Flying Home to San Diego...to Honor a Good Man

We Remember with love and appreciation... Donnie R. Bailey

Wonderful husband, father, step-father, and grandfather.

March 31, 1935-June 29, 2011

My stepfather...Don Bailey and Grandpa Don to Melissa and Jamie for almost 26 years passed away on Wed. June 29, 2011.

Mark and I had been together in Poland for only 3 weeks but felt returning to California to be with family was the right thing to do. Melissa, Jamie and my 3 sisters would also be coming home. Funerals do bring families together. Though the occasion for our reunion was on a sad note, being together as a family was very comforting and strengthening.

(LtoR) My nephew Daniel Lemmon, Mark, my mom and Jamie at Don's viewing prior to the funeral.

My sister Lisa and her husband Lee from North Carolina join the group waiting and visiting ...quiet time before the funeral.

Don was buried at the Glen Abbey Cemetary right next to where my dad Kennith E. Reson was buried in 1976.

35 years ago we came to this same location for my father.

Jamie gave the dedicatory prayer for the grave. A sweet experience to hear our son pray for his grandpa's grave and for his grandma.

Mom received the flag that was draped over Don's coffin.

We took turns placing single roses on top of the coffin...mom being the first to place her rose.

Our Melissa...

Don's children...daughter Gayle Vincent, son Gunter Bailey and grandson James Bailey.

Mark and Melissa...I love father/daughter connections!

Melissa captures a shot of little Joseph and Spencer looking into the ground as the casket is being lowered...they are in awe!

Family connections....always time for hugs and smiles!

Don had an unofficial adopted son...Jim Linehan...this is mom with his family.

We will miss Grandpa...Don Bailey...but we are grateful for memories and family connections over the years.

We are grateful for our Father in Heaven's Plan and our Faith and Hope that we will one day see Don again.

4th of July in Poland

Today was the 4th of July....in Poland and yet there were very little signs of this special American holiday...unless you count seeing the American flag waving from the home of the American Ambassador who lives just up the hill from us. As we walk to the Metro, the grocery store, to church and pretty much most places after leaving our home we walk past this home and it's always nice to see our American flag waving.

Mark went to work today...probably his first time ever working in an office on the 4th of July and I was at home packing and preparing for our visit home leaving for California tomorrow.

There were no barbecues planned or friends coming over...no watermelon, corn on the cob, or ice cream. What a surprise then it was for us... around 6pm and for the next 4 hours to hear patriotic and American music coming from outside....we keep our windows open and the music loudly could be heard from inside our home. Though it brought a smile to our faces I was wondering what all the neighbors must have been thinking...

At 10pm we were delighted to hear an unexpected BANG...and burst sounding much like fireworks...we opened our bedroom window on our 3rd floor and were treated to a fantastic 20 minute fireworks display! We laughed and smiled thinking here we were in Poland watching fireworks from our bedroom window!

Happy Birthday America....all the way from Poland!!!!

Week 3 in Poland...a Week to Remember

This week began with the anticipation of our sea shipment arriving mid week...we were ready!

Also...we heard that my step-father/Grandpa Don to Melissa and Jamie (for over 25 years) was going to be in hospice care...he passed away 3 days later...and then the decision was made to return back to the U.S. for the funeral and time with family.

We had only been together in Poland for 3 weeks, but decided that returning home to honor Don and be with family was the right thing to do. We were grateful for our sea shipment's arrival as it kept us very occupied and busy...setting up our home in Poland was good for us. It made the sad family news and being far from family a little more bearable.

Here I'm waiting and watching for our shipment...the large moving van could not fit on our street so it was parked a few blocks away. The crew began unloading about 4pm and finished 5-6 hours later. Mark was a great host and treated all to Domino's Pizza! Even I enjoyed the pizza after working for hours.

A smaller moving van was shuttled back and forth between the large van and our home. It took 4 trips in the small van to unpack all of our belongings. The Polish moving crew were great! They were efficient, polite and worked so well with us...even with their limited English and our very limited Polish...they had all of our belongings unloaded within 5-6 hours.

Here I'm helping the crew figure out what floor and room to place boxes, furniture and anything in the van. With all of the giving away, throwing out, and purging prior to our move...I was still amazed at how much we had and all that we had brought over!

In order for our beds, wardrobes and furniture to get to the next level part of our stairway had to be removed. Happy to say all pieces were placed...not sure what we will have to do when we move...that will be another big job for a future date.

Our amazing crew carrying up one of our IKEA wardrobes up to floors 2 and 3.

Mark did a great job in setting up our entertainment center with TV, transformer and adapter...since then he's even watched Polish TV and it works great! Yea for Mark! I was able to use the transformer and plug in our vacuum and it works also...no blow ups!

I put together our kitchen .... it is much smaller than our kitchen in Houston...but it will work just fine for us...I wasn't sure when I was unpacking but I've found all kinds of places to store and organize our things here.

The cupboard to the left of the pulled out drawer is our very small dishwasher...it's about 18" across...but it works well for the two of us.

The crew returned the following day and worked between 8-9 hours unpacking, unloading, carrying and disposing of trash...they worked fabulously and made our job of moving in so much easier! We appreciated this team so much!

Here the crew is trying to figure out how they will carry the piano up our porch steps, into our home and set it up properly.

All 8 of the crew members worked together with the piano strapped to them and they carried it up the stairs. I was always wondering why they didn't make a make-shift ramp and push it up on a dolly...but what do I know about moving a piano...?

I was so pleased to show Mark the piano after he came home from work but when he sat down to play it the keys had been locked! Since then a piano tuner has unlocked the keys and tuned the piano. I am thrilled that Mark can play the piano once again!

Here is our 4th level attic room. We were hoping to have our ping-pong table set up here but it will not go up the stairs...so we will play ping-pong in the garage...might be a bit cold in the winter but it will work. This room will be a place for scrap booking, exercising and a small office.

The two pictures above are on our 2nd floor...the living room and piano areas. Prior to coming to California all pieces were placed, stripped of their wrappings and the area cleaned and workable for us.

Our home of 3 weeks looks much different with our own furnishings..it will feel good to be really settled once I return to Poland.

Thank you Universal Express...you did a great job in helping us move in over the past 2 days!