Holland

Holland, Michigan. Home of the Holland Tulip Festival, one of the 5 Best Places to Retire (Money 2006), known for one of the largest populations of Dutch descendants, Dutch Calvanists and Christian Reformed Church Followers and origin of BilMar Foods and co-founder William G. DeWitt. I celebrated New Year's Eve amongst the barely containable excitement of the Holland Country Inn. Yeah, it was crazy, they had oatmeal cookies in the lobby and they were gone in 60 seconds! Tomorrow, there's a strong probability I'll be passing Gerald R. Ford's (age 93) casket at the Grand Rapids Airport and will be missing his funeral by a day. The funeral and passing of Bill DeWitt (age 93) brought me here (I now only have one friend over 90 left Sister Agnes Ward in Minnesota). Coincidentally, BilMar foods at one time presented a turkey for pardoning to President Ford for Thanksgiving. Bill DeWitt was a devout christian and a very sweet man whom I developed a friendship with through Malinda's mom. His passing brought me to Holland - a place I probably would never have visited. It's funny how people can take you places whether they're still here or not. I like to believe that Bill wanted me to see the place he was from and that he kept me out of harm's way for New Year's Eve and that he'll get me home safe for the New Year. Tomorrow, I resume my normal, mildly sinful life, and my attempts to draw, eat, explore, connect, document, discover, while doing my best not to fall into disorganization and fragmentation. Bill was blessed that he did one thing and did it well - Turkey Farming. It's impossible for me to settle on a singular focus but I will make the multi-variable focus work although I might have to plump up my cerebral cortex to do it. Happy New Year Everyone!