Showing posts with label dad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dad. Show all posts
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Silent Night, Holy Night
My mom used a different vendor for Dad's grave blanket this year. I drove out to see it two weeks ago and the second I put my car in park, Silent Night came on my Christmas Pandora station. It was very fitting, since that was his favorite Christmas carol. In a similar way, this year's grave blanket was perfect and very appropriate. Classic and handsome, just like my dad.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Kentucky Bourbon Cupcakes
As you all know, my dad loved bourbon; specifically Maker's Mark. Four years ago, for his birthday present he and my mom came to visit in Kentucky and I treated them to Woodford Reserve and Four Roses tours. It was such a great weekend. This year, his 57th birthday would've fallen on Labor Day weekend so we had an extra day. An extra day usually makes for a lovely, lazy weekend. With my extra lazy time, I decided it was fitting to bake bourbon cupcakes. With Maker's Mark of course. The cupcake is a fabulous recipe that tastes like a spice cake and the buttercream tastes delightfully like the inside of a bourbon ball. So go ahead, bake these babies up!Maker's Mark Cupcakes with Bourbon Buttercream
(cupcakes adapted from Maker's Mark; icing from this recipe)
Cupcakes:
8 Tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup Splenda brown sugar blend
3 large eggs
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup skim milk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup Maker's Mark bourbon
Icing:
1 cup unsalted butter4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbs Maker's Mark bourbon
2 slight pinches of salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking pans with cupcake liners.Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add in the eggs and molasses. Next, begin adding in all the dry ingredients. Mix in the skim milk until all ingredients are well incorporated. Add the bourbon and fold in manually with a spoon. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 27 minutes. Let cool in pans for at least 5 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks.
For icing, cream the room temperature butter. Slowly add in the powdered sugar in increments. Follow that up by adding the vanilla, bourbon, and salt. Mix until the icing has that 'whipped' look. Frost once the cupcakes are cool. Cheers!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Reflection
This time last year... this was the last week of my dad's life.
There are so many memories from the month of April that are seared into my mind. Obviously the ones from the latter half of April are sad, but the ones from the beginning? Those are full of love.
On Friday, April 13th my mom called to let me know that because the cancer had spread to the brain and skull, hospice was being called. The rest of that day was a jumble: breaking down at work, filling out leave of absence paperwork, trying to pack (for a funeral when my dad was still alive), consciously knowing I needed to get my oil changed if my SUV was going to make the long trip home, contacting the oncology unit and hospice to start the Red Cross process of getting Carl home from Afghanistan.. it was a long a day.
And then my sister did the most self-less thing she's ever done for me. Rather than stay with family, she left work and got on a one-way flight to Jacksonville. She told me that if Dad passed while we were driving home it would be okay because he was with family and my mom. She didn't want me to be alone.
And so it was. We drove home. And our house filled with love, family, and old friends that week. At first my dad would sit on the main floor and visit, but once he began to get weaker he stayed upstairs and everyone would go to him. When people were eating or catching up downstairs, he would sit contently and just listen to all the love in the house, trying to make out bits and pieces of conversations and recognize voices. When Carl finally got home, he sat with my dad and went through everything in all of his deployment bags because it interested my dad so much. Later in the week the weather warmed up and my parents needed the apple tree trimmed. As Carl, Val, and I worked and laughed outside, I could see my dad's glasses in the upstairs window watching us and smiling. We had a fire that evening too, and again I could see him watch lovingly.
I recognize that in a sense, we were 'lucky' if you will, to be able to have a bit of notice...like a warning to let us know - spend this precious time together. It literally was one difficult, but precious week; one that I won't soon forget.
There are so many memories from the month of April that are seared into my mind. Obviously the ones from the latter half of April are sad, but the ones from the beginning? Those are full of love.
On Friday, April 13th my mom called to let me know that because the cancer had spread to the brain and skull, hospice was being called. The rest of that day was a jumble: breaking down at work, filling out leave of absence paperwork, trying to pack (for a funeral when my dad was still alive), consciously knowing I needed to get my oil changed if my SUV was going to make the long trip home, contacting the oncology unit and hospice to start the Red Cross process of getting Carl home from Afghanistan.. it was a long a day.
And then my sister did the most self-less thing she's ever done for me. Rather than stay with family, she left work and got on a one-way flight to Jacksonville. She told me that if Dad passed while we were driving home it would be okay because he was with family and my mom. She didn't want me to be alone.
And so it was. We drove home. And our house filled with love, family, and old friends that week. At first my dad would sit on the main floor and visit, but once he began to get weaker he stayed upstairs and everyone would go to him. When people were eating or catching up downstairs, he would sit contently and just listen to all the love in the house, trying to make out bits and pieces of conversations and recognize voices. When Carl finally got home, he sat with my dad and went through everything in all of his deployment bags because it interested my dad so much. Later in the week the weather warmed up and my parents needed the apple tree trimmed. As Carl, Val, and I worked and laughed outside, I could see my dad's glasses in the upstairs window watching us and smiling. We had a fire that evening too, and again I could see him watch lovingly.
I recognize that in a sense, we were 'lucky' if you will, to be able to have a bit of notice...like a warning to let us know - spend this precious time together. It literally was one difficult, but precious week; one that I won't soon forget.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Prostate Cancer Awareness
Today is February 22nd and it's been 10 months since my dad passed away. Two months from today will, of course, be the one year anniversary of when he ended his courageous battle with Prostate Cancer. I'm not going to lie, the 22nd of every month is a difficult day, but April 22nd will naturally be the most difficult. While this is looming in my mind, I know my mom and sister are also thinking about it. And we wanted to do something in his memory. We decided to start out with something small, so we've made a team for Zero's Prostate Cancer Run.
My dad and I would always watch for legislation issues regarding prostate cancer awareness and research funds. Every time there was a petition, we would sign it. We would dutifully email our respective house representatives and senators about these issues. We kept each other up to date and one of our main resources was the Zero - The End of Prostate Cancer organization. The organization facilitates the sending of the emails above, it lets you know about all the recent news regarding these important issues, and it does so much more to further the prostate cancer awareness cause. My dad and I talked about issues like this often enough that Zero was one of the organizations we chose to name in his obituary in lieu of flowers. Afterwards, I spoke with the representative who handles things of that nature and the customer service (for lack of a better description) further endeared this organization to me.
Our team will be participating in the Chicago area race, held on June 1st at the Advanced Urology Associates practice in Joliet, Illinois. There are several options: a 5K run, 5K walk, or a 1 mile run/walk and everything is available for youth to participate as well. This will be a great way to get together in memory of my dad while the funds raised go to a cause obviously extremely near to my heart.
We've made a team in his memory and named it Roy's Aces, as his cancer support group lovingly referred to him as Ace. If you'll be in the area on June 1st, join our team! We'd love to have you! All you need to do is click on the Roy's Aces link above, click "Register Here," agree to the waiver, and click on "Join a Team." Below the options, "Join an Existing Team" will populate with team options and you select us - Roy's Aces. The rest is pretty well directed. At the very least, please make sure you dads, uncles, grandpas, cousins, husbands, brothers, and all the important men in your life are aware of prostate cancer and the simple PSA blood test that can save a life.
My dad and I would always watch for legislation issues regarding prostate cancer awareness and research funds. Every time there was a petition, we would sign it. We would dutifully email our respective house representatives and senators about these issues. We kept each other up to date and one of our main resources was the Zero - The End of Prostate Cancer organization. The organization facilitates the sending of the emails above, it lets you know about all the recent news regarding these important issues, and it does so much more to further the prostate cancer awareness cause. My dad and I talked about issues like this often enough that Zero was one of the organizations we chose to name in his obituary in lieu of flowers. Afterwards, I spoke with the representative who handles things of that nature and the customer service (for lack of a better description) further endeared this organization to me.
 |
| January 2012 - after shaving his head bald for chemo. |
Our team will be participating in the Chicago area race, held on June 1st at the Advanced Urology Associates practice in Joliet, Illinois. There are several options: a 5K run, 5K walk, or a 1 mile run/walk and everything is available for youth to participate as well. This will be a great way to get together in memory of my dad while the funds raised go to a cause obviously extremely near to my heart.
We've made a team in his memory and named it Roy's Aces, as his cancer support group lovingly referred to him as Ace. If you'll be in the area on June 1st, join our team! We'd love to have you! All you need to do is click on the Roy's Aces link above, click "Register Here," agree to the waiver, and click on "Join a Team." Below the options, "Join an Existing Team" will populate with team options and you select us - Roy's Aces. The rest is pretty well directed. At the very least, please make sure you dads, uncles, grandpas, cousins, husbands, brothers, and all the important men in your life are aware of prostate cancer and the simple PSA blood test that can save a life.
Monday, November 12, 2012
A True Classic
After my dad passed away, Carl & I happened to be the first ones to stumble upon the temporary marker at the cemetery. We happened to be out and about and I wanted to stop by. The flowers were gone and in their place was a small black stone with a peaceful dove and my dad's name printed on it. It caught me off guard. Setting something in stone makes it a reality (not that it wasn't already.)
A couple of weeks ago, my mom came home and informed us my dad's official marker had been placed. And I didn't go. I didn't go that day or that week. Or even in the month of October for that matter.
I went today. It was a crisp 35 degrees with a brisk wind, but it was a beautiful day. I got a latte on the way since Dad always treated us to all kinds of coffee (Starbucks, Gloria Jean's, Intelligentsia, you name it.) I sat on the bench and drank my coffee and thought about my dad.
His bench perfectly represents the man he was and the way everyone remembers him. It's a strong, sharp looking bench. The lettering is traditional and the black granite is classic. There is willow tree to the left and it makes me think of sitting there, reading a good book on a warm, breezy day. And that's exactly what my dad would've wanted.
A couple of weeks ago, my mom came home and informed us my dad's official marker had been placed. And I didn't go. I didn't go that day or that week. Or even in the month of October for that matter.
I went today. It was a crisp 35 degrees with a brisk wind, but it was a beautiful day. I got a latte on the way since Dad always treated us to all kinds of coffee (Starbucks, Gloria Jean's, Intelligentsia, you name it.) I sat on the bench and drank my coffee and thought about my dad.
His bench perfectly represents the man he was and the way everyone remembers him. It's a strong, sharp looking bench. The lettering is traditional and the black granite is classic. There is willow tree to the left and it makes me think of sitting there, reading a good book on a warm, breezy day. And that's exactly what my dad would've wanted.
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