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[clhw AT infoave.net (clhw)]

Gene -- Is there any permit/application to authorities involved?
There are about 3 cemeteries on our 4 1/2 mile long road, including one
which dates to pre-Revolutionary War days, and one (for which the road is
named) in which Jimmy Carter's aunt is interred. I'm sure there are also
individual, unmarked graves on the land, especially since there are sites
and foundations for former slave cabins as well.

But the "official" cemeteries are fenced in and located on maps so that
wells are not permitted in a certain distance.

This is a subject we've discussed a couple of times on our place. My recent
heart attack makes it more relevant. The local Mennonite cabinet makers
maintain 3 sizes of plain, wooden caskets which we could get if needed. If
you follow Torah/Scripture/Bible, the body will be buried before the sun
sets and there is no embalming involved. I'm thinking about getting
somethine more up-to-date in writing.

One subject which came up pre-surgery was a living will. Our state law
requires an official "ombudsman" to be one of the witnesses to signatures
for in-hospital will. The time frame didn't permit it so the nurses said I
should just discuss with the doctor my wishes in view of potential
brain-blowing problems. I expressed concern over loss of short-term memory,
since everyone I know who was on a heart-lung machine had problems, though
slight. The surgeon asked me the second day after surgery how I felt I came
out in regard to that.

Of course, there are some fuzzy hours when I was under the influence of
various medications, but memory is not a problem. Spelling when typing is.
I find myself re-typing a lot, but at least my copy-proofing mind still
recognizes the mistakes if I re-read.

Anyway, one of the orders of business around here, at least for me, will be
attention to updating my possessions will and doing a living will of sorts,
so I'd appreciate thoughts from people.

A friend who died of a massive heart attack after having 2 others had
gotten training as a emergency responder. He was adamant, especially given
experience with family members, that the whole process of being kept alive
on a respirator past a certain point is not desireable. While I was on a
throat tube, I could understand attitudes of wanting to end it because it
was painful, frightening (even though I knew to expect it and was
completely aware of what was happening), and it was very difficult to
communicate. NOTE: Try telling some one when you have only a couple of
pointing fingers, little eye movement, minimal lip movement, and no sound
that you want the TV OFF because the flashing colors are an annoyance and
the actually pictures couldn't be seen without glasses. It took several
frustrating sessions of finger wiggles, lip movement, eye movement, before
a perceptive nurse asked me the right question.

Anyway, since this is the other end of the homestead enterprise/effort, I
think it's a valid topic. And I'd rather not wind up a wax blob!

Gene said:
>Sounds to me like an ideal homestead business.
>
>I have chosen a little grove of dogwood trees for my final composting
>effort.
>
>