Tuesday, July 15, 2008

A first of forever

July 15th has never been anything special.

Until now.

Now it's the day I last saw my dad alive.

July 15, 2007

It was a Sunday

He was in town to help me work on my condo

To finish what we had started the previous weekend:

It's all here


Mom had given me some $$ to fix the place up

I remember Dad saying Since I can't give you money like your mother, I'm going to help you as much as I can. All I have is time to give.

Two months and a day later, he died.

The last time I saw him he was standing on my patio waving at me as I pulled away to head back to my apartment.

He wanted to do as much as possible before leaving the next day. He felt he hadn't done enough yet, so instead of driving home on Sunday night, he worked until I don't know when and then got up super early.

A year later, I still haven't finished what we started together.

This condo, my first home, has a special place in my memory and my heart.

I wonder if I'll ever be able to sell it, as keeping it wasn't in the long term plan.

I didn't spend much time with Dad in the last four years of his life

In fact, the most recent picture I have of us together was taken in 2004 at his wedding reception.

I took so many pictures of what we were doing here together and didn't even snap one of us, dirty, smelly, and annoyed with each other.

A few weeks before he was due to come help, I was at his house discussing my plans for the place.

As I left, we were standing on his stoop, he gave me a big hug and said, You're all grown up, I'm really happy with the way you turned out. I'm so proud of you.

I thought he was going to cry, and I kinda brushed it off with an Oh Dad...

Now it's one of my favorite memories of him.

Hard to believe I haven't seen you in a year.

I miss you.

A picture of us, taken in 1995, when I was 13 and didn't like taking pictures:

Me n dad 1995





















I keep this one on my desk at work, it makes me smile

1 comment:

Leafs Fan said...

Sorry for your loss. I to do a similar thing to remember an Aunt of mine who passed away. I wear the birthstone ring she gave me on my 18th birthday as a memorial to her. Always on my right ring finger, as she was shocked I'd place it on my wedding figure. So, even though I get stuck in things being right handed, I still wear it there.