Joy and Sorrow

Except for a nuisance cough ,the bronchitis appears to be gone. Thankyou for asking.

Next time I am near the walk -in clinic ,I will walk in. If there's no-one else in I will wait
and see if the nuisance cough can  be addressed.

Yesterday I went to London to join in closing the book on the life of my late brother's youngest
son., Craig Finnigan.

He was forty-six. At the peak of an illustrious career.His two children were present. We had
 not met.The family were not known to them and it's doubtful now we ever will

Martin and Marnie  from Barrie ,  Heather and Andy from Newmarket ,Frank from Hockley  Valley.
Stephen and Mary  from Waterloo  were there.

Andrew and Rhonda had a crisis of snow and ice melting through the ceiling  in their home that had to be attended.

Theresa and Mark had work  commitments.

Susan and Patrick Wallace, my sister's children and their father Gordon were there.They came from Eganville and Arnprior a seven and a half  hour drive east and north of London.

With Jean and  Ross ,Craig's mother and brother, we gathered in the back corner of a sports
bar for a meal after the  well- attended first visitation.

It was Valentine's Day and the Olympics were in full swing.

We were glad to be together . It's always like that.  There is sadness .yet there is joy.

There's never enough time to catch up on what we are about.

 Gordon has just bought a house and three acres in the middle of nowhere north of Ottawa.

Heated by wood stove.

It  was listed at $140,000  by a couple who had separated.  Husband  had to drive back and forth evey day to maintain the heat.

Gordon wasn't really serious. He lived in an apartment close by Susan.   A garage and  no driveway  to clear.

But he kept making offers.  At $87.500, the last one was  accepted.

It was an offer he couldn't refuse.

At eighty-five years old ,Gordon has moved out  of a convenient apartment close to his daughter Susan into the middle of nowhere to live in a house by himself.

He has to feed a stove for heat. No garage. And  a driveway  to clear.

 It's  a new beginning.

We talked abut the  Celebration of Life  the family organised for  Cyril Buck .

It was a summer Sunday afternoon at Theatre Aurora....doors wide open,  sunshine
pouring  through, throngs  of  people coming  together from near and far for the
occasion.

Delighted to  be together. Great long hugs of affection. Gales of laughter sweeping through.

A  true celebration of  the joy of life, love, laughter and friendship.

Nothing could have honored him more on the  last step  across  the threshold.

The same  step  destined for each and every one of us.

The only real charge, however long or short our lives. that we make it worthwhile for ourselves
and the people around us.