Comments on: Real Time http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/ America's favorite blog Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:41:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: Chris Harlan http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30640 Thu, 01 May 2008 03:52:26 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30640 Ann, I'm very sorry for your loss. Ann, I’m very sorry for your loss.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30631 Thu, 01 May 2008 03:01:35 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30631 Condolences from down on the edge of the Green Swamp, Ann. My dad almost made the century mark, and it still wasn't enough. I find myself missing him more, not less, especially when I'm doing something I know he would want to be in on. He died July 2, 2006. He was still taking his own showers two weeks before his body simply quit. Interesting that you find yourself wanting to be more like him. My younger sister, his only birth child, has been experiencing a similar emotion. He was a stepfather to us three other kids, but there was zero difference for him as a father. The only thing that singled out my younger sister is that on his last day, it was her voice, talking and singing to him, that helped him leave with a smile. hedera, your dad was born the year before my dad. Condolences from down on the edge of the Green Swamp, Ann. My dad almost made the century mark, and it still wasn’t enough. I find myself missing him more, not less, especially when I’m doing something I know he would want to be in on. He died July 2, 2006. He was still taking his own showers two weeks before his body simply quit. Interesting that you find yourself wanting to be more like him. My younger sister, his only birth child, has been experiencing a similar emotion. He was a stepfather to us three other kids, but there was zero difference for him as a father. The only thing that singled out my younger sister is that on his last day, it was her voice, talking and singing to him, that helped him leave with a smile.

hedera, your dad was born the year before my dad.

]]> by: Harold http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30629 Thu, 01 May 2008 02:50:06 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30629 Ann, my condolences as well. My father died in Aughust 2005 just a few weeks before his 75th birthday and my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Your father sounds like a remarkable man. Ann, my condolences as well. My father died in Aughust 2005 just a few weeks before his 75th birthday and my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Your father sounds like a remarkable man.

]]> by: Dave von Ebers http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30621 Thu, 01 May 2008 02:07:39 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30621 Here's a weird coincidence. Turns out fourteen years ago today -- April 30, 1994 -- was the last day I saw my dad before he died. My wife and I were moving into an apartment in a cold drizzle, and he and my mom stopped by to see how things were going. He died of a heart attack four days later, May 4, 1994. Very weird. Just Jay, my dad was in the ETO; crossed the Channel from Southampton to Cherbourg, France on Dec. 24-25, 1944, with the 261st Regiment of the 66th ID (the "Black Panther Division") ... Here’s a weird coincidence. Turns out fourteen years ago today — April 30, 1994 — was the last day I saw my dad before he died. My wife and I were moving into an apartment in a cold drizzle, and he and my mom stopped by to see how things were going. He died of a heart attack four days later, May 4, 1994. Very weird.

Just Jay, my dad was in the ETO; crossed the Channel from Southampton to Cherbourg, France on Dec. 24-25, 1944, with the 261st Regiment of the 66th ID (the “Black Panther Division”) …

]]> by: Just Jay http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30617 Thu, 01 May 2008 01:12:54 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30617 Ann, My condolences. My dad, born in 1925, passed away in 2004, a couple of weeks after his 79th. He really wanted to be 80. Grew up in Nazi Germany which I can't imagine how difficult that was. The few times he talked about his war experiences it seems that he was somewhat of a fixer in the immediate post war period. He was fluent in English and worked with both the British and American occupation forces. Jay Ann,

My condolences. My dad, born in 1925, passed away in 2004, a couple of weeks after his 79th. He really wanted to be 80. Grew up in Nazi Germany which I can’t imagine how difficult that was. The few times he talked about his war experiences it seems that he was somewhat of a fixer in the immediate post war period. He was fluent in English and worked with both the British and American occupation forces.

Jay

]]> by: hedera http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30596 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:12:58 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30596 Dave v E, your story reminds me of my dad, born in 1907, also passed in 1994, who never went to college (was the only member of his family to graduate from high school) but was another crackerjack carpenter. I remember around 1953 or so when he bought a truckload of lumber (Navy surplus when they tore down the married enlisted housing in Benicia after the war) for $150 and floored the whole house with solid oak 1 x 4s, which he finished himself. No trig book involved, but I remember him taking 3 days to measure before he laid the first board; those floors were BEAUTIFUL. I still remember crawling around them (not voluntarily) with a can of paste wax and a wad of steel wool. That Navy married enlisted housing was floored with the same solid oak 1 x 4 boards throughout, covered with <i>linoleum</i>... Dave v E, your story reminds me of my dad, born in 1907, also passed in 1994, who never went to college (was the only member of his family to graduate from high school) but was another crackerjack carpenter. I remember around 1953 or so when he bought a truckload of lumber (Navy surplus when they tore down the married enlisted housing in Benicia after the war) for $150 and floored the whole house with solid oak 1 x 4s, which he finished himself. No trig book involved, but I remember him taking 3 days to measure before he laid the first board; those floors were BEAUTIFUL. I still remember crawling around them (not voluntarily) with a can of paste wax and a wad of steel wool.

That Navy married enlisted housing was floored with the same solid oak 1 x 4 boards throughout, covered with linoleum…

]]> by: Dee http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30595 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:03:22 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30595 Ann, I'm going to try to be more like your father too. He sounds like an amazing man. Most of our parents never achieved anything that passes for fame in the world but when we start thinking of everything they accomplished we can feel like real slackers. I'm so sorry for your loss but I'm so glad you have these great memories of him. Ann, I’m going to try to be more like your father too. He sounds like an amazing man. Most of our parents never achieved anything that passes for fame in the world but when we start thinking of everything they accomplished we can feel like real slackers. I’m so sorry for your loss but I’m so glad you have these great memories of him.

]]> by: Dave von Ebers http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30576 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:37:23 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30576 Ann, my dad, who passed in 1994, was born in 1921; same generation, basically. He was a bit of a math wonk, too; once when he built a deck round the side of our house, he got out his old college trig book to figure out how to cut the boards for the walkway at <i>just the right angle</i> so the walkway would wrap around the house perfectly ... Geez, I still miss the old coot. I never was half the carpenter he was; nor did I ever know half the math. (There's that damn law school thing again.) Anyway, condolences. (And thanks for the opportunity to reminisce about my old man, too.) Ann, my dad, who passed in 1994, was born in 1921; same generation, basically. He was a bit of a math wonk, too; once when he built a deck round the side of our house, he got out his old college trig book to figure out how to cut the boards for the walkway at just the right angle so the walkway would wrap around the house perfectly … Geez, I still miss the old coot.

I never was half the carpenter he was; nor did I ever know half the math. (There’s that damn law school thing again.)

Anyway, condolences.

(And thanks for the opportunity to reminisce about my old man, too.)

]]> by: Ann http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30559 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:53:26 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30559 Thanks, all. I've been reading but not posting for a while. My dad was an amazingly talented man who was always curious, always learning. He died a month before his 82nd birthday, a week after he'd gone on his first Harley ride of the season. Because he wanted to refresh his understanding of math, algebraic formulas covered the whiteboard of the shop in which he repaired anesthesia machines and autoclaves as a small business (he was a retired veterinarian) and restored old cars as a hobby. He was working on a '47 Plymouth. He gave up his pilot's license and sold his plane after his first, very minor stroke, but he still loved to sail and ride motorcycles, and he spent more time traveling than at home. He had more friends than any non-public figure I know. More than 500 people came to his memorial service. <i>And he drove his family crazy.</i> We miss him terribly, but we're also astounded to see how many people loved this maddenly frustrating person. And I'm going to try to be more like him. Thanks, all. I’ve been reading but not posting for a while.

My dad was an amazingly talented man who was always curious, always learning. He died a month before his 82nd birthday, a week after he’d gone on his first Harley ride of the season. Because he wanted to refresh his understanding of math, algebraic formulas covered the whiteboard of the shop in which he repaired anesthesia machines and autoclaves as a small business (he was a retired veterinarian) and restored old cars as a hobby. He was working on a ‘47 Plymouth. He gave up his pilot’s license and sold his plane after his first, very minor stroke, but he still loved to sail and ride motorcycles, and he spent more time traveling than at home.
He had more friends than any non-public figure I know. More than 500 people came to his memorial service. And he drove his family crazy. We miss him terribly, but we’re also astounded to see how many people loved this maddenly frustrating person. And I’m going to try to be more like him.

]]> by: Dale http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30552 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:05:59 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/27/real-time/#comment-30552 Ann, deepest condolences and warmest thoughts. Ann, deepest condolences and warmest thoughts.

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