I have been asked by my mother and my siblings to write Dad's obituary. See what over a decade of spewing awful writing via this dumb blog gets you? It's not that I'm a great writer, but I practice more than anybody else in the family. Plus, it's the least I can do being in California and the rest of them in Minnesota.
I'm getting choked up just thinking about it.
Dad does not want a funeral, and his wish is to be cremated. I respect that. I'm wondering if at some point the immediate family can get together to spread his ashes by his most favorite place on earth when it's not -15*......his deer hunting stand.
What to write about dad's life besides the basic facts is vexing me. There was a point in my life where we did not speak for a long time. He never missed an opportunity to tell me how he was disappointed in me, and criticized everything I did. He was hard on me. However, it made me an extremely strong and independent person. Over the years dad mellowed and our relationship deepened. As my own kids began to mature I understood him more and more. He had demons from his own childhood he was dealing with, but never wanted anybody to know. We had a very complicated relationship.
I can't write about it now, but I know dad has been visiting. Myself and my son have had experiences that defy logic.
Well, goodbye to 2021 and goodbye to my crusty cowboy Midwest farmer father. They don't make them like him anymore.
As I included in a previous blog some time ago, this song will forever remind me of my father. While I was texting his sister (my auntie) yesterday it came on the television. We were texting about planning a farewell party (NOT a funeral) for dad. Dad always hated sad, sappy shit.
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