Two Weeks in Europe

In mid-April, Gail and I were off to Europe for a two-week trip with our good friends, Rick and Lee Timboe.  Our time was spent mainly in Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and Munich.  Several "side trips" included Dresden, Potsdam, Salzburg, and Mittenwald.  Highlights in Berlin included the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall/Checkpoint Charlie, and the Reichstag.  We traveled from city to city on the Autobahn, where there is no speed limit which was obvious as cars roared by in the fast lane.  We adjusted to using Crowns and Euros as our currency and ate Czech, Austrian, and German food which featured schnitzel, sausages, potatoes, goulash, apple strudel-- most of which was heavy and full of calories.  Prague featured the Charles Bridge, palaces, and churches.  All roads and sidewalks were cobblestone.  Vienna was the home of the Habsburgs.  We visited both their winter and summer palaces and viewed a performance by the Royal Lipizzaner Stallions.  In Salzburg, we toured the home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  We dined at the Hofbrau House in Munich, which had an Octoberfest atmosphere with a live band. Munich also provided testimony of horrors of the Holocaust at Dachau Concentration Camp.  Finally, we took a trip to Mittenwald, a small Bavarian village in the Alps.  A gondola ride to the top of the mountain was thrilling.  We're hoping and expecting that this marvelous trip is an indicator of future great travels during the wonderful world of retirement.

Easter in the Desert

Easter shifted to Palm Desert this year as a twenty-pound turkey was prepared in the villa for the first time! The weather cooperated as we enjoyed four great pool days and probably more sun than we needed.  There were plenty of things to do (a big water slide, ping pong, pool, swimming, basketball, etc.).  Getting the family around the dinner table in the patio overlooking a beautiful golf course for dinner was great.  Ross, Cassie, Ryan, Camille, and Mason departed for home on Tuesday evening.  The Pistoias joined us Wednesday through Saturday to complete the week.  Highlights included corned beef sandwiches at Sherman's, the Palm Springs Street Fair, shopping, classic car viewing, barbequeing, daily walks, pool time, and a trip to the Cabazon outlets.  It was a restful and fun week and something we hope to repeat again next year.

Frankie Valli Concert and Spring Training

We combined a couple of favorite things (a concert and baseball) on our most recent trip.  We started off in Palm Springs and enjoyed a concert featuring Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  It was nice to sit in a concert crowd with people in our own generation.  I expected there might be a "Geritol" break during the concert.

Then it was off to Phoenix for Spring Training with the Cactus League.  We stayed at a great hotel (Wild Horse Pass) in Chandler.  A bonus was that our nephew, Parker, was playing as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers organization.  On day one, we saw him catch against a Dodger minor league team.  He even hit a home run!  On the second day when he was not scheduled to play, we watched the major league Dodgers play the Brewers on the big field at their Glendale, Arizona stadium.  I was surprised as Tommy Lasorda, in uniform, emerged from the dugout and walked right by us as we sat near the field along the third base line.  On day three, Parker once again was the starting catcher for his minor league team as they took on the Cincinnati Reds' team.  It remains to be seen where Parker will be assigned following Spring Training.  Odds are that he'll play in Wisconsin or Florida.

Life Crisis

In mid-December, I saw my doctor about experiencing shortness of breath and a burning sensation in my chest while on my daily walks with Gail.  Several tests led to a diagnosis of "exercise induced angina" followed by a trip straight to Memorial Hospital.  A few days later, following several more tests, I underwent a quadruple coronary arterial bypass with grafts.  Four blood vessels carrying blood to my heart had blockages.  In preparing myself mentally for such invasive surgery, I did some researching and found that David Letterman, Regis Philbin, and President Clinton had bypass surgery and returned to normal lives.  Nevertheless, I did some soul-searching about my life and what I valued.  Of course, family and friends came up as the greatest gifts in life.

Over the next three months, I went from helpless to 100% recovered!  I actually believe I'm even healthier than before the operation.  My heart was never damaged because I caught this before having a heart attack. My wife and life partner was by my side throughout the ordeal.  She certainly proved that she had taken our marriage vows seriously (for better or worse, in sickness and in health).   In fact, I've dropped 30 pounds since then and looking to lose considerably more.  My risk factor "numbers" are now normal (blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol).  We're back to our retirement routines of exercising, traveling, AND eating healthy.

My advice?  Exercise regularly, eat right, see your doctor regularly, and don't wait if you sense something is wrong.  Treasure each day and take advantage of every opportunity to let your friends and family know you appreciate and care about them.  For me, a bypass was not the end, but a new beginning.

The Big Game

It was exciting to attend the big game as Stanford hosted the Oregon Ducks in a showdown of undefeated and highly ranked PAC 12 football squads.  Andrew Luck and the Cardinal were taking on an electric scoring machine from Eugene.  We had mixed emotions as brother Rich had attended Stanford and started as a defensive back in the early 70's.  Daughter Cass and her husband, Ross, had both attended Oregon.  Our friends, the Timboes, traveled with us as we met up with Rich and Peggy in Palo Alto for a weekend of fun.  A highlight of the weekend was attending Stanford's football alumni barbeque adjacent to the stadium prior to the game.  We chatted with three notable former Stanford players who starred in the NFL (see pictures of Greg Sampson, Jim Plunkett, and Jeff Siemen).  The game, itself, saw more than 70 total points scored with Oregon coming out on top.  I'm sure we'll attend more games in the future.

Oregon

Bob and Toni Bowers left the local area decades ago and settled in Southern Oregon.  Despite the distance gap, we've remained close friends for all these years.  Over the years, we've traveled to their home(s) for many visits as our kids were growing up.  Now, as empty nested retirees, our visits are much more relaxed.  The general motto is "easy does it."  On this latest trip, highlights included watching the Canadian geese take off from the lake in the late afternoon during happy hour, shopping for antiques with intermittent bar visits in Grants Pass, watching evening movies while munching on popcorn, visiting with the Gmurs over dinner, etc.  One highlight was driving to Union Creek for a walk in the woods among the fall colors and then eating at Becky's, the wonderful restaurant we've visited over the years.  Our time at the Bowers' home in Central Point was sandwiched between two nights at the Running Y Ranch in Klamath Falls and three nights at the Kon Tiki Inn in Pismo Beach.  We loved our ten days of fun, relaxation, laughter, and good times.

Montana Road Trip

Our nephew, Parker Berberet, was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers organization after his fine career at Oregon State.  He immediately reported to his minor league ball team in Helena, Montana, which gave Gailee and I a wonderful reason to take a road trip.  Twenty-five hours after leaving home, we arrived in Helena and enjoyed watching Parker play in two home games.  Then it was off to the West Yellowstone area to stay three nights at the Campfire Lodge on the Madison River, a rustic fishing village we've enjoyed over thirty years.  Each morning, we dined at the cafe on the river, watching a magnificent osprey fly over searching for a meal.  The fishing was the best ever!  I caught my limit including my second largerst trout ever, a rainbow just short of 20 inches!  Gail spent most of her time on the river bank reading, sketching, and painting.  Then it was down to watch Parker's Brewers play back-to-back evening games in Ogden and Orem, Utah.  We joined Glen, Anna, and Cathy to cheer on Parker, who hit a home run and a triple on our final evening before facing the long journey home.  Linking baseball and fishing in Montana makes for a great vacation, enhanced when Parker is swinging a hot bat and the big fish are hungry and biting!