Fathers Day

    I've always struggled to think of the perfect Fathers Day gift for my Dad. He's as tough as they come, no-nonsense, do the right thing always kind of man. He is perhaps the richest man in the world, not because he has the most, but because he needs the least. He is the son of a coal miner, and was driving coal trucks before the age of 16. He quit school to join the US Marine Corps, following in the footsteps of his older brother, and he was then followed by his little brother.
     After he moved into civilian life, he became a long haul trucker. That is, until he met his match a few years later. She settled him down, and gave him 3 sons. Over the road life was tough on the family, so he took a job at the coke plant working the ovens. He worked hard, moved up, and eventually bought a piece of land and built a house brick by brick. Ever since, he wanted nothing more for himself

     Skipping ahead several years...

      We all grew up. My older brother joined the Army, I joined the Navy, like my Grandfather, as did my little brother, then we all met our matches, and are raising our own. Not long after we flew the nest, so did the Rents. They went out, bought an RV, and now, they travel the nation, stopping at the most amazing places, visiting Marine buddies, both alive and gone, watching Recruits graduating Basic Training, and sitting around a nightly campfire.

So you see my dilemma. What do I get him for Father's Day?

     Well, he came through the area, and I went over for a visit. As we sat around the fire, He said "I want one of these to take back to the mountains" pointing to the heavy steel ring containing the fire. He wasn't asking for one, just mentioning it in passing. But I was listening!
     Where do you get one of these, and better yet, where do you get on in a hurry. I found several on Ebay that were hit or miss. Some were cheap and thin, others nice and heavy, but no delivery, or the delivery was more than the pit itself. I thought of getting a tractor tire ring, but that didn't pan out, plus I wanted something special. Then, I checked Craigslist, and  think I found what I was looking for.

     Seems solid, and somewhat portable, though I was told it's very heavy. The price was reasonable and best of all, it's local. It's made by Andy at 239 Designs in Plum.
He can also cut a custom design into the sides, so I emailed him. He got back to me quickly, and was excited about what I wanted to do. The turn around is quick and that really worked out for me. It took a while to figure out what design would suit my Dad though. After some thought, I decided to honor our familys military service tradition that dates back to the Civil War.
      3 Soldiers- 1 Civil War, 1 WWI (KIA), 1 Gulf War.
      8 Sailors- 5 Brothers WWII (1KIA), 2 Brothers Gulf War, 1 presently serving stateside.
      3 Marines (Brothers)- 1 Korean War, 1 Korea-Vietnam, 1 Vietnam Conflict
So here is what we came up with

These are the patterns that will be cut into the sides. The logos represent the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. And if one of the grand-kids joins the Air Force, I'll get another one

      

       So, within 24 hours of contacting Andy, it is designed, and ready to be cut out.

 With summer coming, and these cool nights, you may want to consider picking up one yourself. Since it's on legs, it may be considered a grill, and therefore legal in urban areas. Give Andy a call at 239 Designs 412-861-3038


P.S. As a teacher, I have had the honor and privilege of having several students that have gone on to military service (interestingly, none have enlisted in the Air Force either). Some have served in peace time, and others during the War. This will also be for them.