“It’s never coconut…”

This is a fun post I wrote back in 2012 at Buzz in the Hive.  I thought since today is Father’s Day it would be a nice tribute to my daddy, James Raymond Reeves.  Enjoy!

Missing my Daddy so much today.  You see, today marks the first anniversary of his death.  He died at 3:23 a.m. on March 19.  I woke up this morning at 3:48 thinking of him.  He’s come and gone in my dreams many days this past year.  I am glad today has come, the “firsts” are all done this year in terms of birthdays and anniversaries.

I was looking back at my notes section of my iPhone and saw the entries I made on March 17, 2011.  I had titled it “Things I am Grateful For”:

“Buying daddy popcorn from the hospital volunteer after his appointment today.  Hearing the volunteer tell Daddy thank you for your service (Daddy has on his Army Air Corp ball cap).  Seeing how excited Daddy was to taste the salty, warm popcorn.

Watching our kitty Hobbes sit on Daddy’s stool in the bathroom waiting for his daily treat and fresh water from the faucet.

I looked into my daddy’s blue eyes the other day.  He didn’t know it because he is blind.  I never noticed how pale blue they are.

The time I had with Daddy earlier this week to tell him how much I love him, what a great father he has been and how lucky I have been to be his daughter.

To hear my daddy’s sense of humor even toward the end of his life.

To have those last conversations of ‘I love you’s and thanks you’s’.

Holding your hand tonight as you slip away.  What do you see?

At the same time I weep, I also laugh.  Daddy had the best sense of humor, something he passed along to his granddaughter.  Living with him the last 5 years I learned a lot about his likes and dislikes.  So I’ll end with a few of Daddy’s favorite things…

1)  Diet Dr. Pepper became his signature drink.  Long ago it was the real Dr. Pepper, but after being diagnosed with diabetes he switched to diet and liked it just as much.

2)  Coconut Cake — classic photo of Daddy blowing out someone’s candles, maybe his, and the look is priceless “yep, still not coconut.”

3)  Hand lotion.  Any kind.  He kept it right by his chair and slathered the stuff on every night.

4)  Candles and those little tin cans of cherry smelling stuff you’d put in cars.

5)  Baby Ruth candy bars.  We sent one with him to heaven in his casket.

6)  Yellow, legal note pads.  He got a set of these to take, too, with the Baby Ruth.

7)  Instant read thermometers. He had them everywhere, especially in the vents of the A/C in the cars.  He loved cold air. Growing up he always kept the thermostat on 68 degrees.  I loved it!

8)  The mountains.  He loved cool, mountain air.

9)  Clean, organized spaces.  He did not like clutter.  Mother and he were very different on this personality trait.  She loved “piles” of things, he threw everything away.

10)  His girls.I Love You Daddy.  Happy Father’s Day!