The First Anniversary of My Father’s Death

Today marks one year since my father, my Dad, died. He was 83 years old. I don’t know what to say, but it feels important to mark this day. Part of me wants to share anecdotes about him,the good memories and the funny stories. Another part of me wants to continue pointing out his traumas […]

Call me anytime, on the line

My voicemail can handle about three messages before it is full. I am frequently being told “Your inbox is full” or “Delete some messages” or some such advice. I try hard to stay on top of the three spam messages that inevitably fill those slots, but I’m only human. The rest of the voicemail slots? […]

Father’s Day regrets about my Dad’s obituary

My father died in February of this year. I was unable to provide him a traditional rite of passage – an obituary in our local daily paper. I clung to that void with a firm grip, turning it over in my mind to determine why it troubled me. Sadness that he was denied that final […]

My Father Died Last Night

Two years ago this month, I wrote a similar blog post My Mother Died Last Night. I don’t know if it a coincidence or a sign that my father died in the same month. This was a Facebook post I created this morning. I’m posting here to preserve it. I will write a more traditional […]

My Dad

He was dealt a traumatic hand from Day One. He worked hard, sometimes multiple jobs. He rarely called off. He was in the mills for 50 years. He grew up in a mid-century modern world, raised by grandparents born circa 1885. Everyone had good intentions, but that didn’t really pan out in their poor life […]