Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for July 09, 2024

Is that what you’d like on your tombstone?

“And in between, I dumped your mother, married a trio of gold-diggers, and kicked you out of my life when you outed yourself. So, get the he11 out of my house!”

Mark has a good point. My Dad was very closed-mouthed about his life. He was 63 when I was born and all his family, except a sister in Florida, were gone by the time I was six. Now that I am 60, genealogy and other sites on the internet reveal that his Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather, all of whom he knew, played a great role in American history in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. I have many questions that he can answer, but he is not here to answer. Parents and Grandparents owes these answers to their kids even if they aren’t proud of the facts.

My mom died when I was 25, just as I was beginning to relate to her as an adult and as a friend. But at least I grew up hearing her stories of her life—I loved them all, but I had my favorites, and she was always happy to take requests and share her reminiscences with me.

Which reminds me of this question: Why does it seem like the compassionate child often gets left out of the will and the wayward one gets fawned over?

So, “Citizen Kane,” basically.

Mark’s hair color sure does change a lot.

See here how everything lead up to this day

And it’s just like any other day that’s ever been

Sun going up and then the sun going down

Shine through my window and my friends they come around

— Hunter / Garcia

Sounds about right.

I’m very fortunate that my Mom is 93 and is in fair health, to the point that she lives alone in her home. I should be so lucky. My Sis is the main family record keeper, but we all ask questions of her to fill in gaps in the record. Even if it weren’t family members involved, it would still be fascinating.

Succinct.

For some people that constitutes a life well lived. Should I laugh or cry?

My 3rd request for an IGNORE function. Can you “hear” me, G.B.? Can you “feel” me near you?

After the divorce, Mark’s Mom was written out of the strip. She always interested me more than Daddy Dearest

Both sides of my mother’s family used to have family reunions every year when I was growing up. My siblings and I looked forward to these gatherings because there were so many good cooks in the family. After the meal the kids would run off to play and the adults would have a “business” meeting. At the meetings the family history would be discussed and grandma would take notes in shorthand. Then she would transcribe the notes into hardbound books. These books survive and are a wonderful source of history for our family.