Thing's....

[chris dawe]

This forum is a great place ...no, a fantastic place to visit ,the people here become a real tight knit bunch of friend's ,almost like an extended internet family.

There people here who lend a hand to help with advice ,or part's on the latest project gun often asking nothing more than typed "thank-you " and the unspoken understanding that the same kindness will be payed forward in the future.

There are deal's in the buy and sell section where guy's don't try to haggle your last penny ,the profit come's solely from helping one of the PGCA extended family.

There is a man here whom I've never had the pleasure of shaking his hand in person who called me probably every day during the hardest two week's of my life just to see if I was O.K (Thank-you Jim)

So all this is the reason why I feel comfortable about letting you guy's meet my Dad,he's the reason why I'm the man I am today,he taught me to speak my mind when I'm in the right and to apologize if I was'nt,he taught me the value of working like a dog just to get something right,he kept me on the straight and narrow with a rap from his knuckle's when my hormone's had me chasing every skirt in town ,he taught me everything I know about a hammer and a saw.

As some here may know ,I lost my Dad on the 23 of November this year...he was diagnosed with a massive grade four glyo blastoma (spell?) brain tumor just two week's before,surgery did'nt help and he fought damn hard for every second he had with us...it was hand's down the hardest thing I've ever witnessed,and it made me the proudest son on the planet to bear witness his bravery

I never moved more than 200 feet from him in 40 year's ,and now he's gone and I would give anything for one of his signature knuckle rap's about my head

Every day get's better,but I'm sure there's some hard one's ahead.
R.I.P Pop's

[Angel Cruz]

Chris, I am so sorry for your loss, my deepest sympathies go to you and your loved ones. It will get easier my friend!!
BTW, Now I have a face to go with the name..:)

[scott kittredge]

yes you are wright about the people here and i too am sorry for loss, scott

[charlie cleveland]

your rite about this bunch of guys justone big family...very sorry about your dad s passing... charlie

[Mills Morrison]

Sorry to hear the news. We have had a bunch of deaths in my circle of friends lately, some unexpected, but none have been as close to me as yours. It is hard to do much other than to help out and be supportive. The important thing is you do have great memories which you will always remember.

[Dave Suponski]

Chris, Thank You for sharing your thoughts with us. We in turn share your grief. My condolences to you and your family. I lost my father at a very young age and Mom 8 or so years ago. After all this time I still find myself wanting to ask them questions but alas they are gone. Everyday will get a bit better Chris.

[Rick Losey]

my Dad,he's the reason why I'm the man I am today,he taught me to speak my mind when I'm in the right and to apologize if I was'nt,he taught me the value of working like a dog just to get something right,he kept me on the straight and narrow with a rap from his knuckle's when my hormone's had me chasing every skirt in town ,he taught me everything I know about a hammer and a saw.


sounds like he did a good job..

sorry for your loss

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Chris, I know that these days after his passing are long and dark, but keep your faith there is light at the end of this tunnel my friend! Gary

[Russ Jackson]

Chris ,In just these few pictures ,you can see the Closeness and Friendship ,you and your Father shared ! Like all the Gentlemen said before me ,I too am quite sorry for your loss ! The only good thing about time is ,it will take some of the pain away and make the memories even more pleasant ! Hang in there and hold tight to all the good times ! Best ; Russ

[Jim DiSpagno]

Hey Pal, you know you and Steph, Chloe and Jack will always be in my thought and prayers. The rest has been said here. Jim

[Dennis V. Nix]

Chris, I am sorry for your loss. I can tell you from personal experience though that the grief you are feeling now will, with time, turn into warm and loving remembrances of times you shared with your dad. Years from now you will hear a song, a phrase or something on the wind will jar your memory of a wonderful day or experience you shared together with your dad. Maybe you will see your dad in yourself or your children. Trust me he is right there with you.

Dennis

[Dean Romig]

What a wonderful tribute to your father. And you, sir, are a tribute to him as well.
More than anything it is the simple bonds that tie the generations together - we trust you will pass them forward to another generation.

[Paul Plager]

Chris, I feel your pain. Lost my mom last year and my father in law the year before.
You sound like me when talking about Dad. I always say that if I am half the man he is I am a hell of a man. Our prayers are with you and your family. God bless!

[Richard Flanders]

You're a lucky lucky man Chris. Not everyone has the good fortune to be able to remember their father as such a positive influence.

[chris dawe]

To everyone who replied to my thread ,Thank you so very much...it only reinforce's what I said earlier about all of you.

We had our up's a down's like everyone .There were many time's I thought those
knuckle's came too quick or too hard ,there were time's when I got overly excited about some new development in my life and he would alway's say "Hang 'er down me son " I used to think to myself "Cripe's Dad can you just give me a little credit",it was his way of saying if it sound's too good to be true it most likely was ...he was usually right.

He grew up in the late 40 early 50's outport Newfoundland ,which was in alot of way's like the State's in the early 30's we were a very poor country then before Confederation ,the story's he told us about growing up were sometime's unbelievable ,like seeing snow blow through the crack's in bedroom wall's as a kid ,every liqued in the house frozen in the morning ,they ate seagull's for christmas dinner because a turkey was a thing of legend !the stone's they would heat over the wood stove's to put in the mattress to help keep a bed with four brother's warm,the tale's of starvation were'nt uncommon here even then...I once heard a story about his uncle who had the boy's out cutting wood ,the pond's were just caught over and to toughen the boy's up he would make them break ice and wade in waist/chest deep water as they towed the hand kat (slide )full of wood!(they did'nt own a horse ).

He was tough as nail's to be sure,but like I told my brother's just week's before he got sick .I never held any of it against him in the long run he was just trying to harden us up to the fact's of life.

Thank's again to everyone who replied this has helped tremendously

[Paul Plager]

Chris, there is no need to thank us, as we are truely brothers and sisters in arms.

[Dean Romig]

And you have just written one more great tribute to a good man.

[Rich Anderson]

Chris I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your father and friend. I know somewhat of what your going through as I lost a brother when he was just 17 and my father has been diagnosed with early stage Ahlzhimers among a plethora of other medical problems.

My father wasn't a shooter or hunter but had friends that were and through them he helped foster this addiction i have.

I have two quotes I'dike to share, one from my Dad and one from my Grandmother. These have served my well. From Dad "If it's worth haveing then it's worth working for". From Grandma "Quit bitching and save your breath..You'll need it when it's time to die".

Your Dad will always be with you, looking down and smiling at the positives in your life and you'll know when the knuckles should have been applied, and thats him to.

[chris dawe]

You got it C.O.B !

[edgarspencer]

Chris, you have my heartfelt sympathy, and know that if we could lighten your pain, we would. However, the pain we feel now is part of the payback for the joy we got when our loved ones with were with us in body. It never does, nor should it, lessen, we just learn to temper it with the smiles that fond memories give us.
As for that guy who checks in on you; he's just that kind of person, and kept me company many hours when I was in and out off hospital last spring. We're lucky there are guys like that around. The ones who think to pick up the phone just to say 'howya doin?' are not so common as they used to be.

[Frank Allegra]

Chris,

My condolences on the loss of your father and friend. I lost my father in 2009. What I can tell you is that his memories will always stay. Often times when I take my gun out for a country walk, my father is still there with me. I enjoy being with my spiritual dad even though his physical being is no longer with me. Keep the faith my friend. Your father was a good man and that is manifested in you.

[Steve McCarty]

When we hit middle age our parents die. My parents went within two days of exactly two years from one another.

My dad was a saint to me. Bright, talented, energetic, generous and a good hearted and honest man. He left a huge hole in the community and within our family when he died. Colon cancer. He had no idea he had it. He said to me, "I knew this was going to happen to me, but I didn't know it was going to happen this soon." He was only 76. In his final days we sang and laughed just like the old times. He loved music and had his own band of old guys who got lots of gigs, hired by other old guys.

When dad knew he was a goner, he got kind of excited, wanting to see what was on the other side. When he died he taught me a lot about life and how wonderful it is.

At first I was devistated, the loss of his presence was so great. Now it's been a dozen years and he has become a fond memory. The same will happen to you, but indeed those first few years are hard. A bit of valium helped me to feel better.

[Christopher Piercey]

I'm sorry for your loss my friend.