No Dad of the Year Award

This is a true story – kind of funny and a bit sad at the same time. Just keep in mind about what Se’Vette and I wrote about in our “The Red Nail” piece. We each had a nail to hang our clothes on! That was long ago.

Back in 1949 and before, women stayed in bed at times up to 10 days after giving birth — but the average was at least five days. So our dear Mom put five clean outfits on our nails for sis and me before going to bring brother No. 1 into our lives.

Dad brought the new one and Mom home on Day five and there were our five clean outfits still hanging on the nails. I vividly remember how Mom looked when she said to me, “Have you and your sister had a bath since I’ve been gone?” I told her we didn’t get to go outside and play; we played with our dolls and tea sets in the house and rode around with Daddy to feed cows and goats in the jeep. Yes, we had a bath every night, but Dad had to defend himself. “Their clothes weren’t dirty, so they wore them more than one day!”

I never said anything, but we did wear our pajamas on some days too. Dad also said “I saved water and work for you and see, they are happy!” Nothing else was said, but we used to hear this story at family gatherings quite often. In other words, Mom didn’t let Dad forget, every once in a while reminding him by saying, “no Dad of the Year award for you.”

I wonder if this is where this saying originated.