Tuesday

I want to thank everyone who posted their well wishes here on blog, sent emails, called, etc.
I really appreciate it.

Today was a good day actually. I did go to the funeral home this morning to make the arrangements for my dad. This was the most stressful part of my day. I took my kids with me. They thought it was "cool" to look in the casket room. My four year old was enthralled with the shiny pink and silver "Barbie" casket. Go figure....

My dad asked to be cremated, so I filled out the paperwork for that, but had to bring it to have my 3 sisters and brother sign too. My friend Perla brought her notary stamped and notarized everything at the house. Which was a good thing as my youngest sister Ashley was not in any shape to go to the bank tomorrow to have this done. I have such good friends. Perla came and stayed four hours with me tonight. I sure do love her. We had to get my grandmother's consent also for the cremation, which was touchy at first, but my aunt managed to persuade her that it was dad's request not our decision.

I hope everyone doesn't think we are morbid or unfeeling, quite the contrary. I miss my daddy already, but he had a personal relationship with God, and I know he is in heaven now with his dad who passed away when I was 10, in 1979. The strange thing is that his dad passed away August 14, 1979 and my dad passed away August 19, 2007. Both in August. Kind of awesome when you think about it. My dad also had severe nerve damage in his hands from using that hand cleaner mechanics used, that greenish goo stuff. Plus, arthritis. He was in constant pain from that, a previously broken spine, and severe migranes from a former head injury where half his skull was crushed then pieced back together. He used to be addicted to morphine, but weaned himself off here in TEXAS, since the humidity is much lower here in South TEXAS than on the East Coast where we originally lived. He's in no pain now, which I am extremely thankful for. I know I will kind of miss his constant complaining about how high his medications were, and how he was getting screwed over by the insurance company. LOL!

My dads neighbors and landlord were great too, which I was surprised about, since he lives in a large town of over a million people. His neighbors and landlord brought food and tea which is very much appreciated. His neighbors just loved him. I live in a small town where it is normal for your neighbors to band together, but not so in a major US city. I guess neighborliness is alive and well.

We all spent the day cleaning my dad's house, washing clothes sheets, towels, etc., and getting the house ready for my aunts and grandmother to stay in...We also fumigated the house tonight with several bug bombs, as well, my dad was not the cleanest person. My sisters were kind of grossed out. I don't know why I wasn't grossed out, as well, it's a part of life, so we just deal with it.

Tomorrow my sister Ann and I will go pay my dad's utilities (he just recently paid all his debts so we just have his regular stuff to pay) so that we can keep the house ready for guests and to clean it out. He was just renting, so we don't have to worry about selling the house.

My dad had just bought a new car this past Friday for his birthday present for himself. It is a 2007 Dodge Charger and is Inferno Red. He LOVED this car, it was his first NEW car since 1973. Well, after the accident it dissappeared and the police couldn't locate it. We found it tonight, it had been towed back to the dealership, since it still had the temp tags on it. We don't know if they are going to take the car back or what....none of us want the high payment, so we have to figure that out.

We collected a whole bunch of change today while cleaning and are calling it "Ashley's College Fund". She is my 21 year old sister. She's worried about college and such as my dad was helping her. I think everything will be okay once everything is settled.

I worry for the person who actually caused my dad to be killed. I am sure they are feeling extremely bad right now. If I knew who they were, I'd call them and let them know it's okay, God needed him.