Gordy

Gordy is my father, really Craig's father.  He is kind, funny, generous,  hospitable and honorable.  At this time of life, he is caring for his wife of 60 years at home.  She is in advanced stages of Alzheimer's.  He is the son of norwegian pioneers, a farmer, dairyman; mostly a son of the earth.  When he was young, his mom would send him to go get wood but along the way he would get sidetracked chasing butterflies. This defines him.   Chores would get done along with playing.  When he had his 5 boys, he gave them this gift, hard work, play hard.  Both. 

Before he would turn the barn cleaner in the barn, which took out all the cow manure, he would start smacking his hands together making splat, splunk, sploosh sounds which got the cows all in the mood to do the same.  After they were all done with their 'in unison toilet', then he turned on the barn cleaner which washed it all down the drain.  Then he milked them without a mess. Brilliant!  :)

In the barn there was a phone.  When it rang a certain number of times, it was the house calling.  He had a border collie that he used to work the cows who either really hated the phone ringing or really liked it.  When it rang, on the first ring that dog would go jump on this one cows hind quarters and swing on it's tail until the ringing stopped.  Can you imagine how that 

cow HATED the phone to ring.  They always went in the same stanchion, so it was always the same cow.  It would have been entertaining to make the phone ring on purpose.  

They had a party line, which meant if the phone rang 1 short and 2 longs it was not to be picked up.  It was for someone else's house.  Lot's of eaves dropping happened though.  The kids would sometimes be curious and quietly listen in.  If the grandma's figured it out, they would start talking in norwegian.  

Gordy needed his boys to help him, but they were taught to become men very naturally.  He did a good job honoring every stage of their growth, always making them stretch, become competent, then giving more responsibility.  It was mutual respect and a 2 way street between father and son.  All 5 of the boys honor and respect their father.  Craig and Gordy talk at least twice a day, ask and receive advice, get each other's opinion, remind each other of funny memories,  give each other grief/razz, and have become the greatest of friends.  Which is a miracle, as there was a chunk of time that there was a separation of fellowship.  I love and respect Gordy so much, and as I was writing my tribute to Craig for our anniversary I know that the reason Craig is such a wholesome and healthy father and husband is because of the influence of his father.