Old Jake the mule has now been traded back to Jeep--along with an old 48 Ford [Billybob] pickup. Chukky, jeeps boy, was the proud owner of the truck and jake but decided Jeep need'm more than him. Jake has been liv'n at jeeps house all along as Chuk is next door nabor and didn't have pasture or barn--he just used jeeps. Jake is still a happy old dude and is even more happy now. He has a new friend!!! Since Mr. Guinei turned in his'n time sheet last fall old jake had been alone of any close friends until yesterday, that is. "Twig" the female rat terrier has now taken up with old jake. They walk across the pasture together and when Jake stops to eat the dog stops and waits u ntil jake moves on a little. From all the crazy things that happen at jeeps house I kinda wonder if theres something in the water that affects those animals. In face, sometimes I get to wonderin about ole Jeep himself--he's fix'n to start buildin coffins for sale! Methinks I'll just stick to my radios. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), January 24, 2001

Answers

hoot watch out for old jeep and his ruler dont let him measure you.lol Bob in se.ks.

-- Bobco (bobco@hit.net), January 24, 2001.

Hoot, If you learn midwifery, you and Jeep could catch em comin' and goin'.:>) Glad to hear about Jake.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 25, 2001.

I don't know about elsewhere, but Tennessee is very lax about the creation of private cemeteries. Last I counted, I think there are over twelve within one mile of me and I own, I believe, four as they came with the property. Maybe I should say I own around and under them. I could do nothing to stop a new burial in them. Some have just disappeared over time to where even headstones can no longer be found.

Jeep might want to check out the laws in his state about selling caskets. In most states funeral laws are set up by a board of funeral home directors. Until recently in Tennessee, you had to buy a casket through a funeral home; however, a U.S. District Court ruled a bit back that was restraint of trade.

When my father died in 1976, the decision was made he would be cremated and his ashed scatted in the Gulf of Mexico. The funeral home still charged several hundred dollars to rent a casket for the funeral services. When mom died a bit over a year ago, the funeral home charged about $100 for the cardboard box required for the cremation.

Story about my dad's arrangements. Of the six kids, the only one to object was my brother. "Where can I go when I want to talk to dad?" Mom told him he could go deep sea fishing. He didn't object to mom's because arrangements had been made to have her ashes buried between the graves of her parents in Minn.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 26, 2001.