NEWSLETTER 1974
Looking over the cards for the past few years, we note that in 1972 the forecasted chances of a 1973 version would probably depend on whether the writer could overcome an expectable degree of laziness. Well, the 1973 newsletter got over that hurdle, but it, in turn pointed out that a 1974 edition was highly unlikely. So, until a month or so ago, nothing was planned. But we kept on getting request, yea, even demands for just one more newsletter to wrap up the 33 year long series.
So out came the whip to lash the publishing. forces into action. They wailed in anguish, but got to work. And here it is. We don't expect to stop sending cards in 1975, but we'll probably use store-bought cards instead of these do-it-yourself versions, and cut the list way, way down to manageable proportions. Hopefullly, we'll still be able to keep in touch with our friends of long standing without the present card.
This dissertation, in preamble, relates to the fact that all of us approach a time in life when pensions and annuities start to pay off. Customarily too, you can then adopt a more relaxed way of life. Les has been preparing for that period for several years now, and in the early part of 1971 gradually began to shift from active project direction into more of an advisory role. His official retirement was early in July, but it didn't change things much. He became a consultant, worked only halftime, and kept busy.
He was active on many projects. The most interesting concerned the fire protection of floating off shore nuclear power plants, but right behind it was an Army project for a water spray system for ammunition plants which could withstand the blast of a box of TNT and still keep on working. This task is being worked on now and will continue into 1975.
It didn't take much of the half time work before the matter of taxes and lost Social Security benefits convinced Les to cut down even more. Now he's trying to limit himself to quarter time. This isn't easy, but it's the only way he can continue to work and still collect the Social Security earned over many long years. There are so many interesting projects to tackle, that his hopes of quitting work completely and getting "Space A" military travel. Thailand (?) etc. have had to be pushed back. It seems that fires and explosions keep on occurring that need skilled investigation and expert advice. So for a while, he probably won't get very far from San Antonio.
The angina pectoris reported last year has been no problem at all. Les always carries his nitroglycerine pills with him, but seldom has any need of use them. Which is as it should be.
As 1973 drew to a close, Polly had hopes of a 10 day charter tour of the holy land in February, but somehow or other the Arab-Israeli conflict effectively wiped that out. Then in March, she took Amtrak up to Kansas City to play at a wedding. For about a week, she had a ball, musically speaking. On the way home, she swung over to Columbia, visited Larry a few days, and finally came home via St. Louis, again by Amtrak. Polly likes trains far more than airplanes. As you'd expect, her musical activities have continued, though sometimes under difficulties. The first part of the year, she was organist for the chapel at Air Force Village, but then she picked up a bad case of flu on the Kansas City trip, got popped into Wilford Hall Medical Center to get squared away, and while she managed to get out of bed and to go out on pass a few times to play the organ, it just wasn't feasible to continue. The weekly 5 FU treatment lost its effectiveness, and trying to work out a new treatment required a lot of hospital time. For example, a trial of intravenous 5 FU drip treatment kept her at WHMC for 38 days. She felt good though, and halfway through, managed to get a 5-day pass to visit family and friends up in Tennessee, returning with more visits in Atlanta, Georgia. She's an out-patient now, still under treatment, and while the chemotherapy sometimes slows her down, you'd hardly notice it. Our next door neighbor's three children are taking piano lessons, and on Saturday's she plays the organ at St. Brigids RC church for the 6 P.M., mass, During the year her harpsichord was finished, and while Polly prefers her piano for most things, the little tinkle box gets a lot of exercise. Polly takes lots of pills these days, and spends plenty of time driving back and forth to WHMC, but aside from that things are about the same with her.
1973 found Larry reluctantly deferring his quest for a degree at the University of Missouri, and putting his military medical training to work at the Medical Center there. He's been at it a year and a half now, accumulating the necessary cash against his return to the academic struggle for that elusive sheepskin, He maintains close ties, though, particularly with the band, where he's still 'one of the family". He plays with them whenever opportunity knocks. When he's not playing the organ at Fulton, or getting himself well involved in a new radio show as producer, writer, engineer, DJ, etc., he's still to be found at 17Z3 W. Worley Apt, 6A, Columbia, Mo. 65201 (314) 445-4638. After all this time, the apartment is getting to be well settled and it really feels like home to him, Larry, though, is getting interested in public affairs and politics, even as a possible candidate for city council. If that happens, he wouldn't get much chance to stay home. Politics demands a lot of time, Larry had problems with his right ear while in the military service. When he was separated, only minor surgery could be done. Now, after a long wait, the VA caught up with the paperwork and the first of three major operations has been successfully completed. The doctors expect almost full restoration of hearing. The work, incidentally is being done at the Medical Center where Larry works. The VA hospital is part of the complex. While he's not on the job, he's sure staying close to it.
At least from what he says, Ed's year was pretty uneventful. Still at 4725 Boiling Brook Parkway, Rockville, MD, 20852, 770-7515 he continued his daily treks over to Annapolis making electromagnetic compatibility analyses for various pieces of military gear, When the gasoline shortages came about, Ed took a long hard look at his Ford LTD, and changed over to a little Fiat, that goes a lot farther, and probably just as fast on every gallon. He's always been a photo fan, and so he built himself a basement darkroom in the true do-it-yourself tradition. Les looked at it while on a quick trip to Washington last summer; it was a masterful bit of carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work squeezed into a very, very confined area. When Polly went to Tennessee in July, Ed hopped on a plane and flew down to be with her for a few days. He'd talked before about coming down to San Antonio, but Tennessee proved to be a lot closer.
Dan continued to teach at Jefferson Davis Middle School, and he kept on with his historical research. His original MS thesis was to have been on the black community of Kingsville, Tx. and now he is reworking his accumulated data into something usable. About 400 pages of typed copy have been done, with another 200 to go. At the same time, he's been updating his thesis on Shawn Phillips, titled Portrait of a Young Artist", Hopefully, it might get published. With seven years of teaching behind him, Dan is well established in his academic routine. Now, he's a real householder too. In June, he moved from a mobile home into a small house much nearer school...his address is now 137 Julia Helen, San Antonio 78222...phone (512) 333-7596. Whenever he's not home, his two Siamese cats, Archie and Mehitabel watch the place for him. In return, they ask only for lots of food and attention, which of course, they get. Dan got in a little travel this summer, keeping a watchful eye on Polly during her trip up to Tennessee, and getting reacquainted with Ed at the same time. Then, in August, he joined with some kindred spirits in a jaunt up to Indianola, Iowa for the National Hot Air Balloon races, With 159 balloons participating you'd expect Dan to spend some time aloft. He did, but not enough time to get him that coveted balloon pilots license. His aerial career has been in low gear for some time now. There just isn't enough ballooning around San Antonio to keep Dan occupied. Dan is about to be grounded for a while this month, Following Larry's example, but on a smaller scale, he's scheduled for a hernia operation during the Xmas holidays. What with Polly and Les being in the hospital at various times during the past few years, Dan has lots of experience as a visitor. Now it's his turn to be the visited. He'll probably learn hospital life has disadvantages too!
The four furry felines are still around, and continue to make life interesting. Kit, the white longhair, is about 13 now and is noticeably changing her habits. After all these years of independence, she suddenly discovered the joys of being a lap cat, and works at it with determination. Which is fine, except when Les sits down to read the paper. Then a contest of wills results. There's rivalry too...Taffy and Mai Tai used to be the lap cats...now it's a matter of who gets there first, with the loser stomping off in a jealous rage with appropriate sound effects. They like to sleep on the bed too. There may be a pattern on which cats sleep on which beds, but it's hard to figure it out, since they seem to stake out territorial rights every so often. Taffy has definite ideas on bed sleeping, she prefers the pillows, so sometimes she needs convincing that people come first in such matters.
Well, here's the end of Newsletter 74, and in all probability, it will be the last version to appear. It's been fun since the first card came out in 1941, and its acceptance has been gratifying. But it's also meant a lot of hard work, and now with retirement years of sweetly doing nothing, well, almost nothing, it's time to take it easier as promised earlier. We'll do our best to keep in touch with all of you.
230 Montpelier Drive
San Antonio, Texas 78228
(512) 734 0698
