The Tao of Sugar

This past Friday was my dad's funeral. Held at the little country church (St Anne's) which is in the middle of corn fields. Next to the church is a small cemetary where generations of Kanes are resting - going back to the 1850s.

All of my siblings were there along with many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, and friends.

At the end of a short funeral Mass, I made a couple remarks and turned the lectern over to sister Kate who delivered a moving and funny eulogy which concluded with her 'Tao of Sugar" (Dad's given name was Ambrose but he was known to all as 'Sugar'.)

The Tao of Sugar

#1-Smile, laugh often, make others laugh
#2-Be friendly to everyone
#3-Don’t waste time on anger, it probably doesn’t matter much anyway.
#4-Don’t preach it, Live it.
#5-Forgive those that don’t embrace previously stated rules
#6-Be independent..for as long as you can.
#7-And then.. accept the help of family and the many friends you will undoubtedly have made by living The Way of Sugar.

Then, out to the cemetary for the burial.

Afterwards, many of us drove the 2 miles down a gravel road to the Kane farm where dad was born and where the Kanes have lived since about 1865.

Visiting the Kane farm has become part of the ceremony as my mom, aunts, and uncles have passed on.






Cousin Mike lives there now and he gave some of the youngin's a tour of the cattle barn.









Here, my nieces Caitlin and Molly try to decide whether to take the tractor for a spin.














It was a sad, yet sweet day. Dad would have really enjoyed it.