“See the flaming log. Drink the tasty nog, by the warm fireplace.” (Eggnog aka milk punch.) [lyrics quoted from Warm Fireplace by Kibble])

Around the end of one year and the start of another, we look back on the year that just was and on toward the next on the podcast that started it all with us.

On KOP 2022 we return to our spots by a warm fireplace, this time with wine, and this year fire is even more of a running thread through things here.

We toast this time of year (with our friend The Stoker) with a brailled bottle of wine, (Kerry’s favourite, red), as we discuss highlights (and lowlights) from 2022.

These included Kerry’s 25-year kidney transplant anniversary which she spent hosting a new friend visiting from Ireland (the one who told her about the wine with the braille on it), one collaborative musical project which came to an end in 2022 for Brian while he continued to play more music with old friends as the scarier bits of life and reality came a little too close for comfort, and Kerry’s year of online elemental writing classes including water and air (class on fire for 2023).

From convoys to Covid, every year has its ups and downs. And while fire can be comforting, it can also be destructive. Still, we are grateful, after another year, that everyone involved is okay.

On this one we begin with a catchy parody tune about a warm fireplace, share a brief musical composition Kerry came up with on her new keyboard, and end with our annual “cassette clip” plus an additional clip: RIP Al (1955 to 2022).

Support the song Warm Fireplace by Kibble featured at the start of this episode by streaming or purchasing here:

https://alexreed.bandcamp.com/album/warm-fireplace

Learn how braille ended up on wine bottles:

https://vinepair.com/wine-blog/the-story-of-how-braille-wound-up-on-wine-labels/

Order a Purdys Braille Chocolate Box:

https://www.purdys.com/braille-box-18-pc

And check out Brian’s friend Matthew Martin’s song mentioned in this episode which was awarded second place in Aeolian Hall’s inaugural songwriting contest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrRBMTy9eso