Dad's Best Advice: Your Father's Day Story?

Last week, we asked when you learned your father was fallible. Now, tell us the advice you got that you'll always remember.

I remember the advice. I don't always remember to use it. My father was teaching me to drive. Now that I'm teaching my son, I can't imagine how he must have felt to get me behind the wheel those first few times. But one particular piece of advice stuck with me. As I paused at the entrance to a busy street for seemingly an eternity, he just reminded me, quietly: Be patient. There will be an opening. It will come. Don't rush it. I've shared that advice with my son because, of course, it's topical right now. But when he gets older, he, like me, will realize that advice isn't just meant for the driver's seat. Be patient. Now, if I can just remember to use it... Last week, we tried to be a little tongue-in-cheek and ask when you realized your …

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When Did You Learn Your Father Was Fallible?

With Father's Day approaching, can you share a story of the day you realized even Father doesn't always know best?

I was in my mid-teens the year my family set up for dinner at an old wooden beach house. My father was rigging a small 12-inch charcoal grill so we could use it to make hotdogs out on the wooden deck, even though he couldn't find the legs for the grill. He pulled a pot out of the kitchen as a base, set the grill on the pot, put the whole contraption on the wooden deck, and commenced lighting the coals. I looked cockeyed at the contraption, wondering why the heat of the coals wouldn't flow through the grill, through the pot and onto the wooden deck. But he was my father! Surely he must know something I didn't know. He didn't. Within a few minutes, a scorch mark appeared on the deck—a mark on the rented beach house deck that ultimately took …

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Father's Day Gift Ideas

Has Dad been especially good this year? South County has a unique blend of gift ideas for his day, June 17.

Father's Day 2012 is a little more than a week away, so there's still plenty of time to come up with a great gift. Patch has compiled a list of the coolest gift ideas we could find. Not exactly what you are looking for? Click on each South County site's gift directory, noted below our picks.  Edible Arrangements, 3802 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. 63127 314-849-7722 Store associate Lupa said that the store is offering a pickup special for Father's Day—a bouquet of chocolate covered strawberries for $61.  The Wine Barrel, 3828 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. 63127 314-842-9463 From 5:30-8 p.m. on June 15, The Wine Barrel is having a wine tasting called "Fantastic Finds for Father's. And, the store has gift cards available in any …

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Father's Day: Fast Facts about Fathers

Patch offers some interesting facts that you might not have known about our nation's fathers.

Father's Day started in 1909 when Sonora Dodd listened to a Mother's Day sermon and decided that fathers needed a special day, too. Dodd's father was a Civil War veteran who raised six children by himself after his wife's death. A date in June 1910 was chosen because Dodd's father was born in June. In 1966,  President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day, and in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed Father’s Day into law.

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Good Morning Mehlville: Weekend Lane Closures and Weather

Grab your five-minute fix on today's news.

Good morning, Mehlville! Welcome to our new column that will help you get through the weekday. Every Monday through Friday at 6 a.m., we'll tell you everything ranging from gas prices and traffic alerts to events around town and stories we're working on. Lastly, we'll sign off with something fun to kickstart your morning.  So before you go to work, wake up the kids or finish your cup of coffee, check out "Good Morning Mehlville." Have a suggestion to make Patch more helpful? Leave a comment or drop me an email at sarah.flagg@patch.com.              Father: Son, what are your results in the end of term examination??                Son: Underwater.               Father: What do you mean, underwater?                Son: Below "C" level.

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Patch Picks

The Perfect Father’s Day Gift for Every Type of Dad

Surprise dad on his special day with a thoughtful gift tailored just for him.

Dads come in all sizes and shapes and with varied ideas of what is fun. Analyze your dad and see if one of these gift suggestions fits him perfectly. If you have interesting ideas of your own, share them in the comments. Tell us about your dad and what you think is the perfect gift for him on Father’s Day. The Outdoor Cook: The folks at Arnold Stove & Fireplace Center suggest an American-made, kamado-style cooker, the Big Green Egg as the perfect gift for the family grill-master. There are several sizes available and plenty of accessories for dad to try. The Intellectual: If your dad loves to read, but does not own a Kindle, now is a great time to buy him one. Check the price at a few stores to make sure that you have found the best deal. …

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