Sunday, April 30, 2023

April 12, 2023 Gathering Ground Report; Throwback Challenge

GATHERING GROUND REPORT - APRIL 12, 2023

Gathering Ground Parking Lot - Guess Who's Bike?
 

This month, a group of four gathered at the Gathering Ground: Bill Wills, Chet Biernat, Dave Ewbank, and Jo-Ann Smith.

Dave, Jo-Ann, Chet
 

Bill & Dave
  

Norm was absent this time without a note from his doctor!

Jerry Kimble and his wife Laura are on yet another vacation.  This time they drove to Arizona looking for inspirations for Laura's work.  She is an incredible artist and paints mainly landscapes.   Many of her paintings are from photos of their trips out west.

As we are all getting older (except Jo-Ann), the conversations centered around our doctors and ailments.  Chet limped into the restaurant, having twisted his knee while climbing in and out of his van.  He's wondering if he should have the knee replaced.  We all voted NO!

Dave had a knee replaced, and that didn't go so well.  It got infected and had to be removed, treated, and replaced.  He's still recovering.  

Bart Nixon had both knees replaced last year, and is doing well.   He plans to play golf as soon as he returns to CT in June.  (He's a snowbird). 

It’s tuff getting old. 

My PCP recently passed away.   I'm finding it difficult to acquire a new one.  Many are not taking on new patients.  It seems that the doctors are members of medical groups, where you see the doctor on call or a PA in the group.  That's unfortunate.  I know Jerry and I, and possibly Chet, have access to the VA fo care.

On another topic, there was some talk about property tax reductions for Senior Vets (Military veterans, not veterinarians).  Nobody had details, only rumors.  It's up to the individual towns to set these reductions.  I know vests in Windsor get a $3,000 / year reduction on property tax, regardless of age.  Maybe now, there will be a bigger break?

I asked Jo-Ann if she was planning more hikes since she finished the Appalachian Trail last year.  She said of course, and is looking forward to it.  We reminisced about hies to Mt. Washington, the adverse weather, accommodations, and the people.  (Gil's group!)  A good time was had by all back then.

Chet and I also talked about our time in the service.  As it turns out, he met his wife in the Air Force.  They were both assigned to the same base and worked together, and.....

That’s all the news fit to print for this month. 

Looking forward to warm weather and low golf scores.  

    ~ Bill Wills 

 

THROWBACK CHALLENGE:

May is Shad Derby month in Windsor.  Recognize any of these clowns from the Shad Derby parade in 1980? 

Send in your Throwback Challenge photos and I'll post them in future NFTH's!


Tuesday, April 4, 2023

March 8, 2023 Gathering Ground Report

  GATHERING GROUND REPORT - MARCH 8, 2023

Editor's note: no GG pictures AT ALL this month, so I've substituted this from Vince the Sign Guy *

Three of us met at the Gathering Ground Last month, Norm, Chet and Bill.  Jerry, our normal transcriber was in Canada on yet another Ski week, with a group of friends from HSD (John Lussier, Chris, and Diane Lototski)

Chet mentioned  West Springfield was having a celebration for their 250th  anniversary. He had a brochure of all the scheduled events for the week's activities. Holyoke was not left out since they have a historical  connection. They will participate too.

We then talked about speaking French! Evidently, there is a French connection in Springfield and Holyoke.  Norm said when he was in grammar school in the 50's,   the fist half of the school day was in English, and the second half in French.  Students of Italian families, had the second half day in Italian, and the Polish kids Polish.  No Irish?

I talked about installing a 'smart' thermostat that replaced the dumb one.  It turns out it needs a 24 volt AC supply line. Something I didn't have.

Difficulty level automatically tripled since I had to buy a transformer, snake the wire through the wall, speckle the hole and paint it!.  It took only  two calls to the manufacturer to get it working. Nothing is easy.

Another topic was VOIP. (Voice over internet) Norm had it, and he thought it was a good idea, until he went mobile completely. Lots of young people are doing just that. Land lines appear to be  going away.

That's it for now.

  ~ Bill Wills

 

* A few more nuggets from Vince the Sign Guy.  More about him at THIS LINK, or follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VinceTheSignGuy