And a good Saturday morning to you. Here it is, the very last day of 2016. Coffee has been made, Marcia finally asleep after hours of ‘hacking’ so the house is as quiet as can be – except, every so often, I hear the furnace kick in. Here at the Pastoor household a debate rages; does Marcia have a common cold or does she have Bronchitis?

See there is a difference; one requires lots of rest and liquids. The other requires lots of rest and liquids.

In about a week we’ll find out the difference as all straitens out.

In the meantime plans are in order for me to head to neighbors for a few hours this evening – going solo. After all, we need to be represented properly for the annual Scotch Whiskey tasting – wee drams to the ready.

In preparation I did a 3.9-mile walk yesterday (sunshine and 35 degrees; it was glorious, but a little slow with wind and temp). Then it was an hour at the gym to address my upper body and curb any possible Gorilla walk.

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something.

So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” ~ Neil Gaiman

Kokomo – is a strange little town. It totally blocks the smooth passage of travel between Indianapolis and South Bend, Indiana. It does so through a string of, at least, twenty traffic lights.

It’s been the bane of our travels to and from Michigan.

Now after several years of construction they opened a slick by-pass allowing for absolutely unfettered passage. Cruise control stays on and speed stays constant. It’s lovely!

But, now we miss it. And that is the problem. Turns out that however and whenever we travel we come to Kokomo at some meal time. And, for at least an hour on either side it’s the only place with any eateries.

Last weekend, heading north, Marcia and made a conscious decision to forego the by-pass and headed dead-smack into Kokomo’s sea of traffic lights. Cruised slowly by rhyming off the names of every eatery we spotted and finally turned into a parking lot.

Heading south a couple of days later – it was likewise.

We love Kokomo.

Pro-Seniors, Inc. – Most everyone I know has, at some time in their life, had to deal with a knucklehead, a ‘whack job’; the past little while I have had one of those characters in my life. Not much of issue. But, when some legal stuff throws a monkey wrench into the situation then it’s a “whoa Molly’ moment.

So, now it became one knucklehead (two if you include me) pitted against the other.

Simple dealing, but one which needed to be managed correctly.

There, on their ‘White Charger’ came the good guys; Pro Seniors, Inc. If the hair is white (as mine is) and you need some guidance on a myriad of issues, plus assuming your town has an equivalent agency – seek them out.

I had seldom been treated so professionally and offered such outstanding guidance. Aside from leaving their premises with new lightness in my step, I felt secure that for the time being the knucklehead had been vanquished (continuing the good guy/bad guy symbolism).

Contractors – are the first group I complain about. Unreliable and difficult to pin down come to the top of the complaint list.

Oftentimes I’ve been 100% correct with those observations. However, I need to rethink things a bit. Twice in a few months I’ve been corrected. In Canada it was Mr. Montpetit who did work for us. He communicated, he performed, and the quality could not have been better.

Now, at the condo we needed to rebuild the balconies on the building – one for each unit. And, yet again, we went and failed securing an array of contractors.

Then, I hit on a Tristan Carver. Young, full of energy, competent, communicates and discusses. In short order he had drawings complete and certified and he managed to fast-track the required City building permits. The very next day work was started – even though wettish and at freezing with gusty winds.

Seeing a young person work as diligently and be as proficient as he is give me more than hope for the future of our country, this as we are ready to jump into 2017.

Finis – Tomorrow evening will be the Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival at Christ Church Cathedral. And I hope that my fervent anticipation will not be for naught (notice how easily I just moved into an older version of English?). Next week I might even be able to discuss a bit about Dame Julian of Norwich (1342-1373). Aside from being a mystic she was also the first woman ever to write a book in the English language.

2017 is here, my ardent wish is that the year will continue to bring all those great things we experienced and grew with during 2016 – while quickly discarding all that was negative. Here is to health, to healing, to joy, to Peace, and to love and friendships throughout the coming year.

And, most importantly, Happy Birthday Marcia – much love.

Make it a great week everyone.

Cheers.

Dirk