Should I begin by saying “Feliz Navidad” this Saturday morning? It was just announced in a news clip I came across that there are retail establishments with aisles decorated for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and – would you believe it – fully lit up Christmas trees. Let the Season begin (this with daytime temps in the mid-eighties)!

Anything to pull attention away from the slide into a recession, etc.

Morning Coffee Trivia: In 1953 (the year I arrived in North America) a guy by the name of Delbert E. Phinney of Seattle Washington invented the coffee-cup lid. It’s been stated that; “Coffee drinkers of the world will (would) be forever grateful.” Please tell that to my burned upper lip caused by the little opening in the ‘lidded’ coffee I purchased on my way home from the North Woods a week and a half ago.

A grand and classy grandmother left us this week. What was lost in a world of continuing chaos and mayhem (not only on our corner — see below) was the stability and continuity this lady exemplified. RIP Queen Elizabeth II.

In school in Toronto, on the day not long after her coronation, the new Queen came to visit Canada; we were each given a copper medallion inscribed with the details of the event. As a young lad having to walk home for a mile or so along a farm lined road I began tossing up and catching my medallion. All went well until it disappeared into the adjacent field. Searched for about half an hour; never did find my medallion.

That was my memory of someone who exuded both dignity and humanity. This same week I also caught a speech given by our ‘Veepness’. Think there is a comparison?

Now watch a minute of the exciting, motivational, and energizing words as offered by our Vice President:

Socialized Healthcare – for three weeks I was at our Northern Comfort place in the woods. It had been a long time so, with some eagerness, I visited with friends and neighbors. All of you probably know that when you get to be my age, often much of the discussion circles around health issues. These visits were no exception.

Canada has a government managed health care system. Here I could get off on some ‘screed’, but I won’t. I think the following Quote-of-the-Week will suffice:

”The essence of a government health care system – for people who have never lived under it and don’t know – is waiting, waiting, waiting. You wait for everything. You wait for years for operations that are routine in America” ~ Mark Steyn; author and radio/television presenter

California ‘Logic’: when a California gasoline ‘logic’ will possibly be implemented in our state, I will be ready. Of course I am making reference to the demand that gasoline and diesel engines be scrapped and only EV vehicles sold; all this in the very near future.

And, and this is the most critical part, the plan is to do so when rolling blackouts and AC shutdowns are the ‘modus operandi du jour’ [for Madame Kamala, this means; a method of functioning or working (at least for) today.] in that State

The attached photograph is of what will be my newly sourced replacement vehicle:

Fini –

• Question found on the internet shortly after seeing another SpaceX launch; if NASA launches a spaceship with only women as crew, will it be considered an unmanned flight?

• Even though it’s almost disappeared from our media, the Dutch farmer rebellion and protest is still very active. This past week the Dutch Agriculture Minister who was leading the radical Climate Agenda was toppled from his position

• Continuing with my Dutch ‘bits’. The Dutch city of Haarlem this past week became the first city in the world to ban meat advertising in public.

• Now that grandson Marin is working in the world of vertical farming, I bought some of their product at a nearby Whole Foods. Both Marcia and I were blown away. We had no idea that there would be such a taste difference and increased product longevity (although the little tomatoes disappeared in short order). Wow!

• Mid-week there was gunfire on the street running behind ours. Marcia heard it and with Shot Spotter the police had the exact location. Net result? Our street quickly had a number of cops ensuring that no ‘perp’ jumped a fence and thus come storming onto our ‘fiefdom’. The picture shows how our driveway was secured.

Ciao. Stay strong, stay involved, and stay happy. Later Marcia and I will be off to nearby St. Bernard for their St. Clemens festival and pig roast. Last evening we missed a performance by Stagger Lee. Today it’ll be Buzz Bin a high-energy all-90’s cover band. And, even better, I’ll be able to grab a beer and some Goettawurst.

Keep on storming the castle. Pray for Peace.

Dirk