If any of you have ever met my dad, Fletch, you know that he's a pretty unusual guy. He was born in Texas, but raised in Southern California. Growing up, I didn't understand how much his rural upbringing impacted his approach to life. I just knew that my dad always wore a cowboy hat and told people he was "as fine as a frog's hair" when asked how he was. Dad was never enamored with the beach or focused on having a great car. I was always surprised the State of California let us stay! I now understand that dad is proof that while you can take the boy out of Texas, you can never take Texas out of the boy. Dad's given me quite a few life lessons that are "off the beaten trail," if you will. In honor of dad (and Father's Day weekend), I thought I'd pass them along to you.

#1 - Figure it out! If the gate doesn't close, bust out some MacGyver skills and jerryrig a solution to any problem. In the example below, our pool gate started drooping and refusing to close properly about 25 minutes after it was installed. Not to worry. Dad just bent, welded and otherwise manhandled the latch into submission.

#2 - There's nothing wrong with a messy desk. In fact, if you want to play a quick game of I-SPY with the kids, there's no better place to go than Papa's office! See if you can spy a paper clip, a tube of toothpaste, and a belt buckle.

#3 - Cowboy hats are appropriate for any occasion. Standard issue brown for everyday events like church or eating out, Straw (not pictured) for working outside, and Black suede if you need to get gussied up.

#4 - You survive the Navy on Ketchup. Granted, we heard a bunch of stories from my dad's time in the service, but the most vivid memory I have of dad's antics was of his insistence that the only way you could survive food in the Navy was to cover it in ketchup. I think I heard this explanation so frequently because I constantly told dad that putting ketchup on his eggs was "disgusting." I think he liked getting me to back down out of some sort of patriotic duty. Either that, or he liked grossing me out.

#5 - Barbed wire is interesting. Huh? Yup. Dad loves finding assorted varieties of barbed wire (aka "Devil's Rope") used by different ranches and finding out their story. Wikipedia can tell you more about it (here) or you can visit a barbed wire museum in Kansas or Texas . If you'd rather swing by the house, Fletch could tell you all about his stash.

#6 Slow Down! Take in the Sights. I don't recall my dad ever being in a hurry. He is happy to sit down "a spell" and take a look at what's going on around him. Of course, he's also happy to take a little nap after getting his fill!

#7 - Keep the Essentials Handy. What's a coffee table for if not for keeping everything you need nearby. Dad's stash of stuff is a great summary of how Fletch rolls: harmonica, magnifying glass, pencils, stapler, and WD40. He's ready for anything!

#8 Improvise. If you don't have what you need, make something up. I have no idea what this contraption is, but I love it! I'm pretty sure John Deere could sell it to others too.

#9 - Read your Bible every day. If your Bible isn't in need of a little Duct tape every now and then, well, you're just not trying. And if you are in ear shot of Fletch anytime during the month of December, count on him asking you if you'd like to read the Bible through in a year with him. He'll give you this program (here) and follow up with you to see how you're tracking. Fletch doesn't do the subtle sell. You don't even have to believe in the Bible. He thinks you read lots of things you might not "believe," but you still need to figure out what the Bible says.

#10 Don't ever criticize Mom. Children fussing at mom was not tolerated. As a kid, it was easier to be sassy with dad than to talk back to mom IN FRONT OF dad. We weren't even so much as allowed to say we didn't like a dish mom cooked without incurring the wrath of Fletch. However, we WERE allowed to use as much ketchup as required!

#10.5 Wear Your Boots - I don't give dad full credit for this lesson, because if my horse hadn't done his part, I might still have ten toes. (full story here) Still, as Dad would say, wearing boots is "damn good advice." Fletch isn't afraid to throw a little salt into his advice or his expressions. I should have obeyed him on this point (and probably a whole lot of others.)

Happy Father's Day Fletch! I appreciate you AND your lessons more than you know (though I still think you pronounce the "L" in aLmonds.).

10 1/2 Lessons From Dad