There are things you talk about with your parents, some being the wishes or ideas they have.

I was given mine.

Order number one. Cremation. My father wanted to be cremated, so he could have his ashes spread at Garden Island Lodge and the Farm. In the end, when Mom goes, she will be holding onto him. I have a rock that Dad and I found in Spring of 2021, that he told me to take a picture of and send it to mom telling her that dad walked toward it and disappeared. When the logging at the farm is done, I will take that rock and put Dad under it. As for Garden Island, I will be dropping the canister of ashes into the lake by Eagle Island after dinner. I have since determined that cremation will be for me as well, and that my sons or daughter will put me by Dad.

Order number two. Maintain the truck. His last statement about it was “If I can’t afford to pay for gas, I will sell it.” That will be the case with me and do the upgrades we had talked about, most of which are done already.

Order number three. Smith and Wesson. Dad’s pistol of choice. That will be mine. When I went to buy my pistol, I was talking to Dad and discussed getting a H&K. He asked me why not a Smith and Wesson, which I didn’t have an answer to. When I went to the gun store, the owner of the shop was the one who showed me the pistol I would eventually buy. When I told him, I think I could tell he was happy. The first time I shot it, was the weekend before he passed.

Order number four. Clover plot. He had stated to me during the fall bow season and the winter rifle season that he wanted to grow the clover plot that I had started. I had originally started the planning of that, but he sealed the deal. As of 8/28/22, there has been 4 bags of seed on that part of the land, while clover had been already there to begin with.

These are my orders. Good sons follow orders.