I am so glad you had so many good memories to comfort you.
Your dad sounds like a wonderful man.
My own dad has been gone for nearly 30 years now, and I find
I am thinking of him more and more - how he would be amused
by this, or would laughingly disapprove of something else.
We had almost nothing in common in our day-to-day lives but
he is the benchmark against which I now measure so much that
is truly important to me.
You're right. Life is too short. Enjoy every minute you
are blessed with, and when you lose a loved one (and we all
do) treasure those memories you have. For as long as you
remember them they are not truly gone.
(((HUGS))) Steve
--
Cheryl & the Cats in OZ
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"steve" wrote in message
...
: So, where to even begin. I've been so busy, and have not
really wanted to
: write about things yet.
:
: I've been back from Michigan and Dad's funeral since Oct
24. Just finally
: catching my breath from everything. Grades were due two
days later for
: conferences the following week on the 30th and 31. To say
the least, I had
: a huge pile of papers from being gone 7 days so there were
a couple of late
: nights grading. My students were so quiet and concerned
and helpful and
: understanding while I got back on track. I was beginning
to question if
: they really were teenagers.
:
: On top of all of this, I had also signed an extended
contract to write
: curriculum for three new classes at the Career/Tech center
that opens next
: year. That is due today for review before I have to
present the week after
: Thanksgiving. I just emailed it off for pre-review. I
really just need
: some time this weekend to read and sew. I think it will
be so.
:
: Anyways, everything went as well as could be expected as
far as your Dad
: dying and all of that. Hindsight is always 20/20 and so
many things had
: happened over the past couple of months that were good.
Bert and I had
: dinner with my folks in August before flying back north
and I got a big
: going away hug from Dad, rather than the usual handshake.
The family also
: had a reunion the week after Labor Day, Mom and Dad had
only been back about
: two weeks from visiting my sister and BIL in TN and had
had dinner with my
: other Sister and BIL and Niece and Nephew and cut their
hair the day before
: he left, and I had called to talk to him that day as well.
The best part,
: and a bit sad, is that he had just gotten an elk and
unbelievably had gotten
: cell phone reception in the mountains in Colorado and
called Mom to describe
: to her where he was, (she had been there before, too),
that he had gotten
: one and so on. They talked for about a half hour and had
a really good
: conversation. About three hours later he was gone. How
wonderful that they
: talked. His poor hunting buddy had to leave dad on the
mountain overnight
: to go get help. He is still having a really hard time.
:
: What is so frustrating is that he was in such good health.
Not overweight,
: great blood pressure, good sugar, and low cholesterol. He
was the
: healthiest of all his siblings, and the youngest. Go
figure.
:
: In spite of all the tears, we really had some good laughs.
Sitting on the
: floor and going through pictures was good therapy and
people commented on
: all the good pictures we displayed. There were also so
many stories and
: laughs and more laughs. Being a barber, Dad knew most
everyone in the
: community and there were always jokes and stories. Over
100 people came to
: the visitation and 215 to the service. What a testament
and we felt so good
: about that. Our family has been known for giving a good
event, whether a
: meal between services on music Sunday at church, my
sisters weddings, and
: now a funeral. We are still getting comments that it was
really different
: but so good. The hymns were favorites of Dad's that were
uplifting, not the
: old dirges, we choose other than the usual scripture, and
the minister
: relayed lots of our stories about Dad and we had people
outright laughing
: during the service. That was okay though, because every
picture we found of
: Dad, he was smiling.
:
: Both of my parents were/are planners and organizers, so
while Mom has to now
: deal with being a widow, there is very little to worry
about in getting the
: finances and other things in order. Everything was all
set up. They had
: just revised several things this summer and were just
intent on enjoying
: retirement.
:
: So, now I am sorting through memories and wearing a new
coat that Dad had
: just gotten for his Birthday and had never worn. It is
helping me to feel
: close. What else can I do? It will just take time.
:
: You're probably wondering how this is going to be on
topic. Well, I have
: not been back there in the fall since I had built this
shed, so now I have a
: picture of it.
http://home.gci.net/~rainbowmoose/flowers.html It is the
: shed that Mom wanted that I built for me.
:
: Mom and Dad got me this book of Fabric Balls by Jinny
Beyer this summer for
: my Birthday. I hadn't even shared the picture with them
yet, but now it is
: posted here.
http://home.gci.net/~rainbowmoose/this_and_that.html They
are
: quick and easy and so much fun. Easy take-along projects.
:
: Lastly, and most sad, is the picture of the Storm-at-Sea
quilt that I asked
: Dad to take a picture of for me the last time we talked.
Well, obviously I
: took it myself. You'll have to scroll to the bottom to
see it.
:
http://home.gci.net/~rainbowmoose/tr..._patterns.html
:
: While I was not the son that my Dad expected to have, we
had come around to
: understanding each other and truly enjoyed each others
company. I'll miss
: being the carpenters assistant and picking his brain of a
wealth of
: knowledge. No more woodworking gifts or pictures that he
thinks would make
: a good quilt. Heavy sigh.
:
: Tonight, hug those you love and don't sweat the small
stuff. Life is too
: short.
:
: Thanks for letting me ramble.
:
: Steve
: Alaska
:
: