Silver Lining

It was the first of many long, difficult, weekends... filled with many long, difficult, conversations.

-The housing market is terrible right now.
-If we sell when the market is low, we can also buy when the market is low.
-Would we sell it as a tear down, or should we try to fix it up first?
-How much money are we willing to put into it. (p.s. we've dumped $10,000 into the place since the funeral)
-How much can we rent it for?
-Who would act as the landlord?
-What about the plumbing? And the ants? (p.s. they were relentless ALL WEEKEND!)
-All these trees will have to be trimmed before we can do anything.
-We'll have to have an estate sale for the furniture... does anyone know what Dad paid for this stuff?
-Did anyone find the title to Dad's old Mercedes? It's gotta be worth $80,000, we should sell it.
-Or we should restore it and drive it up the coast!
-Who has time / money to restore an old car?
-What do we do with ALLLLLLL these old family pictures in boxes? Damn it! Why did no one ever make photo albums?
-Hey look, I found mom and dad's marriage certificate... and the receipt for their wedding - $35.
-Does anyone think we should keep dad's old camera?
-Courtney, you're taking your piano aren't you? (My piano? Where the hell am I going to keep a piano!? But it was a gift for me, and only me, when I was 5 or 6, from my parents.)
-Of course I'm taking my piano. I'll have to come down with a truck next time.
-We had to turn the water off again - we found another leak by the pool.
-Did Dad really save EVERY home depot receipt he ever got? I swear some of these are 20 years old!
-Caitlin, when are you moving out- we need to clear out the house.
-We should keep Dad's tools.
-We'll have to rent storage space.
-When is everyone available for the garage sale?
-Kyle, will my hope chest fit in the trunk of your car? I have absolutely no place for it my apartment, but I want to take it with me.
-What do we do with Dad's clothes...?

It was heartbreaking every step of the way. The memories, the questions, the decisions, the throwing away of old things. Heartbreaking.

But going through all of it with me... were my brothers and my sister. The four of us. All of my dad's kids - closer than we have ever been. It is such a gift. A brilliant silver lining to darkest storm cloud I have ever been caught under.

Thanks Dad.