90 Years Young

2 Jan '55
Dead Mans Point
(Apple Valley Desert)
A cowboy?

Happy Birthday Dad!

My father had his 90th birthday this week. Born in the Netherlands, he is the third oldest of 10 children. In his amazing life, he coped with heartache, disappointment and pain; reached goals of achievement in the midst of impossible odds; learned that discipline and self-sacrifice brings reward; and has found contentment and happiness in his old age. He said that he wouldn't change a thing! 
My father had a work-hard, play-hard philosophy. He was very athletic and enjoyed being outdoors. I'm talking in the past tense because today he has arthritis that has forced him to limit his activity. He was an avid skier, hiker and camper. After injuring his hand in a factory accident in the 1950's, he started his own landscaping business and worked 11 hour days, 6 days a week. I vividly remember the smell of his work truck - cut grass, tobacco and perspiration. As a child, I would love seeing him drive up at the end of the day so I could tell him about everything that happened. He never said he was tired or that his back hurt.   

Sept 1951

Sept 1953
Hospitalized after losing 2 fingers

If my dad had a vice, it was smoking. He started at 16 and didn't successfully quit until he was in his 80's. If you notice, he is smoking in several of these pictures. He attempted to quit several times, and said that it was an extremely difficult addiction. Because of this conversation, I never smoked. I figured that I lacked the self-discipline to stop, so it was better never to start!

1977 - Took my drivers test in this beauty

When we have our youth and health, we rarely think about the effects our actions, environment or culture will have in our later years. You can't always count on genetics to cancel out our bad decisions. Dad appreciates the "good stock" that he inherited. Stirring pesticides with unprotected hands (long term effects were secret or unknown in those days), smoking non-filter cigarettes for 70-something years (given free in the military mess kits in the WWII era), working in the sun without protection, and years of physical labor can take a toll on our physical bodies. What are you doing in your remarkable life today that will impact your health (good or bad) tomorrow?  

90 years young - June 23, 2015

Happy Birthday Dad!