Morning all:

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” — Albert Einstein

Today is the first day of…….. “Sure Dirk, just how trite can you get” you say as you finish that line in your mind. You would be wrong, my conclusion to that line actually is; “my first of many cups of coffee from my new Krups coffee maker”. Marcia’s great birthday gift to me, complete with all the bells and whistles did everything but pour my coffee as I stumbled into the kitchen this morning.

Happy birthday Derek! I know that it was yesterday, but when you turn a big four that a birthday lasts a whole weekend, so, Happy Birthday Derek, you are my Superman. On the other hand, today, my birthday will slip by much more quickly. They tend to do that, especially turning 65.

As I am writing much effort is already underway. Brother Pieter is already in town. The Naples gang is en-route to the airport to arrive here mid-morning and from southern California Art and his son are getting ready to drive in from Indianapolis where they’ve already landed. It will be quite a time.

Actually, the “quite a time” started last night. Pieter, Marcia, and I went for dinner. Tell me, how often is it that right next to your table, with much aplomb, you hear the Maître ‘De pass gas. This occurrence was not just a little ‘toot’ mind you, but was somewhat more extended. Like school kids the three of us got the giggles.

It was in this happy mood that we entered our Aronoff Center for the Arts to hear an amazing performance by the a cappella choral group from South Africa, Ladysmith Black Mambazo in their “Long Walk To Freedom” concert. If you think you haven’t heard of them you could be wrong, especially if you have ever listened to Paul Simon’s Graceland or the music from the Lion King. To hear the human voice as a true musical instrument is quite special—especially as mine is this raspy, hacking thing; a lovely parting gift from my recent cold.

Thanks Jason and Cathy for the tickets, “you done real good”!

Since brother George will be here he’ll have to do his Saturday afternoon radio show remotely from Marcia’s office. This will be the first time that he’ll do the program with his three brothers standing about looking over his shoulder.

Oh, if that were only the case.

If he thinks were just going to play the “quiet as a mouse” role than he is grossly mistaken. I do hope that eventually we’ll get a tape as a keepsake, it should be memorable.

And, this happy spirit we’ll all carry over tonight when all of us descend to the local Hofbrau House beer hall to get fortified by great würst, pretzels, much beer and song accompanied by various Oompah Bands.

Now I best get ready before Marcia comes through and focuses on me with her ‘evil’ eye.

Make it a great week everyone: remember George, that as you start your show, the major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair.

Cheers,
Dirk
By the way – click on Audio link at top for some new sounds.