Classic Style

  T he wonderful and amazing Grand Duchess back in the car after an approximately 90-minute ski tour through the Michigan woods near our house.  Her warm-up attire here includes a vintage men's sweater by Dale of Norway complimented by a wool ski cap she purchased during a conference trip to Estonia in 2024.  We had a blast during our jaunt through the woods, during which we encountered no one else. Presumably because the temperature hovered just above 0 degrees Fahrenheit (about -17 C.) all day. Funny how physical exercise will keep even the face and nose warm though. Not to mention the hands and feet. -- Heinz-Ulrich

    A   shot of yours truly taken by the Grand Duchess after lunch in the yurt at Forbush Corner Nordic Center on Sunday as we headed back out toward some more challenging intermediate and advanced terrain a few kilometers further along the trail. Conditions were about as close to perfect as one can get.  Cold, plenty of snow with more falling throughout the weekend, and many winter smiles as one of my coaches up there refers to happy skiers.   And there were record numbers this weekend!  250+ adults on Saturday alone. Lots of families or parents, grandparents, children of various ages, and even babies being towed in Burley ski trailers (usually by the fathers) out on the trails and in the yurt for breaks on Saturday and Sunday, which suggests at least to me that cross-country/Nordic skiing is far from dying like some doomsayers moan.  It's doing quite well in Michigan at least.  Admittedly, our own trail adventures were not quite  The H...

First They Came  Pastor Martin Niemoller  First they came for the Communists  And I did not speak out  Because I was not a Communist  Then they came for the Socialists  And I did not speak out  Because I was not a Socialist  Then they came for the trade unionists  And I did not speak out  Because I was not a trade unionist  Then they came for the Jews  And I did not speak out  Because I was not a Jew  Then they came for me  And there was no one left  To speak out for me.

  A s the 2025-2026 Christmas and holiday season wind down, it's important to remember the power of thank-you.  Especially in an era when common decency and politesse seem to be in such short supply, at least on the public stage.  Thus, let's remember to take a few moments to write thank-you cards to those who remembered us with a gift, a party invitation, or some other form of kindness during recent weeks.  So, sit yourself down, and take a few minutes to jot down a small note of gratitude to friends, family, and acquaintances who thought of you in some way.  Unusual?  Yes.  Memorable?  Yes.  And the right thing to do even if almost no one else thinks to do it in 2026?  An emphatic yes. As always, let's do our best to be gracious, present ourselves well, and set a quiet example for others in our daily conduct and words.   Happy New Year everyone! -- Heinz-Ulrich