Today has
been a bittersweet day for me. I had to say goodbye to an important part of our
kids’ lives. Especially the girls. In the backyard had been a peach tree that
my dad had planted when I was a teenager. This tree was a somewhat miniature
tree. It was small enough that our kids at least the girls could climb it. They
were 4 and 5 at the time. Loren was only 2 so climbing it didn’t interest him,
but he loved sitting in the shade underneath it.
As happens
in all great things lives the peach tree had reached its end. It was a dying out, after all it was nearly 20
years old. It had been a faithful tree. My dad decided it was time to get rid
of the tree. It was time for a new tree, new life as it were. He explained to
the girls that we would plant a new pretty and healthy tree. He used all this
wonderful adult logic. Silly
man. J
That went
over about as well as I am sure you are all guessing. They were so upset. You
would expect tears and such but not our girls. No siree! Those little ladies
decided that they were going to strike. They were going to fight for what they
wanted. Here was 4 year old Kody marching around the tree and yelling “Don’t
cut down the tree!” I am sure that it could be heard for miles around.
Where was
Kacy you ask? She was in the front room making a picket signs for Kody to march
with and making a petition. She was convinced that if she could get signatures
she could persuade her beloved Papa to change his mind. She went to every adult
in the house asking us to sign her petition including their Papa. She was a
girl with a purpose.
Now my dad
was a sap for all of his grandkids but especially the three girls. My niece
Stephanie, Kacy and Kody could wrap that man around their pinkies. So could the
boys my nephew Ryan and Loren but it wasn’t quite the same. Dad wasn’t sure
what he wanted to do. He wanted to laugh when she asked him but he didn’t want
to hurt their feelings.
As with any
good strike management had a meeting to see what they might do for the striking
worker bees. My dad and Scotty were trying to figure a way around this. My mom
and I smartly decided that we weren’t getting in the middle of that argument.
They finally decided that my dad would cut down the worst of it and leave the
kids the trunk and the Y where they liked to sit.
Now this was
a decision that both Papa and the girls could agree too. There was a contract
drawn up and all the parties signed it saving that tree. The kids all climbed
that tree for years. Until they grew out of that stage and then it was still a
favorite place to sit. We never got rid of it because it was a wonderful
reminder of the man my dad was.
Today when I
saw the backyard I was amazed at our beautiful fence because I had not had a
chance to say goodbye to our peach tree. I was ready to cry, I still am. Silly
I know, but that tree was a tie to my dad that I lost in May, 2001. I have
other ties but it was one more thing that we lost this year. But, above all we
have each other. I love you Dad! I am still a daddy’s girl.
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