My dad was the Leader of the Band -- the drum major of Dobyns-Bennett High School, University KY, and the United Coast Guard Band.  He was never a professional, though he likely could've been.  He played trumpet, tube, baritone, and string bass.  And he gave me a gift that I can never repay, a gift that saved my life.

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Today is the fifth anniversary of my dad's death and the eighth anniversary of my Uncle Ray's.  I've always found it interesting that two of the most  important men in my life died on the same date ( Read more... )

Today would've been my Dad's 85th birthday.  It's really hard to believe he's been gone for 4 years now.   It seems like it was both yesterday and also forever ago that he died.  I think the shock of having him die the morning of his scheduled heart surgery is still there.  I just didn't see that coming ( Read more... )

Today is the 7th anniversary of my Uncle Ray's death, and the 4th anniversary of my dad's death.   I find that this year, more than ever, I'm left with warm, friendly memories, and less actual grief.  in celebration of that, I'm going to list some of the best gifts these two very important men in my life gave me.

From Uncle Ray:  the spirit of " ( Read more... )

Sunday is the day of rest, and I took that pretty darn literally.  I stayed at the nursing home until 9:30 last night (no real change in Aut Jenny), and then came back to Mom's and stayed up talking to Chelsea. Today, I woke up at ten with a nasty headache (thank you sinuses), and around noon, I just had to go back to bed.  The headache had turned ( Read more... )

Today is the 6th anniversary of my Uncle Ray's death and the 3rd anniversary of my dad's death.  They died on the same day, July 9, three years apart.  Until I met Bill, they were the most important men in my life.  I grew up with both of them, because my Uncle Ray (mom's brother) lived with our family.

Their deaths couldn't have been more ( Read more... )

My dad raised me on 2 types of music:  Big Band Swing (the type he played in WW II) and classical.  Thus, I not only love the metal, but also swing (and it's cousins blues, jazz, and rag) and classical of all types.  Tonight on HBO family, there was a program called Classical Babies.  The visuals were directed toward young children, ages 2-5 ( Read more... )

Today is my dad's birthday.  He would've been 83 today.  I know he is in a wonderful place now, and so I'm not sad for him, just for me and my family.  I miss him terribly...some days are worse than others.  I miss being snarky with him, and I miss watching him and Chelsea together.  He idolized her.  Sometimes I go in his study at the Mom's house ( Read more... )