by Greg Koelker
So how many of you are going to stay up and watch the giant crystal ball drop in Times Square and kiss and toast in the new year tonight? Most of you of a certain age are not raising their hands I bet. My bride and I will have concluded New Year’s Eve services here by 10 PM at the latest. It was not always like that.
We got married on December 29, 1973. On our first New Year’s Eve as newlyweds in 1973-74, The band I played in, The GMC, was booked at the Holiday Inn in Winona, MN. At midnight we kissed in the new year, toasting and all that stuff. I made music almost every New Year’s Eve until the early 20’s after that. One night in the late 80’s I had New Year’s Eve off though. We were invited to a party at our old friends Barb and Greg Lenz’s in Cassville. Greg and I played in sandboxes and playgrounds on sandbars and later played Rock and Roll in high school gyms, bars, and bandstands many times over the years. We had so much fun. There were many friends there. Sadly, I tried to drink all the gin in Grant County. They ran out of sour, so I was mixing gin and Pepsi – ugh! I still shudder at the scent of gin. We were staying with Ellen’s folks in her brother Brian’s bedroom. I had to get him a new waste basket after that. I have never touched gin since.
Okay, let me breathe a moment to soften that memory.
So have you made any new year’s resolutions? I hadn’t really thought about that until just now. Feel free to use these if you wish. Here is a prospective list:
Eat better and less (I know that one never works; however, I did lose 55 pounds in the spring of 2020 with the help of Trulicity shots and Nutrisystems. Found 20 of them so far.)
Walk and exercise and dance more – my knees get a vote, so we shall see. Grow a garden again – we got the space and the time, so maybe.
Travel more – Colorado to see our mountain kids at least once and maybe Door County – Ellen has never been there?
Fish more – we just gotta do it.
Read more; this one is kind of cheating because I read a great deal now – it supports my napping schedule.
Draw and maybe paint more.
Build more bird houses and bird feeders up in the shop.
Pick up my guitar every day and strum a bit; I haven’t been lately. Maybe I should practice my harmonica too. Bo sings along sometimes.
Keep writing. Thanks to the Vernon Reporter, this one might get done.
There should probably be more. But why stress out, when the resolve gets more tenuous as the years get, well just more.
Until next time, get out – it is 32 outside this morning. We have some snow to clear and ice to melt yet. Charcoal grilling a butterball turkey today is on my list. We shall see. Happy 2026 to you and yours. May it be kinder than 2025. Peace.
Greg Koelker is a lifelong resident of the Driftless region and a proud member of the De Soto, Wisconsin, community. He is the acclaimed author of the “Grouse Hollow Journal,” a column that celebrates rural life, nature, family heritage, and the traditions that bind communities together. While technically focused on the “outdoors,” his writing often explores broader themes of community values and education.
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