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Post by biggordie on May 26, 2009 16:31:39 GMT -6
Seeing thse makes me that much more excited about taking my trip. Thank you.
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Post by biggordie on May 26, 2009 11:03:59 GMT -6
Actually one of my girlfriends is coming with me, my husband refused to let me go alone... she also happens to be a professional photog, so I should have some pretty sweet pictures to send after the fact.... we are going this week to a friends place to ride horses so we get the hang of it again... Dad put me in jumping and drasage when i was younger, so i know my way around a horse, i hope...
Tori.
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Post by biggordie on May 26, 2009 10:42:17 GMT -6
"Be it lastly resolved that ‘historical figures’ shall include NO living individual/s. I am not an official or an officially appointed moderator of this thread - BUT! I am a tattle-tale as well as a butt kissing suck-up and will run and tell Diane."
Does this mean my dad is now a 'historical figure'? And i dont know what you guys are drinking to be jubjub birds and such, but this thread has made me laugh so hard over this past week. I just wish i had one iota of a clue as to what you were speaking of.
Tori Harper...daughter of the master of chaos? that has a nice ring to it...
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Post by biggordie on May 26, 2009 10:34:33 GMT -6
I got 80%...but considering all I had to go one was the stories from my dad, I think i get a pass on the ban? 80 is pretty near perfect! I thought that the his widow made peace so i got that one totally wrong...and i said creek instead of crow... but i knew MOST of the important stuff!
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Post by biggordie on May 25, 2009 16:30:06 GMT -6
Any ideas as to the best place at LBH to not get caught spreading ashes of a great man? I was also thinking of doing the horse trek... there is far too much information on here for me to go thru in such a short timr, so if anyone would like to help out a girl from Canada with no clue, it would be greatly appreciated... and most likely win you brownie points with my dad... Tori Harper
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Post by biggordie on May 25, 2009 16:27:28 GMT -6
you guys are funny. I was jut looking at dads GPS wondering how to use it...still wondering.
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Post by biggordie on May 25, 2009 10:39:36 GMT -6
Hi everyone, Tori here, again, you must be sick of me typing on here....
I am here today to update you on my trip for my Dad. I will be leaving BC June 17th and driving down to Billings Montana, using the hwy map I have found in his room. Only Dad would be prepared this far in advance i swear. He was already packed to go too!
I have gotten in touch with a lady through a tour company that my dad was corresponding with, so I have decided to rent a horse for a 3hr tour across the battlefield in honor of my father.
I dont know how long it takes to get to Montana, but I should be there for the 19th & 20th, possibly into the 21st depending on the drive. I know that a few of you are planning a trip there from the 20-22? If so, I will be there for the 20th, just look for girl with tattoos and a pink streak in her hair....
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Post by biggordie on May 23, 2009 18:08:17 GMT -6
i would actually love anything that my dad had been looking for...maybe it will be needed for his book. Maybe not. But if he was looking for it, it was important.
Thank you for letting me know that he also used another name. Harpskiddie...
I am looking forward to reading more of my dads posts. Alothough I dont understand much about the battle, I can hear my dad telling me still. Coming over ridges, crossing rivers, seeing the valley...and what was fact from crap... I wish I would have listened more intently, so that I would know what to do with his book.
I suppose it will be a publishing of unfinished work...but I will add everything that I find in this room.
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Post by biggordie on May 23, 2009 10:27:04 GMT -6
Hi everyone. I wanted to write yesterday, but it was a hard day for me. It was a bitter sweet ending to all of this planning and calling and arranging. I thought I would feel a weight lifted when my Dad was finally cremated, its over right? No more pain, no more tears, no more numbness I feel? No not at all. Its just started a whole new healing process, which I have been told is normal. Normal sucks. I never did like normal. Yesterday was a beautiful day here in BC. I went to the funeral home to view my Dad with our family, the sun was shining, and the old man looked better than he had on Wednesday when I did his hair. I was worried, being a natural death with no autopsy (brownie points for me Daddy) he wasnt embalmed, just natural. So we werent sure what he would look like. But he was still pink in his face, the kids thought he was just sleeping. I rubbed some more cologne on him and sat rubbing his hand for an hour while we all said our peace. My brother had bought him a 7th Cavalry hat a few yrs back so that was placed on his chest by me Wednesday. He looked good in a morbid only Dad would look good dead kind of way. My brother even thought he had a smirk on his face. My brother and I follwed the hearse with his casket to the crematorium, I stared up into the sky for the most part, looking for that eagle. When we got there (I had requested to witness the cremation) we were moved to the side and Dad was brought in. The cremation guy, for the life of me I cant remember his 'job' name...he asked if I was ready and when I cried and said yes, he pushed Dad into the chamber. Then set it for 1800 F, and I pushed the button to start the fire. Me and my brother stood there staring at the flame under the door for awhile, then we helds each others hand and walked out. Then as we watched the heat waves rise into the air, we saw that eagle. He circled us for quite a while befor soaring out of sight.
I will forever be love my Daddy, and all of you for bringing him joy and comfort these past few years.
Thank you so much. For everything.
Tori V Harper
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Post by biggordie on May 21, 2009 20:35:54 GMT -6
I printed that poem, and sent that with Dad as well... as I walked down my stairs today with his hat and eagle head cane, I saw that eagle again. Weird to see one flying in our neighborhood. So it made me smile. The burn went well today I think, I managed to keep my composure for most of it. When i placed his sage bundle and hat on tho, I did lose it for a bit. But it was a beautiful tribute, placed all of your replies in there too. Now i need to muster up the courage for the cremation and veiwing tomorrow morning. I am more worried about my brother and my kids than I am about me right now. Again I would like to thank all of you. Not only for your words of courage, and memories of my dad, but for being a part of his life on an almost regular basis. For listening to his theories and thoughts, and for arguing with him and making him think new thoughts. I dont know who will be there when I venture to the LBH in June, it is June right? But I will be there in a blue shirt...that says Ice-T Tori Harper.
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Post by biggordie on May 21, 2009 9:04:01 GMT -6
Thank you all truly for these great words of my dad. I went yesterday to the funeral home when his body was released from the hospital- he had always told me not to let anyone cut him open, so to respect me and my dads wishes, the coroner is satisfied enough with cause of death 'natural, but unknown'. I for one was far too elated when I was told they werent touching him. My dad would have ben so pissed at me! I drove as fast as I could so that my dad wouldnt be alone. He was bathed and hair washed listening to the 'BEst of Rick Nelson' who he helped write and played guitar in Garden Party. He was then moved to a more private room, where I came in. I put on the 'Best of Bob Dylan' my dad and I used to dance to that cd for as long as I can remember...and he would sing and sing. So with good ol' Bob playing for him, I brushed his hair over to the side ( he had grown it SO long to show it off to you all on his trip) braided it, put his NDN feathers in, and bound it with leather. My brother had given him a 7th cavalry cowboy hat, which he wasnt wearing til he visited LBH. I placed his hat on his chest, put this beautiful hand made leather pouch filled with sage in one hand, and out his cowboy boots on. Then I just sat with him for about an hour rubbing his arm and telling him how much he was loved. It was one of the hardest yet rewarding days of my life. My dad was never alone thru his process, I was with him the whole time. You ask how I managed to do it? I was outside looking up into the blue sky, losing my mind. I was shaking, I couldnt breath, my jaw was chattering so loud I thought I was going to chip all my teeth. So I took a deep breath and asked my dad to just give me enough strength to get thru today. As I looked into that blue sky, the biggest bald eagle I have ever seen flew directly over my head, and just circled me. Around and around, and I just stared up and knew it was my dad giving me what I had asked for. As the eagle soared into the sky so high I lost its view- the door opened of the funeral home, and it was my turn to see Dad and do his hair. I had stopped shaking, I could breath, and I knew that he was soaring. I am printing out all the additional responses now, to put in the car wth Dads stuff that we are sending with him. You honestly have no idea the joy that this site gives me. I have been reading my dads messages that he wrote on all the boards, and I laugh and cry, but I feel closer to him for knowing this part of him now.
Thank you all. 3pm please pause a moment for my dad. But never stop. He loved this forum, and he would want you all to keep typing, keep learning, keep smiling. Sending my love and yours to my Dad. His cremation is tomorrow at 11am.
Tori Harper.
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Post by biggordie on May 20, 2009 9:32:31 GMT -6
Hi everyone, this is Tori Harper. I logged into my dads account to take a peek into his life on here. And finding this tribute to my great dad has made me cry ALOT, but these are tears of joy. Knowing that there are people out here that loved my dad for his passion in life, makes me extremly happy. I am reading thru all of your posts, I laugh, I cry. I will be printing these out to burn with him tomorrow for his journey. Please know that this has given me a greater respect for my dad, and all his stories and theories that he rambled on to me almost daily. I will be saying goodbye to my dad this week, but I will also be trying my best to fulfill his dream of publishing his book on Custer. Im not too sure of how to go about it as of yet, but know that I will, and I will be back on here with updates and progress, and eventually my fathers be it unfinished, published book on just how the battle went down. Thank you all so much, you were a huge part of his life and I send you all my love.
Love the daughter of one of this worlds greatest men, Tori Harper.
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Post by biggordie on May 13, 2009 10:19:41 GMT -6
It's not entirely clear that Cheney asks questions at any stage of the process he follows.
Gordie
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Post by biggordie on May 10, 2009 8:13:11 GMT -6
Welcome. You are more likely to find this specific type of cultural information on our sister board, www.american-tribes.com, and you might want to try over there. Gordie
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Post by biggordie on May 8, 2009 8:15:26 GMT -6
You're right there, Gary. I suppose the thing to know is who actually described it that way - Chuquai Billy, or his interviewer/reporter. I must admit that I rolled my eyes a tad when I read that bit, especially the Lakota connection.
Gordie
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