Man down, Man Down!!!! I spent the Easter weekend with some fellow employees at our recently departed boss's country property with their family and what an eventful few days it has been!!On arrival we found that the normally picturesque and delightful country hamlet had a case of the overgrown's !!!! We had forgotten how our dear friend had lovingly kept their little hideaway in tip top shape so that our various weekend visits were always pleasant and full of fun and laughter. And to make things worse as we were surveying the devastation, some neighbours came to tell about about recent heavy storm's that had damaged home's and properties and created havoc in the quiet valley.
So much for that as depression set in with the realisation that a certain someone was no longer around to keep this wonderful haven of tranquillity in the shape that we had all gotten so very used too. In the many years so many of us had enjoyed some "Time Out" with our dear friend, the open fire cooking and wine drinking weekends of "Fattening Up". So our idea to come and pay tribute together had left us a little shaken and disallusioned. But all was not lost......
At least the beautiful house which had been built by loving hand and full of wonderful memories was in good shape so we settled in and raided the wine cellar and partied through the night with stories and laughter and fun. But we all knew it wasnt the same and never would be... until.....
HEEEHAAWWW .... HEEEHAWWWW!!!!!! 5.00am and everyone had forgotten about Macca and Dusty... the two Donkey's that have lived here forever and are the true Lord's of the Manor in this Valley. And to a man we all realised that this early morning HeeHaw alarm was the daily reminder of where we were and where we came from, and was the start of a busy day on the farm of our fallen friend.
So we went to the Garage and Shed... And there was our Challenge.. Ride on Mower, Hedge Trimmer, Whipper Snipper, Chain Saws and The old Tractor with that huge Slasher Blade on the rear. After a fair amount of trial and error and frustration we managed to get everything going and spent the next 2 days doing together what our dear friend spent a lifetime doing... Working, one small step at a time getting done what needed to be done. And in our minds always the words.. " Focus on the Result, Look at the big picture and just do what you have to do, one thing at a time."
After 2 days the place was starting to look like it's old self again.. Several trees had fallen and the boys in our group had broken them up with chain saws and made a huge pile in the top paddock ready to burn off..(Something that cannot happen at the moment because of the season, and the reason for another fun get together here in a couple of months for a "Bon Fire"). But at the end of it all we came to this certain tree...
Now nothing we could find amounst all of the tools, equipment and machinery could deal with this huge tree... a massive old oak that had had somehow spilt down the middle and was left with half still standing and half fallen over. The trunk of the fallen part was almost 3 feet thick and even looked dangerous sitting there perched on the ground. We really had no way to clean this up. I gather its not often that such a large and old tree come's down. I was sitting on the Tractor (of all people I had become the expert on the Slasher and was having a ball mowing all the paddocks.. I am keeping this tractor... its Mine!!!). We had all gathered and were looking at this huge tree.........
Then the strangest thing happened.. Macca., (who we had all come to realise was nothing short of a cheeky little bugger and took great pleasure in annoying the crap out of all of us) just wandered up to the tree and started munching on the nearest branch. We all watched in fasination and he started pulling at the branch and devouring the leaves. Then Dusty wandered over and joined him.. We all started laughing and one of us said.. " He know's what to do.... Lets EAT IT!!!
The big tree is still there, but rather then an impossible task, its now a part of a plan to come here again very soon with the right equipment and make another fun weekend of eating the tree. That is unless Macca hasnt eaten it first!!!
You know, the story of Easter is one which we all know... someone died so that others may live, someone taking on the suffering of others. Someone who has died for what they believe in. For me, Easter has become about faith. Its about believing in something so much that it becomes part of who you are. But this Easter we all realised something new.. if one man can have such an impact because of all the amazing things he did so long ago, if one person can make that much difference... then together we should be able to at least do something good as well. And more important is just doing what you do as well as you can, because everything you do makes a difference, even the smallest thing.
To know true faith, you have to know yourself.... this weekend has been about learning a little about me. I am sure God would be pleased, and so would my friend.
no matter what.... Donkeys Rule!!!!!!!!!!
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