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I missed having my wife next to me for the last five days.  Much of our life is spent together.  We eat, scheme, think, work on the yard, renovate, visit, and generally see life through each other’s eyes.  We are bonded together in many ways.

While Jill has been in Rosetown for the last few days, I’ve missed her.  When she arrived home and we sat down — there was a constant conversation for 45 minutes.  Then tiredness began to catch up to both of us.

So, good night all and may Thursday hold much enjoyment and peace for each of you.

This morning I ventured out.  The purpose was to sit with a friend who has cancer.

Although there is pain, there is also peace.  In the past few years “salvation” has become a real and daily part of life.  So as we talked, hope arose and life was good, even though pain was present and death is just around a corner we can almost see.

What can  be said?  We talked of funerals, of family and of life.  Some things were difficult, others just daily chatter.  And as I left I blessed her, as she had blessed me.

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!