Thursday, May 30, 2013

Dad

It says '1952' on the back, so he'll have been 29. Just a couple of years after this.

My Dad died this morning, sometime between 8 and 9am, in his room, in his care home, eighteen hours or so after Mum's last visit...

"I said to him, 'Do you know who I am?' and he looked at me like I was daft,

'Of course I know who you are'

'Well, who am I then?'

'You're you'..."

He didn't believe in 'heroes', but he was mine.

We will miss him very much.

[Blog 'closed' for a bit].

31 comments:

  1. Sorry for your loss.
    My dad had us read this at his service and i found it's very comforting:

    Death is nothing at all

    I have only slipped away into the next room

    I am I and you are you

    Whatever we were to each other

    That we are still

    Call me by my old familiar name

    Speak to me in the easy way you always used

    Put no difference into your tone

    Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow

    Laugh as we always laughed

    At the little jokes we always enjoyed together

    Play, smile, think of me, pray for me

    Let my name be ever the household word that it always was

    Let it be spoken without effort

    Without the ghost of a shadow in it

    Life means all that it ever meant

    It is the same as it ever was

    There is absolute unbroken continuity

    What is death but a negligible accident?

    Why should I be out of mind

    Because I am out of sight?

    I am waiting for you for an interval

    Somewhere very near

    Just around the corner

    All is well.

    Nothing is past; nothing is lost

    One brief moment and all will be as it was before

    How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!



    Canon Henry Scott-Holland, 1847-1918, Canon of St Paul's Cathedral

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  2. He'll rest in his hammock.

    He'll always be him. You'll always be you.

    Life goes on .. with or without those we love.

    My thoughts are with you and yours.

    Smile when you think of him, our kid.

    'God save the King'.

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  3. So sorry Davy. Love to you and yours.

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  4. As soon as I saw you'd posted at such an odd time I had an inkling. Sorry for your loss Davy.

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  5. Sorry for your loss. You and your family will be in my thoughts.
    Luca.

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  6. Also sorry for your loss Davy. My thoughts will be with you and your family
    Walter

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  7. thinking of you and yours ~ with love and light x

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  8. 'He was my Hero'. The greatest epitaph any of us could ask for.

    Stay close my friend.

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  9. I am truly sorry Davy. My thoughts are with you and your family. I will toast your dad with a tot of rum.
    For once I wish I lived down south and we could go out for a couple of beers again.

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  10. That's sad news, Davy: sincere condolences also from my side ...

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  11. Oh Davy - so sorry to hear this sad news. As you know - I've been there. With both parents. The first year is the worst, getting through the dates, birthdays anniversaries.

    After that, it will get better.

    Take care pal - and love to all x

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  12. So sorry matey. love to you and yours.

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  13. So sorry mate. Been there too, it hurts.

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  14. much love sweet boy. holding your hand through the ether
    x

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  15. Your memories are your precious treasures forever. Thinking of you xx

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  16. So sorry to read your news. Sending good thoughts your way x

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  17. So sorry Davy. I know how you're feeling right now. Thinking of you and the family.

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  18. Sorry to hear this. He must have had great taste in music too. When words fail, music speaks.

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  19. Good man Davy, as usual you said it with heart and style. All the very best to you and your family. Thoughts are with you.

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  20. So sorry Davy. Even we can tell he was a great dad. Sending love from over here.

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  21. Thank you, lovely people, for your kind comments. I know many of you have been in this situation too, so love backatcha.

    Anon - I've written a fair bit over the years here about Dad's music - and other things....shove the words 'My Dad' in the blog's search engine and a whole bunch of stuff'll come up (Reader's Digest box sets included).

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  22. Very sorry to hear of your loss, davy. It's clear from reading your blog that you're a good man and I'm sure your Dad must have been very proud of you.

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  23. ... tears roll down his face...

    Love to all, D. Thinking of you.

    x

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  24. I don't really do the blogging thing anymore but I thought it was about time I checked out what was happening in Mr H's world. Very sorry to hear your sad news. Like many of your readers I have some idea what you're going through. You never forget but remembering does get less painful over time.

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  25. Hey Mick, good to hear from you - and thank you.

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  26. I'm so sorry MrH, and very sorry I am so late checking in but I will make up for lost time by sending extra good thoughts your way x

    Not an easy year for you dear sir.


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  27. Shit.

    Real sorry D. Hope you don't mind that I'm so late with this.

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