Morning all; Saturday morning and 10-days before what seemed an eternity away last October 20th – it’ll be March 1st. It’s really HAPPENING! Our official harbinger of spring’s arrival!

 End of the road – is an reality; for everything. This week for me will be some kind of formal  notification as I celebrate (think; ‘march towards’) my birthday. This birthday has me ponder the iconic phrase by President Abraham Lincoln who started his Gettysburg Address with; “four score and seven years ago”. For me, I’ll be reminded that I am well underway clawing towards that number.

At Christmas time  – Kirstin introduced me to a book titled ‘A Beginner’s Guide to the End’ by B J Miller, MD and Shoshana Berger. It’s a wealth of understanding, a fount of knowledge, and easy to read. Whether we’re 20 or 80 we are all subject to the fragility of life itself. The book handles it.

The chapter on Hospital entry, processing, staying, and discharge is a beauty. Have an ‘easy-to-clear-up’ issue and it’s like going to a Fast Food restaurant and quickly emerge with a ‘Happy’ meal.

Need more and it becomes something like a top-of-the-line French place such as The French Laundry where the menu registers $$$$$. That place comes complete with a maître d’, a sommelier, wait staff, bar staff, sous chef, chef, dessert baker, busser, etc. Plus, a myriad of cutlery, glassware, and dishes; all with a specific function, all much more than merely baffling, overwhelming, and perplexing: hospitals are like that. The book gives you ‘hacks’ to make the process do-able.

What a great gift that was. I thought I’d share on the day after I updated my own Living Will.

This ‘shocker’ – hit our news cycle this week. Oh, the HORROR of it all:

Quotes of the week – for my Canadian friends and readers – and for thinking folk wherever.

”The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command” ~ George Orwell ‘1984’

And for anyone who needs a smile [read it carefully it is NOT a typo and it’s deeper than you think]:

”will Trudeau fidel while Canada burns?” ~ Scott Adams (creator of the Dilbert comic strip)

I’ve been asked why my focus on Canada? I love Canada, I love Canadians. We have property in Canada and we’ve lived in Canada. It is through a demagogue Prime Minister who functions little beyond that of an adolescent teenager that I’ve watched, almost in mere weeks, this great nation, devolve into an ugly statist system.

Exactly, what is it I’m talking about? This couple of minute Press announcement by Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister will explain. This is how her government is retroactively managing what had been a legal protest; initiated without any legislative sanction. A protest declared illegal retroactively by Canada’s current administration, on the basis of being publicly identified by the media, using stolen data from a fundraising website; all without a shred of direct knowledge of any violence.

Trudeau has launched a digital gulag whereby any Canadian citizen can be ‘erased’ without a shot being fired. It is also something of concern to all free peoples. Merely two months ago, no Canadian ever thought this could happen to them – with this ‘play’ bills can’t get paid, Credit Cards won’t function, ATM’s sit silent, and Savings accounts are locked! Totally OK and normal; in a free society?

Word of the week – For my friends in Canada as they watch their Government run rough shot over and negating their Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms comes this word:
“Hew” ~ the word has changed from shaping something to conforming or adhering to something, as to “hewing to the line”!
Quiz: Unscramble the letters LOPCMY into a word meaning to conform.

Fini –
• A week ago marked the anniversary – February 9, 1969 – of the Boeing 747 airliner. My absolute favorite to fly. The most special run was to Beijing, with brother Pieter where we had seats 1A and 1B. Marvelous – thanks again Pieter!

• Every so often Marcia tries to breach the subject with one of the grand-kids – to little avail. So, who remembers taking a ‘typing’ class in middle or high school?

• One more Ontario, Canada bit. Last week’s Super Bowl in LA’s SoFi center had it filled – most being maskless. Meanwhile it’s “illegal” to have more than 10 people in your home in Ontario.

• We had a Super Bowl party. It was an all-out food event. Amongst the edibles brought to the party was this from the Charcuterie tray brought by Marcia – the only bits left when everything ended. OK, what are you looking at? What in the world are these things anyway?

• Looking over on my desk I am reminded by Elon Musk’s words: “If you give yourself 30 days to clean your home it will take 30 days. But, if you give yourself 3 hours, it will take 3 hours.

• Back into a groove on my exercise program, walking, resistance workouts, and swimming. This was last Tuesday.

• Thursday we’ll be enjoying a dinner at Montgomery Inn (the Boathouse one for you aficionados). Can’t wait. Eating at the place is always a special joy!

Dinah won her indoor rowing race held this week. Fastest novice! Proud of you kiddo! Race held at the Boathouse as it is their winter training center (same as the place noted above)

Finally, this from Victor Hugo: “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”

Maybe I’ll next spend a little time working on the very special birthday gift from brother Pieter. Yes it’s a Rubik’s Cube, but instead of 9-tiles per side, this one has 25! It is also made up of photos from my past. On second thought, it’ll be better to just look at it some more.

OK, actually it’s now Tax time – the official end to 2021.

Proceed!

Best till next weekend.

Dirk