A good Saturday morning to you and a very Happy Hanukkah.

“Walking in the dark with a friend is better than walking alone in the light.” ~ Helen Keller (author)

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This evening our neighborhood will enjoy its bi-annual Luminary walk. The gas-lit streets will be lined with glowing paper bags making for a stunning spectacle. Horse-drawn carriage rides will be offered, several neighbors will offer hot chocolate streetside, while others will have fire pits burning. Although with a temperature of nearing 70 the fire pits are a bit of overkill.

This afternoon Marcia and I will spend an hour or so folding bags, filling each with sand and a candle, and placing them out front. Then finally, the “pièce de résistance”; lighting the candles. Let the walk commence!

Hanukkah – The other evening I drove to Jason and Cathy’s to “kid-sit” while the parental units went to a work-holiday party (Cathy’s since Jason had that “I am being led to slaughter” look).

I walked into the middle of their Hanukkah celebration/observance. Cathy led with a reading, drawing some insights from the Torah and from writings of prominent Rabbis.

What was so wonderfully striking was that that particular evening the emphasis was on giving. Instead of receiving small Hanukkah gifts Marin and Dinah could pick from an array of local and national charities to give that week’s allowance to. Several sheets of paper with a description for each agency’s goals and objectives were handed out. Dinah ended up supporting a local veterinary group that offers free care to animals, allowing these to be adopted more readily. Marin chose an agency offering relief to people affected by disaster.

It was really good to see and feel this sense of family and community – thanks so much Cathy and Jason.

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BBC4 – For years now I have enjoyed some of the best of British radio’s BBC4. Melvyn Bragg as the moderator and driving force of the insightful “In Our Time” ‘programme’ almost seems like a personal friend.

However, in Britain too, the progressive thought foolishness has made its mark. After a curious and intensive lobbying campaign from environmental activists, Quentin Letts and his little; “What’s the point of the Met Office Anyway?” program were made an “unperson” and an “un-program”. It appears that the program was removed when it was mistaken as an attack on the Establishment’s global warming religion theories. Quentin Letts

As Letts was quoted in the Daily Mail last Thursday; “George Orwell devised the word ‘unperson’ to describe someone who had so offended official thought, he or she was vaporized — not just liquidated but wiped from the record for eternity.”

With the folk at BBC4 I suspect the hope being that all supposed ‘offence, ‘impertinence’, and ‘memory’ of this little program would be quickly forgotten. I suspect that in the UK, as well as here, we should not show any hint of disrespect to climate change theory as promulgated by those who currently hold clout.

Tuesday I heard a knock on our door. Looking through the peephole I realized that luckily it was just a neighbor. I saw no ‘jackboots’. Whew!

Fini, Northern Comfort – After the break-in scare of a week ago I received another, somewhat breathless, phone call. “It’s done!” neighbor Noreen fairly shouted. In the background I could hear Bob-the-Forester and Todd-the-Builder. The raising and placing of the cabin was finally complete. And along with that, they ended up re-setting the doors and fames, re-positioning the sewer/drain outlets, and adding about 20 joists under the kitchen floor. I was listening to words such as “absolutely level”, “rock solid”, and “beautiful”.

After waiting for the better part of a summer season. After, much to Marcia’s chagrin, having to use an old outdoor privy for the better part of the summer. After a season of struggling to open and close doors for security, critter control, and Mosquito management reasons. After months of watching anything round (think eggs) roll around and off kitchen counters. The place is finally level and rock solid; and we’re thrilled!

Marcia is already, at least in her mind, figuring out how to best restore the garden and vegetation around the place. Then, painting of anything new comes in at a close second.

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Fini – Do yourself a favor sometime today. Ease back and listen to your favorite Frank Sinatra song on this, what would have been, his 100th birthday.

This week do well preparing for the upcoming holidays. Next weekend we’ll be in Michigan (I’ll try to post, but…..?) and so our preparations will be well underway.

Now, as our Canadian buddy, our North-woods everyman Claire would say; “I’ll see you in the woods or on the water.”

Make it a great week everyone, stay safe.

Cheers.

Dirk

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