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Well, after a funeral service for Cecil Ditson, I’m now in Rosetown.  The evening meal was with my mom and dad, and my wife Jill.  We’ve chatted and sent an email.  Now we are relaxing and I’ll head back soon.

As I was driving over, I crested a hill just past Netherhill and coming to Brock.  As I searched the horizon I was struck!  This is the usual place I turn to Jill and tell her how beautiful the prairies are.  I think it must just take that amount of driving before I unwind and can actually look at the horizon.  And it is beautiful!

Today the grain is turning.  The fields are turning white.  Another week or so and we’ll be watching combines swath and winnow (I think we still use that word) and clean the grain.  The straw and chaff will eject and the grain will find it’s way to a bin, awaiting shipping to world markets.  And that’s just one of the industries that maintain our patch of ground called Kindersley!

The weirdest thing happened last night.

My wife had gone to be with my parents in Rosetown.  My sister and her family, where my parents live, were headed on vacation to Waskesiu. 

While there, Jill had prepared meals.  As the day ended she went outdoors with my sister’s dog.  The dog did it’s business, Jill was about hers (two very different businesses!).  They returned to the house.

Trixie, the dog, began to eject things from both ends.  Vomit and poop.  And convulsing.  Jill called me and thought the dog was about to die.  She checked with others and tried to contact a vet.  They were all away for the weekend.  A vet clinic would phone back.  Others were called and some possible remedies suggested.

Trixie continued to convulse, then pant and finally became perfectly still.  In human parlance, she died.  I think it was in around two to three hours after initial signs of sickness appeared.

What do you do with a dead dog?  Especially when the family is away!  The decision was made to bag the dog up, put it in a friend’s freezer and let the family deal with the remains when they returned.

Not my idea of a great way to start five days away from home.  Jill is doing well — I wish I could say the same for Trixie!

At 92 years of age, Cecil Ditson passed away this morning, Thursday, August 14, 2008.   The funeral will be held Monday, August 18, at 1:00 pm at the Kindersley Alliance Church.

When I returned to Kindersley a few years ago, Cecil and Mary invited me to their house.  He took pride in his garden and I had a quick tour through the back yard.  I had to figure that anyone who still bows down to feel the soil and smell the life of living plants at the age of 89 still has a touch of life left in him!!

Now that life is with Jesus — I wonder if there is a garden Cecil is ready to tend there??

Funny thing to say — “I’m back in my seat!” 

For the last six days I’ve been involved in my father’s 90th celebration.  Getting ready, experiencing and winding down.

So today I was back to my office.  A few calls asked how I was, and I replied that I was back in my seat.  Each time the appropriateness was there — I talk sitting down!  And each time I was reminded that the seat holds certain responsibilities.

First was a call telling us that one of our seniors is dying.  I had visited him earlier last week and there were some indications of his weakness.  But he had been in and out of hospital on other occasions that were much the same.  This time he will not come out.  The reality of death and the need for someone to share it is welcomed by the family.  So my wife and I headed off to the hospital.

Another few calls were to check up on others whose health is not great.  They seem to be in good spirits although their bodies are withering away.

A call to Prince Albert to work on a possible work group.  A call to someone to play piano.  Other calls followed.  Each from my seat.

How does it feel?  Good to get things going again.  At the same time there is much to do. 

“All good!” as one of my friends would say.