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| Two of the most IMPORTANT cartoon folks in my life, Bugs & Daffy! (The image is from one of their BEST and funniest 'toons--'Rabbit Seasoning', by the way!) They also have some pretty close ties to a couple of the most IMPORTANT people in my life! Keep 'scrollin-and-'readin to find out just how that all fits together! |
Back in January, I honored and looked back on the life of my beloved Pops, Reverend Loyd Ferrell Sr. This time around, I figured I'd give you, my 'faithful few' regular readers-- a look at some of the really special items he had--that I was able to bring back here to Okie-land with me, after his passing.
A good amount of it was in storage, although some of it he'd kept with him-- after he moved in with my sister. Along with letting you have a look at those things-- there's also an additional extra-special item, that I want you to see-- from another important person in my life, who presented it to me...this Christmas just past!
While not being anywhere NEAR the kind of GEEK-A-ZOID that I've always been, Pops did manage to keep a decent-sized stash of NIFTY cartoon-character-related goodies, as well as some classic-car-related 'doo-dads', and other just plain COOL stuff! For many years, when in the full time ministry, he would display a good-sized chunk of it in his 'Pastor's offices', at the various churches he pastored over the years. Later, after his retirement from the ministry, he would usually display these things on his dresser-- in the bedroom of whatever house he and Mom lived in. A few of them were even on display, in the bedroom that he stayed in at my sister Kathy's-- right up 'til he passed away.
Pops also had a handful of unique, custom scale-models-- presented to him for birthdays and Christmas gifts. (More on THOSE in just a bit!) So, it's been kind of fun for me (and even a little 'therapeutic' / 'healing'-for-the-soul'!)-- unboxing and finding spots for these extra-NEAT-O items, here in the 'Man-Cave'!
Like I usually like to do here, I'll just jump into the pics below-- and rattle off a (NERDY) comment or two about each, as we go 'rockin along!----
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Shortly after Pops passed, my family and I went down to Texas, and went through the storage unit where my parents' stuff had been, for the past 8 years (since my mom passed away). I was amazed to find good 'ol Daffy Duck in GREAT shape! AND-- believe it or not, he was in one of the first boxes I looked into. I had just started sorting through the stuff in the unit--- when I stumbled across him in a fairly good-sized box.
A whole LOT of memories came flooding back too, when I found this little guy! (He stands around 2 feet tall or so) He's actually one of Pop's older cartoon-character figures, so I remember seeing him on display in several places over the years. He now has an honored spot with me here, in the 'Man-Cave'-- next to one of the bookcases. Dad and I shared a fondness for Daffy, so-- he makes me smile, nearly every time I look over and see him there across the room! |
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Now this is one 'rootin-tootin-gun-shootin' character, that Pops and I also shared a MAJOR fondness for! Mr. Yosemite Sam! I think, like me-- Dad saw quite a bit of his own personality 'quirks' in Sam! The temper, the stubborn-streak, and that almost CRAZY determination! He also knew that laughing out loud at Sam's temper-tantrums, helped us laugh at our own outbursts and shortcomings!
This little stuffed-toy version of the hot-headed cowboy, must've been a more recent addition to Dad's collection, because I don't remember seeing it around when I was younger. Still, it's a fun little figure, and--- like Daffy up above, he brings a BIG grin to my face whenever I look at him-- and he also reminds me of Dad's sense of humor (and that GREAT laugh he had!)! |
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| A couple of Dad's smaller figurines of Sam and that slobbering maniac, Taz! Taz actually has a 'flocked', 'fuzzy' coat of 'fur'! Pretty neat-o! They both stand around 3 to 4 inches tall. |
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| Here's another figure that goes WAY back. Porky here-- is easily one of Pops' OLDEST figures. I remember seeing him on display--either around the house, or in one of the many 'Pastor's offices'-- all the way back to the time when I was in elementary school! (That's around 50-plus years ago folks!) Porky was the stuttering, 'average-guy-everyman' character. Dad and I could ALWAYS relate to him! |
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Two small figurines of some other favorite characters of the Pops--The 'California Raisins'. In the 80s, there was an ad campaign that featured stop-motion animation of these COOL little guys, dancing around and singing 'I heard it through the grapevine'. Not only Pops, but our whole family got a BIG kick out these characters, and Pops had a whole set of around 6 figurines.
When my daughter and I found these in storage, we decided to share them with each other. I just wanted the ones sporting sun-shades! She kept the other 4. |
Another thing that the Pops and I shared, for as long as I can remember-- is our mutual LOVE of--and just general GEEKYNESS about-- classic cars and trucks! So, it should be NO shock to anyone whatsoever-- that one of the ways I surprised him over the years-- was to build (OR customize) scale model replicas of vehicles he'd owned earlier in his life.
I'd usually surprise him with these little treasures, around his birthdays-- or for Christmas gifts. He obviously got a big kick out of them, and-- not long before his passing-- my bro-in-law, my nephew and I-- managed to dig them out of the storage unit... for him to be able to have on display, and maybe bring a little more bright spots into his life.
Lord knows, what with all the lengthy hospital stays and medical issues he was having then, when he WAS able to be there in the little room at my sister's -- he was sure in NEED of some brighter-spots to focus on! Even if it was just small replicas of old rides that he used to cruise around in!
Not that my sister didn't have Pops in an uncomfortable space, OR that the room he stayed in was 'dreary' somehow! She had that little room filled with PLENTY of vintage photos of him and our mom in their younger days, not to mention some rather FUNKY, oldy-moldy pics of us kids-- complete with our 'early-70s-thru-early-80s-disco-influenced-fashions'! (Hey, Pops liked those old 'family pics'! Though Kathy and I cringed and groaned at them PLENTY of times!)
I just felt like the addition of the model cars might bring some extra bit of cheer to him, in the TOUGH-stretch of life that he was going through then! ----
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This is one of the first 'replicas' I worked on for Pops. (Somewhere in the mid-90s, I think-- for a Christmas gift) A 'mini-clone', of his '56 Chevy Bel-Air. It's actually a 1/18th diecast model, that I took apart and customized. I did some sneaking around, and quizzed Mom about the correct interior color, it's 'stance' (Pops had the 'real car' lowered in the front a bit!), and just it's over-all 'look'-- so the model would be as accurate as possible. I'll never forget how both surprised and happy he looked, when he unwrapped it!
it's yet another thing I can look at now, and see (in my memory, of course!) the BIG, slightly goofy-looking grin-- that Pops would sometimes get on his face!-- Especially if he was REALLY tickled or happy about something! The memory of THAT-- makes me get an equally-goofy grin of my own! |
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| This little 1/32 scale '63 T-Bird, is one I built to resemble the one Pops owned when he was pastoring his first church. (1973 or so) Again, I went into 'sneaky-mode', and quizzed my mom about both the correct light-blue exterior color, and the right interior colors as well. I'm pretty sure this one was a birthday gift I gave him, in the late '90s. |
At around the same time-frame that Pops owned the '63 T-Bird, he also owned a '63 Chevy Bel-Air. (It wasn't enough to have one COOL ride, he managed to have TWO, almost at the SAME time!) For another Christmas present, (this was in 2000, if my kinda JUMBLED memory is right!) I thrashed-away at another replica for him!---
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| The 1/25 scale replica of Pop's '63 Chevy. The kit only came with a set of bucket seats, so I had to 'scratch-build' a 'bench-style' seat for it. The 'chrome-reverse' wheels (like the full-size car had!) also came from the spare parts left over from another model kit. Once again, consulting with Mom-- I managed to get the exterior and interior color-schemes JUST right! |
Pops was once again, surprised and happy with the mini-'63! In fact, I recently went digging through some old photo-albums, and found pics of him unwrapping this one!--
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| Pops unwrapping his surprise Christmas gift, circa 2000. You can see my Mom's pretty tickled about it too! AND-- there's that big, kinda-GOOFY grin from my dad again! That smile is what makes this a PRICELESS memory indeed! |
One of the other NIFTY items that 'Kathy-sis' had put on display there in the room Pops was staying in, was an ANCIENT little toy car that Dad had kept from when he was a little boy! It's also one of the items I just felt NEEDED to find a home-- after he passed-- here in the 'ol Bat-cave! It's in another 'honored spot', of course!---
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| Yes, it's obvious that my Dad played HARD with this little 'push-down-and-go' car! It even shows evidence of a 'childhood-paint-job' or two. That's the very thing that makes it a REALLY special item-- to me anyway! The AMAZING thing? Even though it only has 3 of it's original wheels-- it STILL works! |
Once I unpacked the little tin toy car, and was getting ready to put it into a display case I'd found for it-- I turned it over and found a little 'home-made' tag taped to the bottom.----
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| That's right, my Mom (that's HER handwriting on the tag) had figured out when Pops had gotten the toy car, and had put a 'date-tag' on the bottom! Now that little 'childhood toy' is even MORE special to me! |
Another VERY neat item I stumbled across, as we sorted through the boxes in the storage unit-- is something I'd completely FORGOTTEN about Pops even having! Once I opened up the box it was in and saw it though, the memories ALL came flooding back!--
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| Yes, my Dad had his own 1/25 scale model 'replica' of his '56 Bel-Air! (Built at a MUCH earlier time!) The other surprising part? I'd actually COMPLETELY forgotten it--AND-- that I helped him build and paint it! That's my handiwork there on the TINY 'raised white lettering' on the tires. Hey, this was around the time I was in high school, so that IS a LONG time ago, gang! Memories can get a bit hazy -- when over 40-plus years have passed! |
Once I made this 're-discovery', and unpacked this EXTRA-special little replica here in the Man-Cave-- I managed to wrangle it up a spot in one of my 'Barrister-cases'. Along with a vintage pic of Pops behind the wheel of his real, full-sized, original CLASSIC ride!---
So now, a number of special items that once belonged to my Pops are in my care. Much like all of the other stuff here in the Man-Cave, as well as a few sentimental items-- they'll be placed into someone else's care one day! I'm hoping my own kiddos will want to take custody of at least SOME of it. If not, then I sure wish it will fall into the hands of somebody who will love and care for it as much as Pops did, and I have!
I mentioned up above another SPECIAL item presented to me this Christmas just past. The gift came from my daughter, Shelby...and it pretty much blew my mind! I'll just let the pic below tell the biggest chunk of the story!--
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| One of my all-time favorite Looney Tunes characters, dressed as my all-time favorite comics character! 'Bugs-as-Bats'! What's NOT to LOVE here! Thanks SO much, daughter-of-mine! |
Even though the past few months have been a pretty BUMPY ride for my family and I, and there's been a good deal of tears and some sorrow-- there's also been a fair amount of smiles and fun moments that we've shared. Our family has been sharing stories and memories (of Pops AND Mom)... and yes, now--the things (and cartoon characters!) that brought my Pops such smiles and joy, are now bringing those same feelings to my own (personal) family. (Mrs. Debbie, myself & the kids.)
I think that Pops, over in that 'better place', has even MORE joy-- knowing that he (and my Mom too!) gave us all a 'legacy' of smiles, and a healthy sense of FUN!
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| This post is dedicated to the memory of BOTH of my parents! May the laughs, warm memories and sense of FUN they shared with us NEVER fade! AND-- may my own kids pass it on to the NEXT generation! |
Stay safe, sane and HAPPY 'til next time gang!
