BY MICHAEL SCHENK

So, I glanced at my key chain a few days ago, and lo and behold, I am really not sure what several of the keys do that I drag around with me along with my car fob (keys). I am sure they were quite important at one time or point in my life. So, my decision was to keep them just in case suddenly I remember what the heck they are for. I am sure it is not just me, right?

So, we struggle every December now with being decisive about decorating for the holidays. Do we go up to the attic and drag down our collection of Santas and wreaths and other Christmas knickknacks, or do we just avoid the effort? My roll, of course, is to bring down the containers and mostly stay out of the way, as par for the course, my idea of location, etc., is not going to the ultimate placement inside the house or out. I have a vision, and then there is reality.

So, is it just me? Why all of the sudden am I parking far to the right and therefore leaving a wide berth to the left? Why, suddenly, is this going on? But it is, even with all the technology my SUV has now. And while on this oddity, why, when I wear certain shoes, do I suddenly engage my hip in a new way and have all this pain? Is it just me, that now for my body dynamics, I need to wear only my New Balance shoes so my picky pants legs are happy legs?

But we did have company and a purpose for holiday decorating, and I did what I call a steak popup with friends a few days ago. Two bone-in ribeye steaks were done, not on the grill, but inside, as it was just too plain cold to go to the grill. It worked, and we had a blast just being with friends over the December holiday month. And, alas, we decorated just enough to feel like it was the Christmas season.

Is it just me, or do you have a hard time parting with a piece of clothing like I do? I finally had to call it the end for my Van Heusen 417 button-down stiped shirt. It was a friend for me for over 35 years, but frayed cuffs and collar were finally the end of a legacy for me. My boss – my wife – let me know the deadline for this action has really long ago passed.

So, our holiday season is all changed since our daughter’s dog has “happy tail,” which means she wags it so much and so hard it has ended up bleeding, and she has an open wound, and if they cannot solve the problem, the poor dog will need to have part of her tail removed. The short story is they cannot take the dog to a kennel over the holidays and go with us to Hilton Head, a somewhat traditional holiday spot. So as the song goes, “Happy Tails to you until we meet again,” or something like that.

My song on the rolodex this week is Billy Ocean “When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going,” an inspirational song to highlight and spur on perseverance. Words for many to reach deep for. Especially for my Detroit Lions!

See you around Ottawa County,

MPS