Checkpoints Class News

Wayne Kendall reports that, “ … on June 18, Jack and Elaine Brush hosted the COS ’60 locals and guests for our monthly lunch. Their house was designed by Jack with inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright. It is on the side of a mountain overlooking Colorado Springs and an architectural marvel. Despite our dwindling numbers, Jim and Jenny Glaza, John and Deanne McCullough, Wayne and Barbara Kendall, Pete Roe, Fred Porter and Gordon Savage all enjoyed the view while eating lunch outside in perfect weather. We even survived John’s extended farmer jokes, Jack’s jokes without punch lines, and Gordon’s story about bear bells and bear scat.”

J.T. Smith rode one of his motorcycles to the annual gathering in early June of his motorcycle group Los Guajolotes. A friend from Utah flew to Nashville to ride another of his motorcycles. This year the group assembled in Townsend, TN to enjoy riding the twisty roads in the area. One such road is the infamous “Tail of the Dragon” which is a section of US-129 through Deals Gap that connects Tennessee and North Carolina. Boasting 318 turns in its 11-mile course, it is arguably one of the most exciting-yet-treacherous rides in the country. To mark the treacherous nature stands “The Tree of Shame” at the Deals Gap Motel at the southern end of the “Tail.” It is adorned with many motorcycle parts gathered from the numerous crashes that have occurred over the years.

Chuck Hart writes that they has a fifth great grandson due in July—congratulations, Chuck and Linda. Linda experienced a fall back in December that resulted in her being hospitalized for several weeks. She continues to convalesce, and Chuck says that, “… she is still hanging on here in Tucson.” Chuck and Linda recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary; he writes, “Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to go with her first coffee and a big pizza of her choice to celebrate while she rests in bed and wheelchair. Celebrations get simple at this age.”

Pam Zimmerman sent the following: “Alex and I took a trip to the south of France this month. We went with our son Kenneth and his wife Nathalie to visit her mother who lives there, near the town of Sainte-Maxime. We visited Monaco and Saint-Tropez and stuck our toes in the Mediterranean. Alex still works part time in Albuquerque.“

Sid Newcomb writes that, in late May, Marvann and he visited their daughter Holly and her husband Scott Ritchie in northern TN. While there, they visited the scale model replica of Noah’s Ark--near Williamstown, KY. The model is built according to biblical measurements; I.e., cubits (cubit≈20 in). “An amazing adventure!! The Ark is about 170 yards long, 4 stories/17 yards high, 28 yards wide. Inside one sees where the animals (probably between 1,400 and 6,000) were caged, where their food and water were stored, and how waste was disposed of. All throughout, there are comparisons of the biblical creation model vs the naturalistic evolutionary model.”

Gordy Flygare checks in with a quick “Ops normal in OK. Not very spry, but the IRS is still accepting my money and putting it to good use.”

Barb and Bill Hales celebrated their birthdays by traveling from their home in Greenville, SC, to tour the Luray Caverns in Virginia the last week in June. Bill said that the caverns were well worth the trip.

Dr. Dave Reed has some advice regarding a topic nearly all of us care about, the cost of medications. He writes, “… First--Honor Code--I am NOT getting any benefit for saying the following: For many years I have used Rx Gold to pay for meds. Why? Just do a search for your med and dosage on GoodRx.com then indicate your general area of pharmacy interest. The search (depending on your area) will give you a VERY good result over 6-10 local pharmacies. The variation on costs I believe you will find to be amazing. … AND if you sign up for their Health Newsletter you will get info that even I, as an MD, find to be very pertinent with no sneaky links--just (IMHO) excellent useful info. … I’d be very interested in anyone’s comments. And if you take Eliquis let me know.”

Vic Yoakum and Suzanne have relocated to Quail Park of Lynnwood, a multilayered retirement community in Gig Harbor, WA. Vic divides his time between his assisted-living facility and their independent-living apartment, where he and Suzanne enjoy time together. This arrangement is quite similar to your Scribe's set-up in Leesburg ,VA--and elsewhere where Zoomies reside. Vic's adult children live nearby and provide outings on a regular basis. Chuck Diver visits from time-to-time and helps break the routine.

Rich Kingman recently reminded your Scribe that the two of us unknowingly were on the same plane on our fateful flight from New York to Denver in 1956. Rich is a true New Yorker, having lived successfully in the same apartment and real-estate-office building for the past twenty-five years. For time-outs, he and his wife Judith escape to their seaside recreation home on Fire Island, just off the Northern coast of Long Island.