My father-in-law passed away last week.
On Saturday, his children, their spouses and grandchildren gathered in the warmth of unseasonable weather at Saint Mary’s cemetery to dig his grave.
Yesterday, we filled it.
Tom now rests within view of the land he restored to native prairie grass and ponds (though anyone who knew him knows how much he complained about spending $40,000 on weed seeds).
Of course, no family adventure ever occurred without mishap. The truck carrying away the excess soil got stuck, so we had to bring in a tractor.
Fortunately tractors are never far away in this little corner of the world.
I will be taking a break from blogging for a month and plan to rejoin you in April.
Tom, I hope heaven awaits with a bottle of Jameson, a free cup of cold coffee and all the cookies you can stuff into you pockets.
“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
Almost Iowa 