!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> 10/16 - Retirement Anniversary XII

Hello Friends and Family,

Link to this year's index by clicking here.

Retirement Anniversary XII

This week I am interrupting the series of photos of Georgia to celebrate the 12th anniversary of my retirement from Hewlett-Packard. So much has happened in those 12 years that I cannot really remember it all without the reminder that my LAHP photos provide. For instance, one year ago in October, we were touring northern Arizona (and Las Vegas) with a friend from Japan including a stop at Lake Havasu City to see the London Bridge. That was truly enjoyable except for the heat — honestly, it was hotter and more humid there than we experience in Phoenix. Well, at least we were able to enjoy snow cones (Hawaiian: Shave Ice) to try and cool off.



In November, I shared photos from our two weeks on Maui. This photo was one of my favorites showing the view from Upcountry with the cloud-covered West Maui Mountains in the distance and the valley floor in between.


December brought more Maui photos such as the Christmas berries that I found growing on the old (and now fallow) Kapalua Village Golf Course. Love the berries, loved the golf course, why can't we have both?


My friend, Larry, was the subject in a wonderful shot during the month of January. As you will recall, he is a very talented singer and guitar player. Although he has a full-time job, he loves to exercise his musical side, performing at the Wailea Shops periodically. And, he takes requests. If you see him there, ask for "Rainbow Connection" — one of his best. He is also one of the nicest people you will ever meet on this Earth.


Yep, I had enough photos that it took into February to share them all (or at least those worthy of sharing). This one is more personal — my buddy, Johnny, sitting at a table in the Gazebo, which overlooks Napili Bay. He is waiting for his cheeseburger (plain) and french fries (more ketchup, please). Delicious food and wonderful ambiance — long lines for breakfast attest to that — lunch is less busy.


Finally, in March, a new subject — The Pima Air and Space Museum located in Tucson. It is a fabulous collection of aircraft from the earliest days of flight to the fastest, baddest, most awesome planes ever conceived. Here is one of the jewels of their collection, the SR-71 Blackbird. It flies higher, faster and is more stealthy than anything else in the sky (it served a spy plane). Too bad it is retired — I'd love to take a ride.


In April, I was still sharing photos of aircraft, those on exhibit outdoors. This is a B-52 Stratofortress, a bomber, still in use today. This is one of the planes that I remember from my youth especially because I assembled a plastic model from a kit which was then on display in my bedroom. It was awesome then, still is.


May brought NCAA Final Four basketball to Phoenix. Johnny and I went to Fan Fest, celebrating all things basketball. Although we did not know it at the time, the North Carolina Tar Heels would go on to win the title.


In June, we went to see the Samurai Armor exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum. It was spectacular! The artistic craftsmanship that went into crafting the armor both for the soldiers and the horses was almost unbelievable.

I also had to ponder the time, effort, expense that went into crafting weapons and defenses for warfare. Aircraft and Samurai armor — centuries apart but created for much the same purpose.


In July, Johnny and I went to Phoenix Comicon — celebrating fantasy and heroes, monsters and villains. It was all there. Here was a wonderful couple dressed and made up as the Joker and his girlfriend — beware Batman.


In August, another visit to Tucson — this time to tour the Sonoran Desert Museum — a zoo featuring the flora and fauna of Sonoran Desert. I did experience a problem with my camera but not before catching this beautiful hummingbird letting its meal of nectar digest before going back for seconds.


September brought the total solar eclipse which was seen clear across the United States mainland. I was lucky that my sister and brother-in-law live in Blairsville, GA which was right in the path of totality. Well in advance, my sisters and I planned a mini-family reunion to include observation of the eclipse, weather permitting. We were very lucky that the weather did cooperate and the moon arrived to cover the sun at the appointed time for two and a half minutes of totality. Well, one more item checked off the old bucket list.



Additional photos of Georgia will resume next week.

Life is good.

Aloha,
B. David

P. S., All photos and text © B. David Cathell Photography, Inc. — www.bdavidcathell.com