Greetings,

The day started out with more snow, sunshine and a restful, nights sleep. Yes, I finally slept all night and I am thankful for that. I felt better than I have in a long time.

Then, I received a call from my son-in-law, Josh and it put a gloom over the rest of the morning. Someone hit the side of their car! Thankfully, no one was hurt, but their car looks pretty bad. As Josh put it, "We were T-boned!" Josh is a very nice person and really felt sorry for the young man who lost control of his car on the ice, while going down a hill towards the highway. Sadly, Josh and Starla were on the highway just as he started sliding. If he had not hit their car, he would have went right over a thirty foot drop, over the bluff.

As soon as the weather and roads become clear, I have to go to the laboratory. They are having a few problems and asked if I would stop by. I took a deep breath and agreed. I have been dreading the thought of going back and seeing everyone.

Now, that phone call finally arrived. The funny thing is that I am ready to go back and see those familiar faces. Alan and I liked everyone there and they adored Alan. He worked around them more than I did. I was always in the office and only in the laboratory while doing assigned investigating. So, my face wasn't as familiar. Alan treated everyone with respect, as if each and everyone of them were the owners of the laboratory. He would stop and tell them a joke or even ask how their family was doing. They always felt honored that he would stop and talk with them, since he held a very important position. He was just simply one of them, as he said, "We are people who work together to make everything work. Each one of us has a very important part, to make it all come about in the right way.”

The laboratory is a very unique facility. We deal with doctors, scientists and chemists from Germany, France, Canada and the United States for environmental issues concerning cancer. We work with Doctors when a patient is diagnosed with cancer. A lot of times we are sent samples of their environmental water and earth, to determine if they have such high quantities of nitrates and other cancer causing environmental elements within it. It is more so requested when the patient is a child. We also compare notes, studies, and conclusions with some of the top scientists and chemists around.

Interesting work? Yes it is, but it is heartbreaking when we find a child has been inflicted with cancer, because the nitrate levels in their drinking water was above legal specifications, or anyone for that matter. If it is a private well, water supply, nothing can be done, other than educate them about their water source. If it happens to be city supplied water, that’s where I step in and I do not play around with the cities who cover up or neglect the issue. But it isn't always just about nitrates. If a city provides above ground water resources then cryptosporidium can be in the drinking water.

Several years ago, in 1993 there was a cryptosporidium out break in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and it was the largest outbreak in history that has ever been documented, over 100 people died from the contamination. The sad part of it all was how they tried to hide it from the public, even when thousands became sick. I could not believe what I was reading when they dropped the papers on my desk and said, "Your next assignment." Alan and I worked months on this. Him doing testing after testing and myself presenting evidence and conclusions for the proper connections to get Milwaukee to inform the public of what was happening.

I remember being at the official meeting and becoming angry over their procrastinating with the issue. People's health and lives were on the line and what was being discussed was the politics of the problem.

I stood up, put my hands on their huge, mahogony desk and flatly stated, "You have less than twenty-four hours to make your announcement to the public. If you don't make the announcement, I will contact EPA with a copy of our testing reports and a list of your names, with the information of the possibility of a damn cover-up to the public." I then walked out. I have never had a case that big before or after. The only thing I regret saying during that meeting, was using the word damn. I simple do not cuss. (laugh) I guess, it is true about there being a time for everything. This was my time.... to cuss.

Alan and I had a lot to celebrate when this "assignment” was over. Together, we accomplished something else. Something that was a sharing of hard work, time and an accomplishment of helping others.

I will go to the laboratory. I will walk through the door just like so many other times, but this time alone....... without Alan.

I will be fine. I will be "me" once again. I will continue with the life I was left with and I will make the very best of what is left of it.

I have to trust that the Keeper of The Stars knows and has my path already drafted for me.