Sunday, July 17, 2011

~*Fulfilling A Promise*~

Hello Dear Friends! I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend! We have been having a most wonderful one... HOT, but truly wonderful... with a family gathering & BBQ last night... and today... making good and fulfilling a promise to my dear Dad.

Dad passed away almost three years ago. I miss him every day, but always feel him close... today especially. Dad had this old boat in his pasture. It is actually a boat that I had purchased about 15 years ago for only $200... which actually may have been more than it was worth. I gave it to him... hoping he would fix it & have fun with it. Dad tinkered with the motor some and he did take it out a couple of times on Lake Tenkiller ~ a beautiful lake near where he lived in Oklahoma. But... the boat didn't have any seats. They were long, rotted and removed... only having been replaced by a flimsy, plywood bench from an earlier owner. The floor was also rotting. At least it would stay dry inside ~ it would float.... but needed a lot of repair. He was able to get the motor started, but it wouldn't stay running. He didn't have time to work on it much before he became ill.

It is a 1962 Starcraft... I always thought it was CUTE... and could be fun if it worked and was cleaned up.

Before he passed...Dad gave the boat back... but requested that my husband fix it up and take his lil' Tom (what Dad called Trinity) fishing. Tony promised he would.

A little while ago, Tony thought it was time to make good on that promise... so he began restoration. The boat had just been sitting out in our backyard... and the kids did enjoy it by playing 'pirates' and catching sharks from it... but a promise is a promise. Tony pulled it into the garage & set out on the restoration. He struggled with the motor and cleaned and cleaned. The motor that was with the boat turned into a challenge because he was unable to find parts. So... at the recent city~wide garage sale, he bought a second boat for just a little money. This second boat had a motor that the seller said worked... but after Tony brought it home, he found it was almost dangerous to ever try to take it out on the water. It too had a lot of rotting wood, but this rot was on the body of the boat. So... he salvaged the 'good' from the second boat & used it on the first boat.

Today, we took it for a short 'test'... and and what fun it was!!!

See... isn't it CUTE?
Trinity helped by being the shipmate...
The inside, while nothing fancy... is now clean & usable...
Trinity was a good listener & even got drive when it was out on the water...
The motor from the second boat was made in 1967... and worked like a charm today! Tony did take it all apart & made some repairs on it too.
My Dad has to be looking down from Heaven right about now... and I'll bet he is smiling as big as Trinity is!


We weren't out for too long today because it is brutally hot... but the kiddo & I did throw our poles in the water. He won the fishing awards for the day... with the First Fish, Biggest Fish, and Most Fish.

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

19 comments:

  1. Oh, Betty ~
    What a great story and what a great smile on lil' Tom. Thank you for sharing with us!
    Pug hugs :)
    Lauren

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  2. Betty, What a wonderful lesson you are teaching your son about following through on a promise. And what wonderful memories you all will have to share about the inagural launch!! Did you name the boat?!
    Terri

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  3. Oh, I'm smiling from ear to ear. I lost my dad when I was only six and I have survived by "knowing" that he was always near. Your dad is having a ball watching this boat come to life!! I do believe that! What fun to see Trinity catching a big one. And could your husband be any more of a saint? I'm so glad he kept his promise! Beautiful story!
    Hugs,
    Courtney

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  4. Yes! We did name the boat. :-) It is the "SS Ray" after my dear Dad.

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  5. That's a very poignant story, Betty. I'm glad you made
    family memories today.
    Warm Regards,
    Susan B., Western MA

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  6. What a great story Betty and what an undertaking restoring it! I bet you are so proud of Tony and so happy knowing your Dad is smiling and Trinity is smiling!

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  7. What a wonderful name for your boat :).
    Great day spent with your loved ones. Congrat's to Trinity for catching the fish! What a handy hubby you have. I bet he was thrilled to get it going!

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  8. What a wonderful story Betty. Thanks for sharing.

    Becky

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  9. Oh, I know your Dad has to be smiling down on you today!

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  10. Oh Betty what a great story and how wonderful to launch this very special boat.

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  11. Hooray for Tony getting it all fixed up. What a lot of good times all of you are going to have in that boat. Trinity is grinning from ear to ear and I'm betting you were, too!

    Those pics are going to have to go in a scrapbook....so you can look back in years to come of such a great day!

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  12. Very special story, Betty, that you shared.
    How wonderful Tony is!

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  13. Love this post -- so nice to hear such a wonderful story! Love that a promise was fulfilled and a precious memory made! What fun you will have on that boat -- the S.S. Ray will be the source of many happy adventures!
    Have a good week ahead......

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  14. How wonderful that he could get it all fixed and working again. A great day to spend with your family and memories of your dad.

    Debbie

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  15. What a wonderful post Betty...There is nothing more beautiful than a promise kept. I just know that you father was there with you for the inaugural launch of the SS Ray.... You have one wonderful hubby there....(And "Lil Tom" is adorable...) Thanks for sharing...Have a wonderful week! Smiles & Hugs ~ Robin

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  16. What a great story! That really is a cute boat! And, congrats to Trinity for bringing in all those awards today!!! Too cute! :-)

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  17. What a wonderful way to remember your dad, I bet he is so happy!! ~Kriss~

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  18. Like everyone else, I so enjoyed reading the story of the "fixing up" of the boat, given twice with love. Trinity will have lots of fun as he grows and those fish dinners are hard to beat!

    Lots of work and love to finish out that promise, but well worth it! Jo

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  19. Betty ~ what a wonderful story! I miss my mom and dad all the time but always carry them in my heart.
    Lana

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