Thank you, everyone.
I have just returned home from wrapping up my dad's affairs and reading your kind thoughts, poems and words of encouragement make me realize exactly why I come back to this place day after day.
Dad didn't have wifi, so I couldn't see anything until tonight.
I chose to stay at my father's house the whole week intown near the Naval Air Station rather than at my brother's...although I did go there one evening for dinner. There was a beautiful sunset over the Gulf that seemed almost surreal. I got my long run in each morning--so that helped me prepare for what I had to do--I guess.
Each day my nieces and nephews, brother and sister-in-law, assorted neighbors and friends would come by to pay their respects. Each night I would pack away the remainders of my parents 60 years in that house.
When it was finally empty---all the clothes, tools, books, christmas decorations, kitchen gadgets, clocks, food, you name it.....I only then settled in on what had happened.
I even sold his old Explorer while I was down there---and used the proceeds to take the family out to eat several times.
We even found the old Kodak projector and slides and for the first time the family didn't cringe when we showed them all---it couldn't have been any better to have them there with me.
What a roller coaster of emotions--especially when the honor guard bugler played Taps.
Thanks again, everyone.
T
