June 11-14, 1970: A Visit to Seattle and Mt. Rainier
	June, 1970: Prologue
	Return to the Index for 1970

I have been stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia, since my graduation from Finance Officer school in 1968. I wish I had pictures from the time I graduated from Davidson in 1968 until now, but I don't. I'd never had a camera, and really wasn't "into" photography. That's a shame, because the period since graduation included a cross-country trip to visit my college roommate Peter in Pasadena and then a trip from there to Fort Harrison to begin my military service.

But like most young people, I am always looking forward, not thinking that at some point in my life I would want to relive events that have already passed. Now, however, knowing that in a week I will be departing for an overseas tour in Korea, I have realized that I may never see that part of the world again and so I need to record my experiences in pictures.

My dad suggested that I take his old Argus camera with me, and he has in the last few days during my leave at home prior to departure, shown me how to use it (lessons that you will see were only 95% effective). I have already heard stories of servicemen returning from the Far East with oodles of stereo and camera equipment purchased at the PXs in Korea and Japan, and I planned to do the same thing. So the Argus is a temporary loan; I hope to return with one of the Japanese brand names in photographic equipment- like Nikon, Canon, and Pentax.

For now, though, I am practicing with the Argus, and have taken it up on my last visit to my sister before I leave for 13 months.

One thing I definitely wanted to do was to see my sister, her little boy, Ted (who is all of one year old) and her new baby girl, Jennifer.

My Dad had just been to visit his daughter a week or so earlier, so he just lent me his car so Mom and I could drive up to Judy's house. I would have driven my green, 1964 Oldsmobile 88, the car I bought right out of college, but I have already sold it to my friend, Steve Lee, since I won't need it for a year or more and intend to buy a new car when I return from overseas.

Dad's car is a white 1964 Oldsmobile Starfire that he has had for some years now, and I have always enjoyed driving it. Mom and I got an early start up to Burlington to spend the day with Judy.

Judy and Bob are living in a small house in the northwest part of Burlington at the moment, but with the birth of their second child, they are already making plans to move to a house they want to build themselves, out in the country and preferably on some land with a barn where Judy can keep a horse or two. Right now, though, they are living in a house that is convenient to where Bob works at his family's drug store in Burlington, the eponymous Barbour Drug.

This is not a picture I took of the house. Rather it is an image showing what the house looks like at the time this page is being created- in the 2020s. My sister tells me that she has been by the house in recent years, and that it has been completely redone numerous times since she and Bob sold it in 1971 to move to the rural home they built west of Elon.

I have only very vague memories of this house itself; actually, I confuse it sometimes with the apartment they lived in for a time between when they would sell this house and when the new house they will build would be ready.

On our visit today, we are just hanging out with Judy, her one-year-old Ted, and her new baby Jennifer. I have my Dad's Argus camera with me, and took a selection of pictures that are below. I must apologize to my new niece, Jennifer, though. I did not take any pictures of her; she is only a couple of months old, now, and all babies look the same to me. (I won't insult her by including a picture of some random baby and passing it off as one I took of her.)

This is my nephew, Ted, and his mother walking behind him. Already, at just over a year old, he has a lot of personality.

In addition to horses, my sister likes cats, and she has this siamese.

Left-Hand Title

(Picture at left) Ted has made a perfect landing, and is taxiing to the gate. That's me behind him.       (Picture at right) At the last minute, Ted's flight was marred by an unfortunate incident. We'll have to get the black box to find out why. In the background are me, of course, and my Dad's Oldsmobile.

Right-Hand title

Ted (and Judy in the background)

I hope the autopilot is engaged.

You can use the links below to continue to another photo album page.

	June 11-14, 1970: A Visit to Seattle and Mt. Rainier
	June, 1970: Prologue
	Return to Index for 1970