#994 – Dick Bernard: Mr. Spock

Leonard Nimoy just died. I watched Star Trek and liked Spock, though it was not a cult-like fascination for me. It was a good show, with a short run, three season, about 1966-69, and Spock did stand out. (Coincidentally, those three years were among the most difficult, and transformative, years of my entire life.)
Unlike most vacuous stuff on television, Star Trek, even with a short run, has never died. Leonard Nimoy apparently is one of the main reasons it lives on.
Mr. Spock made sense. No drama.
Overnight came an interesting analysis comparing Spock, the U.S. Congress, and President Obama in the current and continuing bizarre theater that is the totally dysfunctional Congress we, the people, have elected. Succinctly, Congress would not star on Star Trek; President Obama is Spock-like.
The analysis is worth reading, and thinking about, and then getting into action in all the ways available to us. .
A few hours earlier came a cryptic Facebook post by someone I know very well. This is all it said: “You can oppose things all you want. Once we elect you, we expect you to stop them.”
I’ll say no more about the two sentence quote except, as I’ve already said, it is the entire message: no link, nothing more.
I think it is a commentary about national politics…and if so, I would completely disagree with its apparent premise (to me, at least): first win, then dominate. Never, never, never work together.
We all, by virtue of our vote, or non-vote, our action or inaction, elected and empower the clowns who are now playing with national power from their local power bases: the ones who think that, once in office, they can stop “them”, whoever, or whatever, “them” is.
There was a time when we were a “nation”, not a nation of individuals, who think that all that matters is to be in power, then we can show “them” who’s boss.
Time to bring back that nostalgia, and make it real.

#993 – Dick Bernard: "3 Sad Words…: My Father Died"

Related posts here, here, here and here.
My Dad died Nov. 7, 1997. Along with my sister, Flo, I was privileged to be there with him, at Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville IL.
He was a month and a half short of 90. Like my Uncle Vince, who died Feb. 2, less than a month after his 90th birthday, Dad had a rough run the last couple of months, and the last six months one could tell the train was on the tracks, and the destination inevitable.
A week and a half after Dad died I was in Chicago, at the O’Hare Hilton, for a conference. Sunday morning, November 16, 1997, I picked up a copy of the Chicago Tribune in a terminal coffee shop. Inside was a column by Mary Schmich, “3 sad words that virtually all face: My father died”: My father died 1997001
I’ve been thinking of this column a lot lately, in context with Uncle Vince, who never married, and was never a “father” in the biological sense of that word.
But in a greater sense he was, in a way, a Dad; just like a woman who never had children can very well be a Mom to somebody.
There were 28 nephews and nieces in Vince’s constellation (and his sister Edithe’s, too). We descended on the farm once in awhile for a visit, as the picture below illustrates.
(click to enlarge any photos)

At the Busch farm, probably 1949.  At left is Vincent, then 24.  Four of the Bernard kids on horseback.  Other two are likely cousins Ron and Jim Pinkney.  The man at right is unknown.

At the Busch farm, probably 1949. At left is Vincent, then 24. Four of the Bernard kids on horseback. Other two are likely cousins Ron and Jim Pinkney. The man at right is unknown.


My sister, Mary Ann, in that photo, recently remembered that Vince could be impatient around we kids.
Of course.
In that picture, she would have been seven, and I nine, and I can imagine that our bunch disrupted the normal day for everyone at the farm and, kids being kids, we probably were going places and doing things we weren’t supposed to do, and wanting attention.
But as time went on, and I made many, many visits to that farmstead, I came to learn that, indeed, Vincent became a “father” of a real sort, especially after my own Dad died.
Like all of us, the lessons were never dramatic.
Someone who wrote a note after the funeral simply called Vince “a common, caring man” (you can read some of these comments at the end of this post). I consider that a big compliment, but not the only one. He taught his lessons just by being, as we teach others around us, whether we want to or not.
I’m a much better person for having really gotten to know Vince well, especially the last 35 years or so of his life.
Vince, it can be said, showed up, not comfortable on the stage, but certainly on the court of life!
Six of his nephews and nieces preceded him in death. When the two most recent, a niece in 2012, then a nephew in 2014, died, even though his health and endurance was distinctly and rapidly failing, he wanted to go to their funerals. Both were wearing trips for him, but he was there.
The stories about him go on and on. He was quiet witness to a good man leading a good life, contributing in sundry ways to the communities of which he was part, including our family.
Yes, he fits my definition of “Father”….
Thank you letter to LaMoure, as printed in LaMoure Chronicle Feb 11, 2015: Busch Vince Chron 2-15001
Vincent at right, May 19, 2012, by the grave of his sister, Mary.

Vincent at right, May 19, 2012, by the grave of his sister, Mary.


June 3, 2014 at Tom's funeral

June 3, 2014 at Tom’s funeral


Vincent, as seen by others:
“…he was a true friend. Jerome and I enjoyed he and Edith when they sat at our table at Rosewood. God Bless his memory.”
Jerome and Darlene Rasmussen
“It has been a great honor to have known Vincent for so many years. He was a holy man, always obedient to our Lord. He showed us all a good example with his faith. We will miss him a lot.”
Norm and Sue Goehring
“Now we celebrate the life of Vincent!
What joy it is for our Lord when a life-long servant’s soul comes to him.
Volumes could be written of Vincent’s life.
I’m happy to have been a small part of his life.
He fashioned his life after the life of Christ. May we all imitate Vincent’s example.
Eternal Rest grant unto him O Lord and let Perpetual Light shine upon him!”
Kay (Schweitzer) Morehead
“Vince was a special person to know. I’ll bet Edith and he are putting in God’s garden already.”
John and Jackie Cisinski
“We are so sorry at the loss of Vince. We are neighbors of Vince and Edith, and were lucky to have them as friends. Vince was a good man – honest, hard-working, and very giving. We are thankful we knew him.”
Alvin and Diane Wold
“He’s probably got a whist game going on now.”
the Montgomery’s
“Vincent will remain in our memories. He was a wonderful person, He will be missed.”
St. Rose Care Residents and Staff
“Vince was a very faith filled person. He was often at weekday Masses and had a great love for Jesus.
We really appreciated his great voice in our Choir and throughout the Church.
He’s a good example of the common, caring, man.
May he have eternal peace in Heaven with Jesus.
God Bless his Memory.”
Jim and Kathy Potts
“Prayers and thoughts of all of you. I love the thought there is a reunion being planned – or even held for the Busch family now.
Lines from an old hymn came to my mind when I was notified of Vincent’s death
”What a day that will be,
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand,
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.”
May Vincent’s welcome be so glorious. “
Rosi Zimbleman
“He represented a generation of strong willed hard working people that collectively built this country to the standard of living we have today. “
Doug Schmitz
“May he rest in peace. As happened when your dad Henry died, at the exact time of Vinces death I was singing profoundly religious music – Vivaldi’s Gloria. He was in my heart. In our last phone conversation, he was interested in trying lentils, he had never eaten a lentil…that wonderful quality of wanting to experience new things…so fishing and lentils too.
Thank you for your stalwart stewardship of our kin…I appreciate that in the early 80s you invited me to visit Vince and Edith and the beauty of them and the farm in many seasons became a source for renewal and heimat, a rare and precious preserve.”
Mary Busch.
“Was so glad I visited Uncle Vince this summer. What a wonderful person. At the restaurant by the ball field, learned about Vince’s love of baseball. We had a chance to talk about it. So much of his life was devoted to work. Baseball gave him the opportunity for time with friends. What a remarkable heritage we have been given.”
Georgine Busch
“In talking with my kids, they all remembered Aunt Edith and Uncle Vincent very well. Our family was very lucky to see them in Valley City at Mom’s apartment. They would drive up, or we would drive down for a day visit to Berlin.
Some of the memories we came up with:
Vincent loved to eat lots of strawberry jelly on his bread. It was a new jar every time, whether there was an open one was in the fridge. Mollie didn’t see that in our house.
Always up for fishing at the James river or Lake Ashtabula. He would have worms and off they went. Once, Vince said worms were good to eat, so Joe tried one. Vince, and my Dad laughed so hard. Vince got laughing and could hardly talk. I was having a fit, they let him eat a worm.
Carrie was in ND with my mom for a few days. She was probably around twelve. Mom, Edithe and Vince took her to the Peace Gardens. Vince took all these pictures at every stop. Getting ready to leave, Vince realized there was no film in the camera. So Carrie went through the Peace Garden sites again to take do overs.
Bill says Vince was such a nice guy. They could always talk about fishing and the Twins. They were always partners for pinochle.
He was a very good Uncle to me. I only got upstairs once in the old house. I remember two rooms. I was young and Mom and I slept with Edithe.
Great card games, meals, and they were always so happy to have company. Loved the produce and apples. I still have the double boiler and cream and sugar set they gave us for our wedding.
Also, my kids thought they were married to each for a long time, before they learned they were brother and sister. Too funny. They were a good team!!!
Have a good day.”
Mary Jewett
Aunt Edith's burial May 20, 2014, St. John's Cemetery, Berlin ND, where Vincent was alsoburied Feb 10, 2015

Aunt Edith’s burial May 20, 2014, St. John’s Cemetery, Berlin ND, where Vincent was alsoburied Feb 10, 2015


Comment from Anne: This piece makes loss and grief seem almost light. They float and rise on the human character expressed in so many kind and loyal words of love. A tribute of seemingly common content exposing a rare being. As I read it I began to hear the words inside my head spoken in a soft male voice. I thought your uncle Vince was reading to me! Sometimes death is less an end and more of a conclusion.
Comment from Annetta: I would say I am sorry for the loss of Vince. I will instead say thank God for the gift of him in your life and you in his. You made his journey one of amazing grace. And he taught grace in the way he lived. What a gift. The loneliness will be the loss of his physical presence.

#992 – Dick Bernard: Valentine's Day, today and yesterday.

Early 1900s Valentine from the Busch farm.

Early 1900s Valentine from the Busch farm.


Thursday our 15-year old grandson (aka “the kid” and “hi guy” to me) was over for pizza. Grandma took him home (he lives nearby) and after returning she related a brief story.
He wanted her to go the gas station and the reason came out, after a little prying, about why: he wanted to pick up some candy for a girl for Valentine’s Day. “Don’t tell”, he instructed, specifically referring to his parents.
I haven’t heard how this all went on Friday. I think Grandma was a little jealous; some other girl had entered the kids life.
So is how it goes. We’ve all been there, done that, and there are doubtless sweet or funny stories about that first awkward move towards the first venture towards a possible relationship.
Of course, just a few days after Uncle Vincent’s funeral, I remain in a nostalgic mode, relating to the North Dakota farm, following the recent death of my uncle.
That place has been a treasure trove of artifacts from the past.
Some years ago, I borrowed the tin container chock full of old postcards, and brought them home to classify and scan them for posterity. The article I wrote about them is here*. There were Valentine’s back in the early 1900s. One of them is at the beginning of this post. Here’s another:
To Verena from Stella, early 1900s.

To Verena from Stella, early 1900s.


But the focus for me, this day, is another old piece of paper I found just days ago; another item lurking amongst the items in the old desk Vince and Grandpa used. You can read it here: Busch 62nd Anniv 1967002001
It is not known who wrote this draft of (perhaps) an announcement for the local paper in LaMoure, but it is most likely that it was submitted before March 17, 1967, less than two weeks after the anniversary, when Grandpa Busch died suddenly at home, the story being that he was coming up from the basement with some eggs for breakfast. Vincent at the time was 42 years old; his sister Edithe was 47; and Grandma would live five more years, dying in 1972.
I don’t know if there were “sparks” (or Valentines) in Grandma and Grandpas history, which led to their marriage, at ages 24 and 21, Feb. 28, 1905. Their families lived on adjoining farms in rural Wisconsin near Dubuque, and it was not uncommon in those days for the parents to have some say in who or when someone married someone else.
Whatever the case, as the story tells, they came to strange and uncrowded country far from their home in Wisconsin, raised 9 children, and lived a very long life together.
“The kid”, apparently, has started to notice girls, and is starting down the road that adolescence brings to us all.
I wish him well.
Happy Valentine’s Day!

#991 – Dick Bernard: A fine goodbye to Uncle Vince

Related post here.
(click photos to enlarge)

At the Busch farm, probably 1949.  At left is Vincent, then 24.  Four of the Bernard kids on horseback.  Other two are likely cousins Ron and Jim Pinkney.  The man at right is unknown.

At the Busch farm, probably 1949. At left is Vincent, then 24. Four of the Bernard kids on horseback. Other two are likely cousins Ron and Jim Pinkney. The man at right is unknown.


Tuesday, February 10, 2015, showed little promise in Lamoure ND. Overnight a light coating of new snow was being covered by freezing drizzle, and our funeral procession with Uncle Vincent was to go down gravel country roads for near 10 miles for a look at the farm where he lived most of his 90 years, thence down those same roads to Berlin ND, to St. John’s Cemetery.
It didn’t look very promising.
But all went well: a very nice funeral Mass. The funeral procession went off without a hitch; a good farewell at the cemetery; thence back to the Church hall for the traditional lunch.
I thought to myself, what would Vince have to say about this weather. Well, probably he’d say, “we need the moisture”. His life, after all, was farming, and so far this winter it’s been fairly dry out there on the prairie.
Back to town and maybe 25 of us had lunch, followed by reminiscences.
Who was this man, Vincent?
One needs to have been in the room to really catch the sense of the gathering as we remembered Vincent in story after story. I got lucky, and got one photo that, for me at least, sums up the sharing time:
At the post-funeral lunch for Vincent, Feb. 10, 2015

At the post-funeral lunch for Vincent, Feb. 10, 2015


One of us reminded Pat (at right) of a story.
Pat, a neighbor farmer, related that he’d been helping Vince with something one day, and at some point Vincent appeared with a little lunch: a sandwich. Pat accepted the gift readily, and took a large bite.
The inside of the sandwich was sliced raw onions and nothing else.
Vincent was proud of his onions.
A surprised Pat simply ate the sandwich.
The room erupted in laughter.
Edithe and Vince August 1998

Edithe and Vince August 1998


As is true in such settings, one story begat another, and the essence of our relative, friend and neighbor began to flesh itself out.
Vincent was as he was; as we all are, unvarnished representatives of humanity.
There were a number of short eulogies in that hall on Tuesday.
One person, not there, sort of caught Vincent for me in an e-mail received a week earlier: Vincent “represented a generation of strong willed hard working people that collectively built this country….”
I read this to the group, and there were nods of acknowledgement.
Vincent represented every one of us in one way or another.
My sense was that we could have gone on with stories for a much longer period of time, but all good things must end, and we went our separate ways.
One story I wanted to relate was also sent to me some time before the funeral, indeed, before Vincent passed away.
Cousin Jerry related he “had a great memory of visiting the farm and sharing a room with Vincent” when Jerry was perhaps five, and Vincent about 30 years of age.
“[Uncle Vincent’s] night-time prayers on his knees by the bedside really impressed”.
For me, that little phrase sort of sums up how Vince impacted others: Uncle Vince never married, but to all of us cousins (and others, I’m sure), in one way or another, he conveyed little lessons that impacted on each of our lives.
There were 28 of we nephews and nieces who on occasion visited that farm, and we were probably more nuisances than useful, but in their own ways Uncle Vincent, Aunt Edithe and Grandma and Grandpa taught us in one way or another.
Each of us do the same, often not knowing our impact on others.
I’m certain Lamoure County is the better for Vincent Busch having been part of it for 90 years.
As one person said in a condolence note, Vincent is probably now organizing whist games in heaven…and I wouldn’t doubt that a bit! And his sister, Edithe, is right there at the table.
Uncle Vincent, St. John's Cemetery, Berlin ND Feb 10, 2015

Uncle Vincent, St. John’s Cemetery, Berlin ND Feb 10, 2015


Vincent and Edithe, October 25, 2013.

Vincent and Edithe, October 25, 2013.

#990 – Dick Bernard: A Reflective Time

(click to enlarge)

Feb. 5, 2015, Room 111 at St. Rose

Feb. 5, 2015, Room 111 at St. Rose


Uncle Vincent died Monday evening February 2. I wrote briefly about his death here. His funeral is on Tuesday in Lamoure. Details are here. The photo used there is one I took of him almost exactly a year ago at his sister, Edithe’s, funeral on Feb. 15, 2014. The one that people will see in the folder at the funeral Mass on Tuesday is of he and Edithe Oct. 25, 2013, couple of weeks before he joined her in the Nursing Home; and 3 1/2 months before she died. (That photo is at the end of this post.)
They lived together on the home farm for all but the last few years of their entire life. Nine children were born and raised there, and Vincent is the end of the line for “the Busch place” of Berlin ND. So is how it goes. There are lots of nephews and nieces, but we live all over creation.
There will be stories of course, some told on Tuesday. Others in other conversations.
My sister Mary and I went to clean out Vincent’s room last Thursday, reducing all of the possessions to a large box and some garbage bags. St. Rose provided a handcart to remove the possessions and as I was making my second and final trip a couple of staff opened the door for me: “Isn’t this as it always is: an entire life reduced to a few garbage bags….”
They see this trip quite often, of course. In one way or another, for all of us, it is the same. What we struggled for in this temporal life suddenly becomes irrelevant to us.
One of the possessions in the room was Vincent’s desk (pictured above), which I kept “off limits” till he died. It was important to him. It yielded an immense amount of stuff, which I have now been going through, piece by piece, to be sure that something of importance is not in hiding there. There are the usual questions, of course: “Why in the world did he keep THAT?” “Why is that pliers in here?” “Should I keep that 1987 fishing license?” And on and on.
Then there’s other stuff: an official document of a report on a U.S. Patent received by my grandfather Ferdinand Busch in 1925 for a “fuel economizer”. I knew Grandpa had a couple of Patents, in the 1950s, but had never heard of this one. It’s Number 1,541,684 if you’re interested. It expired in 1942, and already in 1925 many similar devices were being invented, so don’t presume you’ll get rich on it!
That this treasure appeared was not too much of a surprise. This desk had been Grandpa’s before, and had a very long history, perhaps going back to he and Rosa’s arrival on the ND prairie in 1905.
A folded and brittle piece of paper appeared in the pile of flotsam from the desk. It was from 1915 – 100 years ago – and was a detailed report on fundraising for the new St. John’s Church in Berlin (which closed in 1968). It was a single page listing of who contributed what to the construction of the church, and it appears from the pattern of contributions that the church was paid for in cash, $3,419.85. You can see the sheet here: Berlin St. Johns 1915001. It’s an important part of local history, perhaps inadvertently saved, but saved nonetheless.
Before we took down the pictures on Vince’s walls, I took photos (of the desk, and the other walls). Now, those things on Vince’s wall deserve the attention. What you see there is what was important to him….
On the way out of town, we stopped at the gas station and Mary Ann overheard an older guy (probably my age) talking to some of his buddies in a booth. They had seen the on-line obit, and he said: “I didn’t think Vince was that old.”
Maybe they’ll be at the funeral on Tuesday.
Vincent and Edithe and all of the family from rural Berlin are at peace.
For the rest of us, live well, but don’t forget the garbage bags who somebody will use when it’s your turn!
Feb 5, 2015 Rm 111 St Rose

Feb 5, 2015 Rm 111 St Rose


Feb 5, 2015, Rm 111 St Rose

Feb 5, 2015, Rm 111 St Rose


Vincent and Edithe, October 25, 2013.

Vincent and Edithe, October 25, 2013.


COMMENT
from Annelee, Feb 8:
I just read “MY Uncle Vince”you revealed much of the love you had for him — it touched me deeply.
The photos also gave me a glimpse of what kind of man Uncle Vince was. Warm and honoring the past, but living in the present.
When you wrote about the garbage bag — being part of the end of one’s life —that is only part of what happens.
I will always remember (until I die) what my papa said to me as we hugged for the final time before he left.
As he turned away and left I called out, “Papa, Papa, please don’t leave me just yet!”
I still can remember him standing there, he looked at me with so much love and he said, “Anneliese, I will never leave you.”
“But Papa”, —-
“Anneliese” he broke in, “ you will remember what I said and you will do things like I taught you. You see, I will be with you more than you know.”
He kicked a solitary tree trunk and walked away without looking back.
He was mot even 41, he is gone for more than seven decades. But I still remember these words, —
I taught much to my children of what he taught me. I told them about Papa —what I remembered.
So you see, Papa and all he owned is gone —but he is still with me in memories — and he will be with Roy [my son] because I tried to instill
the values my Papa taught me—in him.
Love and blessings Annelee
response from Dick: Annelee is our dear friend who I’ve known since 2003 when I learned of her book, War Child. Growing Up in Adolf Hitler’s Germany.
Her Dad and Mom refused to be part of the Nazis and as a result, he was drafted into the military engineers, and after the last visit home she describes above, her Dad went with the Germans into Russia and was never heard from again. They believe he died somewhere in Russia, but are not sure.
She will be speaking several times in the Twin Cities this spring, the next on March 8 at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum in Minneapolis.

#989 – Dick Bernard: Uncle Vince

A few hours ago the phone rang here at home.
The call was from St. Rose Nursing Home in Lamoure, ND. The message very simple: my Uncle Vincent died a few minutes earlier, at 7:15 p.m., CST, February 2, 2015.
Thence began the task shared by thousands of others yesterday: passing the word.
There is no need for details now. Those can come later.
Uncle Vince was unique, as is every single person who dies anywhere, for any reason.
The ritual and the eulogy will come later.
For now, here and here are a couple of collections of statistics on U.S. and World Deaths.
Uncle Vince is at peace.
Vince loved singing. The last song he heard, I hear, was the Nursing Home Chaplain’s rendition of “Amazing Grace“, sung by his bed, in his room.
I’m pretty sure that, for Vince, there could be no better concert, ever.
Take your pick from many renditions of Amazing Grace, here.
(click to enlarge photo)

Vincent and Edithe, October 25, 2013.  Edithe was Vince's older sister, and died almost exactly a year ago, February 12, 2014, just two doors down from where her brother died Feb. 2, 2015

Vincent and Edithe, October 25, 2013. Edithe was Vince’s older sister, and died almost exactly a year ago, February 12, 2014, just two doors down from where her brother died Feb. 2, 2015

#988 – Dick Bernard: Groundhog Day: Crepes, la Chandeleur, les Marmottes. Some variations on a general theme….

Today, at least in the U.S., the latest generation of the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil out in Pennsylvania is rudely awaken from his winters nap to predict the rest of winter.
Some years ago, my Dad shared a ca 1920 story about my grandfather and a pretender to Phil in Grafton ND. A previous post tells this story. (You can read the original of that story in Chez Nous at page 442 here (scroll down to access to archives section.)
This year, some variations on the theme entered my personal sphere, as la Chandeleur, and les Marmottes, and Candlemas Day.
These revelations came to me in a round-a-bout way just a few days ago, beginning when Francois Fouquerel, modern-day French Voyageur par excellence at Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji MN sent a brief e-mail to a few of us, all active in advancing the French-in-America heritage in all its manifestations:
Francois: “On the 15th Pierre talked about a social event for February and I mentioned La Chandeleur as a possible theme. It is on February 2nd so there was enough time to prepare for an event this year.
In France the tradition is to eat crêpes. From what I can find in North America the celebration has joined the German and English traditions around groundhogs (les marmottes).”
Francois provided three links, here, here and here, to give more information.
This led to a brief response from one of the correspondents, Jane: “I think that Chandeleur is connected to an ancient European and Catholic church holiday called Candlemas.”
Francois: “oui”; Pierre: “you are right”.
Candlemas?
I had heard the word “Candlemas” before, even knew how to spell it, but that’s about all.
The next day, in an entirely different context, I had lunch with a story-telling friend, Larry, who happened to mention that his family celebrates the gift-giving part of American Christmas on Ground Hog Day – “there are fewer distractions, and besides its less expensive” he said.
It was the first time I’d ever heard of such a thing. I know Larry, of Norwegian descent, is a practicing Christian of one denomination or another, and I mentioned Candlemas day to him, thinking it must be somehow related to Christianity, but not sure. I seem to recall he’d heard of it, and said that, like Ground Hog Day, it celebrates the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and Vernal (Spring) Equinox.
Out to North Dakota to visit my Uncle in the Nursing Home, and I mentioned the story to Delvin, a retired English teacher who’s a licensed Nursing Assistant in Uncle Vince’s wing. The topic fascinated Delvin, who remembered reference to Candlemas Day in Shakespeare, I believe he said. But for him, it hadn’t gone much beyond the word, and yesterday he asked me again about it.
So, on this years Ground Hog/la Chandeleur/Candlemas Day, I give you a little definition of Candlemas. Here are many more possible links.
NBy the time you see this, you’ll have heard what Phil has to say about the rest of winter….