First it was the last of the berries that Tim had picked from the woods behind our places. We talked about how both of us had gone picking berries in northern Alberta. He grew up in a town due west of Elk Piont where I would visit with the Russell clan. Rose Russell knew all the best berry patches. Tame blue berries have never been the same after picking the tiny wild one in ice cream buckets with her. We talked about life under the crazy condo rules. We both want solar panels on our south west facing roofs and a clothes line in the back yard. They are good people to have next door. As I came back into my place Steven Piage was singing Hallelujah. I am not sure if it is true or not but I heard earlier that is the song Jack slipped away listening too. It was k d lang singing it to him then. Glad it wasn't Leonard Cohen! (he is not the man with the golden voice that he claims to be) I watched The Rev Hawke give his sermon. It was obvious that he knew the man very well. Then they sang Rise Up the song I will now always think of Jack when I hear it. I left after it to do some other things.
In the afternoon I watched the Calgary Stampeders play the Montreal Alouettes. We won! It was a game I would normally have attended. It was the best game I have seen all season in the CFL but I was OK staying home to watch it. There was a new player from an old Stamps family. Johnny Forzani he had a fantastic game his first touch down then a second one. I bet his Dad was bursting with pride. I couldn't help but think of his Grandmother who passed away this spring. It was just before the annual Mothers Day Run that she was aways at to support her son. Life does indeed go on.
I did manage to watch the rest of the state funeral after the spectacular sunset we had. It was so very beautiful I had to run out and take pictures of it. Jack's children did a fantastic job. Both were so strong. They told both funny and moving stories. His daughter is pregnant with her second child. I wonder if that child will come into the work with memories from the womb of this day? Steven Lewis brought the house down a few times he got standing ovations for his beautifully crafted words. The right wing looked a little bit uncomfortable. At one point they panned the crowd and the blue people were clapping but stone faced in contrast to the red, green and orange people that looked joyous. Some more than others. all those rookie NDP kids from Quebec. They showed Stephen Harper at once but how does one tell what the robot man is feeling. However his wife was feeling enough for both of them. I think I like her. The service ended with a fantastic singer with the full church choir singing Come Together. I wasn't expecting to here that one but it was perfect. I crawled into bed right at midnight it was a long hard day to go through.
This morning I am sitting out on my front step while typing this and listening to the birdsong watching the sunrise in a beautiful clear Alberta blue sky. Life goes on and life is good.
Some how this country will survive the current government and pray that we will be able to fix the wrongs that they are quietly doing. In particular the enironmental issues. There are more problems than just the tar sands pollution. I have love, hope and optimism.
"Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.
My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.
All my very best,
Jack Layton"
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