Our dear friends Joe and Irene came by the house today. They are moving into the senior years and yet have this beautiful glow
about them. Joe has an incredible warmth and kindness in his eyes even when he talks about having been in the hospital and shows me a bag that he must wear.  And he made it through
pneumonia and  survived a super bug.  Talk about tough. But comes the time of change. The need to go a little slower, move a little slower and simply realize that time does in fact catch up to each and every one of us. When Joe was in good health he built
a tree house and a suspension bridge. I really cannot think of anything that Joe could not do. He always had the mindset that if you put your mind to it, you can do it. And a sense of humour...

I was  travelling with aerial pictures at the time my wife and I
got to know Joe and Irene. And we are simply life long friends.
Joe always like to ask how you are doing, how the truck is working, what were the repair costs, who did the work. He simply likes to know. And you can just bet he understands better than anyone about costs, having accumulated lots of equipment over the years. And his work has taken him far and wide. With his beautiful and attentive wife Irene always at his side.

Some people just seem to inspire. Both Joe and Irene have a gift of being wonderful and creative human beings. Both display the type of person the rest of us wants to to become. The combination of knowledge, hard work and caring for your fellow man. Could you possibly ask for better friends? I think not.

And now, with the knowledge that change is in the wind, Joe shall carry on as he always has, with a measured degree of honest and careful deliberation as to what the future holds. And the sun shall always shine for Joe and Irene, because they always cast a bright light of goodness upon others. And always will.

And when I think back of the first time I drove into the acreage where Joe and Irene still reside I just knew, these two were special. And are. And shall be. If I can age as gracefully...