Monday, June 25, 2007

I spent the morning before we went over to the funeral home making calls....the retirement office, the bank, the insurance company, Social Security.

Afterward, Mom and I went to have a little lunch and then made our way to Forest Lawn. I had talked to the Funeral Director over the phone, so some of the paperwork was already done. I brought Dad's Honorable Discharge papers from the Navy. He is entitled to an American flag. I also had to bring a picture of him so they could verify what he looked like while alive. It was a picture of the two of us in Arizona several years ago.

I did a lot of repeating information for Mom. She asked me to pick out the urn for Dad's remains. I found a bronze metal one...very simple. It will have Dad's name, birth and death dates on it. We chose to do a minimal arrangement for him...a wooden tray for his body, a cardboard box for his body, and no special clothing. I will pick up his remains and keep them. Perhaps after Mom passes away I will inter them together.

Afterwards I took Mom home. She is really struggling with her new reality. I am struggling with it to ....I miss my Dad but try to remember good times we spent together or wonderful things he said to me..."We've been friends a long time"...We have been through a lot together over the years"...."When I am a spirit the only thing I want to do is look out for you"...simple but powerful statements from a man that could talk about emotions so well.