12/2016 Fall Festivities

Hiking Blue Ridge Mountains 

The Folly continues as none of the condo's which appeared to be almost done, get closed by year end.  Ours has had little progress for the last few months as the focus has been on the first and second floors.  Good news is that we will be back from our upcoming Hawaii trip in time to oversee installation of cabinets, floors, tile, etc.  Staying positive about the snails pace is challenging at best.  We are reminded of the story the Cherokee grandfather told his grandson about the two wolves fighting inside him.  One was angry and mean.  The other was happy and mellow.  When the grandson asked, which one wins, he replied "the one you feed".  WE FEED PATIENCE!!!

Zoe at National Arboretum

Dartmouth Bonfire

We met up with Zoe in DC where she was attending a bridal shower and wedding for some high school friends.  Seeing the National Arboretum in Fall was breathtaking as was hiking with her, Marcia and Bill.

John is working hard on a new project documenting activities of the last 21 years of the SSG when word comes that the current CNO has disbanded future groups.  A wonderful 45th reunion/homecoming weekend in Hanover with old Dartmouth buddies was fun especially hanging out with Pat and Dave at their beautiful log home.

Zoe and pal Amy (from her days in Denver) have started an online venture called TheOnenessInitiative.com.  It is 'dedicated to connecting all sentient beings as one heart, one community, through personal empowerment and enlightened conversation.' Check out their monthly online programs, and inspiring empowerment action statements.  Adding to global healing is their ultimate goal which is badly needed as our nation reels in divisiveness after an ugly campaign and election of Trump.  In a conversation where I was overcome by shock and fear, the kids repeating my mantra "everything happens for a reason", help put it into perspective. Maybe he had to be elected at this time so his Presidency will be so disruptive as to raise the consciousness of our electorate so future candidates rising from the ashes will seek to cooperate instead of divide.  There is truth in the saying that sometimes you've got to hit bottom before you can change.  It's going to be scary and ugly but let's hope by the time my future grandchildren can vote, our self serving political parties get their act together and do what's right for the country instead of themselves.

San Diego Hike

Jack is finding time to enjoy paradise as he volunteers with other shipmates to teach local school children to kayak, paddle board, etc.  Here he is paddle boarding with one of his charges in Kailua Bay.  He had so much fun that he bought himself a paddle board!  While in San Diego for Antisubmarine Warfare School he joins up with fellow classmates for a hike.  He quickly realizes he has seriously underestimated the challenge of the hike when he shows up in sneakers and a cup of coffee, while they are in full hiking gear with lots of water.

And not to be outdone by his kids adventures, let's not forget John's pre-Thanksgiving golf outing.  Taking a break from writing early on a beautiful sunny morning, he has the whole course to himself.

On the second hole, like any good Irishman whose ball veers off course, down a newly brush cleared hill, he takes out to fetch it (as well as any others whom less adventurous golfers choose to ignore).  Tripping on a vine, he falls and impales his calf on the sharp point of a newly cut sapling.  Once again, cool headed Navy training kicks in as he uses his belt for a tourniquet, calls the clubhouse for help and drags himself up the hill where he is spotted by a passing grounds keeper in a golf cart.   The traumatized driver takes him to his truck where he calls Debra to take him to the hospital.  She arrives to this bloody scene knowing there is no way he is getting in her car.  Even cooler heads prevail as the golf course manager has already called an ambulance.  After surgery, the doctor writes on the discharge instructions "next time your ball goes into the rough, take a drop."  Needless to say, he is infamous at the Winnepaug Golf Course next to our new condo, where a sign is now posted on "the hill" stating DANGER - KEEP OUT.  We now call it Hanley Hill.

Nieces and Nephews Gather

Aunt Norma With Her Children

Debra continues to "refine" as she now calls it, her condo selections, hiking with the Westerly Land Trust, and spending time with family and new friends. Aunt Norma retires after working 16 years in her Church's nursery.  She is clearly beloved by the children and their grateful parents for her years of loving service.

Seattle Underground

Chihuly Glass

Packing for a 5 week trip which includes snow skiing in Washington state over New Years and boogy boarding in Hawaii for almost a month is a blissful challenge.  Especially because Deb knows she needs to leave room for shopping. OK it works if we wear our snow boots on the planes to Washington state and to Hawaii but still not much room for shopping.  Meeting up with Zoe and Jack in Seattle, we again tour the fabulous Chihuly Glass Gallery and take a most interesting tour of subterranean storefronts and sidewalks entombed when the city rebuilt on top of itself after the Great Fire of 1889.    We learned the history of Seattle's founding and development from this must do tour!

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/living/family/article22204641.html#storylink=cpy

10/2016 'Rig For Dive' Bringing RV to Storage

Pulling Away From Ashaway Resort

With the campground closing and a tear in our eye, we pack up the RV for it's last trip as part of our Freedom Folly.  After washing and waxing the outside and deep cleaning inside, we  'rig for dive'.  We use this submariner term to describe our process of securing the RV for travel. With melancholy in our hearts we load the flower and vegetable pots into the truck, pack away the patio rug and furniture, then roll up the awning.   Check that all cabinets and drawers are snapped closed; lounge chairs, dining table/chairs secured.  As Deb pulls in the slides, John unhooks the water, sewer and cable lines.   The levelers are retracted, the RV hooked to the truck and we go through our safety checklist (taking a moment to remember the flow).  Mirrors, tow haul, lights, brakes, gas and most important ..... kiss.  Below the most magnificent blue sky sparkles red, orange, yellow and green foliage as we quietly depart Ashaway RV Resort.

Our temporary land lord is also storing the RV.  He describes the somewhat tight space where he wants us to park asking... "do you think he can get it in there"?  Without seeing the space Deb smiles confidently saying... "no problem, John can park it on a dime".  Then a flashback comes to mind of one of our first  RV trips when John is backing up and Deb is giving him 'very clear' directions from behind the RV to turn right, turn right...to which John replies, turn what right, the truck, the front of the RV, the back of the RV!!!!  Us not having our signals straight and learning turning radius's,  made parking a comical (to the observers not the participants :) challenge.  Seems like a very long time ago.

Salt Marsh

Fall Sunset Over the Pond

                                  We are blessed to have found a fabulous rental 2 miles from our condo situated on the breach way connecting the Atlantic Ocean and Winnisquam Pond.   We have views of the ocean to our south, look across the pond to beautiful western sunsets, while north and east is a most vibrant salt marsh filled with lots of bird varieties. Our landlord, Peter is a wonderful salt of the earth Westerly native, contractor, and resource for anything we could every want.  A former quarry-man he shares a wealth of information about geological hikes and history.  He tells us about good fishing spots and lures, and even which mushrooms to pick in the woods.

Rainbow Over the Breach Way

Our condo unit is still months from completion, but the first floor units are almost done, the second floor units are painted with cabinets and tile done, while our third floor just finished with electrical, plumbing and heating awaiting sheet rock.  It feels so good to be living in our new community, getting familiar with streets, shopping, establishing new doctors, attending functions with our new condo association members, golfing with new friends.  The beach is only a 5 minute walk and biking around the beautiful old beach 'cottages' around the corner in Weekapaug is delightful.

Our Future Kitchen

9/2016 Geology and the Hurricane of 1938

Napatree Point Today

Before and After the Hurricane of '38

We are absolutely living the life!  Our new friends, Joanne and Jon (John's new golfing buddy), told us about the OLLIE Center at URI which has really cool classes for the "mature" generation. We have signed up for an 8 week class on the "Geology of Coastal Rhode Island" and a one day field trip to Napatree Point to discuss "The Hurricane of 1938".  First we read the fantastic book by R.A. Scott "Sudden Sea - The Great Hurricane of 1938" which gave first hand accounts from hurricane survivors.  Rhode Island's South County shoreline (Westerly to Newport) incurred the most damage and about 400 deaths.  Since our condo overlooks Misquamicut Beach (about 5 miles from Watch Hill and Napatree Point) which also got wiped off the map during the Hurricanes of '38, '44  and Carol in '54 and about half wiped out during Super Storm Sandy in 2012....our attention is peaked on this subject.

With Naturalist Janice, our group walked the remaining 2 mile sand strand of Napatree. Before the hurricane, the strand was about 4 miles long, but the section called Sandy Point was detached (see map) and relocated into the middle of Little Narragansett Bay by what the book describes "the surge was essentially a wind-induced tsunami that reached a height estimated by some to be 50 feet! That 50-foot wave rolled over Napatree Point and obliterated the 40 houses that once existed there on Fort Road."  39 died on the Point while others survived floating on roof tops and mattresses across the bay to Stonington, Connecticut.  A few chunks of cement stairs and some rocks from the old Fort is all that remains.  This sand peninsula continues to move toward the mainland leaving the old road buried in sand about 100 yards out in the ocean.

Sandy Point Detached from Napatree

The website beachsamp.org shows how past hurricanes have affected Rhode Island's shoreline. Maps of the storms mentioned above show the storm surge of all of them reaching very close to our condo's property line which is half a mile from the ocean and 40 feet above sea level.  Thank goodness we are on the third floor so the water may not get us but with nothing blocking our view of the ocean, nothing is blocking the wind either!!

Champlin Woods Glacial Signage

From our Geology class we learn that the RI shoreline is a moraine from the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. As the farthest point of glacial advance, the rock debris pushed in front of the glacier were dumped in a heap as the glacier melted and retreated. Explore RI describes the 134-acre Champlin Woods Glacier Park next to our condo as "a dramatic example of a recessional moraine, with kettle and kame topography, carved canyons, glacial erratic boulders and the moraine ridge. A number of the kettles are below the groundwater level, forming beautiful ponds. The morainal ridge over looks the glacial outwash plain (86-acre Lathrop Preserve owned by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island), Winnapaug Pond, the Misquamicut barrier beach, Block Island Sound, and the terminal moraine of Block Island and Long Island. A glacier geologist has reported that having all of these features in an undeveloped site is globally unique."

Folding Crust

A field trip takes us to the shores of Narragansett then over to Beaver Tail in Jamestown where results of continental drift and the smashing of land masses has produced unique folded rock formations below the Beaver Tail Lighthouse. So unusual that this exact formation is shown in every Geology book around the world.  We learn that Westerly was renowned for its high quality blue and pink granite used in buildings and monuments all over the world. The Washington Monument is an example.  The granite business started in Westerly in mid 1800's and by 1892 4,000 of Westerly's 7,000 residents were involved in the industry.  We learn that crystals from a massive vein of milky white quartz rolling in the surf for millions of years gives the namesake to smooth white stones found on nearby Moonstone beach.

Here we are having breakfast in front of Taylor Swifts Watch Hill house picking out great examples of pink and black feldspar formations among the massive barrier of RI pink granite. A walk among rocks will never be the same :)

Breakfast and Chatting At Taylor's House

8/2016 Rhode Island Summer

We  have been staying at the Ashaway RV resort now since June.  Guess what, it isn't as much fun living in the RV when it's not moving around the country.  The condo is really taking shape. With walls roughed in we can better see what it will look like. The builder was hoping to have us in by year end but we doubt that will happen.  The campground closes on October 15 which is fine as we are both ready for a change of living venue.

Coffee on Quonnie Pond

The condo association has been including us in events of which there are many!  A few we are attending are a dinner club luau, Men's Breakfasts, Genealogy, and Deb joined the book club.   We met a great couple in the campground, Karen and Jack, from Massachusetts who spend several days a week here kayaking, hiking and visiting family. We look forward to seeing them even after the camping season is over.  We have been hiking and kayaking on our own and with The Westerly Land Trust but especially love breakfasts on the beach or while kayaking Quonochontaug (Quonnie) Pond.  Our RV and truck are too heavy for the sand road to Quonnie Beach Campground BUT there is one we can get to at Ninegret Beach and we look forward to trying it out!  The miles and miles of shoreline salt water "ponds" and beautiful ocean beaches means seeing few people on our walks.

Quonnie Beach Camping

Deb has been spending a lot with her family, including a couple picnics at Esker Point where we used to go when our kids were little.  Zoe probably doesn't remember at age 2 when Aunt Sherrie and Aunt Dee took her to the Groton Fair after a long day of beaching.  In her pink tweety bird shorts with yellow shirt, she rode an elephant and had her face painted like a tiger.  They carry her in to gramma's house very tired but happy as a clam, sucking her thumb while Deb freaks out as she was FILTHY from head to toe!  While John golfs and writes articles (two on Wargaming getting published in War College Review), Deb helps Aunt Norma purge closets and drawers at her place and in between a couple of root canals continues work on tile, cabinet, carpet, paint, and new furniture.  She has changed her mind 1,000 times!!!

While watching the Rio Summer Olympics, John is reminded about his fathers Olympic disappointment.  He was an All American Long Distance Runner while at Dartmouth College.  During a beer ballgame he injured his ankle which took him out of contention for the Olympics.

Jack, John and Evelyn

Jack takes a break meeting up with his best high school buddies in Savannah and Charleston, then up to North Carolina for a college friends wedding.  Wow, realize our kids are getting older when you seem them with their friends babies.  But somehow, we don't seem to age:)

Zoe is still cranking away on her dissertation, to break the monotony of statistical analysis, she continues to participate in the field work while hiking Washington State mountains.  She and Gabe had a great road trip to Yosemite where they saw lots of wildlife and observed wolves feeding after a kill and took their canoe on challenging multi day adventures.

7/12/16 Hawaii To Meet Jack's Ship

USS Chung Hoon passing "Mighty Mo" (USS Missouri)

Last minute plans to fly to Hawaii and meet the Chung Hoon at the dock after a 6 month deployment was an experience no words can describe. Aunt Sherrie joined us for the homecoming. With the pier full of family, friends, hula dancers and a band, Jack's ship pulled in with the bow draped in a lei and with Jack standing by the front gun mount wearing orchid leis which he later presented to Mom and Aunt Sherrie.  We returned the aloha with leis for him and some shipmates who didn't have anyone greeting them.  

The Commanding Officer and Executive Officer both raved about Jack's performance saying he has a bright future in the Navy.  Who'da thought his first grade drama role would turn into a real life story.  Jack's fellow ensigns have nicknamed him "warship" due to his extensive knowledge of weapons systems and naval operations.  By the time we left the pier two more destroyers were stacked up next to his.Truly a sight to behold.

Jack and Zoe Catching Waves

We  stayed near Kailua Beach, about a 20 minute ride from Jack's fabulous house in Kaneohe.  Spent sunrises walking the beach to Kalapawai Market for coffee and scones then around the point to Lanikai to meditate.  Waves were unusually high and we spent hours boogy boarding.  Fourth of July on the

Even Sherrie Got In The Water

beach was a hoot with families setting up tents, grills, games, kids, dogs and flags as far as the eye  could see. From the beach was a birds eye view of the fireworks and a 5 minute walk back to the ohana house where we were staying.  Jack took us to Giovanni's shrimp truck on our way up the North Shore for snorkeling and our first fabulous acai bowl (acai sorbet, granola, honey, banana).

2016 and 2001

At a BBQ at Jack's house, Zoe surprised him with her arrival as he came through the door. It was great getting to know the other ensigns he lives with. 

What a difference 15 years make.  The bottom photo was taken when we lived in Hawaii while John was the Special Assistant for his friend Admiral Dennis Blair who was Commander In Chief Pacific Command.  John traveled extensively through Asia during these 3 years and helped develop the notion of security communities.  For our 20th Wedding Anniversary, we asked friend and Buddhist priest Dean N. to bless us on Kailua Beach, just down the street from where we lived.   

Hippy Beach Camper

In addition to lots of beach time, there was shopping for Hawaiiana, dinners with jack's 4th grade buddy Fred and his parents, dinner with Aikahi Park neighbors Jodi and family, and with Debra's  now defunct Investment Club ladies.   

Aunti took Zoe for a 30th birthday camp out in a 1976 Volkswagen tricked out hippy van. They toured the North Shore, snorkeled with lots of fish and sea turtles in Waimea Bay, and camped on the beach at Kaena Point.  They had a blast and set a precedent for future visits.  

Auntie with Jack at his House

We ended our wonderful visit watching the Chung-Hoon depart for RIMPAC 2016 while waving to Jack on the quarter deck.  Pearl Harbor  was filled with ships from 26 countries, in what the Navy says was "the worlds largest international maritime exercise".  40 ships and submarines, 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel participated in the exercise. Shortly after underway their ship and Marine helo crew were tasked to a real life search and rescue mission for a small downed plane off of Kona. Both pilots were rescued with only minor injuries! During the RIMPAC exercise with destroyers from Korea and Japan, they "demonstrated the combined forces ability to respond to a small boat attack as Chung-Hoon and Sejong the Great deployed their small boats to simulate attacks on the ships."  Jack also coordinated the visit of 

Japanese and Korean Destroyers During RIMPAC

old friend, retired Vice Admiral Denny McGinn to the Chung-Hoon.  VADM McGinn is the current Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment and one of Jack's references when he applied to the Navy. And if his plate is not full enough with his responsibilities as Auxiliary Officer, Legal Officer, and Energy Conservation Officer; Jack passed his SWO Board and can now wear the pin of a Surface Warfare Officer!  This is a massive milestone and one he accomplished in only 9 months!   

Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  Soooooo fun seeing so many old friends and can't wait to go back for a month in January!  ALOHA

6/19/16 Westerly, RI and 45th Dartmouth Reunion

Condo Deck View

 It is wonderful to be back in Rhode Island at Ashaway RV Resort.   We walked through our Champlin Woods condo where inside walls have been

roughed in but the view of Misquamicut Beach is complete!  The builder hopes to have us in by the end of the year but we are not holding our breaths.  Hard to believe that we are home as we walk along the beach and look back to see our condo on the hill.

Mascoma Lake Campground

In between John's conference at the Naval War College and Deb's picking tile, bath fixtures, lighting, etc. etc., we take the RV up to Mascoma Lake Campground near Hanover, New Hampshire, spending five days at John's 45th Dartmouth College reunion. We have a wonderful time seeing over 100 of his classmates, reigniting old friendships and making new ones. We ran ourselves ragged on planned activities including delicious meal gatherings, hiking, panel discussions, campus tours, a concert by

award winning acapella group The Dartmouth Aires, and a fascinating presentation about the Thayer School of Engineering Mobile Virtual Player  (MVP) robotic tackling dummy which is used to simulate live tackling during practices.  

Dartmouth's MVP

Since using the MVP, a significant reduction in injuries and concussions has resulted from the college's policy of NO live tackling in practices.  Last Falls team's spectacular performance highlights the benefits of having healthier players.  Other colleges and the NFL are now trying the MVP in their programs.  

Protesters Confront ROTC Students

The mood of our country toward the military was quite different in the late 60's early 70's during the Vietnam War. John's experience as a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp (NROTC) student is reflected in this photograph of the war protesters and in the photo of a NROTC Dining-In where John (third from left) was the company commander hosting the nights speaker.  Dining-In's are formal military affairs following British traditions of rules of the mess, much toasting, and after dinner cigars and port.

It was fun listening to his buddy Dick, tell stories.  "You were hard ass ROTC; made me and Knolls look bad." "You must be really smart.  You would sit in back of Thermodynamics cutting your nails while I was furiously taking notes. Did you get an A or B in that class?"  To which John meekly replies, "I got a citation in that class." (That's like a A+++++!)

6/1/2016 Virginia, Bahamas, Zoe's PhD Board, Jack in Philippines

Zoe's River Canoe Trip

Zoe passed her PhD boards (YAHOO!!!!) complaining that they didn't ask her the really hard questions she spent months preparing for ;)  Her plans are to finish writing her dissertation by next May.  In between she is puttering in her garden, hiking in the Cascades with Gabe as they continue to check out wolf research sites, and take his girls down the St. Mary's River in Idaho in their new canoe!

Campsite Neighbor

  After an overnight stop at a KOA off I-95 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, we are back in our old stomping grounds at Bull Run Regional Park in Manassas, Virginia. We love camping in the spacious wooded campsites here, being awoken every morning by numerous bird calls.  A week goes by where we catch up with friends, make some professional connections, then put the RV in storage at Settles Truck & Auto where we bought it 4 years ago.

The Beautiful Boat

John flies to the Florida Keys to help some friends crew their boat to the Bahamas.  Having had an amazing time cruising around the Bahamian Islands on two prior occasions, Deb (wisely) chooses to remain  behind this time to work on design decisions for the condo (aka - to avoid the open ocean crossing) ;) Half way across, one (of two) engines fails so they limp into Alice City on Bimini.  Finding no qualified mechanic and no success at self-repair, they cruise to 

Bimini

Fort Lauderdale whereupon they experience a water in the bilge alarm.  After many buckets of water over the side, they arrive in FL, get repaired, tested and head back to Bahamas.  After two hours of smooth sailing the engine room fire alarm goes off.  While the Captain handles the boat, John's uses his Navy emergency training and several breath holding trips down into the engine room to put out the fire.  This trip is over and they return to Fort Lauderdale.  John says the trip was GREAT especially loving the opportunity to drive the boat, stand watch and help with the challenges.  The Captain's wife, on the other hand, was traumatized by these events.......(men are from Mars!)

Deb has a blast sacking out at her cousin Bruce's and various friends homes (Marie, Marcia,

Azalea Bonsai, National Arboretum 

Susan B.) while he was gone.  Visited the beautiful National Arboretum, attended a community theater production of "My Fair Lady" where our friend Joni played Professor Higgins fabulous secretary, and continues working on floor, kitchen plumbing and appliance decisions for the condo.  

Marcia, Jane, Actress Joni, Debra

John gets back in time to celebrate our 35TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!!!!  We are blessed beyond words for the life we have had together and plan to continue to have in the future.  

After moving the RV back to Bull Run, we continue our marathon visiting with friends and family as we both finish up some consulting projects.  Had a great day at the Nationals Ballpark even though they lost.  Met up with Deb's Uncle Bill (drove Marine landing craft in Vietnam) on Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Day in DC at the Massachusetts Vigil Society exhibit he was manning.  The group formed in 1982 after the dedication of the Vietnam Memorial to maintain POW-MIA

Massachusetts Vigil Society Exhibit

awareness.  They recently added banners naming fallen veterans from the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars.  A very emotional and humbling experience as the Washington Monument rises behind the exhibit.

Jack had some well needed downtime on a recent port call in Subic Bay, Philippines.  His ship is involved in activities described in a newspaper headline: "Deploying ships, jet fighters, and reportedly, a high-tech surveillance drone, Beijing is moving quickly to cement its claims on strategic islands, while also forcefully rebuffing America’s own military moves in the region."   He is working hard at his new position as the ships Auxiliary Officer (AUXO) while at the same time putting max effort into qualifications for his Surface Warfare Officer pin. His first Fitness Report was EXCELLENT!!!

While reviewing condo plans recently, Debra asks John, what is the size of our deck?  He says 300 sq feet.  What is the size of the RV living area?  He says 310 sq. ft. Soooo we have been living on our deck for the past two years?? Yup, that about sums it up.  

John says you know it's time to bring this Freedom Folly to a close when Deb starts complaining about him leaving his soap in her makeup space (really John, I would have complained about that under any circumstances:).  We had a real hard laugh when John then complained because she left her book in his chair space. We continue to find it absolutely amazing that we still find humor in our ability to tolerate each other in such close quarters.