One of my many high-minded principles has been – and continues to be for the second batch of a thousand – no first person singular. Sketches is not a journal.
But on this solemn occasion, I will break the principle. I will make a personal confession: I am no longer in the first flush of youth. Even my son, Tony, who serves as my conscience, editor, manager and blog-poster, is close to retirement age. I am so old that many of my contemporaries from my native city of Frankfurt, from my school in Cranbrook, Kent, from Cambridge, from my internment camps, from the University of Toronto, from the CBC, from York University, from music-making, from the literary world and from Couchiching are no longer available for consultation.
But in my dreams, they are, constantly and vividly. And the advice they give me, unless they appear in a nightmare, is to carry on.
I will follow their advice.
Another broken principle: I am – unashamedly – posting the picture of my great grandmother, Frau Dr. Regine Koch (1816–1898). It was discovered after her death that she was not the daughter-in-law of Napoleon, as she had good reason to assume all her married life. Unfortunately, the assumption was based on a misunderstanding.
Thank you for reading, and for responding.
Happy blogiversary, dad.
My heart-felt congratulations, Eric, may you post 1,000 more!
Congratulations Eric. I look forward with great anticipation to the next 1000 so that once again I can read something from you in the first person singular.
One of the most charming things I’ve read in a long time. I want to know more about your great-grandmother and her presumed father-in-law, and above all, the nature of the misunderstanding (pardon the first person singular).
Styra A.E ,
To thrive, I take a daily dose of Koch. Thank you Eric for engaging us with provocation and delight. Long may you reign! All readers of your blog should celebrate your achievement by eating a mille-feuille (a Napoleon) in your honour!
I must confess I don’t read them all, but so glad I did read this one. Happy whatever anniversary. May there be so many more.
Please carry on for thousands more. Just don’t keep uncharacteristically calm while doing so.
Cause for celebration indeed, Eric. I too would love to know more about your great- grandmama - and thank you for moments of real delight!
YOU GO!
Much happiness, Eric. If only I were dead! Then I could join the throng avidly advising you to carry on.
You remain my mischievous inspiration!
Professor, it was a great joy seeing you at York the other day and a privilege having your thoughts and sharing them.
I know you’ll keep being you - and for that I am grateful.
A Gazzillion Mazel Tovs!
To Eric …. this is truly a day to celebrate…Congratulations…and DO keep on writing…all the best from Fred and me.
Eric,
Congratulations from Lotus Land where your daily dose of wisdom, insight and knowledge feeds the spirit. 1000 reasons to celebrate more to come. All the very best,
Ron Devion, Brentwood Bay, Vancouver Island
Eric, many thanks for visiting with your daily gifts of wisdom, humour and anti-pomposity. Long may we share your salon!
So glad you are following the advice to carry on. Congratulations on your 1000th blog! I look forward to the next 1000.
Eric, we hope that instalment 1,001 will have more details on the Napoleon connection. Great stuff.
As the daughter of one of your old friends from internment camp, I appreciate the warmth and humour with which you approach the world. I’ll keep reading as long as you keep writing. Best from Robin and me.
Thank you for posting my great great grandmother, unknown to me until you introduced me to a whole new part of my family. I am an avid reader of your blog and look forward to reading many many more of your daily thoughts.
A thousand thanks for your thousand postings — and for your pledge to carry on!
I am overwhelmed! A thousand thanks to all of you!!!!
The Napoleon connection will be explained tomorrow.
Pace Catullus, Eric, ave sed non vale.
A blog a day keeps boredom away. You truly are an inspiration. Do tell more about Frau Dr. Regine Koch.
Congratulations Eric. You are still an inspiration to us all.
And I love ending the 1000th with a ‘teaser’ about Frau Dr. Regine.
Forgive my tardy response to this wonderful news. Believe it or not I was in an Internet free zone on the 9th and only just got back to civilization (as we now assume access to cyberspace to be). Heartfelt congratulations!
Beautiful post. Koch through and through. But 1000 more is setting the bar rather low, no? I would expect at least 2000. Your readership demands it.
Our family secrets…revealed!
Keep on blogging!
A reminder for those who would like more. The saga of Red Esther is charmingly disclosed in Chapter 5 of the delightful “I Remember the Location Exactly” (2006), Mosaic Press, by one E. Koch.