Dry, Three Olives? Thanks For The Life Lesson, Pop

My father taught me how to mix martinis at the age of 11. This meant that at cocktail hour, he could lounge on the couch while I served him an icy, dry vodka martini (three olives) and then relax as I played classical music on the piano. From his perspective, it's probably one of the most valuable things he ever taught me.

Earlier this week, I asked Patch Facebook followers about the most important thing their fathers taught them, and answers ranged from the endearing to the humorous to the cautionary. Read their fathers' lessons, then add your own in the comments section below.

• June M. Smith: Once as a young adult when I was disappointed in how a relationship was going, he said, "When the right one comes along, he'll just tap you on the shoulder, and you'll look around and know." He was right!
• Veronica Shepardson: How to tape sheet rock.
• Cheryl Davis Calcagno: The names of all the flowers & trees in the forest