Dad's Day Late

Yesterday was my father-in-law's birthday. Had he lived, he would have been about 78. It is hard to ignore Hub's faults because he certainly had a few, but he has now been gone 23 years. It is much easier to forgive the faults and remember the positive. Thinking about him yesterday, I realized that one of the personality traits he past down was his teasing, pestering ways. He was always messing with someone. I think he liked to get a good rise out of people. My favorite story of Hub is how one day he had been out castrating calves. It being a messy job, he was covered in blood when he brought the calf fries to his wife to clean and cook. She was doing dishes in the kitchen, and he began waving the calf fries under her nose and teasing her. Normally, Mary is a quiet, dignified lady, but I am sure he made her good and mad. So she chased him out the back door of the house - she just happened to have the butcher knife in her hand. As they both ran out the back door, Hub with his blood covered clothes and Mary with the butcher knife, the preacher was coming up the back steps. You can imagine the scene before his eyes and how it looked. Mary was aghast, but Hub thought it was great fun and was laughing.

This ability to pester has been passed to Hub III and IV. Toby has always been able to get a rise out of me. I don't consider myself quiet or dignified. Having grown up with two brothers, I can pretty well hold my own. But it is really interesting to watch Hub IV with his wife. When he gets in a teasing mood, I can see The Hub in his eyes. Sara does well for a while, being the patient, sweet girl that she is, but eventually he pushes her buttons. So far, she has not chased him down, but she does get frustrated. It will be an interesting life together. Hub certainly made live interesting for Mary.