December 6, 1976....

A few months prior, my Mom caved in and Daddy bought me a puppy. Oh how I promised to take care of that puppy... train it... walk it... feed it....

Well, she was a very good puppy, except that she liked to get into the trash. The evening of the 5th Daddy warned me that if she got into the trash one more time he was going to put HER into a garbage bag!!!

With that he tucked me in and kissed me good night.

The next morning I woke up and nothing felt right.... Daddy had already left for work... Mom was up and about.... I went downstairs to check on my puppy... and sure enough... there she sat... up to her neck in a white garbage bag with a red pull tie gently tied in a bow.

I took her out of the bag and held her.... but something else just wasn't right.

I asked my mother's permission to stay home from school. I just didn't feel well. Couldn't say why... but I knew something was wrong. She let me.

I went back to bed tossing restlessly... it was mid morning and for some reason I got up to look out the window. With that I watched as my mother pulled into the driveway. There was no reason to suspect... but I knew.... before anyone told me.... without a doubt in my heart... I knew that Daddy had died.

December 6, 1976.

Although it was 33 years ago... on this day... I am 14 and wake to the familiar silence all over again as if it were yesterday. Some wounds/aches, no amount of time can heal....

This year, the day was blessed with a coating of snow... as the sun rose it warmed and melted the ice, but not before I could admire the early morning rays glinting off the branches.... Daddy would have been pleased with this day... and proud that Abbey doesn't get into the trash... at least not often.