A Sense of Doubt blog post #3488 - Hey Mom Reprint of #130 Turkeyville Christmas Show 2015

me, Dennis McKeen, Dad (Bob Tower)

A Sense of Doubt blog post #3488 - Hey Mom Reprint of #130 Turkeyville Christmas Show 2015

Mom and Dad always loved going to Turkeyville to see any shows, if only for the food before the theater.

Dad went with me to the Christmas show a few months Mom died, or more accurately 132 days later.

You will note that the days since and the Hey Mom numbers are two apart because two days passed before I decided to do daily Hey Mom blog posts.

This reprint is dear to my heart.

Thanks for tuning in.

COUNTDOWN!!!

https://www.270towin.com/2024-countdown-clock/

060 DAYS TO THE ELECTION

The Original post, the reprint:

Friday, November 13, 2015

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #130 - Turkeyville Christmas Show

me, Dennis McKeen, Dad (Bob Tower)

Christmas show - 2011

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #130 - Turkeyville Christmas Show

Hi Mom, You were with us today. Dad and I went to the annual Christmas show at Cornwell's Turkeyville Dinner Theatre, produced by Top Hat Productions.

You love these Christmas shows.

I may post my review later, after it appears in the newspaper, but here's a few thoughts.

Above is a picture of Dad and me with producer Dennis McKeen.

As you can see, he is wearing a very festive suit.

Christmas show 2013

So, Dennis decided to do a tribute for you. His wife Holly, who played Charlie the Christmas Elf, in the show of the same name, announced the sing-along, dedicated to you. She called you a "young lady," which I thought was very sweet. But she accurately recounted your complaint about them dropping the sing-along from the show, and how Dennis put it back in just for you.

It was a very sweet dedication. Both Dennis and Holly have lost their mothers in recent years, and both were sympathetic to our feelings, especially as Dad and I attended the first Christmas show without you.

But even before the tribute, I was already pretty wrecked as the cast closed the show by singing Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah."

I love that song.

But it really made me weep, this time especially.

Also, I did some shopping in BOTH gift shoppes in your honor, Mom. I didn't buy anything, but Dad did. He bought a gift for Lori.

I wish you had been there physically, Mom, though I felt you embracing me, all around me, around us, in spirit.

It's early, but Merry Christmas.

Here's a video of "Hallelujah." I chose a version with four part harmony to try to recreate what they did at Turkeyville.

Turkeyville gift shoppe

Turkeyville candy counter

Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.

Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.

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

- Days ago = 132 days ago


- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1511.13 - 10:10 (22:10)

for the sign and the cinnamon rolls
mom, you loved cinnamon rolls

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

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2409.05 - 10:10

- Days ago: MOM = 3352 days ago & DAD = 008 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. 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.

A Sense of Doubt blog post #3487 - ONE WEEK AGO - HM REPRINT OF #348 - Walk with Dad & Dad's Day

A Sense of Doubt blog post #3487 - ONE WEEK AGO - HM REPRINT OF  #348 - Walk with Dad & Dad's Day

It's been a week since my Dad drew his last breath. 

However, I am writing this on a plane at 9:22 p.m. EDT on Sunday September 8th because between services and doing home work (I am back at school), I have had to let the blog fall five days behind. That's still well short of my record.

It had been quite a week from Dad's death on August 28th to this day, September 4th. And there's been another five  very intense days since then.

But here's some good memories in this reprint with Dad from Father's Day 2016 just before his 81st birthday.

Thanks for tuning in.

COUNTDOWN!!!

https://www.270towin.com/2024-countdown-clock/

061 DAYS TO THE ELECTION

Original post, the REPRINT: 

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #348 - Walk with Dad & Dad's Day

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #348 - Walk with Dad & Dad's Day

Hi Mom, Last night, Liesel and I met Dad and his friend Faye at the Park Club for the combination birthday and Father's Day celebration.

It was bittersweet, as you know.

Dad cried; I cried. I saw Lori cry a little. We were thinking of you, Mom. Last year when we all gathered at the condo on Saturday June 20th for the combination celebration it was the last day you would eat, and you did not eat much. The next day, the 21st, basically a year ago, you didn't eat. You started the process of active dying. By July 4th, you passed away.

This is going to be a difficult two weeks as we think about this year without you and all the years ahead without you. I don't know how you survived this after losing your own mother at such a young age (you were both young).

In this photo, left, is the spot in the Memorial Garden at the Richland Presbyterian Church that is the final resting place for most of your ashes.


I went to Richland and accompanied Dad on his daily walk to the garden, where he talks to you, and Faye's husband Bob, each day.

It was a beautiful day for a walk.


There are so many beautiful days. I think of you and how much you would enjoy the day, and then I do something to celebrate life. I try not to wallow in how much I miss you.

So, it's Father's Day.

I grilled meat.

Liesel gave me gifts and showed me love.

Yesterday, I showed Dad love with gifts and hugs. I love my Dad, the Big Guy, very much. Thank you for marrying him, Mom.

Now I am going to do what I love to do on a Sunday: relax, watch Tigers Baseball, and read.

Richland Village Square Park

The Big Guy on our walk

  

Your name plate among the others in the Memorial Garden

Dad walking to the spot where we buried your ashes

And below, several dramatic shots of the Richland Presbyterian Church.

We're going Dad in church next Sunday for his birthday.

I know you're proud and happy, Mom.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Reflect and connect.
Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.
Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.
- Days ago = 350 days ago
- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1606.19 - 10:10
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2409.04 - 13:40 (1:40 p.m.)

NOTE ON TIME: I am publishing this one at time of Dad's death last week. I plan to do this from time to time, though mostly I will continue with my 10:10 a.m. publication time. I will probably write a new end note some time soon.

- Days ago: MOM = 3351 days ago & DAD = 007 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. 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.

A Sense of Doubt blog post #3486 - Hey Mom Reprint of #357 - Work Days with Dad

A Sense of Doubt blog post #3486 - Hey Mom Reprint of #357 - Work Days with Dad

More reprints.

Here's one that I think is very special.

I have been missing work days with Dad for the last seven years, since I moved out west.

BTW, I still have the work shirt I am wearing. Dad is wearing a shirt from a comic book I was writing with an artist who drew the image on the T-shirt. We never finished more than a preview. It was called Night People.

Thanks for tuning in.

Original post - the reprint - 

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #357 - Work days with the Big Guy

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #357 - Work days with the Big Guy

Hi Mom, This one's mostly pictures. There's been lots of work around here lately with the Big Guy, my Dad, you know, Robert "Bob" Tower, your husband.

In the photo above, I had to insist that Dad smiled. It's a good smile.

This photo gallery charts our power washing of the deck and then staining the deck.

Liesel does not like the stain color (see sample pick of the color swatch below). But the staining of the deck is more about preserving the wood than looks. We needed solid stain. She wanted grey. We miscommunicated.

AND we will need to power wash again later this summer or early in the fall. We skipped a section of the house because we were running out of time and energy.

As you know, Mom, Dad and I have always done these work days. They used to be in support of our home, ours together as a family. But now, mostly, they are in support of my home with Liesel and the kids.

Dad told me that  a year ago he would not have been able to do all this work. He's doing yoga, and it's really helped him.

Also, he was taking care of you, and in your last two years, it was not as easy for us to bring you along and stash you in front of a TV or for a nap on the a couch.

I know these pictures would be interesting to you, Mom; you would look at them all, nodding and smiling. But my other readers may not find much of interest here. Still, I like our work and the before-after progression of the deck staining. I have also added my Instagram/Twitter/Facebook posts and captions. "SO MUCH DIRT!!!"

These times with my Dad are precious. I would not trade them for anything in the world.

Satchel: "I want to come outside, please."
Me: "No, you are already covered with stain."

Satchel, thinking: "How could I get outside without his help."
Me: "Satchel, don't even think you're getting outside until the stain dries."

ALL DONE!! Four days later, the deck looks great, if you like cape grey as a color that is.

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

Reflect and connect.

Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.

I miss you so very much, Mom.

Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.

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

- Days ago = 359 days ago

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1606.28 - 10:10

NOTE on time: When I post late, I had been posting at 7:10 a.m. because Google is on Pacific Time, and so this is really 10:10 EDT. However, it still shows up on the blog in Pacific time. So, I am going to start posting at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time, intending this to be 10:10 Eastern time. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. But I am not going back and changing all the 7:10 a.m. times. But I will run this note for a while. Mom, you know that I am posting at 10:10 a.m. often because this is the time of your death.

COUNTDOWN!!!

https://www.270towin.com/2024-countdown-clock/

062 DAYS TO THE ELECTION

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

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2409.03 - 10:10

- Days ago: MOM = 3350 days ago & DAD = 006 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. 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.