Thanks, guys. Been a long, happy (then sad) kinda day. I'm fine and cool, all of us are, but then a memory or thought will flash into my mind at the strangest, out-of-the-blue moments and my eyes get a bit leaky...
But it's only because the memories are so good and full, and because he'll genuinely be missed. It's all good stuff, and they're "smiley tears".
Thanks for all the kind words and thoughts...I do appreciate them, and they make me smile and feel good.
Here's an obit that appeared in a local website (it appears in print tomorrow in the local paper). My Mom chose a great pic...that's
so him: his Dickies coveralls, a smile and tomatoes from his garden (the pic in the opening post was the second photo I took on my iPhone, the day I got it...he was amazed at how they fit all those features into "something that little").
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_118094.asp
Went over to his house tonight (I've had a key to the place since I was a teenager) and just sat in his chair for a while by myself...thinking, remembering and looking at some pictures on the wall. Just felt nice to be there, alone, and do that. His stuff is still there, and just as it was when he left for the hospital two days ago. But it made me happy, and was comforting in some sort of way, seeing his little personal items there on the table beside his chair, his bedside nightstand and kitchen counter. Was nice to see those "pieces of him", still in place and all. I don't know why, it just did.
I'm going to bed...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.