Friday's FIVE!

Father's Day weekend - a time to celebrate Fathers. While my own Daddy is in heaven, and I'm no longer married to the father of my daughters - I have a lot to celebrate. I have memories of my own father, I have two beautiful daughters that I shared with their own father, and I had two wonderful grandfathers that I loved... and my own husband - who is a wonderful Step-Father to my daughters - and an amazing grandfather to our two grandsons...
My own Daddy taught me many, many lessons in life - so, in honor of Fathers Day... and my own Father - today's Friday's FIVE! is a focus on five valuable lesson I learned from my Daddy.

1. Never go to bed mad.
This was a life law we lived in our home. You can get as mad as you want- and you can even still be upset when you go to bed, but when you lay your head down... you need to let go of the anger and say "I love you"...

2. You don't have to talk dirty to have a good time
I rarely heard my Dad swear - He had very little tolerance for swearing or harsh talk ... and he didn't want to hear it from us. I'm sure that when he was with his fishing buddies or the guys at work, he could spit a few harsh words.... but at home and in the presence of his wife and children, it just wasn't heard - or tolerated.

3. Never bet on a grey horse
Daddy loved Churchill Downs and he loved to take us to the races. It was a wonderful time sitting in the clubhouse - drinking Bloody Mary's and betting on the horses. He taught me how to read a racing form - he taught me how to bet on the horses. While his lessons were good, I still work for a living... however, the joy and entertainment he taught me is enough. He always said - "Don't ever bet on a grey horse, they will run every way but forward"... and for that reason... I have never bet on a grey horse.

4. Spend Some and Save Some
Daddy would offer a little extra cash sometimes - for no reason. He would just hand me a little windfall, maybe a $20. or maybe $100. but it always seemed to be timed perfect when I was running a little low. He would always say "Spend some and save some".... a valuable lesson for all of us.

5. You have a debt to pay
Whenever he would help us out - in anyway ... I was always so thankful, but his response to me was "you have debt to pay"... and he didn't mean, to re-pay him. He meant it in the 'pay it forward' kind of way. He meant it in that - he had been helped, and he was repaying that debt to me... he expected me to pay it forward to generations a head of me. I hope I can follow his footsteps.

My Daddy was loving man... and I learned many valuable lessons from him. I'm proud to have been raised by such a generous, wise man..... and I miss him everyday.
Happy Father's Day, Daddy!!!!