MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

As 2016 draws to a close, it’s time for me to thank my readers for dropping by.

Over the course of the year, I’ve managed to serve up the following smorgasbord :

• a whimsical ride on the 3rd Avenue El in lost New York,
• a swig of Mr. Clean,
• strange investments, including one where yours truly played cowboy in the Kansas oil patch,
• a travelogue account of my trip to Lithuania and the Soviet Union in 1985 (complete with a speeding stop),
• an in-depth look at the Olcott family in the 1940s — way before my time,
• the sad passing of my Uncle Ed, alone in paradise,
• my Dad’s contribution to the America’s Cup,
• barnacle scraping — my favorite!  (and Geraldine’s!),
• my triumphs and hard times at Olcott International,

and heaps more!

And please don’t drink Mr. Clean!

The Bernard Olcott Story, in a way, continues to this day, even though Dad passed 10 years ago.

We all carry a bit of our folks inside us, mostly without realizing it.  One of my hopes in writing this blog is to install in you, the dear Reader, a greater awareness of them.  By recognizing exactly who they were — and are, deep inside — you are more at liberty to pick and choose what you want from them.  Desirable legacy, as opposed to the opposite.

You don’t have to choose all.  Why not pick the best and leave the rest?

Choice gives you options.  Believe me, you need all the ones you can grab.

This past year, the Bernard Olcott Story attracted readers from more than 90 countries (a pick-up from 70 last year), including Morocco, Azerbaijan, Italy, Israel, and Mexico.  Total views were up by 20% over the previous year.

New this year are some dedicated readers in Brazil — my 5th most populous country in terms of readers — to whom I’d like to say “Obrigado!”

This here cowboy would like to tip his hat and say “thank ya” for all the clicks, likes, and encouragements.

It’s amazing how much fun it is for a lake house full of liquored up adults to dress up a four year old boy in a cowboy costume.  I damn near shot everybody that day!

Christmas comes but once a year.  May yours be merry and bright.  Please accept my best wishes for joyful holidays everywhere — even in the face of terrible adversity.

Uncle Ed in front of the family tree in 1931, Jamaica, Queens, New York.

Next year, I expect to wrap up the Finest Escape of them all.

Even if the most important people in your life succumb to terrible illnesses, there are always ways to crawl out from disaster.

My next post will be on Thursday, January 5th, 2017.  See you then!