A Sense of Doubt blog post #3929 - Letter to Dad #11 - Using Your Stuff

A Sense of Doubt blog post #3929 - Letter to Dad #11 - Using Your Stuff

Hi Dad, It's funny. For decades, I rarely called you "Dad," always called you Big Guy, BG, or Beej.

That changed after Mom died. I called you Dad more often.

Now, in writing these letters I default to Dad far more than Big Guy.

These letters are going to be recaps of the week each time I write but with one topic to share, assuming I have one.

Next week, that topic will be Thanksgiving. In some recent, Internet research, I was reminded of the WKRP turkey drop, so I will be sharing that.

Today's topic is your stuff. Like the Michigan hat above and the shoes below.

I might wear the shoes, but I don't think I can ever wear the Michigan hat. I have it on display with a pair of your sunglasses and a picture of you.

But slowly, in the year since your death (and today is day #448 since you died), I have slowly started using some of your stuff.

I took a pair of sunglasses out for some water fun only to discover that they were prescription, and I couldn't wear them. Later, I used the other, non-prescription glasses.

I started using your manicure kit. That may have been the first thing... no. The Portland t-shirt I gave you became pajamas. That's the first thing. But also, not quite "used," I put out your sculptures in our house and hung some of the pictures.

But I have not even unpacked all the boxes. I need to get to the drill and the silver ware.

Not sure if I can wear these shoes.



I like using your things. I think of YOU every time I use one of your things just as I do with Mom's things. I have a measuring cup of hers and that big metal pot. I think of her every time I use them, and I use them all the time.

It may be silly to some to value a glass measuring cup. But it's faded from being in the dishwasher. I can see Mom using it so m any times. Like your manicure kit. I always knew where it was in your drawer. I even used it some, especially in my younger days, long before I thought to own my own equipment.

I just brought your Kindle down to my office and may charge it up and figure out how to repurpose it, though I like mine, so I am not sure how I plan to use it. Maybe it can be my carry-all option, always in my purse, especially since it's very thin and lightweight.

I would rather have you still alive and using your own things, Dad, but thank you for leaving them for me.

That's all. 

NEWS

Ellory is doing a lot better, but now she has some foreign body in her right ear. She gets that out next week.

I had all three of them at the vet yesterday. We were there for two hours. Essel has a much more serious ear infection than we realized. Satchel has those mouth sores, and the new theory is that she is biting her own lips, worse on one side than the other. Satchel also is not filtering all her protein and so some is getting into her urine, so we are switching her to a renal-friendly diet food. Ellory also got her B12 injection yesterday, which is why she is doing better: SHE IS ALWAYS HUNGRY!!

I am making a huge batch of slow cooker food for Ellory (mainly) but all three of them get some as a topper at dinner. I am going to stop boiling chicken for Ellory and giving her that food, too, except as a more occasional treat (like next week for Thanksgiving).

My school break is almost over, and I did not accomplish as much as I wanted (like job applications). But I have accomplished a lot. I never accomplish enough as I always think I can do more than I can. Like yesterday, I was going to run some errands after the vet appointments, but once we were there two hours, I scaled down. I was also going to give them a longer walk but I was tired. We had a walk, but it was short. But they all went potty, which is often the point of the walk.

Essel needs medicine squirted in her ears twice a day and that's not easy. She resists, A LOT.

Went to a concert Friday and wrote about that in  a post on Monday:

Monday, November 17, 2025

A Sense of Doubt blog post #3926 - Sigur Rós in Concert!

Ate at Mestizo on Division in Portland before hand. Delicious. BRUSSEL SPROUTS!! That made me think of you.

Played D&D Tuesday night after making all kinds of food (vegies, steak, fried potatoes, dirty rice). I am seventh level now and doing killer damage! I killed one foe in a single attack, a highly unlikely thing given his HP total.

Life is somewhat in balance. Good selfcare. Read comics all day Sunday and watched football. Sadly, the Lions did not win Sunday night. But the Pistons currently have an ELEVEN game win streak going!!

Trying to decide if I want to buy tickets for Pistons-Blazers on Dec. 22 and/or a showing of Blade Runner with live music in January.

I have been getting some writing done, but mostly notes, which I was adamant to not settle for just notes and not actual prose. But any progress is good progress. I have a lot of notes to go through.

I have glue projects lined up that I will do over the next three days. You were always so good at glue projects. I wish you were still here to do that for me.

Watched an amazing show on Netflix called The Beast in Me. Loved it.

Needed new rear brakes and got them down at Kalama Auto, which is my new favorite auto place. Very inexpensive.

Today is errands, and I need to walk the dogs while it's sunny.

I love you, Big Guy.

More next week.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2511.20 - 10:10

- Days ago: MOM = 3794 days ago & DAD = 448 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I post Hey Mom blog entries on special occasions. I post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day, and now I have a second count for Days since my Dad died on August 28, 2024. I am now in the same time zone as Google! So, when I post at 10:10 a.m. PDT to coincide with the time of Mom's death, I am now actually posting late, so it's really 1:10 p.m. EDT. But I will continue to use the time stamp of 10:10 a.m. to remember the time of her death and sometimes 13:40 EDT for the time of Dad's death. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.