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Carol and I recently had an opportunity to visit with Marge and Paul McAfee in their beautiful home in Escondido, CA. During our social conversation Marge brought out the camera and took this picture. I wanted to share it with the members, especially those who worked with Paul.

Jim Holtsclaw

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Rockville, Maryland Area Luncheon, June 22, 2011
Submitted by Ken Cohen, Member #3501

We had 18 attendees including a few wives. Warren Lichtenberg was the picture taker so he does not show up:

From front left in blue shirt George Quinn, Jerry Bradley, Phil DeCara, Cliff Vogel, Brooks Goldman, Vic Foose,and Frank Carr.

From front left in blue shirt, Murray Boris, Bill Ornett, John Nigro, Dave Spokely and his wife, Ed VanDuyne, Jim Small, Pat Hollaway (friend of Ed's) My wife Marjorie and Me.

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Credits to Jim Brown #3220
So I am sitting here in my den, waiting for a phone call. While doing so my eyes scan one of my “glory” walls. And I saw this picture. I always have in the back of my mind the requests that keep coming up for SOAP, pictures, we need pictures. Here is a picture. Now the only thing relative to SOAP in any remote way, is that when this was taken (and I do not have an exact date, I think around 1949-50) I was employed by the CAA and the station Chief had suggested (a few years before) that I try out for a part in a play by the Maui Community Theater. I was not much past the probation period and in such case I felt, based on my military experience that a suggestion from one’s superior was very close to an order. I did try out, not realizing that in the rather restricted number of potential actors, a tryout was only a formality. So, I did get the part. And I was hooked! Through the years since I have been in many productions and worked on almost every aspect including directing. This photo is perhaps the third or fourth play and was called “The Saturday Evening Ghost” later made into a movie as “The Canterville Ghost”. I am seen in the part of Lord Archibald Archibald Archibald, a young English nobleman who lives next door to the Canterville Castle.
I am not at all sure it can be of any value to SOAP, but I thought you might get a laugh out of it.

Added note: that Chief had been an actor in the depression days when the government was sending actors and other entertainers around to schools and other groups to “stimulate the economy”. He was in a troupe formed by the well known actor Frederic March. This Chief was still a very good actor and quite involved with the local theater. He was a smash, really a smash in “The Caine Mutiny Court Martial” when he did Captain Queeq. that was 1954, I can remember that year at least.

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South Jersey SOAP
Credits to Bruce Hiles #3371

On May 12, a few of the members from South Jersey got together at the beautiful Smithville Inn for lunch. What started out as a discussion at the bar for a NARFE meeting five months ago ended up as Bruce sending e-mails to a dozen members and Gene sending out four snail mail inquiries? We received eight responses and seven showed up for a great meal and even greater afternoon of swapping tall tales and rumors.

Those attending were Rod Bourne, Bernie Garbowski, Anne Harlan, Ed Shuman, Don Schlots, Bruce Hiles and Gene Wilson.

Everyone expressed positive comments and we are looking forward to more of the same. Next meeting will be approximately August. If anyone is in the South Jersey area at that time, let us know and we will try to accommodate your schedule. Come by and join the fun.

Bruce and Gene

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While in Florida this winter, Carol and I took a trip to Negril, Jamaica for a few days. Contrary to what many have told us, the country was very safe and the people were friendly, gracious and very helpful.

After going through Jamaican customs and immigration (very easy) we found our driver from the resort and after about 1-1/2 hours we arrived at Moon Dance Cliff Resort. We were very happy that we did not rent a car. Not only do the people drive on the left side of the road, they speed and the roads are in disrepair and very narrow. The streets are crowded with people trying to cross the road; there are no sidewalks and no traffic lights. Bicycles are ever present and it is a wonder that our driver didn't hit every other person we almost came in contact with.

Arriving at our resort we were given a rum punch to welcome us; then to our room which was elegant, spacious and boasted our private Jacuzzi on the patio. After ensuring the fridge in the room had adequate Red Stripe Light beer we went to the swim-up bar and met a group of folks from all over the country. They were attending their annual “Cousins Reunion”. We admitted that we had never heard of such a thing but they have been doing it for years.

Later that day and in the following days we would leave the resort in a cab and seek out a different area to explore and then to a restaurant each evening. Negril is located on the west side of the Jamaican island; therefore each evening sunset is as stunning as the former. Dinner, while each evening at a different location, always included a beautiful sunset. One unique restaurant opens at 4 (sunset was at 6:30) and closes shortly after the sunset. It’s called Rick’s Café and is swarming with tourists as the highlight each evening is a local male diving from a 60 foot plus tree into the ocean some 40 feet below the cliff. Then as soon as the sun sets and you finish your last drink (or food) they close the place up.

The island is hilly, highest one was probably 2500 feet, totally green and very full of plant life. Their water supply is excellent coming from underground springs. They advertise that their water is so pure the Red Stripe brewing company produces their beer from Jamaica waters. Their main income is tourism, primarily American tourists, with some Europeans thrown in. Next is sugar cane, then coffee, and agriculture producing all types of vegetables and fruit. Our breakfasts consisted of watermelon, cantaloupe, papaya, grapefruit and grapes, all grown in their own country and have a superior flavor and taste to what we grow in U.S.; and of course their coffee, which was very rich and appealing.

Without exception all the Jamaican people we met were very polite, friendly and they are a nation of beautiful bodies, both male and female. While Kingston and Montego Bay, some 1-½ hours away still have some security and safety problems Negril has none that we were aware of.

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55th wedding anniversary at the “House Without a Key” restaurant in Waikiki the same restaurant we visited on our fist night as a married pair in 1956. We went there for our 50th anniversary and so went back again.
Jim Brown #3220


The  the first picture is the entertainment group right on the beach. They did the “Hawaiian Wedding Song” for us, as was so in 1956 and again in 2006.

Thi is Jim and Doreen toasting our longevity! We met on the island of Maui in 1955, married there in 1956 and lived there until 1962 when we came to California. The date was Jan 21.

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I came across this picture of an FAA ARM (Rocky Mountain) Conference Larry Robison held in Denver, CO when he was the AT division manager. You may recognize some of the old timers (now) in the picture. Yes, that me first on the left seated, Larry, and Dick Failor.

Credits to Tom Doyle #3496.

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Bob Ervin #3517

This picture is one of the clubs I belong to. That's me on the lower right, the guy to my left playing mandolin is Albert Young who is simply superb. His band is breaking up as the bass had to move out of state and the drummer died so we are thinking of reorganizing with me on guitar and the vocals that Al doesn't want to do.

To my right, wearing a cap and jacket is Bob Codish. He wrote six of the songs on Johnie Bassett's latest album, "the Gentleman is back." His son, Cris Codish, played the keyboard, back up vocal and produced the album. I personally think it's better than anything BB King has done in years.

The guy straight ahead is an old blues player who is a music store manager, the two guys behind Albert are father and son who are just setting in for the hell of it like most of us do. Albert is also the foremost Glass Blower in the state and maybe the Midwest. Operates a studio/school on the edge of Detroit in an old factory building about two miles from this place. When we first met we were both surprised to find that his sister is an Air Traffic Controller at DTW with whom I worked a couple years before I retired. He also plays with my Raggle Taggle band when my mandolin player is out of town.

I play on Thursday night with a group called the Thursday night Jammers. We do old standards, blues, ragtime; 20's on up. Our song book was just edited down from 524 songs to 200.

And, I met Bill Bynum at that club a year or so back. He was playing a few songs and I played right along with him. When, after 6 or 7, he said, "you do pretty good on stuff you never heard." I said, "how you know I never heard 'em?" He said, "cause I wrote 'em." We've been friends ever since.
                                     

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