50 Things you might not know about my dad...

I know it is a couple days early but I had the time do it now and not sure I will next week :)

1. Born in 1949
2. Graduated June 1967
3. Married June 1968
4. First son born August 1969
5. Second oldest of 7
6. Started dating my mom before he was 16 (on my grandpa’s birthday-March 6, 1965)
7. Buys my mom flowers on that anniversary
8. Has 3 kids (Heather is by far the coolest and gets everything she wants J )
9. Spent a lot of time as a kid with his dad building houses
10. Trained as a pattern maker
11. Ran 2 different pattern shops in his career
12. Has hired one of his apprentices from the first to run the second
13. Also a very good carpenter
14. Built many presents for others and the house they live in, including: beds for me and Derek (mine twice), cradles, dressers, entertainment centers, fireplace hearths, buffet, MANY hall trees for big and small, tables, plant stands, shelves, quilt stands, and many other things including wooden swords and guns for the boys to play with
15. Has very few projects that he has been paid money for
16. Has had 4 dogs (Dusty, Poky, Fritz and Ruby)…with hopes that 4th time is a charm in training
17. Is not a fan of a job done half a** and instilled that quality in us
18. Can’t sit still very well, except getting better about it in Madison
19. Has gone by names (that I know of): Kenneth, Kenny, Ken, Schip, Schipper, Dad, Bumpa, Papa
20. All three of his kids were also called Schip at some time in their life
21. Lost his hair very young (nothing to do with me) but waited until late 80’s to start “parting it down the middle”
22. My mom has cut his hair twice and the last time she “missed” a little and Her and I couldn’t stop giggling
23. He is very patient keeping closets full of our stuff…even though he threatens to send it home with us every time we are in Manitowoc
24. Cannot resist a good find on the side of the road, whether it be a grill or ONE glove
25. Doesn’t really drive the speed limit unless the cruise is set
26. Has sported some of the best side-burns I have ever seen
27. Threw his sister through the ceiling tile in the basement when she was a baby
28. There is only 4 years between his youngest sister and oldest son
29. Always happy to help, always shy to take the credit
30. Likes to meet people wherever he is. He is infamous for sitting in a hot tub at a hotel and making “friends” with whomever is in there (a trait he has passed on to me).
31. He is at the Quality Inn in Madison so often that the desk person says “Anything for you Mr. Ken.” “We have a room for you Mr. Ken.” “Of Course at a good rate for you Mr. Ken”
32. We are glad that he is in Madison enough to have that relationship
33. Part of the reason he is in Madison is to help us with projects at our houses too
34. He enjoys taking rides especially when they end in a McDonald’s Dt Coke…oh wait that might be influenced by my mom
35. Has 20 (almost 21) years in at Grey Iron Foundry…after having 21 years in at Manitowoc Engineering
36. Has owned many cars, including two Mustangs…which were totaled. One of which was in a trade with me: I got the 1988 Chevy Nova, he got a 1980’s Mazda truck with pungy cord to hold the door closed (I paid $100 and a bottle of whiskey for that truck!)
37. He got me a deal on a new mirror for the Nova (after a little mishap with the mailbox) because he sold the body shop guy a gun.
38. He enjoys refinishing guns of many kinds.
39. He has refinished Swedish WWII riffles, guns for each of the boys and Josh’s after he (Josh) tried to clean it and accidently broke it
40. Has 2 boys but his GIRL is the engineer
41. Met my mom in High school choir, still likes to sing, Karaoke style
42. Likes to fish and hunt and instilled that in my brothers
43. Made my brothers put their own worms on in the hooks as kids…I never did…ewwww
44. Had a very short stint in his working career where he had to wear a shirt and tie (hence the changing companies after 21 years)
45. Is one of the most patient people I have ever met
46. I can count on one hand how many times he got truly mad at us as kids (and when he did we knew we were in trouble)
47. Sat through MANY basketball, football, volleyball, softball and baseball games, even coached some early on (I think)
48. Is still best friends with my mom
49. Has been one of the best role models to me, Josh and my kids life
50. AND he turns 60 next week!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!