!! (of course the tardis cake is cool cause it's a tardis lol)
That was the sweetest thing I've read on the internet in a long time! I think I love your dad now too! -M
Wow. I started reading this post with awe at the first set of cookies -- especially the one with proper usage of a comma and "you're", written beautifully with no extraneous quotation marks.
Pretty soon the cakes, though extraordinary, didn't matter as much as the words.
Wow.
You've got a great Dad, Jen, and you've got a great daughter, Mr. Yates. Thanks for sharing her with us.
A serendipitous WV: appro -- When it comes to being a great Dad, Jen's is obviously appro.
That post was great! You have an awesome dad! Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, but especially to my dad!
I'm so glad to read the other comments and know I'm not the only one completely crying by this. Such a great tribute, Jen! And don't worry, I laughed, too. Happy Father's Day!
That was really sweet. It made me cry :)
wv: Phimp - Because we all know that Phish really need someone to handle all of those groupies.
Jen, I'm a big fan and have the calendar on the wall behind my desk at work.
Just wanted to say that you just did the impossible, made me remember the positives about my dad who I have spent my life finding fault with. I don't have a lot of good feelings about him, but it just gave me a very warm feeling to remember the two science projects he helped me make. Thank you.
THESE. ARE. CAKES?!
I agree, Margaret! This is the best post yet!
Wow, Cake Wrecks has never made me cry before. What a great tribute to a great dad!
Hey, Jen, I missed you at Dragon*Con last year! I work in the "Consuite." That's the hospitality suite for the attendees where they can get soda, nachos, donuts, pbj's and occasionally real food. Perhaps we could do a "cake wreck" --I'm sure we could decorate our own, we have the atrocious handwriting for it! I know you're busy, but I'll send you an email, and if you come this year, perhaps you can stop and say Hey!
(Very nice Dad tribute, btw. I've been without for 20 years now, so it's lovely to see.)
Aw, that was sweet.
I am a daddy's girl so maybe I'm more emotional than most, but i absolutely loved this post.
I LOVE Skycraft...best store in O-town!! This fathers day tribute made me tear up a bit too....you Dad sounds like mine, an awesome man!!
Jenn, awesome post. As everyone else said, this brought a tear to my eye reading it. Happy Father's day to all the dads out there!
You made me get all misty eyed! Wonderful post!
You made me cry! When I got to the TARDIS I just lost it. That's for my dad who took me to every nerd movie and we sat in the back and were the only ones laughing. (I bet your dad took you to "Buckaroo Banzai" too!)
While all of the cakes & cookies are wonderful, my favorite part is the tag on the flawless shirt & tie. I am in my thirties and my dad is considered elderly but he will always be "my daddy", despite our ongoing joke abt me being the mailman's daughter.
Thank you Jen for this lovely post.
Love love LOVE this post! Of course I'll be retweeting Falker Satherhood but this works too ;)
Oh Jen, you summed it all up just right. So glad for Daddy's! Our's sound amazingly similar, LOL. Thanks for the cry, lady. Now I am going to go hug my Papa again.
Oh Jenn, your post made me cry. And I LOVED your Doctor Who memory, we watch it with our own kids, our daughter discovering it much the way you did, and the Disney World memory (huge Disney World fans here!)! Happy Father's Day, Jenn's Dad! Take it from one former kid who's dad wasn't strong enough of a person to build wonderful memories or care for anyone more than himself, you've accomplished more in being a loving father to your daughter than anything else you'll ever do in your life! (Luckily I have a wonderful Grandfather who has built those wonderful memories and married a great Dad, who loves building those memories with our kids! Happy Father's Day to those two great Dads in my life!)!