reflections

reflections

Last week end, April14-17, 2006 we traveled to Tallahassee, Fl. and spent the weekend at our daughter's house. It was a wonderful time. Deb was a most perfect hostess. She had one of her friends at our dinner out, and another at the dinner at her house the next night. At her house, she and her friend made super music on a dulcimer, and Deb's harpsichord. They are part of a small group who play folk music together, and they are great. The pictures below are at the dinner, and in Deb's living room. Our Grandson, Nathan, was not there. He is
in Pensacola where he is in college.

Our new Toyota Prius performed like a dream, 45 miles to the gallon!

At our Daughter's house the weekend of
our anniversary 

Marge, Debby, and I at our 58th
anniversary dinner 

reflections

reflections
Well we did it, traded the Lincoln town car, 2002 with 20,000 miles
for the toyota Prius. Since I will probably only drive about4-6000
miles a year, I guess I'm not making much of a statement. However,
I do feel we should as a nation face reality, and force ourselves to
break the Country's oil addiction,
RHD

Our brand new Toyota Prius, Mar 30, 2006
We took delivery today, 1st is Marge, 2nd is both of us
RHD

 

The following pictures were taken on the 2006 cruise
with Old Port Yacht Club friends. Mar 12-19, 2006
We went to the Dominican Republic, San Juan, Puerto Rico,
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and Nassau, the Bahamas.
As I have said below, we got started on cruising by
teaching bridge, and directing Duplicate games. But
now they are "on us".

Marge and friends on the street
at San Juan.



Marge and me on parade ground
of the biggest fort at San Juan. 

A row of medieval cannons at the
fort in San Juan, Mar. 2006
 

Scene at the dock at the Dominican
Republic, island of Hispaniola
Mar 12, 2006 from our stateroom
on the ship Infinity. 

Three of us on the deck of a
stateroom, on the Infinity
I'm the guy on the left.
RHD 

Nassau harbor as we were
leaving. Seven big cruise
ships were there Sat., Mar.18, 06 

Reflections really are just that. I'm afraid I gave the wrong message two days ago. Is the glass
half empty, or half full? The fact th at I can still run a duplicate bridge game, play pretty well myself, drive at night!, do a pretty good job of handling this machine, all these things are plusses.
These thoughts are not negative, but the very fact that I have them, sort of reminds me that I won't live for ever. Also, a big reason for these thoughts, is my wife. As I have said, she had a stroke, and may have the beginnings of Alzheimers. But we have found a medicine, Exelon, that
seems to have stopped the deteriation in it's tracks. We play bridge together, she's still driving,
and all in all is still pretty sharp, but not like the years in ours 50s and 60s. Again, stating these facts does not mean we anticipate an early grave, but we certainly want to smell the roses while we can!
RHD

a look at mortality

I often post to a site that has forums relating to WW II air war fare. I am active in the one devoted to Heavy bombers, I flew the B-24, a heavy bomber in WW II. Yesterday, a thread
was re-activated by a new question to an old thread. I had posted an answer 2 years ago, when I was 80! I surprised myself as I realized how clear, concise, and accurate my answer was then.
If I had answered it yesterday, the answer would have been vaque, and hard to understand.
I am afraid this made me aware of my mortality!
RHD

The three pictures below are from the eighties.
The sign was for one of my campaigns as city
councilman, Riviera Beach, Florida. I served
for 8 years. The picture of Marge in the balloons
was to portray a bubble dancer for a Halloween
party at Old Port Yacht Club. It brings back many
smiles. After we got her dressed, we discovered
she couldn't get in the car! So we had to pop enough
balloons to get her in the car. They then looked
like used condoms! She was the hit of the party,
and won first prize! The last is a picture
from the North Channel, we were cruising on
a chartered boat with Lynn and Joyce Stedman.
I put them on just because they bring back.
such great memories!
There will be more to follow.
RHD

cruising in the North
Channel, Georgan Bay
the 80s 

Marge as a bubble dancer 

Early 80s. Election sign. 

As I have said, we still play bridge about 3-4 times a week,
I hope this shows how important bridge has been throughout
our married life. more about sailing etc. later. The pictures
below are of one place we play. They were taken last Sunday.
We had 15 tables, which is about average for this time of the year.
This part of the country is a hot bed for duplicate bridge.
You can play twice a day, seven days a week if you want too!

Scene at Anchorage bridge club
while setting up.
Same scene after game has begun 

The pictures shown below are my attempt to show some of the life
style Marge and I have had since my retirement, 1987. The cruise
pictures were from the first cruises we took after retirement.
We started playing a lot of bridge, and Marge suggested I qualify
as a Duplicate bridge director with the ACBL, American Contract
Bridge Leaque, which I did about 1988. I sent resumes to the
various organizations that placed bridge directors on cruise
ships to give the passengers another way of enjoying themselves
while at sea between ports. I landed with "Travel with Goren"
and did about 20 cruises as bridge director. When the Goren
organization folded, I decided not to seek another contact,
but we were hooked! Since I quit going as a bridge director
and lecturer, we have done about 20 more cruises!!
It has been an important part of our life. We still play
a lot of duplicate bridge. However, Marge had a stroke
about 5 years ago, and her bridge is not as sharp as
it used to be. She is a silver life master, with over 1000
master points. I'm about 30 points away from 1000.
I hope this blog sort of keeps these years alive in
my memory. From time to time, I will be adding
pictures and comments, but not as much, and
not as fast.
RHD