Connecticut 2006:
Hello Everybody,
The Connecticut meeting is coming to a close. I am in the
lobby waiting to give a hand to participants leaving for the
airport and home. Since I drove down here with my minivan and
being the handy kind of guy, I am helping out with
transportation. It also gives me the opportunity to say final
goodbyes to the many new friends I've made here.
We all met Thursday evening, 9 ladies and 12 men, in Jama's
suite to get acquainted. Jama (and her helpers, Linda, Jerry
and more of the guys) had prepared sandwiches, potato salad,
chips and dips, fresh fruit, homemade cookies and brownies,
and more, and people got the chance to become familiar with
each other. This was above all a social and friendly
gathering, so we had to break the ice somehow. Then we
adjourned to the meeting room where Margaret and Judy had
planned a surprise wedding reception for Jama and Scott who
got married last Fall.
We went to Mystic, CT on Friday. The Mystic Seaport
Museum is a historical reproduction of a turn-of-the-century
whaling community, and has many displays and interpretation
centers. There were many old fishing and whaling ships upon
which it was possible to board and visit. One of these boats
is reputedly haunted! I haven't met or seen the resident
ghost, but I found it very interresting to see how these old
tall ships operated and how mariners lived a century
ago. For dinner, we went to Abbott's Lobster in the
Rough and most of us had whole lobsters as you can see by our
bibs!
Yesterday, I went out for an afternoon cruise on Scott and
Jama's sailboat. She's a 28' sloop, and although we didn't go
very far, I think I'm hooked onto a new little passion.
I've been invited to have some private sailing lessons here,
and you can be sure I'll take Scott up on his generous offer
soon.
It was a fantastic experience for me, and I'm looking forward
to being at future meetings. Meanwhile, there's the Monteal
meeting this fall to start planning for...
See y'all
Marc
San
Diego!
October 28-31, 2004
We had a great
time! Friday we went to the San Diego Zoo and
wore ourselves out walking/rolling all over
the place (some of you bums took the bus tour after
we got separated!) then Friday night we ordered
pizza and ate by the pool/hottub.
Saturday we rode the trolley from Old
Town to the Harbor and went on a 2 hour cruise of
the harbor, then back to Old Town for some shopping
and great Mexican food, some of us in our Halloween
costumes. Tatiana Freedman wore the best
costume I have ever seen (see the picture below).
Sunday some left early
and the rest of us goofed off while those with
energy went to Seaworld. Then we went to dinner
at Ricky's (not recommended - a long 2 blocks away, no
ramp and the food wasn't special).
Monday, a few of us went to the
Maritime Museum and checked out the Victorian era ferry Berkeley built in
1898, and the Star of India (where Captain and
Commander with Russell Crowe was filmed). I
went down the stairs into the lower decks (with a
little help of course) and got to see the Captain's
cabin...Very interesting!
*****
Las Vegas
Halloween 2003
We
had 10 ladies and 10 guys, plus a couple of guys who
were there for an evening,
plus some friends of 2 of the ladies who joined
us for dinners and some activities. So there were
about 25 in all, but I think all 25 were together
at only one time for dinner on Halloween night.
We went to the Casinos (of course) but casino time
was more or less on one's own or after an
evening's activities. We
ate at the hotel mostly - there was a cafe and a buffet for 3
meals a day, but we did get out for dinners elsewhere a few
times. On Friday night we all dressed up in our costumes and
went to the Fremont Street Experience (light shows and lots of
things to see, plus shops, restaurants and bars) for
Hallowe'en and it was a hoot! Everyone there was dressed
up too and the costumes were great!
I
think we should do Halloween there every other year!
Then on Saturday, we went to the Strip to see some of the
new hotels and casinos and displays there. Some saw the
Bellagio Fountains - a water and light show that was
breathtaking. The group I was with went to the Monte
Carlo and the Venetia - a
hotel with gondola rides indoors and outdoors, painted
ceiling reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel and then we went
to New York New York and to the Nine Irish Gentlemen's
Irish Bar, which was wonderful - Irish songs, and dancing,
and the bar patrons often danced up in the front with the
performers. When they saw our wheelchairs, the crowd was
parted and we were escorted right up to the
front which was very nice since it was very crowded.
We had dinners of sandwiches and chips, etc in my room a
couple of nights to save on eating out every meal. A few
arrived on Wednesday, and most everyone stayed until
Monday, so it was an extended weekend. But everyone had a
great time.
I know I did! 
New Orleans
March 2003
We had a blast as
you can see here! There were 6 ladies and
6 guys in attendance and
one more lady,
Kelly, who came for one day on Friday, who we
hope to see again soon!
Orlando, Florida
Spring 2002
Orlando was great! The weather
was beautiful!
Some of us went to Epcot Center,
Seaworld,
and
of course we went shopping and ate out!
People started arriving Wednesday evening, I drove and didn't get
there until late Thursday evening,
but Lorry was there keeping
everything under control until I got there...
Thanks Lorry!
RENO,
NEVADA
June 2002
We had a great time in Reno, stayed
at Circus-Circus Hotel and Casino,
but for the LasVegas conference, I think I will
choose a smaller hotel.
If not for cell phones we would never have managed
to keep the group somewhat together.
Here is a picture of some of the group at the Jazz
Festival...
Galveston, Texas
Fall
2002We thought we were going to be rained out, but
we all managed to float our way down there and had
a great time! The rain even managed to let
up enough for us to enjoy our outings the Johnson
Space Center, the Oil Drilling Rig Museum, The
Strand (historic downtown Galveston), and Moody
Gardens. Some of us even made it to the
Kemah Boardwalk for dinner Friday night at Joe's
Crab Shack, as planned, and the rest of us ate at
Joe's Crab Shack in Galveston! So I guess
you could say we all had dinner at the 'same'
place, if not together! Seems like we
ate seafood every night, but "when in
Rome...".Then at night,we hung out on the
"veranda" every night until the wee hours to talk
and get to know each other. Everyone had a
great time and promised to come back next time, so
those of you who weren't there, try to make it to
New Orleans in the spring or fall of 2004!
San Jose 2001 Conference
