On The Go: 2003 - 2008                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                            

09/17/2018

   

ON THE GO:  2003 thru 2008

February 2003 Don's left Quad  On February 27, 2003 we flew to Florida for two months of tennis and bridge.  At 9 am on the 28th Don had a tennis match.  In warming up, he hit the ball over the net twice, and reaching for the third to his backhand, slipped, and tore his left quadriceps tendon off the patella.  Two weeks later he was operated on, and six weeks after that tossed his second cast away and started six months of therapy.  A bummer.  Karen visited us. We also visited Dulcy and her twin sister Doris in Ft Myers and their brother Art Burton and his wife Irene.               

Don in his cast            Karen in Florida        Don, Art Burton, Dulcy Stark    Art, Dulcy, and Irene

San Francisco, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island  June 2003  In June 2003 we went to SF to visit son David and family for four days.  We then spent two weeks in Canada. The first three days in Vancouver were in Vancouver attending an actuarial meeting, visiting all the gardens, and dining at the top of Grouse Mountain.  We then took a ferry to Victoria, staying at the Empress, taking afternoon tea, and visiting the world famous Butchart Gardens.  We then drove up the 300 mile coast of Vancouver Island, stopping first at the lovely Tigh-Na-Mara Resort.  We then drove to Port Hardy where 15 or more bald eagles soared by the deck outside our room at the Glen Lyon Inn.  The next morning we took a 15 hour ferry up the inside passage to Prince Rupert.  Terrific scenery.  We slept in our cabin and did the return trip the next day.  We again stayed at the Tigh Na Mara Resort before crossing to the west side of the island where we stayed at the fantastic Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino.  We went on two boat trips: whale watching and bear watching.  On the latter we saw black bears lifting rocks along the shore at low tide to catch fish.  We drove back to Victoria and took the Clipper to Seattle, stopping for whale watching (orcas) and at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

Empress Hotel      Don and Mary in BC     Bald Eagle     Black Bear    Wickaninnish Inn     Orcas

New York City December 2003  We went to NY City for five days and saw four shows: Wicked, Little Shop of Horrors, Thoroughly Modern Millie, plus the Rockets with Amy and Aleksey the last day, a Sunday.

California & Tahoe March 2004  On March 12, 2004 we flew to SF and spent time with David, Shelley, Owen and Kyle.  We watched David parasail, went whale seeking (no luck) near the Farallon Islands, and had lunch near San Francisco where we went to a zoo type safari.  Don took a train thru the Sierras on March 18 to play in a National Bridge tournament in Reno for ten days.  Mary flew to Florida on March 22, 2004 and Don followed after skiing with David at Sugar Bowl near Tahoe one day.

Florida April 2004  We had a nice April in Naples, FL.  Karen, Ryan, Sara, and Caitlin visited for a week and Don played bridge in Miami part of that week. 

Ireland May 2004  On May 4, 2004  we drove to Sudbury, MA, and Karen took us to Logan Airport in Boston.  We flew to Dublin, Ireland and toured with Stan and Harriet Joseph until May 14.  We were in Dublin two days, staying two nights at Clontarf Castle.  We then visited the beautiful Powerscourt House and Gardens on our way to the Granville Hotel in Waterford.  On Day 4 we visited Waterford Crystal Factory and had lunch at the terrific Ballymaloe House in Cork before going to Blarney Castle.  The next three nights were spent at the Assolas House in Kanturk.  We toured The Dingle peninsula on Day 5 and the Killarney lakes and mountains on Day 6. On Day 7 we took the ferry at Tarbell ending up at the Ardawn B&B  in Galway.  We were in Connemara on Day 8 and stayed at the lovely Cashel House with its gorgeous rooms and gardens.  On Day 9 we visited Kylemore Abbey and Gardens and took a boat trip through Ireland's only fjord and stayed at the expensive overrated Ashford Castle.  On Day 10 we dropped our Hertz rental at Shannon and flew back to Boston. 

Here are three albums:  Album 1   Album 2   Album 3  plus specific pictures                                          Molly Malone       Guinness         Blarney Castle                                                                                               Cashel House     Cashel House Bedroom                                                                                                     Irish Coast           Cliffs of Moher     Fjord       Ashford Castle

Mary is 70 June 2004  On June 26, 2004 we celebrated Mary's 70th birthday.  The party was held at the lake under a 30x30 foot tent, with a caterer and a DJ.  Lots of fun.  Here are some pictures: PICTURE FILE,   Family   Extended Family   Grandchildren  Tent  Singers    Karen & Don   Cake                 Dancers:  Don & Mary   David & Eric   David & Karla  David & Shelley   Connie & Owen   Izzumi, Kevin, & Mia      Karen Cindy Harriet     Nuts on the Float  Allison Chris & Simon   David & Amy   Aleksey & Zach    Eric Cindy & Alexei          Don & Izzumi    Beebe Pond  Lake House

Connecticut August 2004  On August 20, 2004 Amy hosted a family gathering at her home in West Hartford, Connecticut.  Tim Owens took this picture.        Family.

Sun Valley Idaho February 2005  We spent a week at Don's favorite ski area: Sun Valley, Idaho.  We stayed with Stan and Harriet Joseph at their condo in Elkhorn. They are about to move into a fantastic home they are having built. Here are some pictures of Don and Stan's skiing buddies.                          Don in Red, Don in BlueYalcin Okaya, Jack Cowan, & Stan Joseph. Don in 1981.

Otto Kinsel died March 2005  Don was playing bridge in Pittsburg when Ralph called and told him Uncle Otto had died.  So, instead of flying east, Don rented a car and drove to Sandusky, Ohio on March 20, 2005 and stayed with Ralph and June.  Don helped Ralph hang some sheetrock the next day and then went to the Harris Funeral Home in Bellevue that evening.  The funeral was at 10 am the next morning at St John's Lutheran Church in Bellevue, followed by the burial in Union Cemetery in Oak Harbor, Ohio.  Otto was born on January 23, 1909 and died on March 17, 2005. He was the youngest in Don's mother's family and last survivor.  Uncle Otto was 96 years old.

We returned to the church for a luncheon.  Always good to see relatives: Otto's sons Bruce and Paul, Bob and Carol Kinsel, Bob and Lee Hetrick, Art and Irene Burton, and Reverend Richard Sutter.  We returned to Sandusky and hung more sheetrock.  On March 23, 2005 Don drove 175 miles back to the Pittsburg airport for his flight to Burlington, Vermont.  (The airline permitted Don to change the date of his flight...but not to fly out of Cleveland instead of Pittsburg.

Sicily and Sorrento May 2005  On May 5, 2005 we flew from Boston to Palermo, Sicily.  Don's luggage did not arrive and it caught up with him at the Naples airport eight days later. We used one  week to drive around the edge of Sicily visiting Greek and Roman ruins in Segesta, Selinunte,  AgrigentoSiracusa,  and Taormina  We liked the towns of Erice and Taormina (where we had lunch at the Timeo Hotel) high on hills.  We rode the cable car up Mt Etna before taking the ferry across the Straight of Messina to the mainland.  We stopped one night in lovely Maratea on the way to Sorrento, where we spent a week at Hotel Settimo Cielo.  Our balcony overlooked the harbor and across the bay we could see Naples and Mount Vesuvius.  We drove the beautiful Amalfi Coast and had lunch in Positano at the San Pietro Hotel.  We also visited Naples and Capri by hydrofoil.  We booked a bus tour  to Pompeii and Vesuvius and followed by a train to Herculaneum on our own. We took a hydrofoil to Naples to visit the Archeological Museum to see the artifacts removed from Pompeii and Herculaneum and then took a two hour sightseeing tour on a double deck bus.  At lunch, Don was directed to the toilet and as the light was poor, thought he was walking down a corridor but stepped into a stairwell falling eleven steps bruising his right side: forearm, hip, knee, and right instep.  Lucky that's all the damage.  Limped for three days.  After relaxing a day in Sorrento, we took a bus to the Naples airport and found many were on strike and most flights cancelled.  Alitalia put us on a 2.5 hour bus to Rome...but we were too late for our flight and spent the night at the Marriott near the airport and flew home a  day late. Capri and Blue Grotto.

We loved our hotel, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Herculaneum, and Pompei.  We only needed our rental car in Sorrento for the Amalfi  Coast drive so we did that the first day.  I then took the rental car to the Avis off and dropped it.  The lady came out and looked at the big scratch on the left side and I showed where it was shown on the rental agreement.  She then pointed to a dent on the other side of the car and I again pointed to the rental agreement.  Next she laid down on her back on the street in front of the car and pointed to little pebble scratches on the metal plate under the bumper.  I said this is ridiculous - just normal wear and tear.  She said its not shown on the rental agreement.  I said that's crazy.  I won't pay.  She said: no problem, you have insurance.  I said fine.  She said there is a $50 filing fee.  I said I won't pay it.  She said no problem: we have your credit card.  I surrendered.

Photos from Italy:  1 Palermo   2 Erice   3 Agrigento   4 Siracusa   5 Mazzaro & Taorimina       6 Marratea   7 Sorrento  8 Amalfi Coast  9 Pompei & Vesuvius  10 Capri  11 Herculaneum     12 Naples  13 More Sorrento  14 Near Rome Airport

Mount Defiance & Ft Ti September 2005  On September 21, 2005 Don and Mary took the 3 minute ferry across Lake Champlain at Larabees Point and drove the one mile road to the top of Mount Defiance, where General Johnny Burgoyne had a cannon dragged to the summit.  This made the situation untenable for the American General St. Clair...who vacated Fort Ticonderoga in the middle of the night.  The British caught the Americans the next morning and a successful rear guard action at the Battle of Hubbardton on July 7, 1777 saved the main body of the army which defeated Burgoyne at Saratoga a month later.  Here are pictures of Fort Ti and of the narrowing of the lake between Fort Ti and Mount Independence.

Woburn, MA (September 29, 2005) - U.S. Genomics today announced that Dr. Duncan Whitney joined the Company's management team as Vice President of Research and Development.  Dr. Whitney will spearhead new and existing efforts in the Company's single molecule technology, which directly detects and quantitates individual molecules of miRNA, DNA, RNA, and proteins without the need for amplification. 

 Duncan brings significant scientific and product development experience to the Company.  Duncan will play a key role in the development of additional applications for the Trilogy 2020 platform as we accelerate our commercialization efforts, said John J. Canepa, acting Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Genomics.  Duncan's success in driving research and development at EXACT Sciences Corporation and other emerging life science companies makes him an excellent addition to our team.

 Prior to joining U.S. Genomics, Dr. Whitney served as Vice President of Technology for EXACT Sciences developing DNA diagnostic assays for cancer screening.  Previously, he held senior management positions at Molecular Geodesics, PerSeptive Biosystems (now Applied Biosystems, Inc), and Polaroid Corporation.  Dr. Whitney earned his PhD in Polymer Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Chemistry from Colby College.

 U.S. Genomic's technology has the potential to revolutionize how scientists perform life science research and I look forward to utilizing my experience at U.S. Genomics to make this technology widely available, said Dr. Whitney.

John Towne is honored September  2005  Late September we drove to Waterville, Maine to go to Broadway Night at the Waterville Opera House and see Mary's brother, John Towne, MD receive a Lifetime Achievement Award with the following presentation:

"Towne, a Waterville native, graduated from Bowdoin College and BU Medical School.  He trained at Mass. General for vascular surgery, then returned to Thayer Hospital in 1970.

He was a charter member of the Kennebec Valley Chordsmen, and for ten years sang in a competition quartet called The Stuffed Shirts.  He was a founding Board Member of the Waterville Opera House, which incorporated in 1976 as Waterville Opera House Improvement association.  He was instrumental in fundraising for the major revitalization of the opera house and for the first air conditioning system there.  John was also a founding member of the Titipu Choral society, which put on numerous Gilbert and Sullivan productions.  his favorite role was Dead Eye Dick in The Mikado;  he also played the Pirate King in the Pirates of Penzance.  Today you can find him still singing, both in the choir of the First Congregational Church in Waterville and with the Colby-Kennebec Choral Society.

John has served as president of the Maine Medical Association; Chief of Surgery at Thayer for eight years; Chief of staff at Mid-Maine Medical Center, Thayer unit for two years.  Active in other community organizations, John was VP and President of the Boys/Girls Club and then Board member later when it merged with the YMCA, and he was past co-chair of the United Way with his wife Connie.

John and Connie, who have a son Nathan and daughter Allison, have been married 38 years.  They now divide time between Waterville and Bremen."

At the awards ceremony we see John and Connie, their family, Allison and Chris, plus Don, Mary , and Evelyn.  Here are pictures of Connie and Nate in Waterville and John and Connie's new house on Muscongus Bay in Bremen.

Vermont October 2005   Our fall colors in Vermont were not striking this year.  Here is Eagle Rock late October 2005 and colorful Aleksey on Halloween.

Carl Apstein November 2005 Dr Carl Apstein a terrific person, a neighbor at Echo Lake, and the best player in Eagle Rock Racquet Club died at age 64.  See obit and picture of Carl and his wife Barbara in 1983.

History of Hubbardton October 2005   Don published a 200 page book titled History of Hubbardton Vermont in October 2005.  He sold 100 copies in 10 days, ordered 130 more and sold 50 by Christmas 2005.  He reprinted 260 copies of a revised 208 page book in July 2007.      Cover (Use 50% size)     Inside of Back Cover  

Don is 75 November 2005  On November 13, 2005 Don celebrated his 75th birthday with his twin cousins Dulcy (on right) Burton Stark and Doris (on left)  Burton Bell and of course with Mary: Don and cousins,  Mary and cousins, Don and cake.

Don's  Dislocated and Broken Thumb January 2005   We spend the month of January in our condo in Naples, Florida.  On January 2, 2006, Don and Mary flew to JFK from Burlington.  Then Don flew to Orlando to play bridge for a week and Mary flew to Ft Myers.  Don had a tennis match on Monday January 9, 2005.  At 8:15 AM he fell and dislocated and broke his right thumb.  A bummer.  No tennis for a month or so.

 Dominica February 2006   In February  2006 Mary and Brita Tate flew from Boston to Dominica on the 16th, returning on the 24th.  They had a terrific time and even took the ferry to Guadaloupe for two days.  Although French speaking, Guadeloupe is very depressed, but  Carnival was interesting.  They much preferred English speaking Dominica, spending two nights at the Fort Young Hotel in Rosseau and four nights at the lovely Papillote Wilderness Retreat.  Here is some of the staff at Papillote.

Los Angeles to San Francisco March 2006   In mid March 2006 we flew to Los Angeles and visited La Brea Tar Pits and the beautiful Getty Museum building.  We then took a whale watching trip by the Channel Islands from Ventura, and saw a number of humpback whales and thousands of dolphins.  We then stayed at the Cliff House in Pismo Beach and took two tours of Hearst Castle at San Simeon.  Spent a night at Carmel and visited Point Lobos to see sea lions and otters.  We even saw a bluebird.  Also drove the 17 mile drive on the Monterey Peninsula. Then spent four days with the Sondergeld familyDavid, Shelley, Owen, and Kyle in Daly City.

Morning Doves April 2006  We had three broods of two babies each this year in a hanging basket at our condo.                                                                                                                                               

North Carolina and Gardens May 2006  After six weeks in Naples, Florida...we flew to Durham, NC on May 4 and visited with Karla, David, Zachary, and Erin Principe for four days.  This was our last trip to NC as Karla has accepted an English teaching position in Somers, CT and the Principe family expects to move to West Hartford, CT this summer.  We then rented a car and drove to Wilmington, DE.  Here is Mary at Winterthur, New Castle, Wilmington Art Museum (where we saw a Liza Myers, of Brandon VT, exhibit), Wyeth paintings at the Brandywine River Museum at Chadds Ford, PA and of course Longwood Gardens.  We spent the night at John and Betty Moran's lovely home in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and then toured a "Show House" that Betty did a magnificent job of coordinating all the work for this fund raiser for the Allentown Art Museum.

Iceland May 2006  On May 30, 2006 we drove to Sudbury, MA and had dinner with the Whitneys.  Karen then drove us to Logan airport and we flew to Reykjavic ICELAND for a tour.  We left at 9:30 pm and arrived at 6:30 am...a five hour flight and a four hour loss of time on the clock.  We took a City Tour of Reykjavic where about two thirds of Iceland's 300,000 people live and had a fantastic dinner at the Seafood Cellar.  Don had lobsters and Mary had lamb.  Prices are very high and dinner with only one beer and one glass of wine was $225.

The next morning the tour bus for Scanam World Tours picked us up.  We had a small  tour group, which consisted of only twelve people plus our driver Jonis Runolfsson and our tour guide Margret Einarsdottir.  There were two couples from England (David & Catherine Freeman and Derek and Doreen Whiting), Yoko and her parents from Japan, Geoff Kellerman from New Castle (north of Sidney Australia), Ann Carden from New Mexico, and Caroline Diericx from San Francisco (Caroline's husband is from New Zealand and is climbing Denali in Alaska.  Caroline will visit friends in London and then her mother in Belgium before returning to San Francisco.)  We did a counterclockwise tour of the island, logging 1200 miles in 7 days.  Here are pictures of us at various spots on the island: a Foss (waterfall),  on the moon,  by the ocean,  by the sea,  seeing mountains, at another waterfall,  in a glacial lagoon,  another waterfall,  more mountainslavahiking,  with a Viking,  at the Gullfoss, by a geysir, and on a whale watching boat.

Here are some scenes:  many many sheepsod house, the eider duckother ducks,  the Icelandic Horse, and the terrific Blue Lagoon.

Iceland Photo Albums:  Day 1   Day 2   Day 3   Day 4   Day 5   Day 6   Day 7   Day 8   Day 9

Amy wrote an article about the Blue Chip Card at Central Connecticut State College, June 5, 2006.

Fauna  Mid June 2006 we put our float in the water and found a water snake under the pallets that fit in the top.  Also found the frogs in our frog ponds weathered the winter.  On June 23, 2006 a Vermont Turkey flew across Monument Hill Road north of Biddie Knob Road and broke Don's windshield.

Lilies July 2006  We have had a lot of rain in June and July 2006...but Don's lilies are terrific.  Here are three pictures:     Lily 1  Lily 2  Lily 3.

Champlain Canal July 2006  On July 26, 2006 Don, Mary, Aleksey, along with Amy and Steve took a boat tour in Schuylerville, NY south through lock 5 and north to a nineteen foot high  waterfall.  We learned the canal's waters flow south to the Hudson (and Erie Canal) and north to Lake Champlain.  The mules along the towpath are all dead. A few days later Mary and Aleksey went shrooming.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champlain_Canal

 The Champlain Canal connects the Hudson River to Lake Champlain, a total distance of 64 statute miles from Troy on the Hudson to Whitehall on Lake Champlain..  There are twelve locks to be transited.  The first, the Troy or Federal Lock, provides access to both the Champlain and Erie Canals.  The Champlain Canal itself, which begins where the Erie Canal leaves the Hudson, is comprised of eleven locks.  From Troy north it follows the Hudson for 40 miles to Fort Edward, with locks, dams, and dug channels to bypass falls and rapids in the river.  At Fort Edward the canal leaves the Hudson and follows a dug channel for an additional 24 miles to Whitehall, at the head of Lake Champlain.

August 2006  On August 3 we celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary with dinner in Chittenden, Vermont at the Mountain Top Inn.  President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his entourage stayed there during a fishing expedition in 1955.  A few days later  this picture was taken of Karla, David, Zach, and Erin Principe on Eagle Rock looking west over Beebe Pond at the Adirondacks.  We had our annual meeting of the Eagle Rock Racquet Club on August 19. Our genial hosts were Mary and Joe Wolons.  A good time was had by all.  Captain Joe Wolons donated the motor for Auntie EM, the  Eurasian Milfoil vacuum cleaner to be used on Beebe Pond.  Here we see it docked at Steve and Sandy Earl's waterfront.

Gray died October 2006  In early October 2006, Don flew to Naples, Florida to play bridge.  Early on October 3, our wonderful cat Gray had a stroke and Mary made the right decision to have Dr. Susan Hayden, his vet, put him to sleep.  Here he is sleeping.

New Shoulder in Florida October 2006  On October 24, 2006 we flew to Florida for four weeks.  Don received a left shoulder replacement on October 30 and should be finished with some of his rehab before it is time to shovel snow in Vermont.  He also has a Metal Detection Card...although none has been needed for the plate in his ankle or the wire in his chest.  Here is an X Ray .

Thanksgiving 2006 in Connecticut  In November 2006 we went to West Hartford, Connecticut and had Thanksgiving at Karla's.  In mid December we returned to CT for two days: one to celebrate Karla's birthday (Karla and Erin) and one to stay with Amy and Aleksey and attend Aleksey's concert (he sang in the choir and played the French horn).  We also visited Eric, Cindy, and Alexei who are now renting a house in Canton, CT.

Christmas 2006  We saw Karla and family (Zach and Erin) over Christmas as they also have a house at Beebe Pond.  Amy and Aleksey and Amy's friend David and son were here over Christmas. Here is Don and Aleksey in matching outfits.   Karen and her kids were up the day after Christmas.  Here are our three daughters:  Karla, Karen, and Amy.

Eric's family skied Killington a few days after Christmas and then joined Karla's family and Brita Tate at our house for dinner.  Here are Eric's family, Dave and Zach, Karla and Cindy, Alexei and Zach, Erin, and Brita

At year end Karen and Duncan went to a Black Tie Wedding at Cipriani's Restaurant in New York City.  The Cipriani family also founded and owns Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy.

Florida  January 2007  On Sunday, January 14, 2007 Don had one of his favorite Sunday lunches of Grouper and Key Lime Pie in Everglades City at the historic Rod and Gun Club, once owned by railroad developer Baron Collier.  We then met Steve and Edith Kraysler who have owed property on the water on Chokoloskee Island for 20 years.  Steve is a partially retired actuary that Don and David Sondergeld skied with at Snowbird, outside Salt Lake City during a week in March 1987, when Don and  Walt Rugland taught a seminar on Profitability. Steve and Eddie took us on a beautiful boat ride through the Everglades.  We stopped on the island once owned by Ed Watson, who raised sugar cane but killed his sugar cane workers at the end of the season instead of paying them. The townspeople of Chokoloskee decided on vigilante justice and killed Mr. Watson on the dock at Smallwood's store.

On Sunday January 28, 2007 we had lunch at HB's On The Gulf and then drove to Naples Pier.  Mary and Don saw Jonathan Livingston Seagull and a camel.

On Saturday February 10, 2007 we went to Brian Brent's surprise 70th birthday party.  Brian and Margie live in 1518A, the condo under ours in Naples, Florida.

Cousins February 2007  On February 11, 2007 we had lunch at Dulcy Stark's in Ft Myers Florida. Twin sister Doris Bell was there plus 85 year old brother Art Burton and wife Irene, who will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this summer.  Card players: Dulcy, Irene, Mary, Doris.  Cousins: Don, Doris, Dulcy, and Art.  Siblings: Doris, Art, Dulcy.  Family: Dulcy, Irene, Art, Doris.  On July 4, 2007 Dulcy's daughter Gail Stark Winans was in Ohio.  This picture of  Gail, TJ, Timothy (12), Kate (7), and Max (5) was taken at Sandusky Bay, OH.   

Ryan's Graduation  June 2007  We went to Sudbury, MA to see our first grandson, Ryan Whitney graduated fro L-S (Lincoln Sudbury) High School.

Atlanta 2007  On Wednesday February 14, 2007 we flew to Atlanta and our flight to Burlington, VT was canceled so we flew half way to Hartford to pick up Amy's cat Samantha.  Returned to Atlanta and got a Delta Deal:  A $35 Holiday Inn for $55. Had a Valentine's dinner at  Steak & Ale.

Vermont February 2007   Upon arriving in Hubbardton, VT on Friday afternoon February 16, 2007 we found 30 inches of snow.  Karen and the gang came up President's Week to ski.  Here is Don with the Whitneys, Principes, and Roaricks at Pico. And here are Karen and Caitlin also on February 21, 2007.  Caitlin complained of a stomach ache so that evening she had her appendix removed.  Here she is the next day at Porter Hospital in Middlebury, Vermont.

St Louis March 2007  Don roomed with Scott Hiller at a bridge tournament in St Louis.  Here are pictures of the old courthouse and the Arch, a view of the courthouse  and Busch ballpark from the Arch.  The infamous Dred Scott decision was made in this courthouse.

April 2007 Magazine Article:  The Power List: Who's Who in Annuities 2007.   Senior Market Advisor Magazine.  "The 10 people who have made a significant impact in the annuity market. The Researcher Eric T Sondergeld. In his 12 years at LIMRA International. Eric T Sondergeld, ASA, CFA, MAAA, has built the industry's most comprehensive annuity research and senior markets research/retirement income programs."

June 2007 Danube & Eastern Europe  We traveled the last two weeks on a Grand Circle Tour of Eastern Europe with our friends Bev and Jack Grald.  We enjoyed three days in beautiful  Prague in the Czech Republic followed by a bus trip to Bratislava in Slovakia for lunch and on to Budapest in Hungary for 2 days.  We then boarded the M/S Aria a wonderful river boat (410 feet long and 38 feet wide) that carried 129 of us on the Danube.  We sailed at nite and went on guided sightseeing trips in cities along the way: Vukovar in Croatia, Belgrade in Serbia, Veliko Tarnova and Arbanassi in Bulgaria (where we saw fields of sunflowers), and thru a canal to Constanta, Romania's chief port on the Black Sea, where Mary and Bev went swimming.  Although some are  EU countries, none of them use the Euro.  We had to use local currency in all of them, although US dollars were OK in a few.                                                                                            

COUNTRY

Capital

Population in millions

Bulgaria

Sofia

3.5

Croatia

Zagreb

3.1

Czech Republic

Prague

2.8

Hungary

Budapest

10.1

Romania

Buchrest

21.7

Serbia

Belgrade

7.5

Slovakia

Bratislava

5.2

 

 

53.9

A Chi Omega on our tour was  Marilyn Jackson Shuler, Mary's sorority sister who also lived in the Chi Omega house in Ann Arbor.  Although we traveled with Bev and Jack Grald, six of us usually dined together.  Our new friends are Bob and Jeanne Levan from 79th Street in Manhattan.

Prague   We saw many beautiful buildings but also visited the old Jewish cemetery downtown and the new Jewish cemetery next to our hotel. By the sixteenth century, Prague was the center of Jewish life in Europe.  The oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe was founded in Prague in 1478. The lack of space forced people to bury the dead on top of each other. It is amazing to imagine how it was possible to bury over 100.000 people in such a small space, but there are 12 layers of tombs. The most prominent person buried in the Old Jewish Cemetery is the great religious scholar and teacher Judah Loew ben Bezalel, known as Rabbi Loew (1520-1609), who is associated with the legend of the Golem. In the abutting Pinkas synagogue, the walls are painted with over 80,000 names of the Jews that were deported from Prague and killed in WW2.  We also visited the new cemetery and saw the grave of the writer  Franz Kafka (1883-1924).

Budapest, Hungary  was lovely with Buda on one side of the Danube and Pest on the other. Budapest is the capitol of Hungary.   Mary especially enjoyed the dining in Pest.  A luncheon picture in Budapest.

Vukovar, Croatia  Historically the boundary between countries, has seen many wars.  Recently, in the war resulting from Croatia declaring  independence, Vukovar fell to the Serbs in November 1991 after a three-month siege and the Vukovar massacre took place.  Survivors were transported to prison camps. The town of Vukovar was almost completely destroyed. A monument is there depicting  the rebuilding of Vukovar from this tragedy as well as a newer monument of 6 candles in commemoration of the 6 million Jews who died in the World War 2 holocaust.

Belgrade Serbia  this large city is the capital of Serbia

Veliko Tarnova, Bulgaria  A historical city, at one time the capital.

Bucharest, Romania The most beautiful part of the Danube was thru a section called the Iron Gates with high cliffs on both sides of the river, which was the only day we did not go ashore. there the river flows between Romania and Serbia  From Constanta we took a 4.5 hour train ride about 150 miles to Bucharest, Romania for our last two nights before flying back to Boston.  A very educational trip.  We did not really appreciate fully the war torn history of these small countries, each about the size of one of our states, and the horrible life under communism, which ended not too long ago. 

The Canal from Constanta on the Black Sea to the Danube is about 40 miles long and saves about 300 miles of travel on the Danube.  It was notorious as the site of labor camps in 1950s in  Communist Romania, when, at any given time, several tens of thousands of political prisoners worked on its excavation. The total number of people used as a workforce for the entire period is unknown, as is the number of people who were killed in the process. Work was completed in 1984-1987, more than three decades after camps were disestablished. Someone said the canal was the only good end result under communism. Here we are at dinner on board the M/S Aria.

June 2007 Danube Photo Albums:  Prague   Slovakia to Hungary   Budapest   Croatia   Belgrade   Iron Gates 1   Iron Gates 2   Bulgaria   Black Sea Canal   Train to Bucharest Bucharest    Bucharest to Boston     

August 1, 2007  Brita and Mary at Lake House on Lake Bomoseen in  Castleton, VT.    

 Our 50th Wedding Anniversary August 2007  On Friday August 3, 2007 we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary with dinner and dancing at the Mountain Top Inn in Chittenden, Vermont.  Don's brother Ralph from Sandusky, Ohio flew in the previous day for the festivities.  There were 70 family and friends that attended.  (See West Hartford News.) Situated on an 850 acre reservoir, named after Thomas Chittenden the first Governor of the Republic of Vermont and subsequently the State of Vermont.  Those that spent the night took boat rides on the reservoir and could see the trails on Pico, where our family had skied for many years.  Here is a group picture of our family.  The head table contained  most of our wedding party: Don and Mary, Don's brother and  best man Ralph, ushers John (and Connie) Towne, Bob (and Lee) Goode  and Bob (and Mary Lou) Vose with Ann Smith (Dave McDonald's daughter).  Dave  McDonald  one of Don's best friends and associate from The Hartford and daughter Ann also sat at  the head table. Our family gave us a lovely picture of Beebe Pond taken from Eagle Rock, 700 feet above the lake.  Each of the many little squares in this unique picture contains different pictures of our family.

Wedding Anniversary Photo Albums:   Album 1   Album 2   Album 3   Album 4   Album 5 

                           Sondergeld HUBBARDTON � Don and Mary Sondergeld of Hubbardton celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, at the Mountain Top Inn in Chittenden. A dinner was followed by dancing. The event was attended by family members and friends, including their five children (Karen Whitney of Sudbury, Mass.; David Sondergeld of San Francisco, Calif.; Eric Sondergeld of Princeton, N.J.; and Amy Magno and Karla Principe, both of West Hartford, Conn.); and nine grandchildren.

The couple was married 50 years ago in Mrs. Sondergeld's hometown of Waterville, Maine.

Mr. Sondergeld was senior vice president and chief actuary and director of The Hartford�s Worldwide Life Insurance Operations. He was also president of the Society of Actuaries. Mrs. Sondergeld was a special education administrator, and Don was the first president of the Lake Beebe Property Owners' Association he formed in Hubbardton,VT.

They enjoy skiing, tennis and playing bridge. A skiing family, they were members of the Pico Ski Club for many years.

 

 

On August 19, 2007 Amy and Aleksey found a water snake sunning on a log on our lake. On August 27,2007 Don, Karen, and Caitlin hiked Tim's Loop Trail on Bald Mountain in NY.  Caitlin counted 32 Leopard Frogs.  We had great views of Lake Champlain.

Maine  September 2007  On Thursday September 6, 2007 we drove to lovely Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, ME and then to Kennebunkport where we viewed the Bush compound at Walker's Point and had a terrific dinner across the road at the Cape Arundel Inn.  We spent much of Friday on Pemaquid Point, with lunch at Harbor and climbing the rocks by the lighthouse

We spent the night a few miles away in Bremen at  the new home of Mary's brother...John Towne.. on Muscongus Bay.  On Saturday evening there was a 40th wedding anniversary party (dinner and dancing to a four piece combo under a tent) attended by 70 or so family and friends. Guests had the opportunity to see John and Connie's new home and see Muscongus Bay on 30 minute lobster boat rides.  Here are two pictures: John, Connie, Allison and Nate plus Allison and Chris DiMatteo

On Sunday afternoon we took a ferry from Port Clyde to Monhegan Island and stayed at the Island Inn.  As the weather was foggy and rainy we left the island on Monday morning and drove to N Conway, NH.  On Tuesday, the weather had not improved, but we drove the scenic Kancamagus Highway along the Swift River returning to Vermont.  We stopped at Rocky Gorge and viewed the waterfalls.  Along the Kancamagus we saw many wild turkeys.

October  2007  Late October 2007 was very beautiful: Eagle Rock and Beebe Pond pictures.  On Sunday October 21, 2007 we attended the wedding of Nancy Dellamonte and Angelo Efthimiatos at the United Methodist Church of Purdys in North Salem, NY.  The reception was held at Le Chateau in South Salem (where Peter Joseph was married). This estate was built in 1907 by JP Morgan.  Many of the Turtles from Beebe Pond attended.  The next day we flew from JFK to Florida.

Florida October 2007  On Sunday October 28, 2007 we drove to the Turner River Road off Tamiami Trail past the Everglades City turn off.  The road is a "borrow"  (a ditch was dug and the material used for the road.)  The resulting "ditch" is where we see many alligators and birds, such as an Anhinga and a Wood Stork.  We then went to The Rod and Gun Club on the Barron River in Everglades City, where   Don always has Grouper.  The Club was built by W. S. Allen but subsequently owned by Barron Collier in the early 1920s when Everglades City was the county seat.  Five presidents were guests there: Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhauer, Hoover, and Nixon.

On Tuesday November 13, 2007 Don turned 77 and had a great dinner with Mary and the Earls (Sandy and Steve) at the Ritz Carlton.  On Sunday November 18, 2007 we had brunch at The Lexington Country Club in Ft Myers with  Don's twin cousins Dulcy and Doris (nee Burton).  Then Don helped Dulcy with her new laptop before going to the lovely apartment Doris recently purchased where we played bridge and euchre.

San Francisco November 2007  On Tuesday November 20, 2007 we flew from Ft Lauderdale to Washington Dulles to San Francisco.  We were delayed on the outbound from Florida, so arrived over 4 hours late in San Francisco after midnight.  The next day Don and David built a small slate wall across the front of the house while Owen and Kyle played.  A Kite was flying overhead and we saw him land and take off with a mouse in its talons.  The next morning we walked along the beach in Pacifica.  Here are some pics of David and Mary, plus Owen and Kyle.  That evening we went to the Beach Chalet for dinner.  Here are pics of Mary and Owen, Mary and Kyle, and Kyle with spoons.  On Thanksgiving an older neighbor Bill Adams , plus friends of Shelley's (Linda, Linda's daughter Danielle, and Danielle's friend Amanda) came for dinner.  Here are pics of  Shelley and Bill and also of Mary and Shelley  After dinner, David's buddy Ken Davis came over.  Owen, Kyle, David, and Ken each played a home made  "Didgeridoo". Here we see three of them blowing away on their Didgeridoos.

On Saturday November 24, 2007 David treated Don, Mary, Owen, and Kyle plus Ken Davis to a boat trip to the Farallon Islands, 28 miles off shore.  We started from Fort Mason on a catamaran, going under the Golden Gate bridge.  A great day and we saw sea lions, elephant seals, many birds and two orcas. Some more pictures        Don David & Ken   Owen David Kyle & Ken                                 Ken & Mary      Don & Mary      Owen & Kyle      Kyle & Owen                          Orca 1     Orca 2      Orca 3

Don played bridge with Eddie Katten the last seven days of the National Tournament after Thanksgiving in San Francisco.  Here is our team of Don, Carl Brame, Joanna Chau, and Eddie Katten.  On Sunday December 2, 2007 had breakfast at Sears (Scott had eggs benedict) near Union Square in San Francisco where Scott Hiller and Eddie Katten saw Tony Bennet's heart.  A bunch of us had a great Dim Sum luncheon.  Don and Scott then met a sea lion and a seagull at Pier 39 before having dinner at Alioto's with David, Owen, and Kyle.

Connecticut December 2007  On Friday December 7, 2007 Mary, Karla, and Amy went to the annual "Old Broads" Christmas Party at Winnie Moore's home in West Hartford, Connecticut.  The next  day our gang went shopping at the new Blue Back Square in West Hartford.  Noah Webster, America's first lexicographer lived in West Hartford and his red salt box house is now a museum.   The Noah Webster Library (with his statue in front), Noah Webster Boulevard, and Noah Webster Elementary School (where Aleksey went) were named in his honor.  Blue Back Square is named after his Blue-backed speller.  Then, Don and Mary spent the rest of the weekend at Karen's in Sudbury, MA.

February 2008 in Naples, FL   Brita Tate visited us in Naples, Florida from the 5th to the 12th.  Here are Mary and Brita at the Naples Beach and Golf Hotel just after viewing the sunset. Mary and Brita then went to Key West for a few days, so  Don  took Norma Cooke to the Phil and had to wear a tie.  On the 12th we drove with Steve and Sandy Earl to Harold's On the Bay in Fort Myers and had dinner with John and Betty Moran and Betty's sister Joan Burns.  A great dinner and evening.  We learned that concrete weighs 145 pounds per cubic foot.

On Sunday the 17th we looked at the Earl's new house in Wyndemere, and then drove to Ft Myers for an early dinner at Harold's On the Bay with Steve and Sandy Earl and Evelyn Towne.  We then went to the Florida Repertory Theater and saw a terrific production of "Something Funny Happened On The Way To The Forum".

EGYPT February 2008  On Saturday, the 23rd of February we flew to Cairo with Steve and Sandy Earl, Jack and Bev Grald, Anne Holland, and David Westring.  We spent 5 days in Cairo, visiting the Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids, the Citadel, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque.  .During that period we took a train ride to Alexandria on the Mediterranean to see the Roman Amphitheater and beautiful library, returning by bus.  We then flew to Luxor and spent seven nights on the Nile on Grand Circle Travel's boat, the River Anuket.  This boat was the hotel with 144 on the tour. The ship was docked every night but stopped along the way upstream (south) to Aswan.  In Luxor we visited its Temple and the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.   Mary met a Nubian Dwarf at one of the temples. Don took a ride on a camel and noted its big head and also its  large mouth.   Here is Mary with Don and the camel.  We sailed to Dendera and visited the Temple of Hathor and returned to Luxor where we took a terrific balloon ride before visiting the Temples of Karnak.  Next we sailed thru some locks on the Nile to Esna and docked.  The next day we stopped in  Edfu and  Kom Ombo and visited temples.  Our last stop on the Nile was at Aswan where we visited the  Low Dam, the newer High Dam, the Philae Temple and took a Felucca (sail boat) ride.  The next day we flew 180 miles to Abu Simbel to see the relocated temples built by Ramses II and returned to Aswan.  One night we had a "Galabeya Party on our ship the River Anket.  Here are Mary and Sandy Earl in their galabeyas. The next day we flew 400 miles back to Cairo for one day before returning to JFK.  We felt safe, but uncomfortable with all the armed policemen, the machine gun on the stern of the top deck of our ship, and going thru security when entering our five star Marriott hotel in Cairo.   Here are two Photo Albums:    First Half     Second Half

John & Connie in Florida April 2008  On April 2, 2008 Mary's brother John Towne and wife Connie, came to Florida for a week and spent 3days with us.  The first evening we saw the sunset at La Playa Restaurant.  The next day we played tennis with Steve Earl in the morning.  We then drove to Turner River Road and saw only a few birds but many gators.  We had lunch at the Rod & Gun Club, and then stopped at the Marriott on Marco Island for drinks.  We ordered ribs from Michelbob's and ate in.  The next day we rented a pontoon boat and did the Gordon River trip to Keywaydin Island where we were greeted by some Royal Terns.  On our return to the Port O Call marina we looked at the beautiful homes in Port Royal. A pelican greeted us upon our return.   Don played bridge in the afternoon and the others had lunch at Brio's.  That evening we had a nice dinner at Marie Michelle's.  The last morning we had a good tennis match.  Ed Drotleff was our fourth.  Then John and Connie left for Sanibel and then a few days with friends in Bradenton.

Driving North April 2008  On April 30, 2008 we drove 625 miles from Naples to Charleston, SC where we spent to nights..  We had a great dinner at the Charleston Grill the first night.  The next day we visited Magnolia Gardens on the Ashley River in the morning.  There we saw alligators sunning themselves on "alligator boards" as well as turtles. In the afternoon we took a 1.5 hour Harbour boat trip past Fort Sumpter, followed by a 1 hour buggy ride with Marty our Belgian Percheron to see the many beautiful houses in the Historic District.  That evening we had dinner at Fleet Landing.  The next day we drove 675 miles to Kennett Square PA and had dinner at The Gables, formerly a cow barn, in Chadd's Ford.  The next day we went to a Wine and Jazz Festival at the beautiful Longwood Gardens, created by Pierre du Pont and his wife Mary Belin.  Here is their house and a cat, Belin, named after his wife.  The gardens and the flowers in the Conservatory were spectacular.  In the afternoon we drove 70 miles through Intercourse and Bird in Hand and Lancaster to Hershey PA where we spent the nite.  There we toured Hershey Gardens, beautiful but paled in comparison to Longwood. The next day we drove 420 miles home to Hubbardton, VT.

MS for Amy May 2008  Amy received her Master of Science Degree, dated December 2007 from Central Connecticut State University. 

Sally MacKain June 2008 June 13, 2008 Sally MacKain and husband Bob Cutting and sons David and Henry spent two days with us.  They helped install a new sailboat buoy, launch the sailboat, and move the buoy for the raft about 12 feet closer to shore.

The Global Supply Chain Review is proud to present and honor the recipients of the 2008 Top 25 Supply Chain Executives Award. This award is presented to 25 selected leaders who have made exceptional contributions to the Supply Chain Management industry and to Supply Chain Management within their respective organizations.

David Sondergeld Supply Chain Portfolio Exec, Group IT Director Safeway Inc. A proven leader in both corporate and the entrepreneurial world, David has enjoyed and continues  to enjoy a wide variety of technical, business, and industry experiences. While the majority of his career has been focused on technology and the design, support and maintenance   of large scale corporate applications, he has also enjoyed career roles on the Vendor  side, leading a professional services team, consulting, running his own management     and software consulting company as well as running a small US based import sales and operations firm. While diverse in background David has focused the latter part of his career in strategy and planning, program execution and the life cycle maintenance of Supply Chain Systems in the Grocery, Specialty Apparel and Discount Retail Markets.

Originally from the east coast, David now lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area along with his wife Shelley and sons Owen and Kyle.

Nova Scoctia June 2008 On Wednesday June 25, 2008 we flew from Burlington, VT to Halifax, NS and rented a car.  We then drove along roads bordered by lupine about 200 miles to Baddeck the gateway to the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island. We stayed at Auberge Gisele's for two nights. The first afternoon we had time to visit the Alexander Graham Bell Museum.  Bell had a huge summer home in Baddeck for over 30 years.

Baddeck became a tourist destination with the 1874 publication of Baddeck, And That Sort of Thing, a travel story written by Charles Dudley Warner. Tourism grew even more following the construction of the Cabot Trail in 1932, with Baddeck being situated at the start and end of the loop. While the village population is just over 700 people, local hotels feature over 600 rooms. Baddeck is home to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, which houses a museum commemorating the work of former resident Alexander Graham Bell as well as St Ann's Provincial Park. Baddeck features the world-class Bell Bay Golf Club, a lake-front resort, numerous hotels/motels, restaurants, small shops, and a small airport in the foothills above the town. The local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is open to the public, serving as a watering hole and venue for local music—having showcased musicians like Gordie Sampson in the past..

CAPE BRETON, NOVA SCOTIA

 

"I have traveled around the globe.  I have seen the Canadian and American Rockies, the Andes, the Alps and the Highlands of Scotland, but for simple beauty Cape Breton outrivals them all  "

    --Alexander Graham Bell

 

 

 The next morning we went on a terrific boat trip around Bird Island and saw puffins and other shore birds and visited Fortress Louisburg in the afternoon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress_of_Louisbourg.   This French fort was destroyed by the British in 1760, but today 20% has been reconstructed and is a National Historic site. Its fall was related to the expulsion of the Acadians from Nova Scotia, which has been immortalized in Longfellow's poem "Evangeline". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangeline  and http://www.hwlongfellow.org/works_evangeline.shtml  The poem elevated Longfellow to be the most famous writer in America and has had a lasting cultural impact, especially in Nova Scotia and Louisiana, where most of the poem is set.

The next day we continued counterclockwise on  the Cabot Trail (named after the Italian navigator and explorer, Giovanni Caboto,  known in English as John Cabot, as his voyages were funded by King Henry VII.)  We stayed at the lovely Keltic Inn in Ingonish,  http://kelticlodge.ca/ but cancelled our afternoon whale watching trip as it was misty.  The next day we drove to Pleasant Bay at the north end of the island and went whale watching there and saw pilot, fin, and minke whales.  See http://whaleandsealcruise.com/

We then continued south along the western side of the island with its spectacular scenery to the Margaree Valley.  On our way we stopped at a number of artisan shops.  Mary bought a pewter turtle. There we stayed at the Normaway Inn where we went to the Barn to enjoy a folk singer, who was terrific and listened to a great fiddler.  http://www.thenormawayinn.com/  The next day we drove 200 miles back to Halifax, had a super meal at The Press Gang Restaurant http://thepressgang.ca/  We spent the night in Halifax  and flew back to Vermont on Monday.  A nice trip.   Here are many pictures.

1.       Notes:     

 Visit Fortress Louisburg.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress_of_Louisbourg

 Learn about Longfellow’s Evangeline  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangeline  and http://www.hwlongfellow.org/works_evangeline.shtml  The poem elevated Longfellow to be the most famous writer in America and has had a lasting cultural impact, especially in Nova Scotia and Louisiana, where most of the poem is set.  We used to play the card game AUTHORS where 11 authors and 4 of their works were featured.

4.       We stayed at the lovely Keltic Inn in Ingonish,  http://kelticlodge.ca/

Drive to Pleasant Bay at the north end of the island and go whale watching there and see pilot, fin, and minke whales.  Go to  http://whaleandsealcruise.com/ 

6.       Drive along the western side of the island with its spectacular scenery to the Margaree Valley.  On our way we stopped at a number of artisan shops.  Mary bought a pewter turtle. There we stayed at the Normaway Inn where we went to the Barn to enjoy a folk singer, who was terrific and listened to a great fiddler http://www.thenormawayinn.com/  

 In Halifax, the Press Gang Restaurant is nice.

New "Gray Cat" July 2008  On July 2, 2008 we went to the Addison County Animal Shelter and got a replacement for Gray, our cat who died in early October 2006.  The shelter  had  called him "Little Man", but we will call this 13 pound 2.5 year old male "GRAY".  He looks like a cat that Don petted at the Swedish physician Alex Munthe's villa (San Michele) in Capri in May 2005. The floods of visitors to his museum-home and the fact that his book, "The Story of San Michele", can be read in 45 languages testify to the writer's global appeal.  Built in 1880, the position of San Michele, is considered unique, perched, as it is, on the cliff edge to the North of the island, 300 meters above sea level. From the bedrooms and numerous terraces there are enchanting views of Capri and the entire Gulf of Naples, with Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, and Mount Vesuvius.

LBPOA Meeting & Battle Reenactment July 2008 On July 5, 2008 we had the annual meeting of the Lake Beebe Property Owners' Association and Mary was reelected president.  The next morning we went to see the reenactment of the July 7, 1777 Battle of Hubbardton, which is always terrific.  Pic 1   Pic 2

David and boys in Canada July 2008 In the middle of July 2008 David, Owen, and Kyle flew to Calgary and spent 10 days in the beautiful Canadian Rockies in the Banff area and up to Jasper.     Here are some pics:         Day 1   Day 2   Day 3   Day 4     Day 5   Day 6   Day 7   Day 8   Day 9   Day 10  Here are pics of Don and David in the Canadian Rockies in June 1979 taken many years ago.

Sandra Sue July 2008 Brother Ralph's daughter Sandra Sue Sondergeld has a career in the US Air Force.  Here she is with a taller NCO.  They were both recently promoted.    Don's lilies are great  Here are pictures from the end of July 2008.

Mary's Heart Attack August 2008  Mary was returning from her daily swim across our lake on Saturday morning August 16 and needed assistance getting to shore as she was very "tired".  She did not realize she was having a heart attack.  She then went 24 miles to the Farmer's Market in Rutland with Eva Breckenridge and Brita Tate and fell asleep on the return trip.  They stopped at Castleton Medical Center where they placed her in an ambulance and took her to Rutland Regional Medical Center.  They subsequently ambulanced her  to Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in West Lebanon, New Hampshire where she arrived around 5 pm.  She had 2 stents placed in her right coronary artery around 5:30 pm. 

She seemed to be doing fine but the next day her oxygenation level was too low and she was placed on a ventilator.  After two weeks she was about to be released and the same thing happened (perhaps an infection) and was reintubated.  After 27 days she was released to Eden Park, a Nursing/Rehab facility, in Rutland , Vermont for 12 more days.  She finally came home on Wednesday September 24, 2008. 

Autumn in Vermont 2008  This had to be the nicest longest most colorful fall we've ever experienced.  Truly terrific.              View from Deck       View of Eagle Rock and Beebe Pond              View from Eagle Rock looking West    

Rebecca Earl Wedding October 2008 On October 4 Rebecca Earl and John Wilson were married at the Lilac Inn in Brandon, Vermont. 

Don's Heart Attack October 2008  We flew to Florida on the 21st of October.  On Monday the 27th, Don played tennis for 1.5 hours.  Upon returning to the condo at 11:10 am he felt completely exhausted and took the elevator to the second floor.  Mary noticed he was white as a sheet and Don sat down in a chair outside the condo and then fell asleep or passed out.  Mary called 911 and  the ambulance arrived 10-15 minutes later.  Don was in the ER at Naples Community Hospital by noon, and although the first EKG showed nothing, Don complained of chest pain, so a second EKG confirmed a heart attack.  Don was in the Cath Lab from 1 - 2:30 pm having 2 stents inserted in his right coronary artery (same as Mary).  A small heart attack.  Don was released from the hospital on Wednesday morning.  As there was a blockage in his Obtuse Marginal "OM" coronary artery he had a third stent inserted there on November 12, and was released from the hospital the next day on his 78th birthday.

Twin Cousins November 2008 On Sunday November 16, 2008 we met Don's twin cousins for lunch at the Grill Room in Estero, Florida.  Don received a package of butterscotch cookies for his birthday, made from his mother's recipe.  The twins will be 80 on the 28th and celebrated, early, with the 24 in their family renting a house  in Williamsburg, Virginia with six apartments, each containing 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, a living and dining room and a kitchen.  They had a terrific long weekend there.

November 2008 On November 20, 2008 we flew to Boston from Fort Lauderdale.  Don played bridge for a week at the Marriott Hotel with Cathy Chell and roomed with Scott Hiller.  Mary stayed with Karen and family in Sudbury, MA.  Then on Thanksgiving Karen had a terrific feast attended by Amy and  Karla and their families.  We drove to Vermont the next morning.

We had a nice six weeks in Vermont.  Karen and family visited us Christmas Eve and Christmas and Don skied with Karen and her family the next day.  Amy, Tom, and Aleksey then arrived that day and stayed until after New Years.  Eric, Cindy, and Alexei also visited us for one day and night.  Of course Karla and her family were at their house at our lake the entire vacation.  We had our annual New Year's Eve Party...attended by over 50 friends and family.

 

 

 

 

 

 
     

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The poem elevated Longfellow to be the most famous writer in America and has had a lasting cultural impact, especially in Nova Scotia and Louisiana, where most of the poem is set.

 

This site was last updated 09/17/18