Today, May 5th., 11:00 am we laid our Dad to rest.  There are no words except he was a Great Man and a Great Dad.

So last night after having Pizza with Linda we decided to go out to the beach to see if we could set sail our sky lanterns that I had ordered. Let's just say this was an epic fail. The first attempt ended up ripping and the second had a flame that kept growing I really thought that we would be having a CNN moment and this would be the 15 minutes of fame. I can hear it now "it has been determined that the fire burning out of control in the Pacific Northwest was caused by human stupidity". Good thing Anthony took charge and saved the day by stomping this inferno out before we burned down the beach dug out we were sitting in. It was good for a laugh.

Got up early this morning and said goodbye to Long Beach. We crossed over the Astoria bridge one last time and head for Seattle. Tomorrow we lay Dad to rest at Tahoma National Cemetery. I can already feel the emotions starting to build.

Today is May 4th. Happy Birthday baby!

It has been an emotional past few days so I thought I would bring us up to date.

Our first 24 hours on the peninsula are emotions that I do not feel honor our Dad so I will not give them value here. So we begin with Thursday afternoon/evening in the town of Long Beach, WA. as they are gearing up for their annual Loyalty Days Weekend.  Flags line the Main Street gearing up for a weekend long events and parades.  We found our way to a burger joint for dinner on the main road that was serving Mexican Food as their special that night.  Now I find it pretty funny to travel so far from the southwest to the Pacific Northwest to find Mexican Food at a burger joint.  I will say that it was some of the best I have ever tasted.  

Later we walked down "The World's Longest Beach" to catch the sun setting over the Ocean. What a sight to behold.  There is something very therapeutic about the sun setting with the wind whipping all around you and sounds of the waves.  It was almost like the Universe knew the heartache that was walking on that beach so it gave us something beautiful to experience.

On Friday we got to see our Dad to say Thank You for being such a GREAT DAD!!! We have such a wonderful example of how life should be lived....TO THE FULLEST!  I was able to see him one last time to tell him that I love him as I caressed the very hands that held mine as a little girl and embraced me all thru my life. As hard as it was to see him just wanting to hear his voice one more time or to see him smile and laugh, it was a moment that I will be forever grateful.

That evening we had dinner with a great friend of our Dads and to us, we call her Lovely Linda. After picking us up at our hotel we enjoyed company at a restaurant located at a golf course. Our conversations were of our Dad and what a great man he was. We loved listening to the stories she had..and at times it was almost like Dad was with us and within itself it was a comforting feeling.

Saturday morning we were up early once again as Lovely Linda offered to take us into Astoria so we could rent a car to putz around in. But first we made a stop so she could show us her beautiful home filled with all kinds of treasures but the one thing you can feel when you enter into her home is love. Her love of all things beautiful and her family. It was an honor to be allowed to be a part of her world.

Off across the Astoria bridge to get our wheels for the weekend a VW Jetta....Not quite sure of this push start technology but it is a nice car to drive. Now we have a little more freedom. Where shall we go? As we walked the river walk of Astoria trying to find a favorite hangout of our Dad's we turned to modern technology.... Phone navigation!!! (Leave it to the teenager to show us how in today's world things are found). Back into the car and of we go....Pier 39 in Astoria, OR......Coffee Girl Coffee.

First off the weather was just amazing it was clear sunny and just perfect. We ordered up or coffees and grabbed a table outside. What a view (some pics are in the photo album page). After watching our barista make beautiful designs as he poured the hot milk we grabbed our drinks and sat outside to enjoy the view and listen to the sea Lions bark in the distant. We had the pleasure of meeting two older gents sitting at a table next to us. They reminded us of our Dad as we listened to them banter back and forth in various topic conversations while one of them drew the other ones portrait. We told them our story and they told us theirs, the many years they had known each other, etc. Their personalities so reminded me of Dad...outgoing, vivacious, willing to make friends with anyone anywhere. For a moment I felt connected and not so lost.

Later that night we found our way back onto the streets of Long Beach and to an arcade to have a little fun. Never too old for an Arcade.  Sunday morning we watched the streets get ready for their big parade for Loyalty Days. In the early afternoon we were offered to share in all the cards and sentiments that had been sent on behalf of my Dad's passing.   The words of love and his acts of kindness that he shared with so many was wonderful to read. It confirmed what we already knew being his daughters....he truly was a kind and wonderful man and a "gent". And for us - the best Dad.

Later that afternoon we went to visit (what we refer to as) the old beach house. This is where my Dad lived for over 20 years. His living room had those big windows that looked over the beach grass and you could see the ocean all in the same view. I remember my Dad always had a windsock to mark the path from the dunes. We did not find the entry path to the beach house at first so made a drive thru Oysterville. Then tried again, this time with success. As we crept up the long drive there she was.

The beach house was empty as it had not been lived in the past few years. Looks like some one may have found a little quiet spot at in my Dad old bedroom looking out the window.  There sat a chair with a drawer that had been pulled from somewhere being used like a desk. And on top of that desk was one of my Dad writing tablets. It looked so peaceful. I imagined it was the same  writing tablet that my Dad would use to write is a short little note before sending something off to us. Exploring the outside you hear the ocean. The path where we once walked out to the beach was now overgrown to the point that it was a bit if a challege to find the path in it's entirety but the memory bank could still see it clear as day. This is where my sister would spend the summers with her children and here now again with them one last time.

In leaving I found the spot where the last time I was at the beach house my Dad let me know everything was going to be alright. He had been sick (funny thing is it was around the same time in May) so sick that he did not think he would make it before my sister and I could reach him, we flew to his hospital bedside. As he managed to beat the odds we returned him home to the beach house where we spent the next week with him. I remember the day of our departure was approaching and I decided to go outside to listen to the ocean. I looked thru the picture window and saw him sitting in his chair before I turned to walk out to the post with the windsock....there I just cried. I was scared to leave him in fear of never seeing him again. My Dad must have known because he came outside all bundled up in his robe walking towards me he said what are you doing Danielle? As I turned all I could say say was "Dad" thru my tears and walked over to him wrapped my arms around him and cried into his shoulder. As I felt his arms close up around me he said "I know". I did not have to explain he just knew the reason for my tears and just let me cry.

On Sunday as we explored the Beach House one last time,  I found the spot and turned as if I was in that same embrace....I just wanted to feel his arms around me one more time ....I just stood there and cried and in my mind I heard him tell me "I know........but now it is time for you to go".

I did not want to leave but I knew it was time. It was time for us to get moving into the direction of his services on Tuesday.

So yesterday evening was our last stretch of travel before we reach where my Dad lives or should I say lived. Because one thing my Dad did was live and live well with all of his travels and adventures. We got on the bus in Portland, OR  heading all the way to Astoria. For those 80s movie buffs...it is where they filmed Goonies. This was an extremely nice bus, all plush, comfortable seats and leg room! All I can say is "Where was this bus the two days before?!".

I received a message on my ipad - a link to something. I was not sure what but decided to save it for later. I was not quite ready to watch anything other than the beautiful tree lined highway and countryside as the sun was setting. I found myself just mesmerized at these big beautiful trees and then my thoughts went to the last time I was on this stretch of road. I was with my Dad driving down the highway in his red Thunderbird as he drove me to Portland  to fly home.

My thoughts turned into tears as I was hypnotized by the sound of the bus and the passing of the trees. Trying to break the sadness I decided ok..let us see what was sent to me here on the Ipad. I plugged in my earphones and hit the link.....nothing could have been more perfect. As I watched the countryside going by with emptiness in my heart I listened to Simon and Garfunkel sing "America". It could have not been more perfect. My heart for that moment was lifted as the sun set fire to the sky as it set over Cannon Beach.