Journal entry by Karen Garrity —
Friends of Tom...
Please help us spread the word that the house my dad lived in for 28 years has been listed for sale:
https://www.flexmls.com/share/1p0Ao/8102-N-16TH-DR-Phoenix-AZ-85021
It needs a little TLC but it is a great home in a lovely North Phoenix neighborhood. I lived there through my high school and college years and will cherish the memories....
~Bryan and I perfected our badminton skills in that front yard, playing the "mean game" which meant we just smashed the birdie as hard as we could at each other...
~Growing up, our dad taught us how to be handy and Bryan and I decided to tile the bathroom floor together after we realized how disgusting it was for the carpet to constantly get soaked from the shower. That tile still stands after 25 years...
~Bryan took his skills to the next level and built his customized bedroom complete with a drafting table, nooks for 1990s TV, audio and computer equipment as well as a built-in bed. I will always be so proud of him for figuring out how to do all of that as a high school kid...so smart...just like our dad...
~Flower gardens in the front yard, side yard and back yard were replanted year after year. If my dad didn't get sick this year, I know he would be planting this fall. His favorites included sweet peas, snap dragons, pansies, and alyssum...
~Countless Kioski family gatherings for birthdays, holidays, visits from relatives such as Meganfest and Schroederfest (of course with t-shirts), planning committees for family reunions, family BBQs to try the latest recipes always with homemade ice cream...
~Board games and puzzles were a staple in our home. When the hall closet couldn't contain them any more, my dad recently expanded with a white game cabinet from Ikea. It was the most modern piece of furniture to find its way in that house, but it was so functional and a symbol front and center in the dining room of how many memories were made in that room around the dining table. He had just taught my kids how to play Racko...
~My dad was an avid reader who collected so many books after Bryan and I moved out that he had to turn my old bedroom into the Library. The built-ins shelves that I loved so much for high school framed photos, trophies and precious moments figurines became his spot for all his favorite authors and he would read the books multiple times and share them with family and friends. I wish I got my dad's love of reading but the extent of my book collection was Cliff Notes on those same shelves...
~Christmas traditions run strong in the Kioski family and include a Christmas Eve white elephant gift exchange and soup dinner which has been hosted at my dad's house almost every year. He would always have the fireplace ready and we'd hope there wouldn't be a no-burn day. It was always a big surprise to see what kind of Christmas tree my dad picked and how extensive he decorated. He was proud to be a minimalist in the recent years...
~House projects were always on a list, sometimes on a piece of yellow notebook paper, and sometimes typed out on the computer which would then include the date. In fact, as we cleaned out the house, we found multiple lists from spanning multiple years...often with the same projects that would roll over year after year. We've been able to complete many projects during the last few weeks as we prepped the house for sale, and there are many more waiting for the new homeowners...
~The pool had a life of its own. It's been every shade of blue and green and it was always on the project list in some form or another. My dad loved that pool and loved to show off to his grandkids that he could still pull off a front flip...
~I appreciate how comfortable my dad was in his house. He did not need anything fancy or updated. He was content with a mish-mosh of furniture with some pieces as old as 30 and 40 years. I remember when we moved there in 1990 and it had just been remodeled. He pretty much left it as is for 28 years with the exception of those few house projects he actually crossed of the list...
~The last month that my dad lived in his house, it was full of family. I was there for hours nearly every day for 3 weeks as well as at least one of my aunts and Donna. We were a rotating team trying to tackle every aspect of my dad's care. The house was welcoming and comforting for all of us. I will never forget seeing my dad walk out of that house for the very last time. We didn't know he would never go back to see his cats or the home that he created for all of us...
Another hard good-bye because it truly reflects all that is my dad....Casa Kioski....Kioski Central...8102
Please help us spread the word that the house my dad lived in for 28 years has been listed for sale:
https://www.flexmls.com/share/1p0Ao/8102-N-16TH-DR-Phoenix-AZ-85021
It needs a little TLC but it is a great home in a lovely North Phoenix neighborhood. I lived there through my high school and college years and will cherish the memories....
~Bryan and I perfected our badminton skills in that front yard, playing the "mean game" which meant we just smashed the birdie as hard as we could at each other...
~Growing up, our dad taught us how to be handy and Bryan and I decided to tile the bathroom floor together after we realized how disgusting it was for the carpet to constantly get soaked from the shower. That tile still stands after 25 years...
~Bryan took his skills to the next level and built his customized bedroom complete with a drafting table, nooks for 1990s TV, audio and computer equipment as well as a built-in bed. I will always be so proud of him for figuring out how to do all of that as a high school kid...so smart...just like our dad...
~Flower gardens in the front yard, side yard and back yard were replanted year after year. If my dad didn't get sick this year, I know he would be planting this fall. His favorites included sweet peas, snap dragons, pansies, and alyssum...
~Countless Kioski family gatherings for birthdays, holidays, visits from relatives such as Meganfest and Schroederfest (of course with t-shirts), planning committees for family reunions, family BBQs to try the latest recipes always with homemade ice cream...
~Board games and puzzles were a staple in our home. When the hall closet couldn't contain them any more, my dad recently expanded with a white game cabinet from Ikea. It was the most modern piece of furniture to find its way in that house, but it was so functional and a symbol front and center in the dining room of how many memories were made in that room around the dining table. He had just taught my kids how to play Racko...
~My dad was an avid reader who collected so many books after Bryan and I moved out that he had to turn my old bedroom into the Library. The built-ins shelves that I loved so much for high school framed photos, trophies and precious moments figurines became his spot for all his favorite authors and he would read the books multiple times and share them with family and friends. I wish I got my dad's love of reading but the extent of my book collection was Cliff Notes on those same shelves...
~Christmas traditions run strong in the Kioski family and include a Christmas Eve white elephant gift exchange and soup dinner which has been hosted at my dad's house almost every year. He would always have the fireplace ready and we'd hope there wouldn't be a no-burn day. It was always a big surprise to see what kind of Christmas tree my dad picked and how extensive he decorated. He was proud to be a minimalist in the recent years...
~House projects were always on a list, sometimes on a piece of yellow notebook paper, and sometimes typed out on the computer which would then include the date. In fact, as we cleaned out the house, we found multiple lists from spanning multiple years...often with the same projects that would roll over year after year. We've been able to complete many projects during the last few weeks as we prepped the house for sale, and there are many more waiting for the new homeowners...
~The pool had a life of its own. It's been every shade of blue and green and it was always on the project list in some form or another. My dad loved that pool and loved to show off to his grandkids that he could still pull off a front flip...
~I appreciate how comfortable my dad was in his house. He did not need anything fancy or updated. He was content with a mish-mosh of furniture with some pieces as old as 30 and 40 years. I remember when we moved there in 1990 and it had just been remodeled. He pretty much left it as is for 28 years with the exception of those few house projects he actually crossed of the list...
~The last month that my dad lived in his house, it was full of family. I was there for hours nearly every day for 3 weeks as well as at least one of my aunts and Donna. We were a rotating team trying to tackle every aspect of my dad's care. The house was welcoming and comforting for all of us. I will never forget seeing my dad walk out of that house for the very last time. We didn't know he would never go back to see his cats or the home that he created for all of us...
Another hard good-bye because it truly reflects all that is my dad....Casa Kioski....Kioski Central...8102
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