Good-bye to Bud

Here we are; the Pedersen children and most of the grand kids saying goodbye to Bud on December 29, 2011. Bud's house is located on 10 acres of land out in Lakeside with much of the acreage being foothills. His house is located closer to the bottom of the lot where he built his dome house on a nice level pad of ground. It is very wooded and you can see where this was prime land of the Kumeyaay Indians.

Before going to Lakeside though we had a lovely service at our church where about 50 folks showed up. Dan and I were so touched by the attendance of some of our church friends and some of Bud's long time attorney colleagues and friends from the Barona Indian Reservation. The music was wonderful and our pastor, Greg West, gave a wonderful message and tribute to Bud. Family member's spoke as well.

After the service and a light luncheon in our church hall, we headed out to Lakeside where Ron now lives. He actually lives in Bud's house and has for many years. When Bud first bought the property about 35 years ago, Ron lived there as well. Eventually, Ron left the place and lived on his own, but it is neat to see him back there again. Ron searched for the perfect spot to scatter his dad and found a place about half way up the hill. He spent hours creating a trail to hike on with narrow switchbacks. The hike up was killer for some of us, but the view from up there is spectacular!

We laid the ashes to rest so to speak and our pastor, who drove out for the occasion, read some scripture and then everyone got the chance to place some of the dirt over the trench of ashes. It was just beautiful. We placed one of Bud's flight logs and a navigational tool in the ground with him. Then we hiked down the hill and had some refreshments, reminisced, and spent time wandering around the land at all the places we remembered from times when the kids all played there. Great memories. Ron said he was sure Dad would want everyone to be together out there.

Afterward, we headed for our house to watch old home movies of Bud, his children, and grand kids on family vacations out at Lake Powell. I guess we ended the evening around 10 p.m. as everyone was flying out beginning at 6 a.m. the next morning. It was a bittersweet way to end out the year. But Bud is in a better place-he is resting with our Lord and we shall see him again one day soon and then for eternity. His new body isn't damaged with asthma nor Alzheimer. He is truly free. We miss him and will always miss him.

The Aftermath

The guests are gone, gifts are stacked and ready to be put away, and there is "stuff" everywhere. From scraps of wrapping paper, dried out pine needles, remnants of shredded Danny dog toys to empty wine bottles and left over Christmas cookies. Where is the clean-up fairy when you need her? I'd even take a "him" clean-up fairy!!

So today I started my morning off with a 1.5 hour massage and then steeled myself to the task of breaking down the holiday tree and decorations and trying to make some sort of organization to all the chaos. I have had to juggle this with the mounds of laundry, the occasional phone call, and of course, stopping to write in this blog!

But it will be done today, as I can no longer live like this. I couldn't cook a meal or find a place to sit and eat because of the mess. Last night, after the funeral for Bud, everyone came back to our house for home movies and snacks...Those of you who know my living room size, try envisioning 10 people with food and drinks huddled around our TV!

Despite my whining, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love having family around and I do have a GREAT family.

Hope you all had a great holiday season.

December Madness

It has been awhile since I published, but I have been busy preparing for Christmas, planning my father-in-law, Bud's funeral which will be on Dec. 29th, having a breast biopsy, and getting travel shots.

Where to start...it is a good thing Beth and I made Christmas cards around Halloween, otherwise there would have been none! I did get a short newsletter out recapping the past year, so I consider the task of mailing greeting cards for the holidays a success.

On the 9th of December I had a breast biopsy done that was more traumatic than I expected. The good news is, no cancer, the bad news is really bad bruising...I mean really bad. I guess they hit a blood vessel and there was a lot of bleeding that need to be stopped with "compression." Love those medical terms! Anyway, that is behind me now and it is a good thing there was no event requiring a semi-low-cut "little black dress" this season.

On going throughout December has been the preparation and planning for Bud's funeral. With 2 days to go, I think most everything is handled that can be. This morning I need to go to the printer to get the bulletin run off for the service so I can pick it up tomorrow. Food has been ordered, songs selected, readers chosen, tribute speakers acquired, flowers ordered, ashes picked-up, guests notified, obituary placed, and we met with the pastor to plan the service. It looks like the weather will cooperate and we will have a lovely day to scatter Bud's ashes as well. All of Bud's children and all but 2 of the grandchildren will be in town. Brian and Patience came out from Chicago two days before he passed as they preferred to see him then rather than now and could only get a tiny bit of time off work. Eric and his new wife are the only ones who could not make it.

Last week Dan and I went to a medical travel agency to get our shots for our upcoming trip to Asia (Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong). If you are planning to travel in the future, BE SURE TO ADD IN THE COST OF SHOTS. The cost of our shots is equal to one of the airfares! Dan needed Hepatitis A and B, Influenza, Japanese Encephalitis, and Typhoid Fever, along with pills for Malaria, and a Z pack for possible bacterial infection from food (AKA Travelers Diarrhea). Geez.. I thought we could just get on a plane! So he had round 1 last week, will get round 2 of a couple of them tomorrow, and in a month get the last in the series. If you were wondering, he did get a fever the next day and was super tired. I had to get just some of the injections as I had already had some of the shots since I worked in the school system. This trip is on Dan's bucket list...not my retired teacher "adventure list," but I am going along in support. Once we get there it should be just beautiful. We are going with 3 other couples. It is a part cruise and part land tour and we will be gone 3 weeks! That is the longest we have ever been gone. To think, we are taking just one medium size suitcase each...and small duffel to bring stuff back!

Peek-a-Boo

Look who popped out of the bed covers? 

This is how I imagine his brain functions within the first 10 seconds of waking up:

"Is it time to get up yet?"

"Is it cold out there?"

"Dang, I have to pee pee!"

"Is it gonna be cold out there?"

"Is my breakfast ready?"

"Will anyone be in these covers when I get back?"

"Oh goodie, another day of play!" 

"Come on Jay, let's go..."

If Danny Boy was a child he would definitely be on Riddalin. He is so ADHD it is unreal.

 

 

A Grown-up Lunch

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving I was invited to lunch by a friend in my Bible study. She works for a seafood company in downtown San Diego and gets to eat lunch in their waterfront restaurant. I figured we would have a nice crab salad or something. But no, we had a real TREAT! This was the Puerto Nuevo Spiny Lobster something or other lunch special. OK get this...

Whole lobster seasoned oh so yummy, beans, rice, and warm flour tortillas. This meal tasted better than any we had in Maine or the East Coast. The conversation was great AND I had a surprise treat...I didn't have to pay! She had a magic card that allowed her to get her meals free and since she rarely used it, we splurged. This meal was so huge that I opted out of dinner that night. Little did I know that I would get word after lunch that Bud was in the hospital and would die a week later.

But it was a very fun grown-up afternoon lunch!
Thank you Deb!

Grandpa Bud

Grandpa Bud loved life! We spent many years as a family going to Lake Havasu or Lake Powell boating and water skiing. Bud loved being on the water, flying the skies in his airplane, off-roading in his jeep, hiking around his land, and exploring all kinds new places.

Sadly on November 30th at 12:30 pm, he passed away after many years with Alzeheimer's Disease. He was pain-free and at peace when he died under the care of hospice. He had many visitors in his last days and hours including his son Ron, his grandchildren and their wives, Jay and Heidi, Brian and Patience, Dan and myself, both of his ex-wives and a few friends. He was truly loved by so many people. There will be a service for him the 29th of December when his daughter Beverly and his son David and his family, wife Patti, their children Jenna and Scott can arrive in California. Stacie Pedersen, another of his beloved grandchildren and her fiancé will also be able to attend flying in from Florida. His ashes will be scattered on his land overlooking his home and hiking trails.

We all have fond memories and it is indeed a sad time for our family. He was a man who had an amazing work ethic. He worked hard and played hard. His best times were spent with members of his family in the outdoors.

This water skiing picture was taken at Lake Powell when he was 71. He could still glide across the water on one ski! This was a special trip when he could be with 3 of his 4 adult children and one of his grandchildren.

We are comforted to know that he was a believer in God and eternal salvation and that we will see him again one day. He has shed his sickly, worldly body and is now resting in peace.