Wooden Nickels

Ever see one of these babies? I'm sure some of you have, but I hadn't. I'd heard of 'em, but hadn't run into one before a couple of weeks ago...
My daddy used to tell me when I was little up until this day "don't take any wooden nickels" and grin real big.

He was referring to "kisses" - don't know if any of ya'll heard that line, but he loved to tease me like that - same thing with "yankee dimes". He'd get home from work and he'd call me "come and give me a big ole yankee dime!" and I'd oblige with a big bear hug around his neck and plant kisses all over his cheeks which would get rather scratchy by the end of the day! My daddy was tall at least 6'3", and he hung the moon for me. Still does to this day. I was his little shadow whenever he was home.
Anyway, when he held me when I was young I felt SOOO tall and he'd swing me around and around until we were both dizzy and fell down laughing. He'd be sitting by me in church or at home and lean over and whisper, "Know how a cow bites?" which would send me into gales of laughter when he squeezed my knee and I would grab his huge hand and try to pry it off. It sure was hard to stifle the giggles in church! My kids, upon introducing their Pop to their friends, always get around to getting Dad to hold up and spread his hand out - it's as big as a dinner plate with fingers extended, and I used to compare my small one to his growing up to see how I was growing. My kids do that today - especially the boys. Adam's hand is almost as large, Josh's is a little smaller.

My dad was very handsome when he was young, and my 13-14 yr old friends would all gush over him when they came to my house and say "your daddy is so cute!" and of course I had to agree, and smile because he was MY dad.

Daddy had some architectural training and he and I would sit for hours and he'd draw horses with me. His horses were, of course, more architectural looking and angular, but I thought they were wonderful! Actually, my mom can draw, too - guess I get it from both of them. Mom took some art training by mail when she was young and she saved her scetchbooks for me - they're really quite good!

Daddy has helped me with my art shows, he's built display stands for me, easels, you name it. He learned how to cut mats for my watercolors and since he was always a handyman, he bought trim and made my frames for me. Saved me a ton of money. We've hunted and fished and vacationed and done all those wonderful things that have made so many good memories. Time spent together with family is the most perfect and wonderful possession that I have. I can never repay him for all the things he's done for me over the years. Now he does all those things with my kids, too. My mother is wonderful, too, I'm not leaving her out. Today's post I was just thinking about Daddy - cuz I was (and still am) a Daddy's girl.

I found these wooden nickels at a sale and thought of Dad immediately. I gave him one the other day and told him "now you can't say you never accepted any wooden nickels, dad". He just grinned.