I knew a crooked Man

There are far too many Paul/Pol/Pohl's in my life!
My own father's fake name he hid under for most of his life.
My mentor, now dead.
All of his sons,
All of his sons-in-law!
And yes, even grand children's names!

They were all family to me,
Except for my own MIA birth-father!

When I meet a man, whom portends to be Christian,
I quietly just step back and watch
And wait ...
 The truth will eventually slip out ....

By year three,
I knew the guy was the real thing!
Solid family,
Solid prayer life,
And knew his Bible!

I prayed about this,
And decided to tell him I was adopting him!
He had no kids anyone knew of,
And I needed to know how to live as a Christian male!

Needless to say,
As a very proud German,
He saw no reason not to tell me I was crazy!
But events in his life suddenly,
Brought me to the forefront of his life -
He needed someone
And I was faithfully there ...
For over thirty years!

And through those years,
I learned he did have grown children,
And where all of the skeletons were kept.

And when I found it was time to build a family,
He was an enthusiastic grandfather!

In his 90's,
He could no longer do many things.
His body was broken,
From decades of mission trips.
Helping people with construction,
And yes, his house was broken as well,
By an awesome mudslide
Me and "my boys" dug his house out of the mud by shove fulls for months!

 I knew a crooked man,
Whom lived in a crooked house,
And I made him family,
And served him as best I could,
Envision a father should be served.
Until God called him home ....
Ahead of me.

Rocked

Early this morning, my adoptive father's body finally failed him.
He was the last of only two men  I have respected as examples of Christian men.
Yeah, they are scarce.

More on Monday ...

UMMMM Jaw- Drop!

On my last drive of crazy mother around,
Out of the blue she tells me that her last dog has been visiting her at night!
Of course Dahly has been dead for quite a few years!

"Oh, I know that, but she still comes and sits with me!"

Seems all of her dogs from the past chave come and sat with her.
I do not know what this means in the world of rational minds!
And she blaters on!

"... sometimes thge advice your father gave me was not very good ..."

Uhm, mom, you haven't talked with him civilly since 1971!
And he has been dead for a decade!

Oh no, apparrently I am wrong,
He visits her ALL the time!
I bad - and - wrong ...

Of course the dead stay that way.

And mother's grip on reality  slips further ,,,

Recollection

It has stunned me at how many have died in my life this past month!
Though vaguely, in the mists of my lost mind, I seem to remember a horrible month.
I think it must have been about 2008,
And 46 people died that I had worked with!
And it was weird stuff,
Super rare blood problems and cancers!

Me and my team were reeling!
You did not want to go to work any loner!
Who was next to not make it to work?
The first dozen, you felt real grief for ....
But it was just compounded shock after that ...
So, we got together and put our heads together ...
It was little effort to build a data base of names, where they lived, where they worked, etc.

And the one thing they ALL had in common was working at a certain site,
For over eight years ...

It took almost an act of God to uncover the building was built on an old dump.
Of course, the wheels of public health turn slowly.
Eleven years later, the State has still not completed water table analysis...
--- Of course they have!, but they may never reveal what they found!
They did that once and the City of Seattle was almost bankrupted for fines associated with illegal dumping down in Midway, Washington in the 1960's and 1970's!

And the numbers just continue to increase for that site and building!

So, we guess, but that is all anyone can do ...

Well, bummer of a memory.
And since it was after 1978, it will be lost again by tomorrow!
sigh, amnesia I have learned to hate you .....

Life and Death

Been thinking a lot about life, since Christina's death.
That would be in the light of Paul's writings.

The problem is that our  Western Culture is so far from Biblical truth, thanks to Greek culture, that to state the problem really is not going to be understood today, much at all!

How does one  rectify the problem without landing solidly in piety! Which is condemned as sin by Jesus and several of the Apostles!

Life is what we know:
we can see it,
smell it,
taste it,
touch it.
We live it after-all!

We have a harder problem when we are required to abandon that understanding of life!
And that is exactly what Jesus requires us to do!

We are told to live by faith, not by sight!
That would be faith in God,
Not your 401-Ks!

So many in Christianity have bought into the Dave Ramsey school of unbalanced wealth!
"A little bit for God, a whole lot for me!"
"I am living the life of faith! And the dividends look great!"

But God told us to not go into debt,
Yet we are mostly all are in debt!
God told us our wealth is to be His, not ours!"
Yet we give a tenth, supposedly (we estimate 2% in our church!),
And then whine about it! .....

Something is out of square here!

If our lives are really to be His, in whole,
Not just in tenths!
Then what must change?

Well, you have to stop pursuing the almighty buck,
For starters!
You have to get out of debt!
No, property which is sellable is not a debt!
You have to lighten your possession load!
You must start living as a minimalist!

Our lives are to be a training exercise for our roles after death.

Christina's worldly consumed life started my thought process,
Then my thoughts drift to my best friend, Dutchman.
Consumed for the past twenty years by accumulation of wealth.
Numerous homes, in numerous countries, around the world,
And all that goes with the  massive consumption of wealth!
Yeah, he is not receptive to this philosophical realignment!

Yet, there was a time,
Before marriage,
Before children,
Before everything,
When he stood with me,
Willing to risk life itself for the cause of Jesus!
More than once!

 I wonder if the seeds of that young wild Irishman are still in there,
Waiting to take over once he loses all.
And then figures it out!


He must start living as a minimalist!
As must I!
sigh.....

Blah

I have got the worse case of the blahs!

I am truly surprised at the effect Kathy's death has had on me!
Only Edvard's surprising death many years ago had the effect on me ...
sigh

I thought to get a hold of her mother.
Seems she died.
I know her father died long ago.
So, perhaps her brother ...
Dead too!
Well, I do not want to bother her husband!
He has enough to deal with!
Besides, I actually never knew him other than in passing.

I wrestled last night with the thought of returning home.
A chance to visit my aunts and attend a funeral.
But, I am trying to get out of debt,
Not further in!
sigh

And as for posts,
My brain is just a sieve today.
Filled with memories of the old group,
Our many trips,
And the fun we had.
It was truly a magical time.
No pressure - always nice.

As for Kathy,
No doubt she will be warmly remembered by all!
And those of us blessed with that memory are the better for having known her.

Loss of a Friend

Seems over the holiday weekend,
I lost one of my oldest friends.
And I sit here - simply empty.

Kathy was a close friend I made after I got out of college.
Her mother sponsored the Bible Study I led for young adults.
Kathy hung out with the group I ran around with.
No, there were no pairings in the group, just 30 some odd friends.

In fact Kathy was to introduce me to Diedre.
Her best friend from grade school.

Kathy, went on to marry the little brother of one of my friends.
And though our lives took separate tracks,
We still stayed in touch.
Whether by letter, FaceBook messaging, eMails or phone.

Kathy had the most ready smile of anyone I have ever met.
And, yeah, it was a genuine smile!
She was more than willing to go the extra distance for a friend,
Or relative.
A truly generous and real person!

I am on the one hand sorrowful at her exiting to be heaven-bound.
And at the loss of physical presence of someone close to me.
Besides she was two years younger than me,
And younger people should not be dying early!
Right?

All I can think to say, "Say howdy to my right leg! And no tickling!"
Yeah, I am not normal.
And I do not seem to handle the dearth of friends well!

Bridgitt

I need to level set this since no one in Bloglandia will know you:

I first met Bridgitt thru my involvement with youth ministry.
Just an average 11 year old girl,
With a tragic past,
A troubled present,
And a horrific future.
That would be without God intervening .....

So, Bridgitt, God did intervene,
But, you could not recognize this,
Perhaps because of your filters,
Based on your life experiences.
Perhaps because you had not learned to trust.

Admittedly, you scared me to death!
What you needed was a strong father figure to take you in hand.
I was gun shy.
And I was very ill.
And none of the other youth leaders understood your plight,
As I so plainly saw.
Worse, no one cared.
And I could do little.

Many of the talks I gave to the group,
Were actually just for you.
I did what I could do,
When I was in town.
And, when I could give rides,
And, I have prayed for you for decades!

When you found me online,
I was delighted to see one of "my kids" pop back up!
And saddened to see how life has been a struggle for you.

Years ago, had you thought to come to me,
I would have told you the tale of Darla.

I was working under contract to a large company,
Helping them to define their methodologies for program maintenance.
Darla was my secretary along with another girl named Grace.
And everyone knew I was an odd duck because I make no bones about being a Christian.

So, one lunch hour, my secretaries pop in to my office for a "discussion".
Odd, but okay .....

Darla - "So Kris, where do you stand on the abortion issue?"
Grace is biting her nails, I wonder if the question is hers....
Me - "I have always held that in this culture it is a matter of choice for a woman."

Darla - "Well no, I mean, what would you tell me if I was pregnant?"
Grace is chewing on her elbow now, so super stressed and I am basically clueless.
Me - "Well, I would tell you that only God can create life, you just get to participate! And for some reason, God values human life and calls it precious. Then as such it becomes a sin to take a human life. So, I would tell you, think of adopting out the child ....."

So the conversation went for 45 minutes.
It was weird.
Never happened before or since to me!

Darla failed to come in for work on Monday.
Monday evening I had a call on my voice recorder when I got home,
"Kris, I need you!"
But, Darla left no return number!
So all I could do was pray that night, without ceasing, for whatever Darla's issue was.
And wonder at how she could have gotten my number!

Tuesday, Grace was all upset,
Darla had died in the early morning hours.
Well, that was the end of my day!!!!!

Seems she had an abortion on Friday afternoon.
Went to the hospital with a high fever Monday.
And died from a pelvic infection that night!

I still sit here,
Decades later,
Empty.
Such a huge waste of a young life!
Somehow, my words did not sink in.

Or have a valid meaning to her.
And so her story has become one among many I share with youth.
Darla was real, yes that was her name!
And young women need to hear these tragic tales in order to protect themselves!
Death is very real.

So, Bridgitt,I am honored you chose to share your story with me,
Albeit too late to have saved a life.
And what are you to do now?

Very simple:
Tell God what you did (confess).
Ask for his forgiveness.
Change how you have been living so this will not happen again!
Find a solid church and become active -
Perhaps work with youth,
So they can avoid the traps you fell into!

And above all:
Remember I was there for you 30 years ago ...
I still am.
You were a part of my extended family,
That remains unchanged.

The next steps are up to you.

Noted With Sadness

So, I thought I would hop onto the internet and see whom else has died since I have been so out of it for so long.
And I found something I was unprepared for.

First up is death of yet another uncle.
sigh
This one I liked very much!

He was not well regarded in the family,
As he was a dirt farmer.
Raised sugar beets and occasionally potatoes.
His German wife, whom married him to escape Hitler's Germany,
Never forgave him for the dirt.

She is a total neat freak and no one is allowed sit on her furniture!
Yeah that is what floors are for!
gees!
She is an example of what was wrong with the Germany mindset before the War!
And why I rebelled against the pomp and circumstance of being a noble!
Albeit, a dirt poor one at that!

Vernon died on Saturday,
Due to a weak heart.
I got his wife a nice card,
Which I will send as soon as this post is done.
But travel is out for me these days!
Sorrowfully, I last saw him 2001 at his oldest sister's funeral.
sigh .....

And, with a great sense of personal sadness,
Christina Swenson,
The woman whom would have been my mother-in-law,
Had history gone differently.
I was very much awed by her,
A Swedish model,
And she was gorgeous!

Though our relationship was tumultuous at the time,
As she totally freaked on her daughter and this strange fascination she had for this German (at the time, I was not allowed to use my real name, nor nationality - Cold War paranoia!)
Her hatred of me  cost me a bride,
But she was up front with me - it was personal!
And I had no real choice in that society, in that day and age .....

She made a point of seeking me out many years later,
And totally embarrassing me no end in public,
To apologize,
During a church service!

She had just engineered her brother-in-law's death,
Then figured out what she had done to him,
And remembered me,
The other one she had sought dead.

In more ways than one!

God, that was horrible!

But, with that humiliation, we made peace,
Meeting often across the years.
When I was in her town,
Or later when she visiting her ailing daughter at the UW Medical Center.
She would come and visit with my adopted children,
The grandchildren she would never have by her oldest daughter.
And strangely my children bearing names she had picked out for her grandchildren,
When her daughter was born!

Too weird!

I have not seen Christina in many years now,
As I moved.
Her husband, was someone I looked up to!
He was 6'5" to my pre-crash 6'4.5"!, and he would rub it in!
He actually sought me out before his death several years ago,
To personally apologize for how wrong they had done me and their daughter.
Stunned me!
It takes a mighty big-sorry man to own up to that one!
And I felt his anguish ......
I have daughters too .....

So, a bit sad for Oona.
Both of her parents are gone now.
And her siblings living else where.
And her health is gone.
sigh .....
I do wish her well in life,
As I have for 45 years .....
Of quietly helping her,
When led to do so by the Spirit.
But, not enough to hunt her down!

shudder!!!!!!!

Of course, she had to appear in a dream last night,
Only the second time that has ever happened (I think!).
And like the last time,
I awoke screaming at 2 AM!
My youngest daughter came crashing down the stairs to see who had killed me!

Yeah, I think I have a few unresolved issues there .....

Guatemala

Back at the end of the 1970'a and early 1980's, I was a part of a user's group which governed the Hewlett-Packard 3000 series of computers.  I had known both, Hewett and Packard, quite well before this, so had some insight into HP thinking and direction.

At one of the BIG conferences, down in Portland, I crossed paths with Alfredo Rego.

At the time, he was the owner of a firm in Guatemala City.  He apparently came up scouting for talent.  By the end of the conference he had made me a substantial offer, about 5 times what I was currently making and tax free to boot!  :)  Total temptation!

But, I would have to relocate to Guatemala.  And, I was side tracked setting up the computers for my father's firm.  I could still do this from there, though a bit more travel would be required!  And, I was in the middle of buy several thousand acres in Australia for a new opal mine.  So, I prayed concerning this - really wanting to!  But, by the very next day, Guatemala City was flattened by a major earthquake!  I took that as a "NO!".

Alfredo was a bit bummed but did check-in with me for several years to try and get me to come down.  I just did not think it "right", in the face of what I knew.  Though I had no idea as to why.  Now one of the ladies, Star, in my Bible Study group, felt led to go checkout Guatemala as a missionary.  And all I can say is that her letters to me in no way matched the nightly news!  Having no other recourse, we prayed a great deal for her!

So, this morning, I was sitting and watching a documentary while nursing my tea.  It was on the 36 year Civil War Guatemala had survived.  (Civil War is a bit of a misnomer! The government declared war on the modern descendants of the Maya Indians!

It now is estimated that death squads were driving around the countryside and randomly herding Maya peoples and anyone with the Maya up and shooting them!  What the heck is wrong with our news service that there was never even a hint of this!?!?!?!?!?  Of course, American news reports were busy trashing Reagan for getting involved with Costa Rica and the problem of overthrowing Nicaragua!  It is believed that 200,000 have gone missing in Guatemala, assumed now to be in  mass graves!

I am stunned!

The show went on in they went about finding the mass graves, recovered the bodies and set about identifying the victims and then re-buried them!  I was a very good program.  And Star's letters suddenly made much more sense.

Evil truly is real in this world.  It just amazes me!

But, the real question is: will anyone be found culpable and ever face trial?
Something new to pray for!

As for Star, she was captured in a high publicity raid to grab arms smugglers.  Lower news coverage and they probably would have just  shot her.  As it was, they deported her.  And probably shot everyone else in that village!
Yeah, not real nice people and a very stupid star!
She forgot she is representing God - not Remington Arms Corp!

And, the opal mine ended up a bust!
Fastest way to lose 57 million I have ever seen!
Yeah, in a place where it never rained in recorded history, it rained!
Two of my friend, who were doing chip samples acrss the area had to be helicoptered out!
Yeah, lots of water!
In fact I now own the largest fresh water lake bottom in Australia!
Australia was kind enough to let me know that I was expected to continue paying taxes on a lake bottom.
Of course, Australia was kind enough to let me know that they now owned the fresh water lake!
I only had the bottom of the lake!
And it was all on my property!

Such a disastrous year that was!

Sigh

I met him in 1984.
I had just made a major move.
Leaving all I knew behind me.
Desiring to find my family ahead of me.

No not cryptic at all!
Forced to live under rules of American paranoia,
We were hidden,
Protected,
Kept from any association with our biological family.

And I longed to find my family!
All I had was a name, an address and knowledge of my title.
Precious little to find my grandparents with!

But, I settled in a small rural area and first up was to settle into a church.
I really was afraid of the closest church to me.
It was much too large!
There was a great Sunday School for adults, however and I greatly drew to admire the teacher.
So much so, that I decided to adopt him a year later.

Yeah, I had not found my family - no one had any memory of them!
So, I filled that hole by adopting the Sunday School leader and his wife.
I really wanted to know what it meant to be a Christian man - in ALL aspects of life.
He was not too thrilled.
His wife instantly adopted me!
It was two years before I even had a hint that they had children!
Though I did know that they had "adopted" another young man,
Now an adult with kids in the youth group I led!

That was 35 years ago.
Since then he and I have strongly identified with one another.
In spite of my not enjoying watch ANY sporting events!
He is an utter sports fiend.

And now, the man who inspired me with such awe,
Is dying.
No even a shadow now of the man he was.
His mind really good at old stuff,
Not so great with what is happening today.
The opposite of me.
And he will go before me.
So doctors predict.

He visited for perhaps an hour before sleep overcame him.
His wife wants to let me have what ever I want of theirs,
Because she knows her daughters will sell everything for cash.
And make a real stink.
She knows I value things only as memories of who they belonged to.
And I am uncomfortable taking anything.

I know that to even take a book will set the daughters against me,
And should I live long enough, they both will need me - or similar,
In his absence.
As will the wife, my adoptive mother.
So, I am torn.
I know she will increase pressure to let me have a memorial.

Hmmmmm ....
Maybe a photo of the both of them at their 50th anniversary party.
Now there was a party!
Complete with all of the typical family angst!

Yeah, now I think about it,
That is a great idea!
Daughters will not care about a photograph,
Son in laws will not either.,
And their grandchildren will understand quite well.

When he passes, I will tell you about him.
He is quite intriguing as a man.
And unlike any German I have ever known!

Specter of Death

Death is a given in this physical world.
But we are rarely prepared nor pre-warned of it.

I was told over the weekend, by someone's attempt at humor, that it has been a race across this past year between my adoptive father and myself - whom would be waiting for who in Heaven.

Yeah, February 18 marked one year since my old life vanished and I came within a breath of dying.
It was an anniversary I would just as soon not remember.
Yet, my body continues to fail.
And then recovers.

And across this past year my adoptive father's health has gone mightily downhill.
As of today, we have been told that his death is anytime now.
So, I am traveling today to see him one last time.
Probably only for a few minutes.
But it will be my honor to pay those last respects to him.
While he still lives.

Luckily he is a Christian, so we know where he will be.
But his family is in need of prayer ....
Your prayers for Paul and his family are greatly requested ....
This is not going to be easy at all!

Suicide

So, on top of my health issues and the whacking the weather has given this area - one of the more troubled youths decided to end it all.

Of course the kid was quite popular in the sub-culture of this area.
I never knew him, but my kids did.
And at least one of them is quite grieved.
Of course it would be troubled daughter.
sigh ....

It is hard for me to relate to someone whose whole goal in life is escapism.
Take what you want,
Accept no responsibility,
Live off of others,
Mutilate your appearance.
And limit all employment opportunities!
Yeah, it has been said, "No, loss there".
In reference to his death.

But this is exactly the youth, Jesus was sacrificed for!
No one had apparently taught this young man to look beyond his misery and see there is HOPE!
When we are at our lowest and death becomes the only answer,
Jesus IS there waiting.
But our culture and society have blinded the eyes and hearts of this generation!

If there is a lesson in here,
It is that workers are needed in youth ministries,
In this God-less area.

I know, it is much more fun to be a missionary to Europe,
Rather than tiptoeing through the dregs of the Rave Culture of Seattle,
But that is exactly where you as a Christian are needed!

So, another statistic.
Another family in despair,
More youth seeing only how senseless life really is.
We expect a few more copy-cats suicides.
It is almost unavoidable .....
sigh

And it frustrates me.
It is bad enough that this generation wastes their resources getting "connected",
Via Iphone and pharmaceuticals,
Yet totally ignoring their Creator!

My parent's generation created this god-less mess we live in today.
I really would not want to face God, one of these days, in their shoes .....

And yet, I continue to pray for a revival to breakout ....
Here,
In the northwest of American,
Amongst the youth,
Amongst my own generation.

In Memory of G-Bear

Never mentioned before, in any of my blogs, is Ron Holt.
It would not be family fare to speak of him.
Yet, my heart is broken today, so I must.

The Holt family was very close to me.
Sister Bekka, Her brother Ron, sister Linda and their parents.
They all played an important part in helping to shape me as a Christian.

Ron's life was tragic though.
That's the stuff I can't relate to you.
Man, choosing to live in direct defiance to God.
Yeah, you are going to lose.
It took a motorcycle accident 14 years ago to bring him to Jesus.

In rehab, he met a Christian nurse, whom changed his life.
Led him to Jesus, in salvation.
And married him!
We honestly had thought G-Bear would never be broken.
And then God forced him to look up!

As a cripple, from the horrible accident, he had no real choice.
And how we praised God for his salvation!
I tried staying in touch with him after the accident.
But he became somewhat paranoid across time.
And pushed me away.
You can delete me on social media.
But that did not stop me praying for him.
Nor my affection for him as extended family.

So G-Bear aka Granny Bear aka Ron Holt is gone.
We are richer for having known him,
And the memories of our many adventures of long ago.

Why Granny Bear?
He had really bad back problems.
And walked like an old grandmother!
Yeah, we had lots of fun ...

Please keep Bekka and Linda, plus his wife, in your prayers.
Thank you ......

Another Death

I walked into church Sunday and there was a different greeter than usual.
No big deal.
The lady whom had greeted me for the whole of the year is allowed time off I imagine!
And then someone took me aside later to tell me she was dead ...

Worse part, is that we talked every Sunday for up to 20 minutes each time.
And I never even knew her name!
Of course, given my aversion to females, that is understandable.
But, this lady had been an active prayer warrior for me, for years!

So, I am sad, because she was friendly and genuine.
I feel stupid for allowing my behavior to be dictated by damage I have suffered.
And I worry that she chose death poorly.

Unknown to me, she had been ill for years.
You never would have guessed it.
Yeah, she had many arm problems, but .....
And I thought on all of our discussions about my dialysis experiences.
I just thought she was interested or wanting to know how to pray.
That was the context of the discussions.
No one knew her kidneys were tanking!

So, when she needed to report for dialysis Friday, she chose not to.
And she died Saturday.
So, quick!

Not like the lingered death I got to suffer through in February!
Nor the 21 days they told me it would take.
sigh
On the one hand, I am envious - she is at peace and without constant pain.
On the other - I really hope ssharing my sufferings have not led her to chose unwisely!
I would be devastated if somehow I contributed to an other's suffering or death!
Yeah, that Hutterite upbringing is tightly ingrained.

So, she is at peace.
And she will be warmly remember as someone whom cared.
Whom prayed.
And had no known reason to ....

Interesting Week

Synopses:
Kris is a worry-wart and all went well.

So:
Kris flies to Denver.
No, if Kris is involved, disaster must shadow him!
Spent the night witrh one of my kids from 1976!
Drove down to Florence.
Met up with my sister.
And hilarity ensued.
Then on to  Westcliff, arriving at my predicted 4:00 - to the second!

The whole family and extended family were all there.
About forty came.
In spite of my concerns, everyone was well behaved.
And mostly sober.

And everyone went home in good moods

.Don't worry, lots of stories to follow!
But, I am utterly exhausted .....

Funeral

Good Bye, dear Gwendolyne, you were the best of all the mothers .....

Unbelievable!

I simply can not believe that in the process of preparing for my travels to say good-bye yo my deceased Step-Mother, I tripped on one of the bags!
Pulled bunches of muscles in my back and hips!
Then to add insult to injury,
I broke what is left of my stump bones - AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Gees!

You think that if you looked up klutz in the dictionary, my picture would be there!

So, going to be hobbling for a while.
Unfortunately, over rough terrain in Colorado.
sigh ....

Oh well.
It is the thought that counts, right?
Condition is only secondary.  Yes?
It will be a small turn out.
My sister and three cousins.
Most of the people whom knew Gwen are long dead by now

Tell you all about it next week.
(keep me in your prayers ... the cousins and I are not of the same cloth ...)

Father's Day

Sunday was a painful day for me.
No one really to look up to any longer.

But one is still alive, albeit no longer with us mentally.
All the others now long dead.
Very Depressing.

Planning

This is going to sound like a weird post .....

So, I am finally recovered enough for me to get back to my planning for my end.
The new lawyer is less than quick, getting my paperwork complete however.
And yet, maybe none of this is necessary - should I get a transplant .....

Given my druthers, in the event of death, I would just as soon be thrown out with the trash.
So meeting with a funeral parlor, today, to find out what the laws are.

Yeah, God ran a set of spurs across my backside - a less than subtle reminder over the weekend -  that I had already died of suffocation once this year!
Darn lungs pulled another shutdown on me!
Such an undesirable way to die!!!!!!
To drown in your own fluids - retch!

I met with the funeral lady.
I could not help but notice the striking resemblance to the Banshee of Gaelic lore.

She nervously commented, that in all of her years, she had never had a talking customer!
So, I switched into funny Kris mode, to put her at ease.
It worked and she was laughing so hard, she was having to take breaks to catch her wind!
Yeah, I can be hysterical,if I want to be ....
Which ain't often, that is for sure.

So thought you might like a comparison number here:
$2,727.50

That is for the stripped down minimum.  You are cremated in a cardboard box, they cover all paperwork and transportation. Luckily, as my life was failing at the beginning of this year, I started saving money and already have more than enough - with a taco festival to follow the inevitable memorial service ..... probably at the church I have buzzed in and out of since 1992 (for many years I worked in and out of Cork, Ireland and home).

Well, since I just bought a new car, I am thankful for those moneys I had set aside!

Now, to get the car paid off for GG, if life last enough I will try and pay her mortgage off too.  Best way to avoid this state's greed in death taxes!