tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70896411720207525862024-03-06T00:53:14.871-08:00Some Things About MeCharleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-85290659238990848992023-06-26T10:57:00.002-07:002023-06-27T07:35:47.229-07:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grandpa Charley and Mackenzie do Ecuador <span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl7c8kkdHHvjoZQvdudkFWQY3G67QHKj7v5S9b_yFxpDsB1va4_NvG-piiSvJyZfgzHTJ722iD8KCYWmUKmjCWniUFWaK9N2YeP7-B92aTymgd18fl_HhlcEy3nIasgF9luHTIlCK_F-Vu4RdMBfFDQUhQ5eEWsJXdXYsg-Y89hskhHxahp28x0HGXyh88" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="612" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl7c8kkdHHvjoZQvdudkFWQY3G67QHKj7v5S9b_yFxpDsB1va4_NvG-piiSvJyZfgzHTJ722iD8KCYWmUKmjCWniUFWaK9N2YeP7-B92aTymgd18fl_HhlcEy3nIasgF9luHTIlCK_F-Vu4RdMBfFDQUhQ5eEWsJXdXYsg-Y89hskhHxahp28x0HGXyh88=w200-h133" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-size: xxx-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: xxx-large;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgP-wCuXV2u4Iq_oJQUdaoakU3doTVGlYw-GI9IWWnXDlg3Y4bHZk2eR12kLDUzg6l3jrCyg788kWiDEubYPLNjSIhG73pMTB8H0A-4v9I2DZDBMX67DC_yjXaUU-lXQlbvVCjAkHAmBvxuxQtm1V7SU0VpjL3--UeQBVspgAMH1lmtloRiJwMjKaJ0mMT0" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="944" data-original-width="708" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgP-wCuXV2u4Iq_oJQUdaoakU3doTVGlYw-GI9IWWnXDlg3Y4bHZk2eR12kLDUzg6l3jrCyg788kWiDEubYPLNjSIhG73pMTB8H0A-4v9I2DZDBMX67DC_yjXaUU-lXQlbvVCjAkHAmBvxuxQtm1V7SU0VpjL3--UeQBVspgAMH1lmtloRiJwMjKaJ0mMT0=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div></span></span></div><div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">From</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> June 8 to June 20, 2013 my granddaughter, Mackenzie Mallon, and I experienced a trip to Ecuador with tour operator, Exoticca. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMSCaVfrgz0I9AKDSfgBDMzDVkHJzTNLrnAlabSSE7hMbsjEppDnr0IBL934YI8T63RUwVEg5jaVZ-MrBPRlSsfQTqO_MTos0mgVEpr_qZh6BiBDvXbyZeY5onuw9r822iTsWip_TTyoy4Do6k4y4IoF4pFxKLndNnuga-z8453N7xWD5bI12Nz9-Cbc-W" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMSCaVfrgz0I9AKDSfgBDMzDVkHJzTNLrnAlabSSE7hMbsjEppDnr0IBL934YI8T63RUwVEg5jaVZ-MrBPRlSsfQTqO_MTos0mgVEpr_qZh6BiBDvXbyZeY5onuw9r822iTsWip_TTyoy4Do6k4y4IoF4pFxKLndNnuga-z8453N7xWD5bI12Nz9-Cbc-W=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFzZVE7MeDBzlLzGgMDuxMCtuGEqFkS9V7aEWQqx0hgaM5hhglgYIfVWI0l2JnS4g2yt5hrlNqQaVxxL6FNLBRn2yN3_9x_VEo86677d6qPod8Vl1XHGbhu86OzGPgY4SNbeWXJtpknDhxGj-tF_bsVm0y-A5Q8etvSaxhadk6gejWmu7g6luu-VCxZ_VV=w400-h300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;">After a long plane ride from Denver and a night in Quito we woke up to join our group for a tour around the old colonial center of th</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;">e impressive and very clean capital city of Quito.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvD45_AaMTJCXJskThiCC-HTUPyOzsM7MXy1ih1y37Ke5d4A2Toaz9BbhGdaey75sucKM6JP50KK-trE7BIni1RYlOHX-7T-YAzBBsRpJP2t6bZJrEQ_SqC950CQmtXWXHDAKkK8OVye3jkkd9ig360bjgYpL3WkmiGob--W_ZqnO13Ddb3JTyXWXcbNnJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvD45_AaMTJCXJskThiCC-HTUPyOzsM7MXy1ih1y37Ke5d4A2Toaz9BbhGdaey75sucKM6JP50KK-trE7BIni1RYlOHX-7T-YAzBBsRpJP2t6bZJrEQ_SqC950CQmtXWXHDAKkK8OVye3jkkd9ig360bjgYpL3WkmiGob--W_ZqnO13Ddb3JTyXWXcbNnJ=w200-h150" width="200" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjepByEdjUD8Y3rUCc8bF6m-3LI536q4IHknsTsbIMyIlRpSWlIZy02ldwh4t5t14QZnecNzNC0kULDLOat_S-JaKot5C9MX_jHou-uy48jwIF08n3NRH1IMLc5npN0yf2QN-cEqUV_Q1_v5UsDnhaO0rxoLe9KuXhQhfqs1zXUpfg4uG9gm95I4An5-_4B" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjepByEdjUD8Y3rUCc8bF6m-3LI536q4IHknsTsbIMyIlRpSWlIZy02ldwh4t5t14QZnecNzNC0kULDLOat_S-JaKot5C9MX_jHou-uy48jwIF08n3NRH1IMLc5npN0yf2QN-cEqUV_Q1_v5UsDnhaO0rxoLe9KuXhQhfqs1zXUpfg4uG9gm95I4An5-_4B=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;">That afternoon we took a long bus ride over the high Andes to reach our resort in the Amazon jungle. Mackenzie is pointing out the high spot on that road, 4063 meters (13,327 feet), much higher than any paved road in the USA.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIOSTsCDJtlrW8mb8o4QkgBCdL2FxYHW00ldIedws_zv11H66V0VoznuIY3fCjBI4uJTThfDxT5chiKTbGE0cUuTzrU-y6SayNOFslKJGss2EJjMr2N211wmWgNm2Y7iBsYyzwnLdBqG514LEyiNqDyyq25wJ4c4HESbRp9qZdiXBfok9WJVoEKLy5b6gF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="577" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIOSTsCDJtlrW8mb8o4QkgBCdL2FxYHW00ldIedws_zv11H66V0VoznuIY3fCjBI4uJTThfDxT5chiKTbGE0cUuTzrU-y6SayNOFslKJGss2EJjMr2N211wmWgNm2Y7iBsYyzwnLdBqG514LEyiNqDyyq25wJ4c4HESbRp9qZdiXBfok9WJVoEKLy5b6gF=w360-h400" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEOSUDR2nGhwe-Esl8ONbPKucsZjJMkN6GwTKnyvi0jbjrS1XMqbEb67-4i3rmIvvoT-ZFqm8cHPb1TVPeH3yxRDi6ox6X2TZOK4GThj_QPGQvOP6F2rvfsr9HXqMbQOEaV0DoiEkFw1mt3g-zdsV6lk0-4xhN4Mcz2K69lZViBzeQ2i3cKL7CIS3gtCDw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEOSUDR2nGhwe-Esl8ONbPKucsZjJMkN6GwTKnyvi0jbjrS1XMqbEb67-4i3rmIvvoT-ZFqm8cHPb1TVPeH3yxRDi6ox6X2TZOK4GThj_QPGQvOP6F2rvfsr9HXqMbQOEaV0DoiEkFw1mt3g-zdsV6lk0-4xhN4Mcz2K69lZViBzeQ2i3cKL7CIS3gtCDw=w320-h240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9fFkVMQrupyD9-9plNaR1s45M2gDLZwHB-ft51pZwLWR8ik8nIKeY7JCqBM3kDuNgIB5-ymnR3fn68VdjNLN3iSc8jtsv92zW4EC2K2nW6jLuh2yeOwqOVwSNFxdlpoo1ZzLjhXn-ZQot_GU6wLHBAgGxtqVV909uG92LT4iz9t2Ck7unJXtzwTe6frBd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9fFkVMQrupyD9-9plNaR1s45M2gDLZwHB-ft51pZwLWR8ik8nIKeY7JCqBM3kDuNgIB5-ymnR3fn68VdjNLN3iSc8jtsv92zW4EC2K2nW6jLuh2yeOwqOVwSNFxdlpoo1ZzLjhXn-ZQot_GU6wLHBAgGxtqVV909uG92LT4iz9t2Ck7unJXtzwTe6frBd" width="180" /></a> </div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEji_czQ2am2KdDiMMnt6JXmgEMNwnb09heZnJSFft_oKWnHquGbY10bh0RRXQScddC3P0jPsX7WPyTyk81WzQqNqyEJ6M9dbvGaMSZqlbj1gMrr5ol2MUksxHs4dJTpU89n1CjtovlhTHzMfC_WJwnbQv528xO5Nb7FHuLKGcWUDJMmmcPrKdvp0vypfJvi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEji_czQ2am2KdDiMMnt6JXmgEMNwnb09heZnJSFft_oKWnHquGbY10bh0RRXQScddC3P0jPsX7WPyTyk81WzQqNqyEJ6M9dbvGaMSZqlbj1gMrr5ol2MUksxHs4dJTpU89n1CjtovlhTHzMfC_WJwnbQv528xO5Nb7FHuLKGcWUDJMmmcPrKdvp0vypfJvi" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimkhfgmdhxtjDvO2TM_Hcl_KQt6d9RH98lG5uwURGO4Jcq0CB9XninQ8XusJumKnBLbNQxOTk1waxzeR3zRL55XoBIRCdB74ludEyNqqNIK7_Z3yd1_-JybGIu5pnqVPf2v-OaeJreEaGlfc2aOe1jkCKDGvXIaugwx9CK4UW3sugID9P1pQLO9SSK558p" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimkhfgmdhxtjDvO2TM_Hcl_KQt6d9RH98lG5uwURGO4Jcq0CB9XninQ8XusJumKnBLbNQxOTk1waxzeR3zRL55XoBIRCdB74ludEyNqqNIK7_Z3yd1_-JybGIu5pnqVPf2v-OaeJreEaGlfc2aOe1jkCKDGvXIaugwx9CK4UW3sugID9P1pQLO9SSK558p" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> </div></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwAWMFPKy9eZy_tJy8iBJ0me1ED_hRvFdRV5uAhRPCzIz7FAobcGvDyXpLvpZHVD8ApozzNBonfqUoZSEeFyf_hXxVvv50I7MjmRQbRoC0GJeNQp9_EK1zbENAlHHowE6D5wC0WCRHFTRAt9U5anGebJUucQQL6DMx2ZahK9N6eT5bt96DJ6fC9VSXJQxJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwAWMFPKy9eZy_tJy8iBJ0me1ED_hRvFdRV5uAhRPCzIz7FAobcGvDyXpLvpZHVD8ApozzNBonfqUoZSEeFyf_hXxVvv50I7MjmRQbRoC0GJeNQp9_EK1zbENAlHHowE6D5wC0WCRHFTRAt9U5anGebJUucQQL6DMx2ZahK9N6eT5bt96DJ6fC9VSXJQxJ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgASduP0ZYnu-ANucVfa8zpIV__124KdSESafdN5hNPeYo514j8g0ap3FIup2h-KYKfsJJhfIddyNUiy9VLHGNxXo2KSFt6mlNguyhCsgy_dUQs_Jr0cAHJJN8eyJHOk8uP8UwmvEX1d1ZmAcnh_d7d6fVjz8hEIHaIOnziTZXm_mjs79v8W5H7OyYEYRoO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgASduP0ZYnu-ANucVfa8zpIV__124KdSESafdN5hNPeYo514j8g0ap3FIup2h-KYKfsJJhfIddyNUiy9VLHGNxXo2KSFt6mlNguyhCsgy_dUQs_Jr0cAHJJN8eyJHOk8uP8UwmvEX1d1ZmAcnh_d7d6fVjz8hEIHaIOnziTZXm_mjs79v8W5H7OyYEYRoO=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVLUMZzxqXlXvKddwYqIIjp5PDMqVj4b5PubWKmIMWIJZVvrEcgpewj994KFn87Drs7AYh5_g7-EzPlHiRtk0ZUsw0Dul_ertAXlRaNuKz1rKcWPZtuTZ97LVfuSDk_9ypDv9PxkMw0J52MwRNgS99_mIHdkcOF-Iiej7If0XZ1CG0ZYSWDorq2NdgDnQt" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVLUMZzxqXlXvKddwYqIIjp5PDMqVj4b5PubWKmIMWIJZVvrEcgpewj994KFn87Drs7AYh5_g7-EzPlHiRtk0ZUsw0Dul_ertAXlRaNuKz1rKcWPZtuTZ97LVfuSDk_9ypDv9PxkMw0J52MwRNgS99_mIHdkcOF-Iiej7If0XZ1CG0ZYSWDorq2NdgDnQt" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinNm1EqKhwmkSUB2RYRY0ybUv6xWfI9lRvxIYt9D2OTZe9ukA4RXmLKvXhLaJcSTg-lFipDKRsHmM3Hkm3uLuNSows-ucJ4_k9JjDeOk-YixxorypOtU4dCtCx88QbJe9o_u5Bv09YJ7K4X6mlTk9YKXUb7b_f9rA6DJnbIt_-ywXlwVg3JW5xdjiXY1vh" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinNm1EqKhwmkSUB2RYRY0ybUv6xWfI9lRvxIYt9D2OTZe9ukA4RXmLKvXhLaJcSTg-lFipDKRsHmM3Hkm3uLuNSows-ucJ4_k9JjDeOk-YixxorypOtU4dCtCx88QbJe9o_u5Bv09YJ7K4X6mlTk9YKXUb7b_f9rA6DJnbIt_-ywXlwVg3JW5xdjiXY1vh=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">We learned many important jungle survival skills like eating, using a blowgun, mud cosmetics, all weather trekking and river bathing.</span></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;">We were also privileged to visit a nearby indigenous village and share in their welcoming ceremony. Yes, with a little encouragement, we all got up and danced. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnwnoTvLhSJsS2wcEIWMTLwC-ujMSFISbwDxYmMW_tST6HjZ9E6mDpEqTJShs3HYiMUxefILNobRWCGgV8WC7KtuPGrwZYJrZPF3UXVnI_CF5goONWNYgyQrrNIjo6Qth4pFOeiFOPdSsG_ZDDq2d9pk5l0sn_EePqsDmSl4qSyncwyoMt8TrTwhCaeAnP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnwnoTvLhSJsS2wcEIWMTLwC-ujMSFISbwDxYmMW_tST6HjZ9E6mDpEqTJShs3HYiMUxefILNobRWCGgV8WC7KtuPGrwZYJrZPF3UXVnI_CF5goONWNYgyQrrNIjo6Qth4pFOeiFOPdSsG_ZDDq2d9pk5l0sn_EePqsDmSl4qSyncwyoMt8TrTwhCaeAnP=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br />Returning to Quito, we visited "La Mitad del Mundo", a monument celebrating where 18th Century French geologist marked as the exact line between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Unfortunately they were slightly off.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_ajEY8tglPfcxozPEah7qOdmTKTV5p37fmSD77K_Jk-L2C1j1A2txrOLPvXSz_RT7X3QUToiS_abqJa-RYxJFkyCqPiUBTZyFWETMOOqnnrXGgSrVYJBIJEhUcn0gjv5mS-1LdhtpMYOe7v9by5uWn5DFYj5eM3Z0VVYG6LQi4YArjhnLnOSsV6Ytl5TP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_ajEY8tglPfcxozPEah7qOdmTKTV5p37fmSD77K_Jk-L2C1j1A2txrOLPvXSz_RT7X3QUToiS_abqJa-RYxJFkyCqPiUBTZyFWETMOOqnnrXGgSrVYJBIJEhUcn0gjv5mS-1LdhtpMYOe7v9by5uWn5DFYj5eM3Z0VVYG6LQi4YArjhnLnOSsV6Ytl5TP" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCYKIt8o1iBROpm_jlTebQckEaE7NOQnZPzNJlg9Ejyfy0GggAIyZuoAhhIsvpKt6IjIuwmiQap8p30sKbWwOqDZwIMhyCLYZYbhdlMMCwJ9CIzV_ISK1FqBdGROpPHaNvbp6T5w__ihZQMe08-7Az5tc_aPfC5vp03SKYewx8meomoz2kQ4J5D7QA9kuN" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCYKIt8o1iBROpm_jlTebQckEaE7NOQnZPzNJlg9Ejyfy0GggAIyZuoAhhIsvpKt6IjIuwmiQap8p30sKbWwOqDZwIMhyCLYZYbhdlMMCwJ9CIzV_ISK1FqBdGROpPHaNvbp6T5w__ihZQMe08-7Az5tc_aPfC5vp03SKYewx8meomoz2kQ4J5D7QA9kuN" width="180" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;">We also visited the famous Otavalo Indigenous Market where Mackenzie's father and I had visited 26 years earlier.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjAx5BxyQdnlIeJ3tUAijO6LtLOORrdfhnQBkJxSBzgoJ-BUMPf65DzlNQAoFM4KjkWpvo5MMJFkGRtptBTjAjrdKPurQaJjcaG7DSdlHfOH7z2Gu2WqrWqrZDpEOBVo-rcepb__iBxSWKSNISBaJ65cQgUbCZmx29OwktxwV8UqLW7CaKqpKvQiVdqiaY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="640" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjAx5BxyQdnlIeJ3tUAijO6LtLOORrdfhnQBkJxSBzgoJ-BUMPf65DzlNQAoFM4KjkWpvo5MMJFkGRtptBTjAjrdKPurQaJjcaG7DSdlHfOH7z2Gu2WqrWqrZDpEOBVo-rcepb__iBxSWKSNISBaJ65cQgUbCZmx29OwktxwV8UqLW7CaKqpKvQiVdqiaY=w640-h330" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Next stop was the Island of San Cristobal in the Galapagos. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJERtXgMmG_rFMw9AXh6tx7EYShLFKkteXGsOf4u8t8G89OzwFmHEsFrAqb2FTAQPLBNFkIRSTO7WsTpjDPKAMO0yseJOnMSe0-dH7GgWgFDM7qjXoQOUnJ7aEIMG0kMMhimH9RWlbuVJpdLHB85LdLvbl9I84HCPqjwYJk6bt8vAyjWcYD4OIkg-Gvd6T" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJERtXgMmG_rFMw9AXh6tx7EYShLFKkteXGsOf4u8t8G89OzwFmHEsFrAqb2FTAQPLBNFkIRSTO7WsTpjDPKAMO0yseJOnMSe0-dH7GgWgFDM7qjXoQOUnJ7aEIMG0kMMhimH9RWlbuVJpdLHB85LdLvbl9I84HCPqjwYJk6bt8vAyjWcYD4OIkg-Gvd6T" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKuWJd9VhTLbZC4wER7EsL36s9SMlMPeCcVsqU_cqKXbtezdC3JvSblqPR7adUDP2wrBN0knSXJFa6cbB0qJ_3cMYtVzDMJq6G914CWmDc8JsLjTnsdLhc3UjQ3NN63prpIA9BS4GUgs0iU7x_h_vR5VTW-2U7ho5WD23A5x7UTC3z5SUEnxIpRO5gnXJN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKuWJd9VhTLbZC4wER7EsL36s9SMlMPeCcVsqU_cqKXbtezdC3JvSblqPR7adUDP2wrBN0knSXJFa6cbB0qJ_3cMYtVzDMJq6G914CWmDc8JsLjTnsdLhc3UjQ3NN63prpIA9BS4GUgs0iU7x_h_vR5VTW-2U7ho5WD23A5x7UTC3z5SUEnxIpRO5gnXJN" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>We took a cooking class and learned how to make ceviche<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8aDk31Zl4T_DyPpxK-S2cNMDEfr4x31m3BI0vXE_J_8PwpozzMT-gHm5NzNith4FjSIn5FrP7q8uanmGd-67DqtJHCikTvOoCPnKsgzB2VPWv0A2ihTR1ve2g6KMDo4TkMn1Dp6uQ7aMn1PKls08E4KrHFZV6F1_H3qS7uFIqzMTTj-4mwHXZQNYC_Deb" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8aDk31Zl4T_DyPpxK-S2cNMDEfr4x31m3BI0vXE_J_8PwpozzMT-gHm5NzNith4FjSIn5FrP7q8uanmGd-67DqtJHCikTvOoCPnKsgzB2VPWv0A2ihTR1ve2g6KMDo4TkMn1Dp6uQ7aMn1PKls08E4KrHFZV6F1_H3qS7uFIqzMTTj-4mwHXZQNYC_Deb" width="180" /></a></div><br />And we ate a lot of mariscos.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi72mmeGTPLP69RllSzN3nSHL-dYYdOHpU2npd5QX1uaPtp63Ik8xe0E4XN8teUlWf09po61vOenIXniNbuEnZcXe3bIaCFPexs5-F9azOeqFSORhqxz1E6opWa0qhdlbw06LbixVHwfB-Io3Ml1BJDYr6mdEXWcpvKdOFmZz806Ty2LtlJ_D0sBXFhd_UT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi72mmeGTPLP69RllSzN3nSHL-dYYdOHpU2npd5QX1uaPtp63Ik8xe0E4XN8teUlWf09po61vOenIXniNbuEnZcXe3bIaCFPexs5-F9azOeqFSORhqxz1E6opWa0qhdlbw06LbixVHwfB-Io3Ml1BJDYr6mdEXWcpvKdOFmZz806Ty2LtlJ_D0sBXFhd_UT=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTz2gbRVZagtmrxnUF_tovWApo0GiEgLn1X-ITd9rR39Hw5oBxtgFIinZ11DKgjOcXlYI7RdOApZyST0hAiLJb1K8IUeRXbdKbh5dpCq0S-SBDgxJjENY8weWPzt1hMvY_8z_JzKdue5F5EBJQqS-riONEgGUZ9sK2iLpSSCb-rBhLPo6lhz-BnoJ6uR2H" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTz2gbRVZagtmrxnUF_tovWApo0GiEgLn1X-ITd9rR39Hw5oBxtgFIinZ11DKgjOcXlYI7RdOApZyST0hAiLJb1K8IUeRXbdKbh5dpCq0S-SBDgxJjENY8weWPzt1hMvY_8z_JzKdue5F5EBJQqS-riONEgGUZ9sK2iLpSSCb-rBhLPo6lhz-BnoJ6uR2H" width="320" /><br /></a><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm7-8HE8kkQlFkgUe8mrqerI8R840ru4H2OV4Kfe-MiQf1qEDOKJuo3joQVcFox1m7dbZQBnlzKRKVDWhjajZthB-SJFfPJ1btJXR6BQy62Q1KHIJqx8KLvPKM80eIrowyLzja6LSwGxEcztXEi5d4lOunZS_zLPL_iOwdSr9B9bT-SqSQrH8EeHxBcAGV" width="320" /><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8ZG0vyB1Wkg8W9tvDYztZ72JjrpDGBim-eVTi9m4vhaFDbWUHq6e7umAWLTkKlZ7zU3qVBNKvn0tuMV02xHJqQMJ2AjT7iIhXrGJUpftdO10dIwbsyG0aTDgEFHWCwmf2CCARQePmHw7A9QOUeF0g5OQ3UWxbdEdx_vng9qTA7XoB0AeBH-02yt3Ixxew" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8ZG0vyB1Wkg8W9tvDYztZ72JjrpDGBim-eVTi9m4vhaFDbWUHq6e7umAWLTkKlZ7zU3qVBNKvn0tuMV02xHJqQMJ2AjT7iIhXrGJUpftdO10dIwbsyG0aTDgEFHWCwmf2CCARQePmHw7A9QOUeF0g5OQ3UWxbdEdx_vng9qTA7XoB0AeBH-02yt3Ixxew" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of course we saw the tortoises. <span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDPFQzdOEonpu4UTFkaXeGQZbqyf22B9tC196tvHv0Ka5ErM6IScV0Luzd_IJNihoT2bgCmAFIPDpbUt3ytxrwsL3dCGmt_tvpvBUU8B1gkUo5l2dZbAdbi1SKUo4jBlX-eHiBVv9yu_Pehv2Zw726stvB1Z-irzEfGHT1lmFbrUY-Bnc4yUqyEWzXdvWW" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDPFQzdOEonpu4UTFkaXeGQZbqyf22B9tC196tvHv0Ka5ErM6IScV0Luzd_IJNihoT2bgCmAFIPDpbUt3ytxrwsL3dCGmt_tvpvBUU8B1gkUo5l2dZbAdbi1SKUo4jBlX-eHiBVv9yu_Pehv2Zw726stvB1Z-irzEfGHT1lmFbrUY-Bnc4yUqyEWzXdvWW" width="180" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTzUTYbdm6G_s-38lsh3dAT8OZWwo1OzxgGCB3V4Dh323tnxthKL9GTGhx9TJMgQWcLGCJw7h9Ugj8o-14-vBh-pPBYTz1MqaQFT_c0UlCogV8WEK3pGaSebVuyVG7TiNXNNvJhCZzpZoUiapmYeKKQNFLhb2_N_VkohU16njPcl2lBnz_eMJTRD4Sn7lJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTzUTYbdm6G_s-38lsh3dAT8OZWwo1OzxgGCB3V4Dh323tnxthKL9GTGhx9TJMgQWcLGCJw7h9Ugj8o-14-vBh-pPBYTz1MqaQFT_c0UlCogV8WEK3pGaSebVuyVG7TiNXNNvJhCZzpZoUiapmYeKKQNFLhb2_N_VkohU16njPcl2lBnz_eMJTRD4Sn7lJ" width="180" /></a><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5FV4M-KF40XCgwLvTUC3LgTrZv_9KWTqBS05Ib5YXU0fwCiMYXtBM17wMewmavxxZ78Cr6RYVrPK1-fe44NLsFawQn1qoaJtKAnXKYodlcJboPjrBN1X61cKMPT5-yBBdR9-x9hWgP1f3d0ypQ1TZ1AG8D-gHUWZqMq4ZYU6g6mE8uZvaF19oX6MI_4dG" width="320" /> </div> </div></span></span></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjyyvd6XmyskBvgcQVPOXYkzQg2MWGFpKGwaSnmVHisHxhNvQYoibZ1DMwvsKqfwiFA4AacXNsYoiqpJU2Vzrru7Um4MvDAkFeoVre7VNpAUj0N5p2GEG9mvItMveHghSpArzShxxyiOKtg6q4hFpAe9jvSyF1Eyw6_xcKjBvTnPDt4F_ipB2OlkB9ox_M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjyyvd6XmyskBvgcQVPOXYkzQg2MWGFpKGwaSnmVHisHxhNvQYoibZ1DMwvsKqfwiFA4AacXNsYoiqpJU2Vzrru7Um4MvDAkFeoVre7VNpAUj0N5p2GEG9mvItMveHghSpArzShxxyiOKtg6q4hFpAe9jvSyF1Eyw6_xcKjBvTnPDt4F_ipB2OlkB9ox_M" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg75cdtjk_dcdnw_MGE1WeIGaWQbtwBP04ap3XE-3-39_4JNpNBIJuahzLlA8ra9XLkocyZHtKWEl_Ec_KblbpNZR7VktNDqXNb1q11QJgk3m2GPMVxWIPLPq2uwBl7LjxUU3VNqV_G9UT6542qedtXQx2VDxF-PTqBaMfZaSGyc92OAGxAOi3GKETE1ksu" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg75cdtjk_dcdnw_MGE1WeIGaWQbtwBP04ap3XE-3-39_4JNpNBIJuahzLlA8ra9XLkocyZHtKWEl_Ec_KblbpNZR7VktNDqXNb1q11QJgk3m2GPMVxWIPLPq2uwBl7LjxUU3VNqV_G9UT6542qedtXQx2VDxF-PTqBaMfZaSGyc92OAGxAOi3GKETE1ksu" width="320" /></a> And snorkeling, </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiattPP945pi7JXL7cNbQuKrJI_E6jEYdS47Bj-_n6OisBlUGmqYbaLd6RL0h93fOT26crLIakB7iFuD5AaACD8FbznAxhQ00TlaxmKNO27IoH5wIWmJIVdS5AH0mOp90ifjzg7RqBy_7FyRfcoSFJYh4hmv5gxRuILEatzNXRoXqxukcu0bqI7SwA8vjcu" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiattPP945pi7JXL7cNbQuKrJI_E6jEYdS47Bj-_n6OisBlUGmqYbaLd6RL0h93fOT26crLIakB7iFuD5AaACD8FbznAxhQ00TlaxmKNO27IoH5wIWmJIVdS5AH0mOp90ifjzg7RqBy_7FyRfcoSFJYh4hmv5gxRuILEatzNXRoXqxukcu0bqI7SwA8vjcu" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But all too soon we had to fly back to the mainland.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3Ep-q8gHS5VDSWQAH2eDOGvjt_Jr-GHA7-jH7Pf4fG9cwoiwQg-Hq28DqryHdVtjYFmGMMUudxbU-Qutokjjyu4H6fE_GaWF0U9qsUNfQ0xRGs7wG41n1EnRX2Bd9ADTicZL0wJKXXd-A2x_iu9X9qskSMmg1HvUGHONvBQ0UVPYkO1nWM7bDW5h54-9T" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3Ep-q8gHS5VDSWQAH2eDOGvjt_Jr-GHA7-jH7Pf4fG9cwoiwQg-Hq28DqryHdVtjYFmGMMUudxbU-Qutokjjyu4H6fE_GaWF0U9qsUNfQ0xRGs7wG41n1EnRX2Bd9ADTicZL0wJKXXd-A2x_iu9X9qskSMmg1HvUGHONvBQ0UVPYkO1nWM7bDW5h54-9T" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifmhvfaS7V-tlzZPUm0YVrG9ayRainufDLuTZ5PVFrsnmHU2v3GZ3HqYr88RaXDm-9CCYSqAWfq8o0kl67xkh0PaJ0PBoxFvs8ieRzuhAbmFCM_ajZ5YqycRKvsLatsP64DJW5_QTigaVqFf5LKtPRlxJRa1TzZg_SpNZ9BUHpO5G7ADFpx2l28Kf3E0MZ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifmhvfaS7V-tlzZPUm0YVrG9ayRainufDLuTZ5PVFrsnmHU2v3GZ3HqYr88RaXDm-9CCYSqAWfq8o0kl67xkh0PaJ0PBoxFvs8ieRzuhAbmFCM_ajZ5YqycRKvsLatsP64DJW5_QTigaVqFf5LKtPRlxJRa1TzZg_SpNZ9BUHpO5G7ADFpx2l28Kf3E0MZ" width="320" /></a> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfsw1lJmgNB2TiKXM9xIXMgp0KhZZRVHiBDVu8YuhPIx2PwO-KvBlIfd_UKZAjq3JoRBl63itdsNWkbp8rCisUjUWPj0EOnQtZyEBE-sxPgRh6IkZDqf1nrp4XqzFJYOoVe61uXKgZxcwsw2YZ18TTbPzRYq2R4Nq9FFdjoaSr5Vt0Zq4uGHwx835KnbfY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfsw1lJmgNB2TiKXM9xIXMgp0KhZZRVHiBDVu8YuhPIx2PwO-KvBlIfd_UKZAjq3JoRBl63itdsNWkbp8rCisUjUWPj0EOnQtZyEBE-sxPgRh6IkZDqf1nrp4XqzFJYOoVe61uXKgZxcwsw2YZ18TTbPzRYq2R4Nq9FFdjoaSr5Vt0Zq4uGHwx835KnbfY" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Along the malecon and tropical garden in front of our hotel in Guayaquil.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihsKJkHk6hNN5zDQthKK8cAUA1qpyO0tl6Tg-VM4_09z-a5H_zKIY59Ad8ljadpzAXX5DndAbPeRAcV5YfIdeRPzN8cfGv4_r8QoPO3p7OuVLTN0d2I4dT6YgcDN_uZjCgX7QUbwr0yPuFyJ_4odf-V3Xy5UC4X1kGMheWpStlL8NGmBEzpo2lH8M-VTRH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihsKJkHk6hNN5zDQthKK8cAUA1qpyO0tl6Tg-VM4_09z-a5H_zKIY59Ad8ljadpzAXX5DndAbPeRAcV5YfIdeRPzN8cfGv4_r8QoPO3p7OuVLTN0d2I4dT6YgcDN_uZjCgX7QUbwr0yPuFyJ_4odf-V3Xy5UC4X1kGMheWpStlL8NGmBEzpo2lH8M-VTRH" width="180" /></a></div>Our tour guide for the Guayas Estuary, marine biologist , Fernando<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSzq3tRMLxtKiqUJxd36dA66wG_Cxl5QBuJOdcVv9WspfWA-bX21y75JXrpl-gW5IxO_1LLkM4PIXLK2RPP98ftaDxpmPWfXmgXVBB95Fzbkmfrl7a2up85U7x6m169zM2BLoloanmea8hT_vClbpi7J6JbZkUv7zFyiyn1Ur2X79jDOCqgX4Mf9Z0RHoM" width="274" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxvjuUx6EJLJmQbtIFkHmg9ieW-fzhk-Ff9yoVRLFSvzyF0OWlpywzVcUf3hqnnUhOjnuZwHJ2EJiq6sgUot7nnasnLHc00BmxroqxvUj0u0t70gRuKEnyOsyoDw2EYqoqvIBuSWETG4gr6KyV95ZFU0zeb2PxmOFg7aAk6s2MZycfW7orvIA8BJrs2RNw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxvjuUx6EJLJmQbtIFkHmg9ieW-fzhk-Ff9yoVRLFSvzyF0OWlpywzVcUf3hqnnUhOjnuZwHJ2EJiq6sgUot7nnasnLHc00BmxroqxvUj0u0t70gRuKEnyOsyoDw2EYqoqvIBuSWETG4gr6KyV95ZFU0zeb2PxmOFg7aAk6s2MZycfW7orvIA8BJrs2RNw" width="180" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig2d_fA-76adH8zoELOwVfiVupqg8QN71JbwOXQUHrYnW9Vb5oUay81pMXi5z3lR_IOZIF5xyzikhjNBxxGEq6QJ3oKzoD24a4GYTDVoNdnLYNDrPlGAjoWnP2uxhC60-QgFnHuec28AadnA_MBRfBipUJFIYeisafsgh2fKtqzo0EILIw3gVsnBVB_qN4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig2d_fA-76adH8zoELOwVfiVupqg8QN71JbwOXQUHrYnW9Vb5oUay81pMXi5z3lR_IOZIF5xyzikhjNBxxGEq6QJ3oKzoD24a4GYTDVoNdnLYNDrPlGAjoWnP2uxhC60-QgFnHuec28AadnA_MBRfBipUJFIYeisafsgh2fKtqzo0EILIw3gVsnBVB_qN4" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinj4T1ghyPz3aVj-iboOENJeRM8YciZDeiBEKyJA2nOpPIGPSRssL57QsWoVzdEN5GBzL1Y3HUiSO0BGAC_LL7x_TweNHrvEio5QAPlFceziJRxHRlSreYQ2VR3uS7Yv1R4B9bYCq6VrN33Q0X1QlMF2eqxeiCmUiQZbGGmvQAlH_DrA9kp-rEiHjwiUEs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="711" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinj4T1ghyPz3aVj-iboOENJeRM8YciZDeiBEKyJA2nOpPIGPSRssL57QsWoVzdEN5GBzL1Y3HUiSO0BGAC_LL7x_TweNHrvEio5QAPlFceziJRxHRlSreYQ2VR3uS7Yv1R4B9bYCq6VrN33Q0X1QlMF2eqxeiCmUiQZbGGmvQAlH_DrA9kp-rEiHjwiUEs" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Learning about tides, birds and bottle nosed dolphins.</div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRkyXhtvd-ReNic4XJ5aVMzZ2EBwQVCESfceh0_Xw2wPqhS5E1LIZzl0suTvy62Cee6fu_Slp8n9cBIzssWRvx7pmXtNjhB42Vhc7xCFuVLpikAXxThtrox_YV51HooPeQ2Lt1rLqqzm_HZVjKdAxO0NZPoD2PqrO-mx8p51HukqjpMgXoeWr98XT2Wqq4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="2200" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRkyXhtvd-ReNic4XJ5aVMzZ2EBwQVCESfceh0_Xw2wPqhS5E1LIZzl0suTvy62Cee6fu_Slp8n9cBIzssWRvx7pmXtNjhB42Vhc7xCFuVLpikAXxThtrox_YV51HooPeQ2Lt1rLqqzm_HZVjKdAxO0NZPoD2PqrO-mx8p51HukqjpMgXoeWr98XT2Wqq4=w640-h452" width="640" /></a></div><br />End of a wonderful trip to the Andes, Amazon, Galapagos Islands and the Pacific Coast in Ecuador.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0Ecuador-1.831239 -78.183405999999991-30.141472836178846 -113.33965599999999 26.478994836178845 -43.027155999999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-20916270390679681992021-10-12T07:46:00.005-07:002021-10-16T07:58:57.700-07:00My Niece Aleksandra Mallon's Wedding October 3, 2021<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7-78jhQ5XkqGjWBZV91B7l9DSpNRUsoxOOhgYXPs_a7GInzzurUgV2KiQtA5Go3OzSGa2Wu7o4ps1IGOCXQVKsR_9jXl9rsD5wVqwc975D-N9hvj6JPOLhZnZ7EgICBurmwmtYyz5CMw/s320/244493978_10165765393695444_6601961819242520447_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7-78jhQ5XkqGjWBZV91B7l9DSpNRUsoxOOhgYXPs_a7GInzzurUgV2KiQtA5Go3OzSGa2Wu7o4ps1IGOCXQVKsR_9jXl9rsD5wVqwc975D-N9hvj6JPOLhZnZ7EgICBurmwmtYyz5CMw/w480-h640/244493978_10165765393695444_6601961819242520447_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"> My comments at the reception</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">First, I
want to say that I am honored that my niece, Aleksandra, ask me to represent
her father, my brother, here today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">My brother
Tim died almost 2 years ago in November from something the doctors called
Mantle Cell Lymphoma (they were never sure), but those that knew him well think
that it might have been from a broken heart. Our mother Zelma, with whom he was
very close had died a few years before and his best friend, our sister
Jennifer, had passed away 6 months earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">For most of
his life Tim was an outwardly happy person with lots of friends and interests. We
grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of Monterey Park. Later Tim attended Washington
State University where he was the manager of the school football team. From
there he moved to Seattle where he lived for most of his years as an adult. During
his life he held a variety of interesting jobs, from United Airlines Cabin
Attendant to pizza store owner and even as a CPA tax accountant. Through it
all, he always had a “I’ll do it my way” attitude. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">For the last
10 years of his life he moved to San Diego, where our sister lived and where
our mother had gone after our father died. In his later years Tim seemed to
shut down and withdraw from old friends and activity. No one was ever sure why.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">One thing
that was always a bright spot for Tim was his daughter Sasha. For years every
conversation with him would somehow be turned into something about her. It was
the great lament of his life that she grew up so far from him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">When she was
very young, he worked hard to build and maintain a relationship with her across
the miles. As she got older, he arranged to bring her out to the west coast to
develop connections with the rest of our family in California. Our mother had
an especially close relationship with her. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">As Sasha grew
older, she herself initiated many of her own visits. She came to San Diego to
attend significant birthdays and family events. She traveled to Michigan,
sometimes with her father, to meet her Grandmother Mallon’s family there. She
also visited me and her cousin Tim in Boulder, Colorado. Additionally, she, and
for a while now with Alex, has gone up to Massachusetts to spend holidays and
vacations with her cousins, my daughter Kerry’s family. In short, Sasha has put
a great deal of effort into being an active and integrated member of the
extended Mallon family. I sometimes think she has a better grasp on who is
related to whom and how in the family than I do.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">Now back to
the present. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">Welcome Alex
to the Family Clan, as in marriage, “For Better or for Worse”. Having gotten to
know you, I’m delighted to have you on board. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">You have
shared with me that you told Tim, even before you had said it to her, that you
loved Sasha, and that he gave his blessing for your marriage. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">I am
confident in sharing with all here, that this would have been the second happiest
day of my brother Tim’s life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">The happiest
day was the day that his daughter, Aleksandra, was born.</span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3A8nqZeWbvtAhz9KYucsdRy9BXR_8xEte2bAEm6RnzNfuBfpwtJq_vL-TjK43lntYn8ZK_jPEh6PJj56_Z863UyfX2TroIBPJUKxxJwFDRjIEZioqN6jK0MEzhAFtDgjeYC4-NB2xuyqm/s320/244511031_10165765394785444_6049570992062316768_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="206" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3A8nqZeWbvtAhz9KYucsdRy9BXR_8xEte2bAEm6RnzNfuBfpwtJq_vL-TjK43lntYn8ZK_jPEh6PJj56_Z863UyfX2TroIBPJUKxxJwFDRjIEZioqN6jK0MEzhAFtDgjeYC4-NB2xuyqm/w413-h640/244511031_10165765394785444_6049570992062316768_n.jpg" width="413" /></a></div><br /><div> Mr. and Mrs. Sasha and Sasha Krueger</div>Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-56027773632838393382019-11-18T14:52:00.000-08:002019-11-21T07:22:27.249-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<h2>
Timothy Lawrence Mallon- July 8, 1948 - November 12, 2019 My brother and how I remember him</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My younger brother Timothy died yesterday, Tuesday, November
12, 2019 in San Diego.<br />
<br />
Although the doctors think is was from a disease called
Mantle Cell Lymphoma (they were never sure), those that knew him well think that it might have been from a broken heart.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsJL9Pw7zMVjjHNkj5n_RTYf_cjPL1YJw0iKXFbbFhb3mEzuwEUu9V96FmIGqNs_yLCG20viTWArQLgHa1U9mfMjhPUQ6HmwFxpSM5CnZ2HifPzIYEcYF5-0LF25IzeyzSSYQha2rA9dH/s1600/Scan_20191118.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1164" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsJL9Pw7zMVjjHNkj5n_RTYf_cjPL1YJw0iKXFbbFhb3mEzuwEUu9V96FmIGqNs_yLCG20viTWArQLgHa1U9mfMjhPUQ6HmwFxpSM5CnZ2HifPzIYEcYF5-0LF25IzeyzSSYQha2rA9dH/s320/Scan_20191118.png" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Timothy Lawrence Mallon in 1970. He was 18<br />
and had beautiful blue eyes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
His best friend, our sister Jennifer, passed away in May of
this year and our mother Zelma, with whom he was also very close, died in
October of 2012. As he lived a very solitary life for most of the past 30
years, especially since he moved from Seattle to San Diego approximately 10
years ago, he was left with no one near to him that he was particularly close
to. His only child, Sasha, was with him at the end, but she grew up on the East
Coast and has her life centered there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of my first memories overall, and of Tim in particular,
was once when he was about 2 ½, our mother had somehow left the front door
open on a sunny day. Naked little Tim bolted out of the door and started waddling
down the sidewalk. In many ways this “doing-it-his-way-attitude” never changed.
My brother was a lot like our father Lawrence in that way, in fact, the whole family would
often refer to Tim as “Little Larry”.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tim was often loud, boisterous, teasing and fun. He was a joyful child with a lot of friends, many of whom he had stayed in contact with
for most of his life. He was on the wrestling team in high School and we would often clear out the furniture in a room and wrestle, even into our 30's. I was bigger, so usually won. However, occasionally Tim would get me into a painful hold that I could not get out of and this, for him I believe, was worth all the losses.<br />
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBuTu6-Pyriw5ub94WBHWD6O7q7ZGCthK4tffQK2EIVrQ7Pe-PjKfnIcq29-NYfhMnfTsspbEilRvmZKChEtTCsjEZ5-6djSSXk0wgKLxB3YIA-sSYZB79ry9g5RqcRQwWRn4_O88CJmt/s1600/HPIM0231+%2528002%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="893" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBuTu6-Pyriw5ub94WBHWD6O7q7ZGCthK4tffQK2EIVrQ7Pe-PjKfnIcq29-NYfhMnfTsspbEilRvmZKChEtTCsjEZ5-6djSSXk0wgKLxB3YIA-sSYZB79ry9g5RqcRQwWRn4_O88CJmt/s320/HPIM0231+%2528002%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim being loud, boisterous, teasing and fun with our cousin<br />
Cheryl Middleton.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I think back upon my relationship with Tim, I realize
that we were never as intimate as brothers might be. For some reason, from the
time we were little, he maintained a distance between us, seldom confiding
anything and always keeping our relationship at arm’s length. We did argue quite a bit when we were young and I wasn’t always the good big brother I should have been. But, although we were never “close”, we did have a deep understanding
from having grown up together and so I believe we always remained friends. Our
relationship did, however, warm in the past several years.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He held many jobs including product sales rep, United Airlines Cabin Attendant, Morgan Stanley Stock Broker, real estate sales, CPA, Turbo Tax Consultant and race track usher.. He even tried his hand at owning a pizza
restaurant. One strange thing was always true however, he could never abide
working for someone else when they made money from his efforts. As unreasonable
as this may seem, he was never able to resolve it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tim had his share of oddities, and this problem with working
for others was just one of them. Jennifer and I would often comment upon how Tim “always knew
better” than others. He was often an enigma that we struggled to understand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tim was married twice. The first time to a lovely woman. Unfortunately,
that relationship did not last. I never understood why, and Tim never gave much
of a reason, at least not to me. His second marriage was to a complex woman with
whom he had his daughter Sasha. They were also divorced after a couple of years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3axm32hDVY08k1rtwry1bv2GNovjist4yCAc9iACPLFZkTOfBZUDKfMnWxyqPxL1oKuBa51jAzMpbm_ftpnw0htjB1Eo16JBoo_AHHMmiA4Cso192EYL_HsC-eBqkcM70rdcES-4zpqBP/s1600/Scan_20191118+%25283%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1164" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3axm32hDVY08k1rtwry1bv2GNovjist4yCAc9iACPLFZkTOfBZUDKfMnWxyqPxL1oKuBa51jAzMpbm_ftpnw0htjB1Eo16JBoo_AHHMmiA4Cso192EYL_HsC-eBqkcM70rdcES-4zpqBP/s320/Scan_20191118+%25283%2529.png" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim aged 5 in 1953</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In trying to assess my feelings about my brother’s
death, I feel sadness in that the “Circle of Life,” that he mentioned to me
several times in the days before his death, has fully manifested itself in our lives. My
parents and both of my siblings are now gone. They have already, and I will
someday soon, move on to be replaced by our own children and grandchildren, as they in
turn move up another rung on the generational ladder.<br />
<br />
This is the condition of
existence that we are all born into. I believe the proper way to feel about it is that "we are extremely privileged to be able to experience the gift of life and the beauty
it offers”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, Tim, farewell. I hope you have found the place in an
afterworld with Jennifer and our parents that you spoke of. Your
journey here is over and the next one has begun.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-44226433975339691342019-05-30T12:11:00.002-07:002020-02-13T08:29:40.405-08:00<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Remembering my sister Jennifer-</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I was told this morning that she passed away last night.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuUS0i49SKCqIO-nJuEfecIayLrvNgiSig69LqF9NLpfwjuTf6le5nqxG7sSQZSxI0D4p65x8AGqyycNwWTlqCiGVune2bmeZFYJILHH0hBQ_XX5SY6-rsHttE4sA7xqSjgvUhSzbAVww/s1600/Mom%2527s+75th+Birthday.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuUS0i49SKCqIO-nJuEfecIayLrvNgiSig69LqF9NLpfwjuTf6le5nqxG7sSQZSxI0D4p65x8AGqyycNwWTlqCiGVune2bmeZFYJILHH0hBQ_XX5SY6-rsHttE4sA7xqSjgvUhSzbAVww/s320/Mom%2527s+75th+Birthday.png" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Me, our mother Zelma, Jennifer and Tim</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">on Mom's 75th birthday, July 16, 1991.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">It was always “Jennifer”, as our mother insisted that we not
call her Jen or Jenny or anything else, always Jennifer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As I remember it-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">It was either 1969 or 1970 and the family was living in
Monterey Park, near Los Angeles. At 18, Jennifer had just returned from a
school trip to Europe where she had felt unnaturally fatigued and had also noticed
a lump on her neck. Our mother had taken her to the doctor’s for testing, and
on a Friday afternoon they went back to review the results. They were told that
the tests showed that Jennifer had something called “Hodgkin’s Disease”. The
doctor told her that he did not know much about this condition, but that he had
made an appointment for her at White Memorial Hospital the following Monday where they had specialists that could better discuss treatment options. Upon
returning home from the doctor’s office that Friday, Jennifer rushed upstairs
to look up the disorder in an old encyclopedia set we had. The article she
found (this was before Google) described Hodgkin’s Disease as a cancer of the
lymph nodes that was often fatal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">That was a long weekend for all of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Things, however, improved greatly when she met with the
doctors at White Memorial. She was told that there had been great improvements
recently in the treatment of her illness. The physicians believed that they had caught it
early enough and that with cobalt treatments, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt_therapy">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt_therapy</a>
, she could expect to live close to a normal life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">What joy!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">But this then treatment was not without consequences. While
she was undergoing the therapy, she became rundown, lost weight and much of her
hair (which grew back curly). Long term effects were loss of fat and muscle
cells in her torso and, later, heart, lung and artery deterioration. The pain
and discomfort from the latter became so acute that towards the end, life for
her was no longer worth the suffering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">But she was gifted with an additional 50 years of life!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFaV5mcZPC2IgS7zzRhu_9i9iJgKaVGzBHgH6N2KfKuTERJIOu0NQH9zfjh-Ywu6thURZVjEDZORWJLkSteJdE_5DCbrmHq3IaE7kqjumpkoypQWQODlI9rYSiyHeuFr4e-cAPny5yIOPL/s1600/Don+and+Jennifer+at+Don%2527s+Navy+retirement..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFaV5mcZPC2IgS7zzRhu_9i9iJgKaVGzBHgH6N2KfKuTERJIOu0NQH9zfjh-Ywu6thURZVjEDZORWJLkSteJdE_5DCbrmHq3IaE7kqjumpkoypQWQODlI9rYSiyHeuFr4e-cAPny5yIOPL/s320/Don+and+Jennifer+at+Don%2527s+Navy+retirement..jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">And, she made it count. Jennifer graduated from San Diego
State University with a teaching degree and later picked up her masters. She
decided to stay in the area and eventually our mother and brother Tim followed
her there. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don and Jennifer at Don's Navy retirement. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">She met and married the love of her life, Don Muehlbach (who I
believe told her that he would marry her the first time that they met). She had
a long career as a primary school teacher, later specializing in reading
development. She always had a close relationship with our brother Tim, who
would show her his love by tormenting her. She also had a special relationship
with my children, Tim and Kerry. The precious sweaters she knitted for their
little girls will remain in the family for generations as heirlooms. She had
many life-long friends, including the neighbors we grew up with. Many of these
people spent time with her in the past few weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Of course, her most wonderful achievement was having two
children of her own, Trey and Molly. With all that radiation, having her own
kids was never a certainty. And, later came her precocious granddaughter
Sienna, in whom she took a special delight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">So, at 67 Jennifer died early by today’s standard, but she
was able to fill the time she had with many good years and accomplishments. She
was surrounded by loving family and friends to the end. Surely, she had
regrets, but she was a good person who lived a valuable, full and happy life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">She was my sister and I loved her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Charley Coy Mallon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">May 30, 2019<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Jennifer at 2 years old. I remember when this photo was
taken in 1953. Cute, isn’t she?</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIWugjclNNrCFVjtHyDobsGdL-JaBi0e8ax703yTpbwDf__KRzJ8FzgxHGaFHF6877mYNjZreodxl5XppLtFq-_hvURHMFi8L5GnlIP02r2XfDo8yaEDL1Idbs3ui_9wLA3okHWERftd8/s1600/20120515122524_00077a+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1514" data-original-width="1047" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIWugjclNNrCFVjtHyDobsGdL-JaBi0e8ax703yTpbwDf__KRzJ8FzgxHGaFHF6877mYNjZreodxl5XppLtFq-_hvURHMFi8L5GnlIP02r2XfDo8yaEDL1Idbs3ui_9wLA3okHWERftd8/s400/20120515122524_00077a+%25282%2529.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
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<br />Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-54701333826233255612018-03-01T14:08:00.000-08:002018-03-02T07:28:42.896-08:00Annabelle and Grandpa Charley in Costa Rica<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: large;">I have three granddaughters and have told them that if they take classes in Spanish I will take them to a Spanish speaking country.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: large;">First up was Annabelle Rose Sylvanowicz, 14 years old and in the 8th grade. She is the oldest daughter of my daughter, Kerry, and lives in northern Massachusetts.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: large;">She first flew to Colorado to spend a couple of days here with family and especially her cousin Mackenzie.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: large;">Activities include a visit to the Butterfly Farm and indoor rock climbing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqH5rkTP4mgwRRK3SMuOTZMx05E7EHBq4EauSH4eANrDbh-KRK1G2vlQYVwJK1KOJd8X-oHxyX5RCzSBHk5O6mVZbYJkdeoGP5w3fxKxCj45xdDVEmcp8d-kcI8arGbJobCXtdD88QD0Lm/s1600/IMG_0565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqH5rkTP4mgwRRK3SMuOTZMx05E7EHBq4EauSH4eANrDbh-KRK1G2vlQYVwJK1KOJd8X-oHxyX5RCzSBHk5O6mVZbYJkdeoGP5w3fxKxCj45xdDVEmcp8d-kcI8arGbJobCXtdD88QD0Lm/s1600/IMG_0565.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMSeDCtM3RCzMTY9_ilKEglzeOzWdxyZK2OLhyKBUV6chooLc6snY9LoCHcHSEtutKUdVOSqDqDEfv6mhWdyhuvhtGZdqR7DSvqBjcnv77t3g6S7w81WveMzOvIrMBr44xo56hsaiwLI8/s1600/IMG_0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMSeDCtM3RCzMTY9_ilKEglzeOzWdxyZK2OLhyKBUV6chooLc6snY9LoCHcHSEtutKUdVOSqDqDEfv6mhWdyhuvhtGZdqR7DSvqBjcnv77t3g6S7w81WveMzOvIrMBr44xo56hsaiwLI8/s1600/IMG_0562.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitN_oy6t0NhrydhrG5CZB2xkqkw2YlTNFD2WRdNU3KEuQetmHrHfukEu3gZSgjaYP61pcdYAWiMPkDbFpf88IthQ8F_6rmjZmTlcRlYpZOOhyphenhyphengcXfaERdV1BvNakYpNpcXaC1PgJER4hfk/s1600/IMG_0585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitN_oy6t0NhrydhrG5CZB2xkqkw2YlTNFD2WRdNU3KEuQetmHrHfukEu3gZSgjaYP61pcdYAWiMPkDbFpf88IthQ8F_6rmjZmTlcRlYpZOOhyphenhyphengcXfaERdV1BvNakYpNpcXaC1PgJER4hfk/s1600/IMG_0585.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Annabelle and I then flew down to Costa Rica.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">First up was a trip to Monteverde and a soaring over the rainforest on a zip line.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQx2ljxbYtYio0PsBPtXeJNnw-LKQX89M7dPaEOtXuzIxB31SFMimJP9eeCjTPOzr5jGm2kgkd-BwovXI5ojYxtE8HPJyJnlAi39Gbn-R1gLv_5neu9-QK7zKmliN8JIDUcOCQyeUNT2dM/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQx2ljxbYtYio0PsBPtXeJNnw-LKQX89M7dPaEOtXuzIxB31SFMimJP9eeCjTPOzr5jGm2kgkd-BwovXI5ojYxtE8HPJyJnlAi39Gbn-R1gLv_5neu9-QK7zKmliN8JIDUcOCQyeUNT2dM/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" /></a><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Then tours on other days to a coffee/sugar/cacao plantation and both day and nocturnal explorations on foot of the rainforest we had earlier sailed above. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">We then headed down to the Pacific Coast for warm weather, a crocodile swamp boat tour, beach time and an introduction to the surfing center of Jaco.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Then we traveled back to the central mountains to the town of San Ramon. We visited the market and another forest walk. We then drove to see the dormant volcano, Arenal, and the nearby lake of the same name, which is the largest in Costa Rica.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">As all good things have to end, we then were on our way home.</span></div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-63148231905761796792017-12-31T06:26:00.000-08:002023-12-27T13:10:27.452-08:00My Resume<br />
<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Arial, "Lucida Sans Unicode", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/my-resume/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to My Resume"><span class="month" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">AUG</span><span class="day" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">27</span><span class="year" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2013</span></a></div>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; font-size: 2.2rem; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 56px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 36px 0px 0px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Charles C. Mallon</strong></h1>
</header><div class="entry-content" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Arial, "Lucida Sans Unicode", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 42.0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Charles (Charley) C. Mallon</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">3095 Ouray Street </span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Boulder, Colorado 80301</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="es-419" style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">And </span><span lang="es-419" style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="es-419" style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">2269 S. Via Massari</span><span lang="es-419" style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="es-419" style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Green Valley, Arizona 85614</span><span lang="es-419" style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="es-419" style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">720-235-7483</span><span lang="es-419" style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7089641172020752586/6314823190576179679"><span lang="es-419" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "inherit", serif; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-decoration-line: none;">charleymallon@comcast.net</span></a></span><span lang="es-419" style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span lang="es-419" style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 20.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Personal</span></b><span lang="es-419" style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="es-419" style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Born Los Angeles, California, December 26, 1945</span><span lang="es-419" style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #580A; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">6’0, 175 lbs</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Two adult children, three
granddaughters and long-term relationship with Cindy Schlager</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 19.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Education</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">California State University at Los
Angeles</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">B.A. Latin American Studies 1970</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 19.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Work Experience</span></b><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 19.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Retired</span></b><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">2014 to present.</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Colorado Affordable Health</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">September 2002 to December <a name="_Hlk152833339">2013</a></span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Helping individuals, the self-employed
and their families find quality, affordable health insurance.</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Owner </span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> Boulder,
Colorado</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Major Medical, Accident, Dental,
Short-Term, Term Life and International/Travel Insurance.–</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Fort Howard, later Fort James
Corporation</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">April 1983 to August 1999</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Sales of industrial, janitorial and
food service paper products through distribution to the “away from home
market.”</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Western
Division Manager</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
April 1991 to August 1999</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Seattle
District Manager</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
April 1985 to April 1991</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Los
Angeles District Manager</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
April
1983 to April 1985</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Responsibilities as a Division Manager
included: 35 sales people covering the western third of the country; hiring,
training, developing new distribution while maintaining rapport with
established clients; setting and following division budgets, increasing
end-user sales and devising distributor promotions while facilitating corporate
initiated plans and programs. –</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Management Recruiters of
Seattle/Southcenter</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">October 1981 to April 1983</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Owner</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
Seattle,
Washington</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Franchised Search and Recruiting firm
specializing in the placement of Engineers and Industrial Salespeople.–</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Scott Paper Company</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">September 1971 to October 1981</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Sales of sanitary paper and wiper
products through distributors to the “away from home market.”</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Seattle
District Manager</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
April 1979 to October 1981</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Boston
District Manager</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
April 1977 to April 1979</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Omaha
Area Manager</span></u><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
August 1974 to April 1977</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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Oregon Sr. Sales Rep.</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
April 1973 to August 1974</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Los
Angeles Sales Rep.</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
September 1971 to April 1973–</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Peace Corps</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">March 1966 to June 1968</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Volunteer</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela<u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></u></span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Conducted recreation programs, coached
sports and taught English in a small but rapidly growing community. –</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 19.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Languages</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Speak and read and write broken Spanish–</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 19.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">Recreation</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Exercising, reading, euchre, bridge,
pickleball and traveling the world, often to attend Rugby events.</span><span style="font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-60221027208228800722017-12-26T13:06:00.000-08:002018-01-08T09:16:00.264-08:00Clean Water for the Community of El Siuce in Jalapa, Nicaragua<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b>On December 15, 2017</b>
for the third time I travelled to Nicaragua to promote a clean water project.
Once again, I was joined by my friends from Boulder Valley Rotary, John and
Maud Kenyon. John is at the beginning stages of writing a Rotary Global Grant
for the small village of El Siuce, located on a rutted, steep, dirt road
outside the mountainous northern city of Jalapa, fast against the Honduran
border.</div>
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gravity-fed potable water systems in the near-by communities of Pasmata and El
Trapiche. Again, we are partnering with Boulder Friendship City Projects (FCP)
and their local representatives Karla Pozo and Greg Bowles. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I arrived the evening of the Friday the 15<sup>th</sup> at
the Managua airport and was met there by Greg, a U.S. citizen married to a Nicaraguan. They live about an hour
south of the capital city near the small town of Diriomo. He invited me to
spend the first night at his place. There we turned off the porch and yard
lights to appreciate the stars, something not possible with all the ambient
light at home.</div>
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<b>Saturday and Sunday, December 16 and 17</b>- As we always try to mix fun with work on these trips,</div>
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I spent the next two days in the old colonial city of Managua. I followed a walking tour suggested in the Lonely Planet Travel Guide that included centuries-old architecture, museums, the central plaza and a boat tour of the small islands in Lake Nicaragua. I stayed at the wondrously named Mansion de Chocolate. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZYcxS-ldZCEomgHQnYFXWYQqxJyZVfRk3dpbnAfrJRq9gBPqZILL6WvTK2cbjrw8__UG6UajUdMldepLNJ4bE3LKafkv32KWNS1lV0Dr_edIEK6EyzSUq-TlY-N_IDKdXQ7XmCk72N2i/s1600/Lago+de+Nicaragua.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZYcxS-ldZCEomgHQnYFXWYQqxJyZVfRk3dpbnAfrJRq9gBPqZILL6WvTK2cbjrw8__UG6UajUdMldepLNJ4bE3LKafkv32KWNS1lV0Dr_edIEK6EyzSUq-TlY-N_IDKdXQ7XmCk72N2i/s320/Lago+de+Nicaragua.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73Nzeuad3_2C8cnLqDB-kbZupGbfjT5UpbqlW5fFRxTAf0r6ynGUUNwU5zC58eRYobCUnaMXdpqggqY_ZKTt3NgqzZ4JlV_SwNrKtsBWcW4nToHWkx-R5EJO0DSDT-BIUYiH-23SYsmgE/s1600/Me+with+filter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73Nzeuad3_2C8cnLqDB-kbZupGbfjT5UpbqlW5fFRxTAf0r6ynGUUNwU5zC58eRYobCUnaMXdpqggqY_ZKTt3NgqzZ4JlV_SwNrKtsBWcW4nToHWkx-R5EJO0DSDT-BIUYiH-23SYsmgE/s1600/Me+with+filter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>
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<b>Monday-December 18-</b>
Greg, John, Maud and I traveled by taxi to Ciudad Sandino, just north of Managua, to meet with Mike Woodard, an American member of the local Rotary
Club.<br />
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Afterward we ventured a short distance to the closeby clay water filter
factory, where we met up with a delegation down from El Siuce in their chartered
bus that included Karla Pozo, the Jalapa based FCP representative.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-44ipzp-vPp1eweqqkYjogf9FYw9OPeyR6j7jBKb65uCmNqTn9SZ0n8LR5wt3S-3a_Ib3_WjSVsC_wXg8xKMtMy9ROz8coinNVHDZhwzNT4HKfO_Ghybm0XYsUnsaze84ZZtTy9m625T/s1600/Instrutions+in+how+to+use+filters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="640" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-44ipzp-vPp1eweqqkYjogf9FYw9OPeyR6j7jBKb65uCmNqTn9SZ0n8LR5wt3S-3a_Ib3_WjSVsC_wXg8xKMtMy9ROz8coinNVHDZhwzNT4HKfO_Ghybm0XYsUnsaze84ZZtTy9m625T/s320/Instrutions+in+how+to+use+filters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
After a tour
of the facility and a training session in the use and maintenance of the
filters, we loaded the 127 clay filters, along with their plastic containers,
onto the bus for a long slog north to Jalapa.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnc_-ihCUrnvy9OEDtMvm4Tlv4NpHLmTB74dWQiTvybDTAxdc8O3GmTgY8kfdWLE-WDymW3AIM8U5eZxVGWRtV3PT_xz1kT_Z77sgj04beJr-cuYiEijvjoK73F0gIH_t2eHA4BhNWdvhz/s1600/Loading+filters+on+bus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnc_-ihCUrnvy9OEDtMvm4Tlv4NpHLmTB74dWQiTvybDTAxdc8O3GmTgY8kfdWLE-WDymW3AIM8U5eZxVGWRtV3PT_xz1kT_Z77sgj04beJr-cuYiEijvjoK73F0gIH_t2eHA4BhNWdvhz/s320/Loading+filters+on+bus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The trip was highlighted by an
hour stop by police who had a difficult time figuring out what we were all
about.<br />
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El Siuce presently has a barely functioning, cobbled
together, dam and pipe (in some cases garden hoses) water system. Tests on the
water show high concentrations of agriculture
waste, e-coli and other impurities. </div>
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These filters are a stop gap measure. If
properly maintained, they can provide from one to three liters of 99.8% pure
water an hour for up to 5 years. Boulder Valley Rotary and FCP are in the
beginning stages of writing grants to cover the expected cost of up to $80,000
for and entirely new system. The grant process takes time however, and the
filters are a way to provide drinkable water to the residents until we can
get this done.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Tuesday-December 19-</b>
We woke up in our home-away-from-home in Jalapa, the Pantano hotel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfD1ILPkzWDhPRvYl9B8dQsr6V2fwUosz_Gpdn_8Td2i5rA7PAfgxU-HGZHLMhzHHBCXmmqsnlzSRYjSTC5UyoGJmUH5OSDbyYpWVehNrrLe2kuFsYHfdP_fVEJgsoObFTyvF1uQa8p98d/s1600/El+Pantano.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfD1ILPkzWDhPRvYl9B8dQsr6V2fwUosz_Gpdn_8Td2i5rA7PAfgxU-HGZHLMhzHHBCXmmqsnlzSRYjSTC5UyoGJmUH5OSDbyYpWVehNrrLe2kuFsYHfdP_fVEJgsoObFTyvF1uQa8p98d/s320/El+Pantano.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We then all
headed out through rain to the site of El Siuce to distribute the filters to community members. Boulder Valley Rotary and FCP
had each contributed $2000 dollars for the purchase of the units at $23 each.
Recipients were required to cover the cost of transportation from Ciudad
Santino, which amounted to $450, so they to had “skin in the game”. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9Ve_mkvSvd9Xt_HBHTfFVR15oUMyxwCxjtKI0LqUuLuJzIxSbLFcOyTswL8bD6geoDw7gum4TkOVuHVJbsta2YNaWsJEi0F6gEJHatr56p9iJ0NzAgH_ECgLUIoEgFTpHPlsGrd4qJI9/s1600/Streets+of+Jalapa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9Ve_mkvSvd9Xt_HBHTfFVR15oUMyxwCxjtKI0LqUuLuJzIxSbLFcOyTswL8bD6geoDw7gum4TkOVuHVJbsta2YNaWsJEi0F6gEJHatr56p9iJ0NzAgH_ECgLUIoEgFTpHPlsGrd4qJI9/s320/Streets+of+Jalapa.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Our hoped for festive distribution of the filters was muted
by the wet weather, as we all huddled on the porch of someone’s home for
an impromptu training session conducted by Karla. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdz4oBI-_yXsEiP71qgjWrm93jEoZY0jS9ZykZtTqZoFQ6pBqneUsSepSg5H4AY1MEpXZtJbR3SOb_VyDFmEQUe3xELdJihPgv5vepjD3VKQK0dZ6CcWh60yIiMbqJFhF8_QRi22c7T0ID/s1600/Taking+the+filters+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="399" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdz4oBI-_yXsEiP71qgjWrm93jEoZY0jS9ZykZtTqZoFQ6pBqneUsSepSg5H4AY1MEpXZtJbR3SOb_VyDFmEQUe3xELdJihPgv5vepjD3VKQK0dZ6CcWh60yIiMbqJFhF8_QRi22c7T0ID/s320/Taking+the+filters+home.jpg" width="199" /></a>The handing out of the
filters was a laborious process that involved making sure those who received
one had originally ordered and paid their portion of the transportation cost. </div>
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Nevertheless, the atmosphere was that of appreciativeness, as the community has
come to recognize that many of the health problems they are suffering from are probably
caused by the contaminated water. As not everyone chose to sign up for the
original order, Karla took a list of names for a future order that will total
about 30 more units.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7KOn41-D-W32w3Hz09m7N2rqGDZEixrl0dhC0URX8Z5Eh1XNcu3TGhoXt9CLD8gKalRJI7AW_YjKOdlflwmNzQ-M5968BBOl9XPGnXgqVCeNoQZvsr4LGivqtZ7JUf9_wLlaY0T5Fpnx/s1600/Karla+training.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7KOn41-D-W32w3Hz09m7N2rqGDZEixrl0dhC0URX8Z5Eh1XNcu3TGhoXt9CLD8gKalRJI7AW_YjKOdlflwmNzQ-M5968BBOl9XPGnXgqVCeNoQZvsr4LGivqtZ7JUf9_wLlaY0T5Fpnx/s400/Karla+training.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The village provided all we visitors with a hearty chicken
soup meal.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAq9eN3xB3wps8i-_Hy9rULhmAWuxiujk1UwQ5j_lQX9e16oP595IHYZvD1MjmS7-3KHRQsWPtzJ_rN6lV_qvMVpe0iS8isWH7C1yYo5Bh9RIzdzouKmiZtWtOcwgPAykxcu5Y7nSIGEwG/s1600/New+filter+source.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="640" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAq9eN3xB3wps8i-_Hy9rULhmAWuxiujk1UwQ5j_lQX9e16oP595IHYZvD1MjmS7-3KHRQsWPtzJ_rN6lV_qvMVpe0iS8isWH7C1yYo5Bh9RIzdzouKmiZtWtOcwgPAykxcu5Y7nSIGEwG/s320/New+filter+source.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday-</b>December 20-
We drove from Jalapa to visit a previously unknown, nearby clay filter factory, that will be much closer to our Jalapa projects than the one in Ciudad Sandino. We will thus be able to reduce transportation costs on future orders.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuHqt55FH2RDr8IJN4ls2CwFL4srkhYmT7xZ4jKaSAcHcoRb6Adkz58IOUy6WNXxEIkfRwi8UYViYbbzp5_iqQDfVIpysLwf04L2fFqA8sj56qWPXVluh-3q-pGCjWDjITzMyUfiGsmgJ/s1600/John+and+me+Somoto+Canyon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuHqt55FH2RDr8IJN4ls2CwFL4srkhYmT7xZ4jKaSAcHcoRb6Adkz58IOUy6WNXxEIkfRwi8UYViYbbzp5_iqQDfVIpysLwf04L2fFqA8sj56qWPXVluh-3q-pGCjWDjITzMyUfiGsmgJ/s320/John+and+me+Somoto+Canyon.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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We then spent most of the day hiking, wading, floating and swimming the Coco
river in Somoto<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_b3PWhQ9smVaQUHw-sEtAt1seVshisF1jULDfwtjUKFYVni_3JZqDeD1QY6JNJSJTsqjU3pEaPCUf0cTjC6-mSfxiuDG68hoL0MCvnZ75jI2drO5K8yOO_Q_xAfDnGipD8pWp3WLDAOtl/s1600/Somoto+Banner+Exchange+I+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_b3PWhQ9smVaQUHw-sEtAt1seVshisF1jULDfwtjUKFYVni_3JZqDeD1QY6JNJSJTsqjU3pEaPCUf0cTjC6-mSfxiuDG68hoL0MCvnZ75jI2drO5K8yOO_Q_xAfDnGipD8pWp3WLDAOtl/s1600/Somoto+Banner+Exchange+I+.jpg" /></a></div>
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That evening with participated in a meeting with the Somoto
Rotary club and secured their commitment to serve as the Host Country Club for
the new Rotary grant for El Siuce.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2DQiNXqN6OwidltIhVRzA52vV7H1FfDaQiEN8YIDB_K6eDLYmRUsxtSfWzlNa-bxzSXEjjkGPxVOVtnN3tPYsy85MdlFjmYLbfS7k8s53388Sa6D4keoZ0GJVWIYTfbruf3kLT7dPA_F/s1600/Jalacate+Mountain+hike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2DQiNXqN6OwidltIhVRzA52vV7H1FfDaQiEN8YIDB_K6eDLYmRUsxtSfWzlNa-bxzSXEjjkGPxVOVtnN3tPYsy85MdlFjmYLbfS7k8s53388Sa6D4keoZ0GJVWIYTfbruf3kLT7dPA_F/s320/Jalacate+Mountain+hike.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<b>Thursday-December 21-</b>
Our trip from Somoto back to Managua was highlighted by a side trip up to <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Galería del Arte de Jalacate</span>. This arduous hike up Jalacate mountain brought us to the site of the interesting rock carvings done by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDXyX-4UsY8"><span style="color: red;">Antonio Guitierrez</span></a>, a
semi-hermit octogenarian, who has spent his life in his work.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUncI__0tCFD9_LvUa5swudcR4ifBLvnQ9gPhhouorgIg7PtcelnsUDYbqxDquBAvTVLgo5paigO3GpnDQqe8VaFv820H0_pNpwF73_Z00obVySFR-qvkbviqhA2diZCHNTXGATWQ_uZl/s1600/Elephant+Alacate+mt..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUncI__0tCFD9_LvUa5swudcR4ifBLvnQ9gPhhouorgIg7PtcelnsUDYbqxDquBAvTVLgo5paigO3GpnDQqe8VaFv820H0_pNpwF73_Z00obVySFR-qvkbviqhA2diZCHNTXGATWQ_uZl/s320/Elephant+Alacate+mt..jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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This evening we met with Rob Bell of El Porvenir, who agreed
to help us in several ways with our El Siuce project.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Zvt7_loiZp_0JD-XpRLu0R6GdWxZ3zUgwTw3ZG5J6DnnlO7nM3xzKSGlA2EMIP8szfAhu9r0RoRdEVrUFgTEsXPcfzLMM96uhr6-v_FTlSFnuulmftYZUrYHOtMeIYJAgkjLHOK5-GZ8/s1600/Alacate+art..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="427" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Zvt7_loiZp_0JD-XpRLu0R6GdWxZ3zUgwTw3ZG5J6DnnlO7nM3xzKSGlA2EMIP8szfAhu9r0RoRdEVrUFgTEsXPcfzLMM96uhr6-v_FTlSFnuulmftYZUrYHOtMeIYJAgkjLHOK5-GZ8/s320/Alacate+art..jpg" width="213" /></a><b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Friday-December 22-</b>
Travel back home to begin Christmas season.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All in all, a good trip for moving the El Siuce work ahead
and for finding fun and adventure.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-2374716615623777102017-02-01T16:39:00.000-08:002017-02-02T12:12:47.231-08:00The Best Birthday Party On January 28, 2017 Cindy Schlager celebrated her "I'm Still Here" 67th birthday party.<br />
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What made the party special is that she IS still here and the way she celebrated it.<br />
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Cindy has been battling cancer now for almost two years. She has gone through radiation and chemotherapy with little positive affect. In the summer of 2016 she reached a low point of needing a cane and wheel chair to get around. That is also when she started a two year clinical trial for a test drug called Keytruda at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.<br />
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The results so far for this trial have been miraculous. So Cindy invited 150 of her friends to a big party to show them how much better she is feeling. Click below to see for your self-<br />
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For sure check out "<b>Chicken Lips Parts 1 & 2</b>" and "<b>Cindy, Alex, Michael and Neyla Driscoll tap dance</b>".<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfFnyc4BB-4">Cindy and Alex Ryer sing "I'm Still Here</a>"</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfFnyc4BB-4"><br /></a></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLiSm2ajmLg&t=12s">Michael Moore Yodels</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLiSm2ajmLg&t=12s"><br /></a></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxsi3mpe1Gk">Chicken Lips Part 1</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxsi3mpe1Gk"><br /></a></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiBeARiFHyY">Chicken Lips Part 2</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiBeARiFHyY"><br /></a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWI8IP2jFuo">Cindy, Alex, Michael Gold and Neyla Driscoll tap dance</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWI8IP2jFuo"><br /></a><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siHb96_FXaA">Bob Wells Toast</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siHb96_FXaA"><br /></a></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8IyNGO6MLI">Linda Trenbeath Toast</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8IyNGO6MLI"><br /></a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1SFqGrIbOA">Claudia Barkmeier Toast Part 1</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1SFqGrIbOA"><br /></a><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyx9AaNyIfA">C Barkmeier Toast Part 2</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyx9AaNyIfA"><br /></a></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yeqYKaeQFI">Crowd and Cake Cutting</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yeqYKaeQFI"><br /></a></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFCEQs7vLiA">Group Dance</a><br />
<br />Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-68745982981698438152016-12-21T08:05:00.001-08:002017-04-12T09:00:38.410-07:00Nicaragua- Trip and Celebration for Completion of El Trapiche Water System<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuObBw89LfRQKBuPb6yt-yEi67VJAcIkC3h1eTUTSSwCMGx1wzYI5zwYTGMvRj244Uq1notlP6mgFN1CJvE6Wck_aTcLVAupclgLCrHwNj4XQ7V3Sh_yDvzj_gTUHHVKVyZJA8rN7atA3/s1600/Map+of+Nicaragua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuObBw89LfRQKBuPb6yt-yEi67VJAcIkC3h1eTUTSSwCMGx1wzYI5zwYTGMvRj244Uq1notlP6mgFN1CJvE6Wck_aTcLVAupclgLCrHwNj4XQ7V3Sh_yDvzj_gTUHHVKVyZJA8rN7atA3/s200/Map+of+Nicaragua.jpg" width="200" /></a>On Thursday, December 1, 2016 I took off from Boulder with two friends from Rotary Club of Boulder Valley, John and Maud Kenyon, for a 10 day trip to Nicaragua. This was our second time there and the principle reason for the travel was to help the village of El Trapiche, near Jalapa in the north of the country, celebrated the completion of the rebuilding of their water system. Our Rotary<br />
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Club had provided funding and successfully applied for a Rotary International Global Grant to partially cover the costs of the project. After that we planned to see other parts of the country that we had missed on our previous trip. John, our photographer, would chronical our adventure.<br />
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We had <a href="http://charleymallon.blogspot.com/2015/04/jalapa-valley-nueva-segovia-nicaragua.html"><span style="color: red;">originally visited the area</span></a> in the spring of 2014 to participate in an inauguration ceremony to commemorate the finish of another water project in the small, nearby pueblo of Pasmata. As was done later in El Trapiche, BV Rotary had partnered with Boulder Friendship City Projects (FCP) and the area residents to finance and build the system. While there at that time, the local FCP<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrgMO9_TMiQDpMvB2YpzsAGWlCpTT0M6ob1UT_rNeKxc7KZKW_cSdYfnwJwPMXnMux__lcRr0s-dnTMWGjNoNoRT90ib7zV-lErMiIru9Prm5c56XhDelEndGKq8rQLmfXgW08kgtYYUx/s1600/31497823316_56bd0f6b4c_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrgMO9_TMiQDpMvB2YpzsAGWlCpTT0M6ob1UT_rNeKxc7KZKW_cSdYfnwJwPMXnMux__lcRr0s-dnTMWGjNoNoRT90ib7zV-lErMiIru9Prm5c56XhDelEndGKq8rQLmfXgW08kgtYYUx/s200/31497823316_56bd0f6b4c_m.jpg" width="186" /></a></div>
representative, Karla Pozo, introduced us to the impassioned Water and Sanitation Committee (CAPS) for El Trapiche. They explained to us that their antiquated, gravity-fed water system no longer worked well. It also was not designed to adequately supply the needs of a population that had increased many times over to the then present 2000 inhabitants. FCP was already committed to the project and we agreed to see if we could find Rotary financing to cover the first two phases of the work; rebuilding the dam and replacing the downhill mainline pipe and pressure breaking boxes. FCP would try to fund phases 3 and 4, building a new collection tank at the base of the hill and establishing a network of piping from the tank to the individual homes. 8 Rotary clubs, District 5450 and Rotary International would end up donating $38,925 to this project.<br />
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Travelling with us was local resident Greg Bowles, an American who is married to a Nicaraguan and is also on the FCP Board. Greg has been involved in projects in the Jalapa Valley for at least 10 years and, in addition to being a very good traveling companion, is knowledgeable about all things Nicaraguan. On this trip we decided to forego riding on the cramped local buses and had Greg arrange for a car and driver.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8Ejchlbh46nCdMJCfQAuzrZhMKlasFwTve7lzPVHq-ke_3yBZZhq1y07TvuR5p_abf3cLQhm-jHtnv6kAWfPmy6pobSTnSgaV_vxZDs0a66oiS2sqBaFpkOlSlP-CU4102PWlEuJKUEO/s1600/Plaque+II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8Ejchlbh46nCdMJCfQAuzrZhMKlasFwTve7lzPVHq-ke_3yBZZhq1y07TvuR5p_abf3cLQhm-jHtnv6kAWfPmy6pobSTnSgaV_vxZDs0a66oiS2sqBaFpkOlSlP-CU4102PWlEuJKUEO/s200/Plaque+II.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY4t8QYNEvdH7oL_bb5O-26kR5Za8qRqz4KkES_mKjtCTCd43wMHlLOvhHl97KftE_3JmS8a1Q_adpA5ANzG3igRGft2evebS2fHhWhUovz7veoz0oIgqNd5LDVPvk-EPdevWNmWW47D2/s1600/Rotary+Club+of+Ocotal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY4t8QYNEvdH7oL_bb5O-26kR5Za8qRqz4KkES_mKjtCTCd43wMHlLOvhHl97KftE_3JmS8a1Q_adpA5ANzG3igRGft2evebS2fHhWhUovz7veoz0oIgqNd5LDVPvk-EPdevWNmWW47D2/s1600/Rotary+Club+of+Ocotal.jpg" /></a><br />
We first stopped off in the town of Ocotal to lunch with the members of the Rotary Club there. This small club had acted as the required "Host Club" for the El Trapiche Rotary Grant. The meal was hosted at the Hotel Frontera, owned by member Maximo Ramos, and spirits were high due the end of a long, and sometimes difficult, grant process. They shared with us the very impressive marble plaque they had ordered to commemorate the endeavour.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ91p_tw7JpTuQkyaodiu488SJZmyrRDQHyHsUOaVUWmQLBud99jBAwf6ezlb7rbkuEy0gDRtD6CfvRNZfRT8yWWvdWaOgp9PDpAQUMDQ39OXlf7XFq2z3XgGjP0Hwdmm65behx4Otavr7/s1600/Siuce+Dam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ91p_tw7JpTuQkyaodiu488SJZmyrRDQHyHsUOaVUWmQLBud99jBAwf6ezlb7rbkuEy0gDRtD6CfvRNZfRT8yWWvdWaOgp9PDpAQUMDQ39OXlf7XFq2z3XgGjP0Hwdmm65behx4Otavr7/s1600/Siuce+Dam.jpg" /></a>That evening we checked into our old friend, the El Pantano Hotel in Jalapa. The next day, Saturday, December 3rd, we met up with the valuable Karla Pozo to visit a couple of potential future projects in the Jalapa area. Both Siuce and Santa Cruz are, like El Trapiche, small, but growing hamlets, spread across the side of a mountain. Unlike El Trapiche however, their sources of water are not secure. Siuce's present system is makeshift using hoses and is contaminated with the residue from the cultivation and processing of coffee. Santa Cruz' challenge is that their water supply volume is not adequate, especially the past few years of drought. <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siikkc900Tg&t=4s"><span style="color: blue;">Here</span></a></b><span style="color: white;"> </span>for video.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowyxSBMk1QKKTmTMU6nwDCtF3xRzXbcKYQ47jaGDkrL-eQOjV0w3tTqka12fxwWeqF3I3ozIGAFgUqZF-wD9xRgN94tnOZCjHmyeZ75TCAL665fP7wHSlxpEOLN_GswPCBcoOyB3Dm2Vj/s1600/El+Trapiche+Hike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowyxSBMk1QKKTmTMU6nwDCtF3xRzXbcKYQ47jaGDkrL-eQOjV0w3tTqka12fxwWeqF3I3ozIGAFgUqZF-wD9xRgN94tnOZCjHmyeZ75TCAL665fP7wHSlxpEOLN_GswPCBcoOyB3Dm2Vj/s200/El+Trapiche+Hike.jpg" width="147" /></a></div>
Between ourselves we decided that we would need an engineering study of the two settlements' potential for reasonable solutions to their water problems before there would be any consideration about moving forward in any search for funding . We'll see if this gets done. This evening we arrived late at the home of Orlando Zeledon, who we first meet earlier in the year when he visited Boulder Valley Rotary. He and Marlon Matute have an interest in starting a Rotary Club in Jalapa, which would greatly assist us in writing future grants in the valley. They appear enthusiastic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdUWMZ3RdmeIQkAPVtIP2r37sRazmpjTf1Yepn5KLjcXO1ym3X7yFGnffrHxeIraTHqRWBfyNrAwywTSXMU3ryUugLL8HOyzKlb_dgesZASz_iQn6yqQJcaSAASisnecnNgKOyUfEDlNi/s1600/El+Trapiche+Pipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdUWMZ3RdmeIQkAPVtIP2r37sRazmpjTf1Yepn5KLjcXO1ym3X7yFGnffrHxeIraTHqRWBfyNrAwywTSXMU3ryUugLL8HOyzKlb_dgesZASz_iQn6yqQJcaSAASisnecnNgKOyUfEDlNi/s200/El+Trapiche+Pipe.jpg" width="200" /></a>Next day, Sunday, we headed up in 4-wheelers and later on foot to inspect<br />
the high-up source of water for the village of El Trapiche. With us was all of the Ocotal Rotary Club, the El Trapiche Water Committee and FCP representatives Karla and Greg.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUF-iOAMCFnjkl-HBaFmqgxXYHUg_F_OuszEPiAZQmh5QHcesbUfnxt7KN4Sb960LqLV65tjOlk3RTdhn7Ny1boh6vBr7LPFXWLYPvHF3Ftu3fQSi9mzT_u-_IX6GtVoSIVy93xgB4mORH/s1600/El+Trapiche+Dam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUF-iOAMCFnjkl-HBaFmqgxXYHUg_F_OuszEPiAZQmh5QHcesbUfnxt7KN4Sb960LqLV65tjOlk3RTdhn7Ny1boh6vBr7LPFXWLYPvHF3Ftu3fQSi9mzT_u-_IX6GtVoSIVy93xgB4mORH/s1600/El+Trapiche+Dam.jpg" /></a>The long, steep, narrow and slippery foot trail gave us great appreciation for<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCYBYc488eY3xCXtSJkl_9zxyN4H_lBm22tJ4lMqxDvP3ZUYU2gtBJFCuthFDYrMLLXGI_T3xRx69BfF7slxUMeC9P91rnJPvamkadpU23TkiLVtdRQXTNPDI35HcH3QwSXE5F_fnDSXw/s1600/20160328_085136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCYBYc488eY3xCXtSJkl_9zxyN4H_lBm22tJ4lMqxDvP3ZUYU2gtBJFCuthFDYrMLLXGI_T3xRx69BfF7slxUMeC9P91rnJPvamkadpU23TkiLVtdRQXTNPDI35HcH3QwSXE5F_fnDSXw/s200/20160328_085136.jpg" width="200" /></a>how difficult it was for the people of El Trapiche to just reach and carry equipment and materiel (think bags of cement, heavy steel pipes) to the dam construction site. And, that was before the back-breaking labor of digging the repository pool, removing boulders and where possible, burying the main pipeline.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhco7gyhJSP_YO9JtJe4eAyklfl0504a91WIDU5OBSKD5vDF-_-hDSlxTqzPWpN3ke9XdGUcyPwb93NfvR2-U51939TlGxQf__cTZppsSgUNPfEc8QiAWu4ZCtWGEvpXPD6M5KqYGawIt2R/s1600/View+from+water+tank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhco7gyhJSP_YO9JtJe4eAyklfl0504a91WIDU5OBSKD5vDF-_-hDSlxTqzPWpN3ke9XdGUcyPwb93NfvR2-U51939TlGxQf__cTZppsSgUNPfEc8QiAWu4ZCtWGEvpXPD6M5KqYGawIt2R/s200/View+from+water+tank.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Back down the mountain we visited the new holding tank and viewed the temporary holder for the plaque. Later all had lunch at the home of one of the CAPS members.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGk8DOmxmiLOyOTAl9Syjjznb-y7mrsWDOxOjEtaIyjA8UvezeCi2u_pMe1wrkN5G8IpbKc5kkoYIOldG4wcpIdxumjTBot_y8z4jbKDvrNJklZC7o-K4fMjHYDIA1PpWPmStRvU2mwNt9/s1600/El+Trapiche+Presentation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGk8DOmxmiLOyOTAl9Syjjznb-y7mrsWDOxOjEtaIyjA8UvezeCi2u_pMe1wrkN5G8IpbKc5kkoYIOldG4wcpIdxumjTBot_y8z4jbKDvrNJklZC7o-K4fMjHYDIA1PpWPmStRvU2mwNt9/s200/El+Trapiche+Presentation.jpg" width="200" /></a>The afternoon was dedicated to the inauguration ceremony itself at the local primary school. Attendance was light, as no meal was offered because the $450 required was beyond the budget. Speeches were made, hands were shook, a raffle of 5 each picks and shovels was held and certificates were handed out. All and all, a good end to what sometimes seemed like an endless project. <a href="https://youtu.be/3ChFqrpQy4A"><span style="color: red;">Here</span></a> for video.<br />
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This concluded the "business" part of the trip. We now headed off to visit the old colonial towns of Leon and Granada, long the political polar opposites in Nicaragua's many centuries of civil wars.<br />
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"Liberal" Leon, founded in 1524, as was Granada, is located north of the capital city of Managua. Streets are narrow and crowded. We spent Monday night there, as I was ill for part of the time, I only got a chance to walk around the central area on Tuesday morning, including a visit to their art museum and impressive cathedral.<br />
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Tuesday night we stayed at Greg and his wife's spread south of "conservative" Granada. They recently moved in and Greg has what appears to be an endless list of projects he hopes to accomplish there. On the way to Greg's we did look down at Masaya Volcano to see molten lava.<br />
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Granada sits on the bank of massive Lake Nicaragua, with broader streets than Leon and a more prominent foreign presence. Only a morning there, but I was impressed with their museum, especially the display of the newest thing, Nicaraguan "<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">primitivista
paintings</span>."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTuNJrmH3zBYUMu6s_1JanxSOO_RV8zD9KbAvdTbWSqmnYnIJOYk9SWWfHmCVzGnn2dr-d28MCrL5jhp-z3rJ0vAdS8o84Jg3xKHTJIn0CpF0pkMRo385ODCgrZcfZgfEeMS-nDG5lnPm/s1600/DSC_0042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTuNJrmH3zBYUMu6s_1JanxSOO_RV8zD9KbAvdTbWSqmnYnIJOYk9SWWfHmCVzGnn2dr-d28MCrL5jhp-z3rJ0vAdS8o84Jg3xKHTJIn0CpF0pkMRo385ODCgrZcfZgfEeMS-nDG5lnPm/s200/DSC_0042.jpg" width="200" /></a>Wednesday afternoon we flew across the country to Nicaragua's Corn Island off the east coast in the Caribbean. This rustic jewel was perfect for us. No fancy resorts, just small outfits with cabanas. The dark skinned population speaks good English (the island was colonized by English pirates and escaped slaves from the British Caribbean Islands) and the Spanish that is taught in schools.<br />
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Two days there, with a lot of rain that took little away from our enjoyment of the experience, and back to cold, late autumn weather in Boulder, Colorado.<br />
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<br />Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-55101691411609335332016-12-18T14:20:00.000-08:002017-02-01T18:23:43.063-08:00My Greatest Hits<h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">This is a compilation of experiences, accomplishments and adventures that I have enjoyed and from which I have derived pleasure and satisfact</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">ion.</span></span></h2>
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<b style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">* My Children</b></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_p9IEJxDIBJGPoCioabCgy0z-SANyNBqnwxYNIoDjj1F1YXQAvev_Vb7wxVVdReVL-hmlONFhehzR4O9kbcCKTL0Rc3Wqmb8rlcmHdwGm3uYJyQcrvr6REnnLBlT923E-4ley5Tgc4tS/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_p9IEJxDIBJGPoCioabCgy0z-SANyNBqnwxYNIoDjj1F1YXQAvev_Vb7wxVVdReVL-hmlONFhehzR4O9kbcCKTL0Rc3Wqmb8rlcmHdwGm3uYJyQcrvr6REnnLBlT923E-4ley5Tgc4tS/s200/022.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Despite the less than perfect marriage of their parents, Timothy and Kerry have turned out to be wonderful people with loving spouses and children, successful careers and happy lives. Truly, nothing is more important to me.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><b>* My Granddaughters</b></span></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASMelJvK0xAVquuIs0pvdAcTJgakqAHLeVfki0OLp0R_h-J9wz80V3WEkJfIG7xVdz3KTWVw37e7DIa5bwBYdtUsIRDf0PbXGJpND2ZcL8rTrldUp7I8naD6BBbeCcqUhOIW61r6Z3XpA/s1600/photo+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASMelJvK0xAVquuIs0pvdAcTJgakqAHLeVfki0OLp0R_h-J9wz80V3WEkJfIG7xVdz3KTWVw37e7DIa5bwBYdtUsIRDf0PbXGJpND2ZcL8rTrldUp7I8naD6BBbeCcqUhOIW61r6Z3XpA/s200/photo+%25284%2529.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And of course my perfect children have produced perfect children themselves. Annabelle, Kiki and Mackenzie are attractive, active and very bright. How fortunate am I.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><b>* Working summers while growing up on my Uncle Lavern and Cousin Edwin's Michigan farms</b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">. </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">I did this for several years in my early teens. Mostly I remember long days of bailing hay followed by simple evening pleasures such as swimming and fishing. My greatest enjoyment came from feeling I was making a contribution.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIXCoj9UPH42ytXa9aI3nmWHLpDbfsnRx72ffjXPhZS_QCV-VpzgP0up4pUSzcf6WXvCiDzczRa9BtV0cYJAQYyHa1DWeZa7GawAK2Z8ZjcvhovMjt2BIMTmE_CML9-QtScKn3iVX8EAx/s1600/Big+Sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIXCoj9UPH42ytXa9aI3nmWHLpDbfsnRx72ffjXPhZS_QCV-VpzgP0up4pUSzcf6WXvCiDzczRa9BtV0cYJAQYyHa1DWeZa7GawAK2Z8ZjcvhovMjt2BIMTmE_CML9-QtScKn3iVX8EAx/s200/Big+Sky.jpg" width="132" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><b>* Reading</b></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">I am seldom without a having a couple of books in progress, usually one each fiction and nonfiction. My son Timothy is the same way and his daughter Mackenzie shows some interest as well. I feel it is like being able to live not only your own life, but others as well.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>* Peace Corps in Venezuela 1966-68</b></span></h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUq4ytVowg2p1UB55qAwwYw06J8sqw97P5rTkdr8mr7XZve19zH40iONaeio4gXxkU4XOljnsFAeuKlWOLqlgITZ1lxwLmlADJ5CH6Px3D1yofdsUtQj0nkjG3wAam0ccXl8VPxD_mh07A/s1600/Girls+Volleyball+Team%252C+Puerto+Ordaz%252C+Venezuela+1968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUq4ytVowg2p1UB55qAwwYw06J8sqw97P5rTkdr8mr7XZve19zH40iONaeio4gXxkU4XOljnsFAeuKlWOLqlgITZ1lxwLmlADJ5CH6Px3D1yofdsUtQj0nkjG3wAam0ccXl8VPxD_mh07A/s200/Girls+Volleyball+Team%252C+Puerto+Ordaz%252C+Venezuela+1968.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This two year plus experience was a seminal event in my life in that I was exposed to people I admired and found that I could reasonably compare my self with. Plus, it was a great adventure.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><b>* Learning Spanish </b></span></span></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEpp9jhrO2-nAvtrBTFCk3fDZ6bDffnHIn-VIYTNVVoRghPgRaz1jwq41EfP4H7wyDDTPkHxa2dGQ02ctBAVefbLlXyv5DfD9uY784vUpK7fFRVN618rJBEkG4Z6Jrj29OviQT4O4bGM6/s1600/estock_commonswiki_285821_m.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEpp9jhrO2-nAvtrBTFCk3fDZ6bDffnHIn-VIYTNVVoRghPgRaz1jwq41EfP4H7wyDDTPkHxa2dGQ02ctBAVefbLlXyv5DfD9uY784vUpK7fFRVN618rJBEkG4Z6Jrj29OviQT4O4bGM6/s200/estock_commonswiki_285821_m.png" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">I have finally reached a level in Spanish where I feel I can communicate freely. I make errors all the time, but I am generally understood and can usually follow along in most conversations. I was not satisfied with the effort I had put into learning this language when I lived in Venezuela and have continued to work at it off and on, most successfully taking courses online with WebSpanish.com.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><b>* Rugby</b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <b>- Playing:</b> I have often said that I was never more alive than when I was playing Rugby. It</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMfHYUaXr1eRgi-kItNeix5f9l9UkzH3A-5X5seEJMNNo-LtVfp01s3ro5iBVLF17LCG4ul1vii230XLxKjBX0SSi9ofHfqwr7rtTYYsdQlc7ew3mGatGZg_P93P7zjYeGWS6AX8ffZOY/s1600/Crown+City+Pasadena+RFC+1971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMfHYUaXr1eRgi-kItNeix5f9l9UkzH3A-5X5seEJMNNo-LtVfp01s3ro5iBVLF17LCG4ul1vii230XLxKjBX0SSi9ofHfqwr7rtTYYsdQlc7ew3mGatGZg_P93P7zjYeGWS6AX8ffZOY/s200/Crown+City+Pasadena+RFC+1971.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> was love at first sight when I first was introduced to the sport at Cal State LA. I was only a fair player but stayed with it until I turned 60.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <b>- Rugby Tours:</b> I have been fortunate to have participated in Rugby playing tours to Canada, Mexico, the UK, Chile, and to continental Europe many times. Traveling to these foreign lands with groups of friends have been wonderful experiences.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIU3YDFcJEvMtZzmrCevNQAaPr8QZrtjzdEbAe0VYq-uw7Yrpsfcxhrp4NjKRUkERnNawQsiGms5mUTmdubcKYgrRGC6bbyPGHz4DnJ3SuIQuaA56XjzAmU2uSSR_98hWFbE6Nk7Ug3Rx1/s1600/BRFC+in+Venice.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIU3YDFcJEvMtZzmrCevNQAaPr8QZrtjzdEbAe0VYq-uw7Yrpsfcxhrp4NjKRUkERnNawQsiGms5mUTmdubcKYgrRGC6bbyPGHz4DnJ3SuIQuaA56XjzAmU2uSSR_98hWFbE6Nk7Ug3Rx1/s200/BRFC+in+Venice.gif" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>- Rugby Friends:</b> As I moved quite often for a number of years, joining the local club was a wonderful way of finding new friends in new cities. Today most of my friends are from Rugby and we all share a common bond that is greatly valued.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <b>- Rugby 7's</b>: For many years now my friend David Cunningham and I have traveled once a year to various stops on the International Rugby 7's Tournament circut. We have now seen the competition in San Diego, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Wellington, NZ and Vancouver, Canada.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">* <b>Travel</b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUnTES_yZFZ4amI-f0-o0WmkysKuQGznfWqbgz94wljQ0RR8EZplsXaH4fupkrqOo5chRjPPvabbcNnisCnTDtcQs-GzuHfy0XxFy470xO_71jMTns5oaIDxT5CS4itYTDQQIGaLqG2mJ/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUnTES_yZFZ4amI-f0-o0WmkysKuQGznfWqbgz94wljQ0RR8EZplsXaH4fupkrqOo5chRjPPvabbcNnisCnTDtcQs-GzuHfy0XxFy470xO_71jMTns5oaIDxT5CS4itYTDQQIGaLqG2mJ/s200/001.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have always enjoyed and put a lot of value on traveling. Although I did not make it to Europe until my early 40's, I have been back many times. I have also been to most of the countries in Latin America, but only New Zealand and Hong Kong in the Pacific. Here at home I have visited every state except Alabama and Delaware.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">*Rotary</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIl77G-ASM6p7AU6Flf5n22sqIylxH3wxI3UZ3Tj1jCwrX0JW8jCFEK-qLeXeykGznsdMQqsEXRbFyQRk7D9pSwZY3BYauvK0vqKBkuAYJ8Bdy2OjoHzM0WYFiwART4m9yipVYNtgYzXV/s1600/BVRC-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIl77G-ASM6p7AU6Flf5n22sqIylxH3wxI3UZ3Tj1jCwrX0JW8jCFEK-qLeXeykGznsdMQqsEXRbFyQRk7D9pSwZY3BYauvK0vqKBkuAYJ8Bdy2OjoHzM0WYFiwART4m9yipVYNtgYzXV/s200/BVRC-logo.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although I joined Rotary fairly recently in 2013, it has become an important part of my social life. Especially since I sold my business I have been able to say yes to many of the club projects and, the more you put into something the more you get out of it. I was proud to be named 2015-2016 Rotarian of the Year for the Rotary Club of Boulder Valley.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40NvwHgyaLfEn4LNdbXl7obG6DB51wK_wglEKZK_092Kn-3ZugSWeSmWZJDiMmOMJOJL_Lf2knovcPQlQqraQ8k1a2vna-PJZtF-1YwkH-0TLIF_cySyCXVY2P8PwEQ-Zs20LG6jtwL5a/s1600/EL+Trapiche+boulder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40NvwHgyaLfEn4LNdbXl7obG6DB51wK_wglEKZK_092Kn-3ZugSWeSmWZJDiMmOMJOJL_Lf2knovcPQlQqraQ8k1a2vna-PJZtF-1YwkH-0TLIF_cySyCXVY2P8PwEQ-Zs20LG6jtwL5a/s200/EL+Trapiche+boulder.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> - <b>El Trapiche Grant</b>: One of the reasons I joined our particular Rotary Club was that they had a history of involvement in an area of interest for me, Latin America. Because of this I ended up writing a grant for a small village of 2000 inhabitants in northern Nicaragua to redo their water system.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">* <b>Colorado Affordable Health</b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbERRj0g73jPM45cJVI5lzGt1Ubrf0DKPv02nVl9VFxxo3SRUOivRAj7oT_AgSICgV81FMHAKuRZy84yyPTEMFQHQ7xV_t1G6bmNlOCZqyUtHF5EeweanSz5BXdNA8qVLa7qGl7j6wDGeZ/s1600/hp_main_pic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbERRj0g73jPM45cJVI5lzGt1Ubrf0DKPv02nVl9VFxxo3SRUOivRAj7oT_AgSICgV81FMHAKuRZy84yyPTEMFQHQ7xV_t1G6bmNlOCZqyUtHF5EeweanSz5BXdNA8qVLa7qGl7j6wDGeZ/s320/hp_main_pic2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I created this business from my kitchen one step and client at a time. After 11 years of steady growth and income, I was able to sell it and enjoy a post-employment lifestyle.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">*<b> Living in Boulder (and the Northwest and New England)</b></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It has been my very good fortune to live in some wonderful places. At the top of the list would be the two years I lived in New England, with all its history, color and charm, my 12 years in the green, beautiful Pacific Northwest and my now 25 plus years in picturesque Boulder, Colorado.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">* <b>Euchre</b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhtUJNgcSP7zeNfq1bdkE-v_4pqGHHX2Pp1qFuIVgutPD5Etkr3OjVJkZ5su2s1bkPuhK-Z0SskrEGgR8kvQJSH9HXLBa0Zr7Pr_dlG89qj3SUMOJidWt4Y7uvy-IgLqLqfuhSQakxwOz/s1600/Chauncey+and+Ada+March+1938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhtUJNgcSP7zeNfq1bdkE-v_4pqGHHX2Pp1qFuIVgutPD5Etkr3OjVJkZ5su2s1bkPuhK-Z0SskrEGgR8kvQJSH9HXLBa0Zr7Pr_dlG89qj3SUMOJidWt4Y7uvy-IgLqLqfuhSQakxwOz/s200/Chauncey+and+Ada+March+1938.jpg" width="122" /></span></a><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This card game was first taught to me by my Coy Grandparents about age 5 when they visited us in Southern California from Michigan. Years later it is the card game I play with my Rugby friends In fact we have literally played this over much of the Western World.</span></div>
Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-50709195264195116372016-11-07T13:19:00.002-08:002016-11-14T15:39:52.104-08:00Big Rugby Weekend- Chicago, November 4-6, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlvxUWmUJDMdJosAfKtxCcJMt77MeZSk9QaL_ELcnBuZ6FKolp6FwHIVu9Le_MleKqUCQhu115QyKNf0cAwSY9CfX1SGO_gA4mteiVGy40N7na1l_QO1SCJ3fj7A8zG-8oVYZupasVLiV/s1600/IMG_0171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlvxUWmUJDMdJosAfKtxCcJMt77MeZSk9QaL_ELcnBuZ6FKolp6FwHIVu9Le_MleKqUCQhu115QyKNf0cAwSY9CfX1SGO_gA4mteiVGy40N7na1l_QO1SCJ3fj7A8zG-8oVYZupasVLiV/s320/IMG_0171.JPG" width="180" /></a>Five friends, Hunter Glasscock, Jim Dunckley, Mark Adolphson, Dave Cunningham and I had an epic weekend in Chicago. We had tickets to see the New Zealand All Blacks play the Irish National Rugby team on Saturday at Soldier’s Field as well as the USA National Side against the New Zealand Maoris on the prior evening.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyF184QnKoilmBNEik3XpkYxN5u53TgR1Wun8HLV30dcCuKsBjhYO9OHyCAlnz-NbLTY9seMn7Hgz6Ur-TSJ1IXpu-iLQ39mLLMl2s4TJ9ZcLUaS501cy6Jm2kIczeyDJyN0Ny_yFEf8A/s1600/IMG_0181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyF184QnKoilmBNEik3XpkYxN5u53TgR1Wun8HLV30dcCuKsBjhYO9OHyCAlnz-NbLTY9seMn7Hgz6Ur-TSJ1IXpu-iLQ39mLLMl2s4TJ9ZcLUaS501cy6Jm2kIczeyDJyN0Ny_yFEf8A/s200/IMG_0181.JPG" width="200" /></a>This big “Rugby Weekend” was made even more special as we were able to catch the tail end of the Friday mid-day parade to celebrate the Cubs winning their first baseball World Series since 1908. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It was said that six million fans crowded into downtown to enjoy the event. We mostly encountered waves of people, dressed in Cubs jerseys, leaving the gathering as we were trying to find our J. W. Marriott Hotel. Hunter, as always well prepared, was there in the lobby with five poured beers.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LvgjnKcGpuAs-7Z2w5PwNnzTG66kc2MLua4QVAWJGln_2HRPIezcj0_tBguZ19wEmO2P7NkoUDAsitL3HWxCY1FSEUHTd_9sa4YNqEjm4798oTOix-RkKSHaZNeVR81uRPdu6HLJXQbV/s1600/berghoffrestaurantlogo_retina.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LvgjnKcGpuAs-7Z2w5PwNnzTG66kc2MLua4QVAWJGln_2HRPIezcj0_tBguZ19wEmO2P7NkoUDAsitL3HWxCY1FSEUHTd_9sa4YNqEjm4798oTOix-RkKSHaZNeVR81uRPdu6HLJXQbV/s200/berghoffrestaurantlogo_retina.png" width="200" /></a><br />
Lunch was eaten at Berghoff’s Restaurant (Thanks Dolph) where we were introduced to their litre jars of German beers.<br />
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The USA vs. Maori match was one-sided, as we lost 7-54, but I felt our boys did OK. They handled well, dominated the lineouts and controlled the ball for long periods. However, they could seldom penetrate the Maori defense and their errors were too often converted into NZ points. The weather was warm (exceptionally so for November in Chicago) and we limo’d (thanks Hunter) to a late dinner at Portillo’s, famous for their hot dogs.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Tb9HfsZRx15aaVGUO5oaZDDbYZaX7Cu799fDDNZ6Olo0jty9K5Mmqiyd93MWXiSsBu-8XsnMTNZp3-T_J57FUWTGaEpkTY88VMfuBFhDoaBZNI2VB_GPrqjTl-_FgiwlKZaJ1VeaLltc/s1600/Portillo%2527s.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Tb9HfsZRx15aaVGUO5oaZDDbYZaX7Cu799fDDNZ6Olo0jty9K5Mmqiyd93MWXiSsBu-8XsnMTNZp3-T_J57FUWTGaEpkTY88VMfuBFhDoaBZNI2VB_GPrqjTl-_FgiwlKZaJ1VeaLltc/s200/Portillo%2527s.png" width="200" /></a><br />
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Saturday dawned warm and clear and this time the streets were filled with mostly green Irish Rugby shirts and an occasional Black NZ jumper. Late breakfast was double cheeseburgers the Billy Goat Tavern, hallowed Chicago ground. </div>
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Good Rugby, food, drink and fellowship. I could not have asked for more.<br />
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-5550147931291254102015-10-03T07:32:00.001-07:002016-12-19T11:43:20.171-08:00Rugby World Cup England 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbAxEL6ZW3_D826eziTWN1Tf2N90dULMGBVULdYV2Cp2L8lRgqTNR23abjcq3J_wY6364EvLhbjgQDNIe4lkrbdPAmgyy4AsfmTwtZUn2Al3I8OLjgzvyLV2u7_lswhaYOs6Z_KEIC85D/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbAxEL6ZW3_D826eziTWN1Tf2N90dULMGBVULdYV2Cp2L8lRgqTNR23abjcq3J_wY6364EvLhbjgQDNIe4lkrbdPAmgyy4AsfmTwtZUn2Al3I8OLjgzvyLV2u7_lswhaYOs6Z_KEIC85D/s200/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+033.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Cardiff Center-Dave, Mark and Andy</td></tr>
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On Tuesday morning, September 22, 2015 two friends from Boulder, Dave Cunningham and Mark <span style="text-align: center;">Young, and I arrived on three separate flights in London to experience the 8th celebration of the Rugby World Cup.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJvu-SMPZ1lJ3A1BYUiG9RlAhyphenhyphen1TSDfTfoQm-9tH1oN-Irh1aDBkDExhDc4pYkaty5Yrnqv2ggZsL9H_j_H-fA2pISPYDAmMNqnkKWalZW1pbBNhCMtXTiUX452UqTIyFT6GaAVZ19BQw/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJvu-SMPZ1lJ3A1BYUiG9RlAhyphenhyphen1TSDfTfoQm-9tH1oN-Irh1aDBkDExhDc4pYkaty5Yrnqv2ggZsL9H_j_H-fA2pISPYDAmMNqnkKWalZW1pbBNhCMtXTiUX452UqTIyFT6GaAVZ19BQw/s200/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+035.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Andy's Vacation Home</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7Oa_VnfuPmftpdRcLux2ZY7EivmOLieLe1g9KudKe7c2s3Aid-m3cc7TQeU0vAWmCPN8D9gBJ_rp2byFTpLxyLZ3oawGs_qFswbWEDqYgM0pfCJhNleEGqM31IkebL3FaH3UQXgsFlHi/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7Oa_VnfuPmftpdRcLux2ZY7EivmOLieLe1g9KudKe7c2s3Aid-m3cc7TQeU0vAWmCPN8D9gBJ_rp2byFTpLxyLZ3oawGs_qFswbWEDqYgM0pfCJhNleEGqM31IkebL3FaH3UQXgsFlHi/s200/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+026.JPG" width="200" /></a>At Paddington Station we met up with our Welsh friend Andy Jones for the train trip to Cardiff. Years ago Andy played rugby with us in Boulder and now lives in the Manchester, England area. However, he maintains a wonderful "vacation home" near downtown Cardiff on the River Taff where the four of us stayed the next two nights.<br />
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Wednesday morning we walked around the center of Cardiff which was festooned with colorful flags and banners from the various teams participating in the tournament. That afternoon we stood in the crowded FanZone outside of Millennium Stadium, drinking beer, eating fish and chips and watching Scotland beat Japan on the jumbo video screen. We then entered the stadium to see Australia edge Fiji in an entertaining match. The perfect day was topped with a meal at an Indian restaurant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSS2_VEjW1CPOdkoNczs3hHE045Lz9dlwAhKUvlSWeipzm38ON7bdJbl0qDLBw1lshpp4sdvZhJP5Pu_8mUvZD_F7_YBWskW55u0mEiCs_7lbAlIgR5r4rxoUsgqe7yyOr0wUSRFq674Hg/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSS2_VEjW1CPOdkoNczs3hHE045Lz9dlwAhKUvlSWeipzm38ON7bdJbl0qDLBw1lshpp4sdvZhJP5Pu_8mUvZD_F7_YBWskW55u0mEiCs_7lbAlIgR5r4rxoUsgqe7yyOr0wUSRFq674Hg/s200/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+031.JPG" width="200" /></a>Thursday morning the 24th, Andy drove us up through northern Wales to his home in Macclesfield, Cheshire. This is a picturesque part of the country with rolling green hills and well preserved villages from another time. We spent an enjoyable evening with Andy, his wife Delyth, and their two children, Caitlyn 23 and Lewis 18.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfNpSzYzmk5KRQpqKUA9yaOut3SI2d8AsNzzxwMTKEUBgKSONw8WaB0tkgGv-Vrfxk_N4K4RwZn9QbZg1DhJk6NhMatTd8lEu6h8GRgBiY-I32iTCd2ogClCosE_VWQGHSgpm8YBnkuo_/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfNpSzYzmk5KRQpqKUA9yaOut3SI2d8AsNzzxwMTKEUBgKSONw8WaB0tkgGv-Vrfxk_N4K4RwZn9QbZg1DhJk6NhMatTd8lEu6h8GRgBiY-I32iTCd2ogClCosE_VWQGHSgpm8YBnkuo_/s200/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+038.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
The next morning we took the train east to Leeds, where we spent the first nights on this trip in a hotel. Leeds has a certain charm in the old city center, but is most notably a thriving industrial center. Saturday we attended a well-played match where Italy just beat Canada. The highlight that evening, especially for Andy, was watching Wales come from behind to beat England on TV in the crowded Hourglass Pub.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXaafrW7T8Tfy4yA_-wFYjr6JgCvhDcC_7D-Xc7rpucNTBoThK-t-QZDVrOxiZjGZ23X4Sy1wylIKkD7q4rLe-nB6uzKzicBAwAR7uKNP-EO7walz1XkV8Uv5Z_XNTnSmSFqrQJdjjvA7/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXaafrW7T8Tfy4yA_-wFYjr6JgCvhDcC_7D-Xc7rpucNTBoThK-t-QZDVrOxiZjGZ23X4Sy1wylIKkD7q4rLe-nB6uzKzicBAwAR7uKNP-EO7walz1XkV8Uv5Z_XNTnSmSFqrQJdjjvA7/s200/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+050.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy's home in Macclesfield</td></tr>
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Sunday the 27th we witnessed the USA lose to Scotland in a disappointing match. Lots of good "Craic" in the stands, but we once again made amateurish mistakes on the field that we never appear to able to correct. After the match we caught the high-speed train down to London for a night in a hotel before our flights out the next day.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXaafrW7T8Tfy4yA_-wFYjr6JgCvhDcC_7D-Xc7rpucNTBoThK-t-QZDVrOxiZjGZ23X4Sy1wylIKkD7q4rLe-nB6uzKzicBAwAR7uKNP-EO7walz1XkV8Uv5Z_XNTnSmSFqrQJdjjvA7/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">/Aus vs Fiji Millennium Stadium</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUYN5M1iNxZQ577uw5xauAzNkZje94PRyvDi1PnWFQgA1Oo9W4SpqdiMZJZdr16JXLNu-_QYK0sSDfmQT_GlQdU4GtmvUr83o4clFnl3Q9vqIelhNiHXOLVe9EKEHQTh4NyM6Iec0Ayra/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUYN5M1iNxZQ577uw5xauAzNkZje94PRyvDi1PnWFQgA1Oo9W4SpqdiMZJZdr16JXLNu-_QYK0sSDfmQT_GlQdU4GtmvUr83o4clFnl3Q9vqIelhNiHXOLVe9EKEHQTh4NyM6Iec0Ayra/s200/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+059.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can vs Italy</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUYN5M1iNxZQ577uw5xauAzNkZje94PRyvDi1PnWFQgA1Oo9W4SpqdiMZJZdr16JXLNu-_QYK0sSDfmQT_GlQdU4GtmvUr83o4clFnl3Q9vqIelhNiHXOLVe9EKEHQTh4NyM6Iec0Ayra/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfNpSzYzmk5KRQpqKUA9yaOut3SI2d8AsNzzxwMTKEUBgKSONw8WaB0tkgGv-Vrfxk_N4K4RwZn9QbZg1DhJk6NhMatTd8lEu6h8GRgBiY-I32iTCd2ogClCosE_VWQGHSgpm8YBnkuo_/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSS2_VEjW1CPOdkoNczs3hHE045Lz9dlwAhKUvlSWeipzm38ON7bdJbl0qDLBw1lshpp4sdvZhJP5Pu_8mUvZD_F7_YBWskW55u0mEiCs_7lbAlIgR5r4rxoUsgqe7yyOr0wUSRFq674Hg/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0sZ6J9aZ4FzoPefjLxBL6fOspgKUI4WO8sxhfehtBIKmyD72j9reDFmx-UifNTzlbFJqcM0JrAmni3EsChKwWvMS4V43-SmjMOcjpAc_KNl76bsG9RYwZvhmsw4Plcc1sBWOULGGc6KE/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdHex6bw0oKRmrZi3gYwOgZScPHRJWufgwYX9Hp_UpFlEHketr-_PhruUDepLpjjQmJVjtgXwcWTy68GIhNCR2Tz5-YMSqxolwgLzVj_w48LrnEnmatmposfkNl09pOzo8VTVqKhTonSR/s1600/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdHex6bw0oKRmrZi3gYwOgZScPHRJWufgwYX9Hp_UpFlEHketr-_PhruUDepLpjjQmJVjtgXwcWTy68GIhNCR2Tz5-YMSqxolwgLzVj_w48LrnEnmatmposfkNl09pOzo8VTVqKhTonSR/s200/Rugby+World+Cup+England+2015+056.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can vs Italy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave makes friends easily</td></tr>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-78567936998297182222015-04-09T20:57:00.002-07:002015-04-15T14:53:47.186-07:00Peanut<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/peanut/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Peanut"><span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">SEP</span></a><br />
<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/peanut/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Peanut"><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">10</span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2014</span></a></div>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; font-size: 2.2rem; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 56px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 36px 0px 0px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/photo.png" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; clear: left; color: #026acb; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="photo" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1318" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/photo.png?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-right: 1.5em; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important; width: auto;" /></a></div>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; font-size: 2.2rem; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 56px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 36px 0px 0px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; font-size: 2.2rem; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 56px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 36px 0px 0px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cindy and I have a little, 9 pound black dog named Peanut that we think the world of. We picked him up from MuttSavers on October 15<span style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; bottom: 1ex; font-family: inherit; font-size: 9.75px; font-style: inherit; height: 0px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">th</span>, 20011. He had recently been neutered and they told us he had come in from Kansas and was about one year old. So we decided his birth date was 10/15/10.</span></h1>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cindy had lost her Schnauzer, Cassie, the previous February, which was quite hard on her. She wasn’t really ready for a new animal yet, but occasionally she looked on-line at puppies who were up for adoption. We had recently dogsat for a neighbor’s miniature poodle and liked the dog.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Shortly afterwards Cindy saw on her computer that MuttSavers was making puppies available for adoption at a pet store not too far from us. The dog they were featuring was a poodle mix who later would became Peanut (they had called him Fritz). We both agreed that such an adorable dog would have little chance of still being available when we got there, but we decided to see what else they might have. To our amazement when we arrived, despite there being a lot of people looking for pets, there was our precious little guy, curled up all alone in a floor cage. We quickly walked over, picked him up and didn’t put him down until all the paperwork was filled out, fees were paid and he was ours.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Since then he has become an integral member of our household and a favorite with all who meet him. We could not be more pleased</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Watch this></span> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHcUVl-Ia1w&feature=youtu.be" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Peanut plays bocce ball</a></div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-21783338773796341742015-04-09T15:52:00.000-07:002016-01-20T14:38:11.402-08:00My Time With Fort Howard Paper Company<br />
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<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2014/08/03/my-time-with-fort-howard-paper-company/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to My Time With Fort Howard Paper Company"><span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg , rgb(235 , 28 , 36) , rgb(163 , 12 , 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161 , 18 , 22); box-shadow: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">AUG</span><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">3</span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2014</span></a></div>
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<div class="entry-content" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I feel I need to write a history of my experience with Fort Howard Paper Company, but I find it hard to get started. After all, I spent 16 years with them, the longest tenure with anyone in my working career and I should have something to say about all that time. In truth, much of it is a blur and there is a lot I do not remember clearly, perhaps because there was so much going on in my personal life at that time. Additionally, I never felt in sync with the culture of the company and always looked at it as a job. Many others in the company were very invested in their career there, I never was.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">So, here goes, this is what I remember and/or think is important and/or want to write about.</span> <span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fort-howard-logo.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Fort Howard Logo" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1272" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fort-howard-logo.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-right: 1.5em; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important; width: auto;" /></span></a>I was hired by Fort Howard Paper Company April 6, 1983 as the Los Angeles District Manager with a salary of $37,000/yr by Bill Yarnall. I knew Bill from my days at <a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/my-career-with-scott-paper-company/" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Scott Paper, where I had worked for ten years</span></a>. For some reason that now escapes me, Bill had left Scott to go to work for Fort Howard about a year earlier as their West Coast Division Manager. He needed to replace the district manager in Southern California and, with my experience at Scott Paper, I was a good fit. I had just sold a Management Recruiting franchise in Seattle that I had started up 18 months earlier in partnership with another friend from Scott, Don Urie. I did not do well in the recruiting business for a variety of reasons and was happy to get away from it and have a job with a salary, car and benefits. So I moved from Seattle to Hermosa Beach, California with my girlfriend at the time, Constance Grecco.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fort Howard, headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, was the major low cost sanitary paper (towels, tissue, napkins and wipers) manufacturer in the nation. They sold their products through a network of distributors to the away-from-home market (not grocery stores) and were market volume leaders in all parts of the country except for the west coast. All their products were made from relatively inexpensive recycled paper, something at that time our competitors, whose raw material was virgin wood pulp, used to sell against us. With the public’s growing concern for environmental issues, this weakness, over time, became a strength.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As the Los Angeles District Manager I had about 6-7 representatives assigned to me. With a few exceptions, I found them fairly average in talent, under trained and poorly motivated. The reason for this soon became apparent; Fort Howard’s salary schedule for that part of the country was not competitive. We could not hire good quality salespeople, unless it was their first job and they needed to get their foot on the first rung of a career ladder. If any of our people developed into good employees, we would soon lose them to another company willing to pay more, including our competitors. We thus continually lost our good people and remained stuck with the duds.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I did become good friends with one of the many hires we went through at this time. Dai Morgan had come over from Wales to play rugby at Long Beach State. He turned out to be an excellent salesman. I went with him back to the UK on several Rugby themed trips. He eventually met his wife at my wedding in Seattle. Over the years we have lost contact.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Despite alerting upper management to the problem with compensation and repeatedly requesting upgrades in our remuneration packages, it never changed. Due to this it continued to have a profound impact by limiting our ability to build good sales teams. It was also the major reason I could never fully commit to the company.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I believe the reasons for this deaf ear to the reality of the marketplace by company leaders was due to <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the headquarters being located in <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Green Bay</strong>, that the company was the industry’s <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">low cost producer</strong> and that they were <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">wholly manufacturing oriented</strong>.</em></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Green Bay</strong> in 1983 was an old mid-west mill town with a world-class football team and a populations of about 100,000. For those who did not go to college, getting a job at the Fort Howard Mill (proudly non-union) meant that they were set for life. The company had started locally years ago and had prospered to become a major corporation by the 1970’s. Loyalty to the company was strong. But the company was small town-centric and many company-wide decisions were based upon local upper-state Wisconsin norms. A good salary in Green Bay was not a good wage in Los Angeles, nor in most of the rest of the country as well. Additionally, the hard working employees there often lacked awareness and worldliness. Suggestions for change, from salaries and products to marketing, were often met with some form of “why should we change, this is how we have always done things and look how successful we are?”</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And, the famous sign reading “<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tittle Town</strong>” at one entrance to the city, referring to the Green Bay Packers glory years, was rusted.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Please understand, these were fine people, it was just that I was from a different corporate environment and never felt, as I said earlier, in sync with the company ethos.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I believe much has changed there since the time I am writing about.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Low Cost producer</strong>: As mentioned above, Fort Howard made their paper products from relatively inexpensive recycled paper, as opposed to the more costly tree-sourced “virgin” pulp that our main competitors like Scott Paper and James River were using. Although many end users felt that our products were of lower quality than those of other manufacturers, the company always had the flexibility to find a pricing level that made the Fort Howard product the better value. So much of the time, especially before being made of recycled paper came into vogue, our products were sold on price. I always felt that our company viewed their national “sales force” , not as an entity to “sell” the product, the people in Green Bay who controlled the pricing would do that. I believe upper management looked at us as a necessary evil that was in place to maintain contact with distribution and end users as well as to send market (price) information back to the real decision makers at HQ. There was little emphasis on feature and benefit selling.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wholly manufacturing oriented</strong>: During an earlier time when I was with Scott Paper, there were often paper shortages during which manufactures could not keep up with the demands of the marketplace for disposable towels, tissues and napkins. For this reason a good relationship with a reliable manufacturer of these items was of primary importance to the distribution community. Because of this we were able to retain good profit margins and raise prices regularly. We were also able to be selective in the distributors we sold to. They were motivated to meet our mutual sales goals so that we would not be “forced” to expand our franchise in their market to their competitors. But with the high profits available in our industry, conditions began to change. As I left Scott, we and our competitors started a paper-machine-building war to take advantage of this money making opportunity. And, no one more so than Fort Howard, who eventually expanded from their one mill in Green Bay to additional facilities in Muskogee, Oklahoma and Rincon, Georgia. Each mill contained multiple paper making machines at a price of approximately $250,000,000 each to build in 1980’s dollars. Suddenly there was an oversupply of sanitary paper products and a lot of pressure on the sales force to move it. Prices were cut and elaborate rebate programs were set up for distribution. Within a few years the leverage in negotiations changed from manufactures who controlled the product to distributors who controlled the market (the end users to whom they sold).</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There was something else at Fort Howard that was new to me. With their extensive line of paper napkins, they were in a strong position with <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">food service distributors </strong>and it represented a significant portion of their business<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">.</strong> As I was leaving Scott, they were just getting into food service items, but Fort Howard really dominated the market. This of course meant I was dealing with these food service distributors a good deal of my time. They were different from the paper and janitorial distributors I was accustomed to working with. These traditional types of distributors were not only looking for a good price, but also a partnership that provided them with innovative products, training for their sales representatives and help selling to the end user. While food service distribution was also looking for these things, they were much more centered on “what is your price today and what type of rebate programs can you set me up on”. I believe this was mostly a reflection of the type of end users they called on. Restaurants wanted the best price and could not care less about other concepts. It wasn’t much fun to be so often in an environment where your future depended upon your next deal.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Another change that was occurring in the sanitary paper industry was the consolidation of distributors as the big fish bought up their smaller competitors. This meant that we had fewer clients upon which to call and that each one of these was important to our annual volume goals. Lose one of these accounts, or just get de-emphasized with them, and the whole year could be ruined.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Just at the time I joined Fort Howard in 1983 they purchased Sweetheart Cup. Sweetheart was a Baltimore based company that was<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/sweetheart.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Sweetheart" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1277" height="68" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/sweetheart.jpg?w=300&h=68" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-right: 1.5em; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a>started years ago by immigrant brothers from Russia. They originally made ice cream cones and, over time, expanded into disposable cups, containers, utensils, etc. for the take-away food industry. Fort Howard looked at it as a natural extension to their food service line. They were especially interested in a new thin foam-like hot cup technology that Sweetheart had developed and called “Trophy Cup. This merger did not go well for a number of reasons. My impression was that the Sweetheart systems and facilities were tired and outdated. In 1985 We attempted to integrate their sales force and supply chain into ours and it was a disaster. My sense was that many on the Sweetheart side did not want this to happen and put little effort into the process. Lost and delayed orders, lids and cups that did not fit, billing issues, deductions from bills by distributors, etc. made this marriage a nightmare.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In other words Fort Howard had their issues like any other company of their size and I felt fortunate at that time to be hired to help them work through some of them.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Los Angeles District Manager April 1983 to April 1985</strong></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I threw myself into the job. First I spent time getting to know the distributors and doing a lot of training and “ride-withs” with the</span></div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fort-howard-district-managers-ca-1989.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Fort Howard District Managers ca 1989. Sadly I only remember the names of a few." class="size-medium wp-image-1268" height="199" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fort-howard-district-managers-ca-1989.jpg?w=300&h=199" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a><br />
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A group of Fort Howard District Managers ca 1989. Sadly I only remember the names of a few.</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">sales force. We had some significant turn over of personnel, some because they didn’t like the changes we initiated. But we got good results and we were awarded District of the Year one or two times. As the past record in LA was so poor, winning these was not that hard and meant little to me.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I lived a block from the beach and enjoyed going home each evening from the heat and smog of the LA basin to the laid-back coastal atmosphere. I often ran on the beach , followed by a few minutes of body surfing. Of course it cost more to live there but I felt it was worth it. Writing this I can still smell the ocean and feel the breeze.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After two years there was an opening back in Seattle for the same level job of District Manager that I had in LA. My friend and boss,</span> <span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bill Yarnall, to my every lasting appreciation, transferred me back up there. He got flak from Green Bay over this, as Los Angeles was a much bigger market, but countered truthfully that if Fort Howard did move me back, I would probably do it myself with a different employer when the first opportunity came along.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Seattle District Manager April 1985 to April 1991</strong></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Seattle, the Emerald City.<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fort-howard-business-card.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Fort Howard Business Card" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1274" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fort-howard-business-card.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-right: 1.5em; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important; width: auto;" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I was happy to be back in the Northwest, I never planned to leave. The market environment and the condition of the sales force were much the same as I had found in Los Angeles. But we started to turn things around and would win a number of District of the Year awards.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The big challenge for me, as well as everyone else in the company, is that we attempted to integrate Sweetheart into our sales force at this time. There were so many screw ups (some perhaps intentional) and I knew so little about that product line, that every day was difficult. I can remember a number of times, as early as 10:00 a.m., laying on my back on the floor in my home office, trying to let the tension flow out of me.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In 1991 I was invited to interview for the Western Division Managers position, then located in Dallas. This was not something I wanted to do, but ended up being offered and accepting the new opportunity. See the details <span style="border: 0px; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/how-i-ended-up-in-boulder-colorado/" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">here</span></a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Western Division Manager Boulder, Colorado April 1991 to August 1999</strong></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I spent the first six months working out of the old Division office in Dallas before we could get things moved to Boulder. As there were many re-organizations of territories over the years that I was a Division Manager, at one time or another I was responsible for most of the geography west of Missouri River. I usually had 4 or 5 district managers reporting to me and they in turn had 5 to 7 sales reps each. Our Division office was in downtown Boulder and we had an office manager there.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I have often described this position as flying out on Monday morning to go to places I did not want to go to, to see people who did not want to see me and return on Friday to a weekend of paperwork, only to be repeated the following week. While this is of course an exaggeration, it does express some of my feelings for the job. Additionally, true to Fort Howard’s philosophy, I was significantly underpaid for this level of responsibility.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">One good thing that did happen over this time was that the concept of “recycled” became much more desirable, which cast those representing Fort Howard into a more positive competitive position.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fort-james.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Fort James" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1278" height="111" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fort-james.jpg?w=150&h=111" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-right: 1.5em; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="150" /></a>In 1997 Fort Howard and James River merged and became James River. It is apparent now in retrospect that the goal of this new entity was to drive up profits, by any short term means possible, to put the company into a good position to be sold.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Truthfully, for the last few years I had been just going through the motions necessary to keep my position going. With the new Fort James philosophy in place of reporting in each week with the new deals we had been able to cut with distribution to drive in yet more volume, I reached a point where I no longer cared and of course this became evident to my management. Based upon my longtime service with the company, I was offered a demotion, at no loss in salary, to the Denver District Managers position. I turned this down, as I was completely burned out on anything to do with the organization, and accepted a termination package. So my career with Fort Howard/Fort James died a quiet death.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">S</span><span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">o, if I was so uncommitted to this employer, why did I not leave them much sooner? Well, I have no good answer for that other than that no one else offered me a position that I was interested in and my poor experience with going out on my own with Management Recruiters was such a failure, I was hesitant to try something like that again. Additionally, all my significant business experience had been in the away-from-home sanitary paper business and I did not feel I could duplicate my salary outside that industry.</span></div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/how-health-insurance-chose-me/" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fortunately for me, better times were just ahead.</span></span></a></div>
</div>
Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-59473926447537808012015-04-09T15:50:00.005-07:002023-09-12T13:20:59.763-07:00My International Travels<br />
<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Arial, "Lucida Sans Unicode", sans-serif; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/1260/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to My International Travels"><span class="month" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">JUL</span><span class="day" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">4</span><span class="year" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2014</span></a></div>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; font-size: 2.2rem; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 56px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 36px 0px 0px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: blue; font-size: 21px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Below you will find copies of my passports over the years that chronicle my international travels as well as changes in my appearance</span></span><span style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: blue; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></span></i></h1>
</header><div class="entry-content" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="wp-caption alignleft" data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_1239" style="background-color: white; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 5px 1.5em 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 603px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/passport-1.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Entries include Venezuela, Curacao, Trinidad and Colombia." class="size-full wp-image-1239" height="697" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/passport-1.jpg?w=593&h=697" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px; width: auto;" width="593" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
Entries include Venezuela, Curacao, Trinidad and Colombia.</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<div class="wp-caption alignleft" data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_1240" style="background-color: white; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 5px 1.5em 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 567px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/passport-2.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Entries include South Africa, Venezuela, Brazil and Cayman Islands." class="size-full wp-image-1240" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/passport-2.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px; width: auto;" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
Entries include South Africa, Venezuela, Brazil and Cayman Islands.</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignleft" data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_1241" style="background-color: white; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 5px 1.5em 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 534px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/passport-3.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Entries include Gibraltar, Spain, United Kingdom, Argentina, Portugal, Brazil, Peru and Mexico." class="size-full wp-image-1241" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/passport-3.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px; width: auto;" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
Entries include Gibraltar, Spain, United Kingdom, Argentina, Portugal, Brazil, Peru and Mexico.</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignleft" data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_1242" style="background-color: white; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 5px 1.5em 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 597px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/passport-4.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Entries include Mexico, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Uruguay, Germany, Portugal and Ireland." class="size-full wp-image-1242" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/passport-4.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px; width: auto;" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
Entries include Mexico, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Uruguay, Germany, Portugal and Ireland.</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignleft" data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_1244" style="background-color: white; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 5px 1.5em 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 603px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/passport-5.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Entries include Chile, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Macau, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Spain, Hungry, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany and France." class="size-full wp-image-1244" height="808" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/passport-5.jpg?w=593&h=808" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px; width: auto;" width="593" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
Entries include Chile, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Macau, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Spain, Hungry, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany and France.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8w9A67XI0X03YPefhdFoLOthA_wYYUQH4AObHU8cWoH3IliXyLx7Pp925un3_fbt6s213j0xUSM5SI_A9QMf7xjWhghK3_xO07ZOKGBvVh-QMw1WeIHgu7ldSBNGxQE3CcrwZZffVi3KmnS_Y0OhJabmUZBsvGz194bDgIyK0SxtccVvokI3CvFtnxeM/s2135/Passport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2135" data-original-width="1624" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8w9A67XI0X03YPefhdFoLOthA_wYYUQH4AObHU8cWoH3IliXyLx7Pp925un3_fbt6s213j0xUSM5SI_A9QMf7xjWhghK3_xO07ZOKGBvVh-QMw1WeIHgu7ldSBNGxQE3CcrwZZffVi3KmnS_Y0OhJabmUZBsvGz194bDgIyK0SxtccVvokI3CvFtnxeM/w486-h640/Passport.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Entries include Germany, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, South Africa, Mexico, Ecuador, Italy, France and Canada.</span></div>Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-38925511697272064102015-04-09T15:47:00.001-07:002017-10-26T07:12:12.450-07:00I’m A Westerner<br />
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<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/im-a-westerner/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to I’m A Westerner"><span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg , rgb(235 , 28 , 36) , rgb(163 , 12 , 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161 , 18 , 22); box-shadow: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">MAY</span><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">29</span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2014</span></a></div>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; font-size: 2.2rem; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 56px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 36px 0px 0px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal;">No, I don’t think that I am a cowboy, but rather that I was born and raised in the western part of the USA and feel most at home here.</span></h1>
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<div class="entry-content" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/map-western-usa.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Map Western USA" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-1216" height="150" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/map-western-usa.jpg?w=133&h=150" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="133" /></a></div>
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It’s not as though I have not experienced other parts of our country. I have lived in both the Mid-West (Nebraska) and New England and travelled extensively in all other areas.</div>
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Here are some of the things that come to mind that differs the west from other parts of our country.</div>
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* Wide open spaces with mountains often in the distant view. We have plains and deserts, low humidity and, compared with eastern, southern and mid-western states, few insects.</div>
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* Although regional accents are diminishing, people in the west talk like me. Folks elsewhere speak differently.</div>
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* Our cities are new and less crowded and the buildings are modern and bright.</div>
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* People here look fitter than in the Mid-West, East and South and we smoke a lot less.</div>
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* When I go to a sporting event here, I support the local team. There are always a lot of newer arrivals who come out to cheer for their old home team from wherever they came. Some make themselves difficult to like.</div>
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* People here tend to move about more than the rest of the country and, regrettably, generations often live far apart.</div>
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* In much of the west, Mexico and its culture is a constant presence.</div>
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* Descendants of European emigrants do not live in ethnic neighborhoods here.</div>
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* In my opinion St Louis is the western most of the eastern cities and Kansas City is the eastern most of the western cities.</div>
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* My daughter lives in Massachusetts and I enjoy visiting her often, but New England is half way between here and Europe in more ways than distance.</div>
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* The West, being newer certainly doesn’t have as much history and perhaps as not much culture as elsewhere.</div>
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Summing up, we are a little different here and it feels like home.</div>
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Boulder, Colorado March 28, 2014.</div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-75184374551645887062015-04-09T15:45:00.003-07:002015-04-15T14:40:08.152-07:00France April 17 to 25, 2014<br />
<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/france-april-17-to-25-2014/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to France April 17 to 25, 2014"><span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">APR</span><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">26</span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2014</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10155907_10202741925443592_7408775979286139607_n.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="10155907_10202741925443592_7408775979286139607_n" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1181" height="300" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10155907_10202741925443592_7408775979286139607_n.jpg?w=225&h=300" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="225" /></a><a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10262104_10202731578664929_1326499391825986681_n.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="10262104_10202731578664929_1326499391825986681_n" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1186" height="225" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10262104_10202731578664929_1326499391825986681_n.jpg?w=300&h=225" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a><a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10258820_10202753283087526_9116276228173784080_n.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="10258820_10202753283087526_9116276228173784080_n" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1185" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10258820_10202753283087526_9116276228173784080_n.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important; width: auto;" /></a></h1>
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Cindy and I spent four days in Paris and an additional three in Toulouse, France. We stayed at a Marriott south of the Latin Quarter while in the capital city and took their excellent Metro system to see all the major sites; the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysee, Notre Dame, Museo de D’Orsay, etc. As it was Easter weekend (they take Monday as a holiday as well), the crowds were huge so we only waited in line for the D’Orsay and saw the rest from outside. We did not even attempt Versailles and the Louvre.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10271492_10202731591025238_5952530297427037380_n.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="10271492_10202731591025238_5952530297427037380_n" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1190" height="225" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10271492_10202731591025238_5952530297427037380_n.jpg?w=300&h=225" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a><a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10270655_10202744704673071_7559342264534462931_n1.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="A little Dixieland on the Seine" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1189" height="225" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10270655_10202744704673071_7559342264534462931_n1.jpg?w=300&h=225" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a><a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/photo1-e1398617492240.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="photo" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1200" height="300" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/photo1-e1398617492240.jpg?w=225&h=300" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="225" /></a></div>
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The days of aspiring artists and writers like Hemingway, flocking to Paris after World War I because the city was inexpensive and the living was easy, are long gone, as we found everything pricey, even in the out of the way shops and restaurants. Long past as well is the reputation from the days of De Gaulle of Parisians for being rude to Americans. We were universally treated with respect and kindness.</div>
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From Paris we took the bullet train down to southern France and spent three nights in the delightful center of Toulouse. The town was full of wonderful buildings and gardens as well as charming plazas and squares with lively outdoor cafés filled with happy, talkative patrons. Everyone however appears to smoke.</div>
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From Toulouse we took a day train trip down to the old fortress town of Carcassonne. I had recently read a novel that took place in the 1200’s when the walls were breached by the northern French with the support of the Catholic Church, so was interested in seeing where the action had taken place.</div>
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Cindy dutifully took pictures and kept the faithful at home fully up to date on our big adventure with Facebook entries. And, we walked and walked, good training for the Bolder Boulder next month.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10295776_10202767213315773_6169257144187555303_n.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="10295776_10202767213315773_6169257144187555303_n" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1194" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10295776_10202767213315773_6169257144187555303_n.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important; width: auto;" /></a> <a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10153239_10202767212355749_2854575369422591808_n.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="10153239_10202767212355749_2854575369422591808_n" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1180" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10153239_10202767212355749_2854575369422591808_n.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important; width: auto;" /></a><a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10156143_10202771912433248_4502075811319839116_n.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="10156143_10202771912433248_4502075811319839116_n" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1182" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/10156143_10202771912433248_4502075811319839116_n.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important; width: auto;" /></a></div>
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It was a good trip for both of us, especially Cindy who was able to fully get away from work responsibilities.</div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-52650319192384745832015-04-09T15:44:00.000-07:002015-04-15T14:40:26.997-07:00Jalapa Valley, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua<br />
<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/jalapa-valley-nueva-segovia-nicaragua/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Jalapa Valley, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua"><span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">APR</span><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">16</span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2014</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">March 24 to April 1, 2014</span></h1>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140327-20140327-img_0239.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="20140327-20140327-IMG_0239" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1161" height="65" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140327-20140327-img_0239.jpg?w=300&h=65" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Five friends from the Rotary Club of Boulder Valley, Maud and John Kenyon, Bart Swanson, Travis Ramos, and me, had a busy and fulfilling week in Nicaragua. We went there for both the adventure and to check into clean water projects that Travis’ company, Second Mile Water, was organizing in the small pueblos around the city of Jalapa.<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140327-20140327-img_0246.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="20140327-20140327-IMG_0246" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1159" height="225" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140327-20140327-img_0246.jpg?w=300&h=225" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Jalapa is an agricultural center (tobacco and coffee) in the mountainous highlands of northern Nicaragua, just south of the Honduran border. Many internal immigrants are attracted to the area for the field labor jobs on offer. They have established ever expanding settlements of block-built homes on free or very inexpensive land along the paved roads of the valley. These homesteads often lack basic services such as access to potable water. Until a well-designed system (costing $35,000 to $60,000 for smaller villages of 500 or so inhabitants) is in place, they either access contaminated water from local streams or similar “grey” water from shallow wells.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140329-20140329-img_2890.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="20140329-20140329-IMG_2890" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1167" height="192" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140329-20140329-img_2890.jpg?w=300&h=192" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Second Mile Water’s objective is to build the appropriate system, either with deep wells or water sourced high in the mountains, with funds lent from the company to the villages as well as with additional monies and labor contributed by the communities themselves.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140328-img_2685.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="20140328-IMG_2685" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1164" height="185" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140328-img_2685.jpg?w=300&h=185" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Once the project is completed, all serviced homes are charged a monthly fee. Most of that which is collected is set aside in a community controlled account designed to pay for maintenance and repair of the infrastructure of the project. This is why the company is called Second Mile Water. The first mile is to construct the system. The second part, the on-going payments, are to keep it running. This is the most difficult part and hence the name Second Mile. A percentage of the monthly payments is sent back to 2MW ostensively to pay back the loan, but actually it will be used to fund future projects.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140327-img_2570.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="20140327-IMG_2570" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1162" height="146" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140327-img_2570.jpg?w=300&h=146" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a></div>
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We met with Rotary Club of Somoto, who had been the local partner for the first project 2MW completed in the community of Pasmata, to secure that club’s blessing going forward. Later we met with a club in Ocotal, which is closer to Jalapa and had recently been restarted. Ocotal was very interested in participating as well and sent one of their members, Francisco, to Jalapa to meet with us and potential new clients.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140330-20140330-img_3398.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="20140330-20140330-IMG_3398" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1166" height="242" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140330-20140330-img_3398.jpg?w=300&h=242" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Here are the communities we met with-</div>
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Pasmata: Their new mountain-collected, gravity-fed water system is up and running. We worked with them to put together a project completion celebration party that was held on Sunday. Most of the village children came as well as a good number of mothers and a few fathers. Speakers spoke, food was served, loud music was played and a ribbon was cut. Travis played with the kids from start to finish.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140330-20140330-img_3521.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="20140330-20140330-IMG_3521" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1170" height="140" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140330-20140330-img_3521.jpg?w=300&h=140" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a></div>
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El Bosque: Their deep water well has been dug. They now need to have an 8 meter water tower built, install a pump and have a network of pipe laid to connect the homes. We met with their water committee and a Maestro de Obras to discuss the building of the tower.</div>
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El Trapiche: Just getting started. We met with their water committee and hammered out the details of a contract that 80% of the residents will have to sign to get started. They want to get going before the rainy season, but Travis told them that he had to secure more funds before he could commit.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140328-20140328-img_2731.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="20140328-20140328-IMG_2731" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1163" height="300" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140328-20140328-img_2731.jpg?w=233&h=300" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="233" /></a></div>
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Travis ran the show, John was a Pied Piper with his camera, Maud interacted with everyone, Bart offered building advice and I served as interpreter, sometimes better than others.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140329-20140329-img_2938.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="20140329-20140329-IMG_2938" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1165" height="300" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140329-20140329-img_2938.jpg?w=200&h=300" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="200" /></a><a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140325-20140325-img_0179.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="20140325-20140325-IMG_0179" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1160" height="225" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/20140325-20140325-img_0179.jpg?w=300&h=225" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-72605431396185436612015-04-09T15:41:00.003-07:002015-04-15T14:41:20.222-07:00My Cousin Mary Jo<br />
<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2014/01/13/my-cousin-mary-jo/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to My Cousin Mary Jo"><span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">JAN</span><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">13</span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2014</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Wow, first cousin Mary Jo married 50 years???</span></h1>
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My first memories of Mary Jo are from when my mother Zelma Coy Mallon, father Larry and brother and sister Timothy and Jennifer would make the long car trip, almost every summer during the ’50’s and early ‘60’s, from Monterey Park, California to Zelma’s hometown of Dexter, Michigan.</div>
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Dexter was so different from Southern California that I always looked forward to the adventure. I particularly enjoyed my cousins. Our Uncle Lavern and Aunt Merl’s children were all adults by then, but were always kind and we spent a good deal of time with Ed Coy, and some with his brother Dean, “helping” on their farms.</div>
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Uncle Ashley and Aunt Jo’s children, Chuck, Dick and Mary Jo were closer to our ages and were always a lot of fun to be with. Mary Jo was the tolerant older sister who could drive before the rest of it. She was good to the younger kids and was especially valued because she could be trusted not to tattle to adults about some of things we were doing that would not have be approved of.</div>
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I never remember Mary Jo wanting to make a fuss about anything, so it is completely within character that she has resisted a big celebration for their Golden Anniversary.</div>
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Rich Ulrich came into the picture after, so we did not get to know him until in later years, but we know him to be a “good guy.”</div>
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I look back on those trips fondly, I just hope those that had to put up with us feel the same way.</div>
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These last years we have actually been able to see a lot of Mary Jo and Rich, as they have travelled to San Diego to attend my mother’s 90<span style="border: 0px; bottom: 1ex; font-family: inherit; font-size: 9.75px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 0px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">th</span> birthday party and Cindy Schlager and I have been back to Michigan a number of times for a variety of family events.</div>
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As it was for me all those years ago, it is still an anticipated adventure to hook up again with Mary Jo, Rich and the rest of the family.</div>
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And, just so she knows, Mary Jo is still 16 in my mind’s eye.</div>
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Fondly,</div>
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Cousin Charley Mallon</div>
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January 13, 2014</div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-49175298243878896062015-04-09T15:40:00.000-07:002015-04-15T14:41:41.246-07:00Selling Colorado Affordable Health<br />
<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2013/11/20/selling-colorado-affordable-health/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Selling Colorado Affordable Health"><span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">NOV</span><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">20</span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2013</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/banner1.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="banner" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1121" height="72" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/banner1-e1382653542294.jpg?w=300&h=34" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="640" /></a></h1>
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I have sold my one-man health insurance company, Colorado Affordable Health, which I started in September of 2002. I have enjoyed having this business. It has stretched my abilities, introduced me to hundreds, even thousands of people in my community and has provided me with a good income and financial security for the future. Additionally, it has been very satisfying to help clients through the sometimes arduous process of sifting through options and filling out applications for individual health insurance. Many people have been grateful and it has been common to hear a client say, when we are wrapping up the process, “that was a lot easier than I thought it would be”.</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Of course it was not easy for me </span><a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/how-health-insurance-chose-me/" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">at the beginning</a><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, and I did not make much money the first year, while paying out some significant start up costs. I was fortunate to have money saved to carry me through and lots of experience in sales. Little by little, always willing to try new ideas and invest funds where I felt it appropriate, sales improved and my commissions increased. As the competitiveness of insurance companies varied from year to year, at different times I have been one of the top Colorado producers for Empire, World, Imerica, United Healthcare and Anthem. Among other awards, I have won trips to Hawaii, NYC, Washington DC, Stowe, Vt and St Thomas, VI.</span></div>
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For the vast majority of the time I have been in the insurance business I have met personally with my clients in my downtown Boulder home/office. We would actually sit down at my kitchen table to work. I used to say “I have to do a good job for you because now you know where I live”. Most brokers never meet with their clients, it is all done over the telephone and internet. The reason I met with clients is that I have/had weak computer and typing skills. But it worked well for me in that I was able to establish good personal rapport and over time these relationships resulted in new referrals from established clients’ friends and family.</div>
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An important and rewarding aspect of building my business was the networking and referral groups I joined. Membership to the Boulder Chamber of Commerce gave me insight into the workings of small businesses in the city. Participation in Boulder Links, and later, BNI (Business Networking International) provided me with many referrals to clients and, just as importantly, many new treasured acquaintances and friends.</div>
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Since I moved from downtown 7 months ago, I have been doing more and more business over the telephone and internet. An example of how the business has stretched me.</div>
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Eric Smith is a young, at least to me, health insurance broker whom I meet several years ago at an Anthem function. He and I struck up a friendship that I believe has been beneficial to both of us though shared ideas. From the first time we met, Eric has talked about the possibility of his buying my business one day. This has always interested me because I have not planned to do this work forever and there has been no one close to me who has had an interest in taking over the company.</div>
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We have known for a long time that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was going to start up at the end of 2013 and that almost everyone would be required to switch over to an ACA compliant plan before 2104 is over. Colorado decided to be one of the few states to develop their own online marketplace called <span class="skimlinks-unlinked" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ConnectforHealthCO.com</span> for these new health insurance policies. Training was set up for “Guides” and “Brokers” in September for an October 1st start date. This training however did not go well, as the practice program we were suppose to work with did not function. All we received was a lot of theory during 10 hours of online work and 8 hours of in person training. Without any hands-on experience, I quickly forgot everything I had learned.</div>
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At the beginning of October, when we were finally able to get on to the website and see what they had put together, my heart sank. The first thing that disappointed me was the unnecessarily elaborate and long application that needs to be filled out if someone is looking to see if they qualify for a subsidy, a major selling point for low income clients. Secondly, they have laid out the offered plans in such a way that even me, with all this time in the business, could not readily understand what they covered. I just could not imagine going through this site with all my present 600 or so clients. After stewing over this for a week or so, I was in a conversation with Eric when he brought up again his interest in buying my business. I said let’s meet and talk about it.</div>
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Eric came over, we went over my books together and he made me a offer. I told him that it was exactly the same number I was thinking of and we shook hands on a deal. Of course there needed to be a good deal of unraveling of the business on my part, to include assigning all future commissions due me over to Eric. And, Eric needed to arrange for the payment. As I write this almost all the things I needed to do to move the business have been accomplished. Just a few tasks, that can only be done in time, remain. I have also received the bulk of the money and no longer have any involvement in the company. Everything has gone very smoothly with much goodwill on both sides.</div>
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It was important to turn my clients over to someone who would take care of them as I had. I believe Eric is such an individual.</div>
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So, except for a little mopping up, I’m done.</div>
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Now what? When people ask “are you retiring,” I counter, “no I’m going to take a little time off and then wait for the next thing to reveal it’s self.</div>
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I’m curious to see what that might be.</div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-72199052459112235482015-04-09T15:37:00.001-07:002016-04-29T12:35:47.967-07:00Dancing with the Boulder Stars<br />
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<span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background-image: linear-gradient(-90deg , rgb(235 , 28 , 36) , rgb(163 , 12 , 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161 , 18 , 22); box-shadow: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;"><a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2013/10/23/dancing-with-the-boulder-stars/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Dancing with the Boulder Stars">OCT</a></span><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2013/10/23/dancing-with-the-boulder-stars/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Dancing with the Boulder Stars">23</a></span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2013/10/23/dancing-with-the-boulder-stars/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Dancing with the Boulder Stars">2013</a></span></div>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; clear: none; color: #333333; font-size: 2.2rem; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 56px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 36px 0px 0px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<header class="entry-header" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/dancing-with-the-boulder-stars-0011.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Dancing With the Boulder Stars 001" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1113" height="300" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/dancing-with-the-boulder-stars-0011.jpg?w=225&h=300" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="225" /></a></header><header class="entry-header" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal;">On October 17, 2013 the Boulder YWCA presented their annual dance competition, Dancing with the Boulder Stars, at Boulder’s venerable auditorium, the Boulder Theatre.</span></header></h1>
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Cindy Schlager, representing Wright Kingdom Real Estate as their Relocation Director, won the competition doing the Lindy Hop to “Hit the Road Jack”.</div>
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See <a href="http://youtu.be/IY8uge1DJKA" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">here</a> for her performance. </div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-71610991721982475452015-04-09T15:30:00.001-07:002015-04-15T14:43:14.931-07:00Wellington, New Zealand Rugby 7’s<br />
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<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/wellington-new-zealand-rugby-7s-2/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Wellington, New Zealand Rugby 7’s"><span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">JUN</span><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">17</span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2013</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/new-zealand1.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Map of New Zealand" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1086" height="300" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/new-zealand1.jpg?w=300&h=300" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a></h1>
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The document below was written by David Cunningham chronicling our trip to New Zealand earlier this year.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jan 27th – Feb 3rd, 2013</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sunday Jan 27th</strong> – Charley Mallon and I arrived in Auckland about 7:15 am and went out and got our rent car. Drove to our hotel in downtown Auckland and got there about 9 am (too early to get a room). Did some email, and then walked to the tower and went up and looked at the views. We had a nice mussel lunch at the Occidental Bar on Vulcan St and went back and got checked into our room. Took a short nap and went on a pub crawl around Auckland. After several beers we found a Mediterranean restaurant, had a crusty bread appetizer (beet dip and hummus) and had a lamb dinner, managed to stay up until about 10 pm.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Monday Jan 28th</strong> – left before 9 am (didn’t want to pay another $25 to park) and headed to the Coramandel Peninsula (north east). We stopped for breakfast on the way and drove around the peninsula (narrow and curvy). Had pies for lunch and found a hotel in Rotura (a Quality Inn) that had Wi-Fi (after a fashion).</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tuesday Jan 29th</strong> – drove to the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves, very cool walk/boat tour (hand pulled), and then drove down to Taupo and stayed at the Adelphia Hotel, and did some email. Settled in for a big Indian combo dinner, was way too much.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wednesday Jan 30th</strong> – drove around Lake Taupo and then took a cow path to Wanganui (20 – 30 one-lane bridges, unpaved part of the way, 1 one-lane tunnel). Stayed at the Grand Hotel downtown (did some email), ate dinner at the pub in the hotel, and had beers at two or three places within walking distance.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thursday Jan 31st</strong> – drove into Wellington, stopping at Paraparaumu to check out the train station, schedule a cab while we were there (to take us to the airport). We checked out our hotel in Wellington (and did some email) and picked up our tickets to the 7’s matches. We drove around the bay (went by the stadium), and then drove back north looking for a hotel. We wandered around quite a bit and finally ended up in Porirua.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Friday Feb 1st</strong> – drove back into Wellington, dropped off our luggage at the hotel (did some email), returned the rental car, and then got some breakfast. Headed to the stadium and got there about noon and stayed until the last game was over about 10:30, managed to get some beers, pies, corn dogs, burgers, etc. The weather was nice warm in the sun and cool in the shade, we had enough warm gear though as we learned the first year in San Diego. The US lost to Spain (what’s up with that?), were ahead but tied England (the eventually tourney winner), and lost to NZ. It was a cross between Halloween and Mardis Gras in the stadium, with most folks in costume partying and not paying much attention to the games. After the last game we headed back to the hotel as my cold was getting me down, got there about midnight.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday Feb 2nd </strong>– got up, had breakfast, did email and wandered around a bit (shopping). Walked to the stadium and took it a little easier, but still managed to have brats and pies. The US lost to Fiji (and played bad), Kenya beat NZ in OT to make the finals, but then lost to England. We left about 9:30 and walked downtown, lots of folks out and about so ended up getting Whoppers and beers at the Welsh Dragon.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sunday Feb 3rd</strong> – got up and did email (our free 20 minutes), went and got breakfast, ended up in pub where they had the Ireland/Wales game on (Ireland won) to kill some time. Went and checked out at 11 am, and went back to the pub to watch the end of the game. Walked to the train station, luggage and all, bought our tickets and found a pub that had the Scotland/England game on (England won big). Got on our train, left at 1:14 pm to Paraparamumu, 40 minute ride, and our taxi was waiting to take us to the airport, just like clock-work. Our return flight to SFO was early so we managed to get on the earlier flight back to DEN, very nice even though we had to give up our first class seats. Got home in time to watch the second half of the Super Bowl (I can’t believe the Ravens won!) Great trip, sorry I had to come back early as I would have liked to have spent some time seeing the south island – next time I guess.</div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-30613999794516763902015-04-09T15:28:00.001-07:002015-04-15T14:43:41.665-07:00My Career With Scott Paper Company<br />
<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/my-career-with-scott-paper-company/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to My Career With Scott Paper Company"><span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">DEC</span><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">5</span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2012</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/scott.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1022" height="83" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/scott.jpg?w=300&h=83" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-right: 1.5em; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" title="Scott" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal;">I worked for Scott Paper Company 10 years and it was one of the most rewarding and growth promoting experiences of my life. It was a first class company, with quality products and some good and very smart people. I was hired in September of 1971 and left them in October 1981. During that time I lived in many different parts of the country and met a lot of quality individuals. I also learned a lot about my self and how to sell and engage with people in business situations. I worked hard and had good success. During much of my time with the company I was considered a “climber” and was promoted often. I was always proud to hand someone my business card.</span></h1>
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I had been out of college for about a year, with a degree in Latin American Studies, when I was hired by Scott as a <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sales Representative in their Los Angeles District</strong>. I had spent the previous 12 months working for a decal company on their sales desk. The decal company manager did not feel I had a future there, so he suggested I look for a job elsewhere. So, working with a recruiter, I was given the opportunity to interview for a series of sales positions with paper manufacturing companies, which was his speciality. I really did not want to work in sales, but that was the only type of work available to someone like me with no experience.</div>
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Bob Baldocci was Scott’s L. A. District Manager at the time and <a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/the-most-important-course-i-took-in-college/" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I did well in the initial interview</a> . After a day on a “ride along” with one of the salesmen, Dan Kissel, who later became a good friend, I was offered a position.</div>
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My starting salary was $9,500/yr and the job included benefits and a company car. I was in the “away from home” division of the company. We were responsible for working with paper distributors, who purchased our products from our mills in railroad carload quantities. They then sold our line of paper hand towels, toilet tissue and disposable wipers to end-users, such as office building, manufacturing facilities and school districts. I was assigned a couple of low-volume distributors to work with at the start. I spent my days calling on large businesses myself, or occasionally with a distributor salesman, in an attempt to switch the end-user/client away from a competitor’s product over to ours. Distributors would often carry multiple lines of our types of products. We were trying to build our business with them for the additional volume, but also so that their management would focus more new sales effort on Scott Products.</div>
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In the early 1970’s paper manufacturers were in a dominate position with their distributors. There were a series of paper “shortages” because demand for sanitary paper products was growing faster than production capacity. Late night show host Johnny Carson once made a comment on his program about there being limited supplies available of toilet tissue and the next day grocery store shelves were cleaned out of this product. Due to constrained supplies, paper companies such as Scott were able to pick and choose the best distributors to work with and were also able to raise prices often. It was a good environment for us salesmen, as we were important to our distributor/clients and were treated with some deference . This all changed in the next decade, led mostly by my future employer, Fort Howard Corporation, as paper manufacturers got into a paper machine building war that created an over abundance of product and shifted the power from the manufacturer who controlled supplies, to the distributors, who controlled the end-users.</div>
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Scott offered good training and I also studied other people’s approach to selling. Slowly I developed my own “style” and the confidence I could be successful. I did well and grew to enjoy the work.</div>
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In January of 1972 I attended my first National Sales Meeting with Scott in New Jersey. I enjoyed the experience and the thing that impressed my the most was the awards ceremony. I swore I would not attend anther of these meeting without winning an award. A self-promise I kept.</div>
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After a year and a half of working in Los Angeles I was promoted to <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Portland, Oregon as a Senior Sales Representative </strong>in April of 1973.</div>
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So my wife Karen, our new son Timothy and I moved to the Great Northwest, where I covered the states of Oregon, Idaho and southern Washington. It was there that I bought my first home and fell in love with that lush, green part of our country. Also for the first time I was responsible for a couple of large distributors; Blake, Moffit & Towne and Western Paper, where my efforts could make a significant contribution to the business volume growth for our company. I also began to travel overnight for business to Idaho and southern Oregon.</div>
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Also, at 27, I spent my first winter in “snow country” and learned about “black ice.”</div>
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One thing that made this move, and all subsequent transfers, easier to deal with is that <a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/rugby-and-me/" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I played Rugby</a>. The first thing I would do</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/my-career-with-scott-paper-company/scott-training-class/" rel="attachment wp-att-1048" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Scott Paper training class circa 1975. That's me, back row on the left." class="size-medium wp-image-1048" height="157" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/scott-training-class.jpg?w=300&h=157" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" width="300" /></a><br />
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Scott Paper training class circa 1975. That’s me, back row on the left.</div>
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in a new location was to find the local club, show up for practice, and instantly have 30-40 friends in my new home. In Oregon it was the Portland Pigs RFC.</div>
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In August of 1974, after a year and a half in Oregon, I was promoted to <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Omaha, Nebraska as an Area Manager</strong>. I covered the states of Nebraska, South Dakota and the western 2/3’s of Iowa. I spent a lot of time in the car driving to Des Moines, Sioux City, Lincoln, Grand Island and beyond. It was a cultural introduction to agricultural America. I remember when I first got there, there were a lot of reports on the news about possible crop failures due to poor weather. When I brought this up to one of the managers of a distributor I was working with, he said “farmers here lose their crops several times a year before they finally bring it in.” And, so it was, as we always had good harvests in my 2 1/2 years there.</div>
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The most important event during these years was that my daughter Kerry was born.</div>
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And, yes there was snow. One storm trapped us in the house for three days. The advise given to me was to always keep your liquor cabinet well stocked. I also learned how important the University of Nebraska football team was to the state. This was early in the tenure of Tom Osborne (later revered by Nebraskans) and the team was not doing well. Calls for his firing filled the sports pages.</div>
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In April of 1977 I was promoted to the <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boston District Manager. </strong>My first position managing people, something I had always wanted to do. In the many years that followed as a manager, I would give myself a rating of so so. I was not bad, but I seemed to have spent most of my time making sure salespeople were doing what they were supposed to be doing, rather than providing leadership to those reporting to me. My experience was the same as most other managers, you spend too much time with marginal performers, who never get any better, to the neglect of the top people who would improve faster with more guidance. I found as a manager that having people report to me was often the source of my greatest satisfaction and my greatest misery.</div>
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I loved New England and my new Rugby team, Mystic River RFC. Boston is half way between the Los Angeles area, where I grew up, and Europe in more ways than just distance. I enjoyed the rich history and traditions, as well as the East Coast attitude and vibrance of the area. My daughter Kerry and her family now live north of Boston and I still enjoy experiencing that ambience again and again on my semi-annual trips back to visit.</div>
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We lived in Ashland and my office was in Wellesley Hills along Route 16, the course of the Boston Marathon, which we’d stand out on the road in front of our building to see each year.</div>
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Once again I did well and, after two years, was offered more responsibilities as the Chicago District Manager, but I turned it down and shared with my supervisors that my desire was to return to the Northwest to be closer to my west coast roots as well as my brother, Tim, who lived there. The Chicago position was then offered to the Seattle Manager and, as a curtsy to me, Scott moved me in April of 1979 to <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Seattle to replace him as the District Manager</strong> to fulfill my wish.</div>
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So, I was back in the Northwest with high hopes of finally being able to permanently settle down in that wonderful area. The flaw in my planning was that my marriage to Karen was on the rocks and we were soon separated and on our way to an ugly divorce. Starting up a new position and dealing with all the difficulties in my personal life was difficult and, while I did an acceptable job for Scott, my performance was not up to the standard I had set for myself in previous positions.</div>
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Shortly after our divorce was completed, about 18 months after we arrived in Seattle, Karen, completely without my knowledge or consent, picked up an moved with my children and a girlfriend back to the Boston area. This crushed me and, although I tried, there was nothing I could do to get the kids back. This was the worst part of my life.</div>
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Scott was sympathetic. There was an opening for a District Manager in the Carolinas and they offered it to me. My great mistake was that I accepted it, thinking I would be closer to my children. When I got there I realized I was still a significant airplane ride away from them and that I was really alone there, without the type of personal support I had developed back in Seattle. So, I got on a plane a flew back.</div>
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The problem was that Scott had already promoted someone else to the Seattle District Manager position, so I was without an assignment. Throughout this whole situation I was treated well and fairly by Scott, but they had nothing for me to do, committed to the Seattle area as I was. So, they made something up.</div>
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Scott was planning on expanding into foodservice items, i.e. napkins, placemats, tablecovers, etc. They asked me to survey the opportunities with foodsevice distributors in my part of the country, like Sysco and Kraft, with whom we did not at that time have a relationship. I didn’t know what I was doing and my heart wasn’t into it, so I just muddled around lost for a couple of months until I could line up something else to do, outside the company.</div>
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That something turned out to be buying a Management Recruiters franchise in Seattle with a friend of mine, Don Urie. I knew Don from my first days at Scott in the Los Angeles office. He had left the company a number of years earlier and opened up one of these franchises in the Bay Area and had had a lot of success.</div>
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With great regret I resigned from Scott and started this new venture which did not turn out well, but that is a story for another day.</div>
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Several years later I ended up working 16 years for a Scott competitor, Fort Howard Corporation, where I advanced to Division Manager level responsible for, at different times, all the states west of the Missouri River as well as much of the South. It was at Scott however, that I developed all the skills I would use later in my work experiences. When I think back on those years, the things I remember most are the friends I made, some of which I have already mentioned. Others that were important to me are Bill Yarnall, Craig Calloway, Pete Diamond and Dwight Jackson.</div>
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Scott Paper no longer exists, they are now part of Kimberley Clark. For that matter, neither does Fort Howard, which was integrated into Georgia Pacific Corporation. I too have moved on and have my own company selling health insurance to individuals. I treasure my time a Scott, probably most of all because it opened up a world for me that I didn’t know existed and provided me with an opportunity to succeed beyond my expectations.</div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-23182723602553439532015-04-09T15:27:00.002-07:002023-11-23T06:42:54.277-08:00My Mother, Zelma Coy Mallon<br />
<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Arial, "Lucida Sans Unicode", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2012/10/30/my-mother-zelma-coy-mallon/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to My Mother, Zelma Coy Mallon"><span class="month" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">OCT</span><span class="day" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">30</span><span class="year" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2012</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">July 16, 1916 – October 20, 2012</span></h1>
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My mother, Zelma, whose name came from the nurse who attended her home birth, was born on a Dexter, Michigan farm in 1916.<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20120515122524_00055a.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-1009" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20120515122524_00055a.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.5em; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px; width: auto;" title="20120515122524_00055a" /></a></div>
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She grew up there and remained very much a “farm girl” all of her life. She had a very strong concept of what is right and wrong.</div>
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As my brother Tim has said many times, “she did not have a mean bone in her body, “but she could be opinioned and argumentative.</div>
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Her fondest wish in life was to become a mother. Tim, my sister Jennifer and I agree she was a good mom who always put our welfare above all else in her life.</div>
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<b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Born in 1916! </span></b></div>
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Take a moment to consider all the things that occurred in her lifetime.</div>
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-World War I and II as well as all the conflicts since.</div>
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-The common use of automobiles, airplanes, television, cell phones and computers.</div>
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-Nuclear power and weapons, organ transplants and advance treatments for cancer and other diseases.</div>
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My mother remembered when her house first got electricity, running water and an indoor toilet.</div>
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<b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Physical Activity</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/ccf05192012_00002-0011.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1010" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/ccf05192012_00002-0011.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-right: 1.5em; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px; width: auto;" title="ccf05192012_00002-001" /></a>In an autobiography she finished in 1993, she recounted how she loved to participate in games while at school, especially “tip” which apparently was a form of softball without a bat.</div>
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She continued that interest in sports and physical activity all of her life.</div>
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One of my earliest memories is being at softball game she was playing and the uniform she wore. She was their pitcher. Mom always brought balls, gloves and bats to any family picnic.</div>
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She continued physical activities, often swimming, well into her 90’s until back pain force her to stop. Even after that she did regular sit ups.</div>
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<b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Religion</span></b></div>
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Mother’s religion and church activities were always important to her. As a girl highlights of the year were Easter and Christmas events at Dexter’s Methodist Church.</div>
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She retained a lifetime interest in understanding scripture and bible study group meetings were important events on her calendar.</div>
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Of special interest to her was the work of missionaries. She not only supported it with contributions, but housed returning missionaries in her home.</div>
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She also visited them at their sites in such exotic places as China, Japan and India.</div>
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She very much believed in the presence of Jesus in her daily existence and hoped to reach heaven in an afterlife.</div>
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<b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Holiday</span></b><b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> Meals</span></b><b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></b></div>
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Now mom also made wonderful holiday meals that we all looked forward to. She would start early preparing the fixings so that they would all be ready at the same time.</div>
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Mom, who rarely drank, on a few of these occasions, then would relax with a half of a glass of wine.</div>
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Wham! When the effect of even that little amount of alcohol hit her, everything would quickly unravel.</div>
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The rest of us ended up scrambling to get the food on the table and the blessings said.</div>
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<b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Genealogy </span></b><b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></b></div>
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As many of you know, mother was very interested in the genealogy of both sides of our family.</div>
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She spent many years researching our ancestors’ lives in locations like Michigan and Kansas and through events like the Civil War and western migration.</div>
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She also took a number of trips back to England and Ireland to look up long lost relatives both alive and dead.</div>
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Some branches of the family she was able to trace back to the 1700’s.</div>
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She has left the family with a wonderful record of all of her work. My cousin Cheryl Middleton has picked up the baton and done some beautiful work of her own.</div>
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<b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Travel</span></b><b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></b></div>
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From her early adult years mom was an avid traveler. As a young woman, before and during World War II, she visited the states <a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/zelma-mallon-circa-1944.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1011" height="103" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/zelma-mallon-circa-1944.jpg?w=150&h=103" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.5em; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px;" title="zelma-mallon-circa-1944" width="150" /></a>of Wyoming, California, Louisiana and Florida among others.</div>
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In Los Angeles she worked welding toilet seats in bombers (yes, she was a real life “Rosie the Riveter”) and in most of the other places she worked as a hair dresser.</div>
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Later she and my father traveled the world. I believe she had visited over 45 countries, which is probably low. If she were here today, she would now pipe up and give me the correct number.</div>
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I remember once, about 12 years ago, I was going to visit Iguazu Falls in remote, central South America.<br />
When I told her about it she said “I was there 20 years ago with your father.”</div>
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<b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Married Life</span></b><b><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></b></div>
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My mother and father met in Florida in February of 1945 while he was still in the army near the end of WWII.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/1943-001.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1027" height="91" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/1943-001.jpg?w=150&h=91" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px;" title="1943-001" width="150" /></a><br />
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Mom and Dad, Florida, February 1945</div>
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They were married one week later on Washington’s Birthday and I was born 10 months later in California.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20120515122524_00004a-copy1.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1012" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20120515122524_00004a-copy1.jpg?w=593" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 1px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-right: 1.5em; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px; width: auto;" title="20120515122524_00004a-copy" /></a>They made their new home in the Los Angeles area where dad resumed his pre-war career with the Racing Form as a pressman.</div>
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They raised their family in the suburb of Monterey Park and mother lived there until dad’s death in 1990.</div>
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A little later she moved to San Diego to be near Jennifer and many of her old friends who had previously moved here.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I’d like to finish up by reading something I wrote for mom on the occasion of her 90<span style="border: 0px; bottom: 1ex; font-family: inherit; font-size: 9.75px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 0px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">th</span> birthday in 2006.</strong></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">My mother does some things better than anyone else I have known.</span></strong></em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The first of these is <b>gift wrapping</b>. I remember, prior to Christmas, sitting on the floor in the front room, surrounded by boxes, ribbons, tape and paper watching her work.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My favorite was when she would slice the big sheets of paper in one long motion with a satisfying szzzzzzzzsh sound. I’ve tried this many times myself but never have been able to match her skill.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">She always seemed to cut the paper the right size and fold it around the box so that the ends to be taped were sharp and neat. She would then finish up with the ribbon and bow.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">None of these pre-tied jobs with adhesive for her, but the real thing, wrapped around the box with a big bow on top.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Funny, now I don’t remember what any of those boxes contained just how lovingly they were wrapped.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Next would be <b>preparing desserts</b>. We sat down to dinner as close as possible to 6:00 p.m. every evening and there was always pie or cake or some other pastry to finish the meal.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My favorites were chocolate éclairs (inspired by my “Little Golden Book”; <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Pantaloon</span>) as well as custard, chocolate and prune whipped pies (the latter choice was never fully appreciated by my sister and brother).</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It is probably a good thing that I have not found her equal as a dessert-maker in my adult life.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lastly is her wonderful ability to <b>make and retain friends</b>.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">She still has life-long pals from her girlhood in Dexter, Michigan that she has stayed in contact with all these years.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Francie Anson, whom we met 60+ years ago when I was a baby and we all lived in Basalone Homes, is still a dear friend.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lunsfords and Evelyn Jones from our days on Riggin </em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Street in Monterey Park were fast friends until they passed away.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And our neighbors from Ferdinand Street, where we moved in 1953, the Benitez’, Gantz’, Chevaliers and many others are still very much a part of her life today.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, since moving to San Diego in 1993, she has added more people from church and neighbors to her circle.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Maybe, with a lot of effort, most of us can turn out a wrapped present or an occasional dessert to match mom’s. But few, if any, can truly claim so many rewarding friendships, over so many years, as can my mom.</em><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m proud to be your son.</em></div>
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<b>So mom</b>, today I say “so long”. You were there for my first breath and I was there for your last.</div>
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You were what you always wanted to be, a good mother.</div>
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I love you.</div>
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Good Bye</div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089641172020752586.post-61497943595058936492015-04-09T15:25:00.000-07:002015-04-15T14:44:28.795-07:00Friends From Long Ago<br />
<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"><div class="post-date" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(255, 255, 255), rgb(236, 235, 235)); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(190, 190, 190); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 12px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">
<a href="https://charleymallon.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/friends-from-long-ago/" rel="bookmark" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Friends From Long Ago"><span class="month" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; background: linear-gradient(-90deg, rgb(235, 28, 36), rgb(163, 12, 16)); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(161, 18, 22); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 0px; color: white; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; left: -1px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative; text-transform: uppercase; top: -1px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 52px;">AUG</span><span class="day" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">21</span><span class="year" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">2012</span></a></div>
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Me, Bart and Bob 44 years later</div>
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This past weekend, August 17-19, 2012, I had a reunion with a couple of my closest friends from the time I was in the Peace Corps in Venezuela. I had seen Bob Buffin a few times over the past few years, but this was the first time since 1968 I had met up with Bart Briefstein. Sure, we are 44 years older, but in most ways it didn’t feel we had changed very much. We quickly fell into the same character and relationship rolls we had all those many years ago.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/bart-briefstein-1966.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-947" height="150" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/bart-briefstein-1966.jpg?w=127&h=150" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" title="Bart Briefstein 1966" width="127" /></a><br />
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Bart Briefstein 1966</div>
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Bart’s Peace Corps experience was perhaps more impactful on him than it was on all the rest of us, as he met Marina in Caracas. They have been married all these years with two grown children. Bart’s business career took the family from NYC to Minneapolis for many years. Later they had stops in Austin, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and Prescott, Arizona. They presently reside in Reno and take advantage of all that city’s cultural offerings to keep active. Bart is still as clever as he always was.</div>
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Bob’s time in the Peace Corps was important to him as well. After his two year assignment, Bob became a recruiter with the organization for a number of years.</div>
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<a href="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/bob-buffin-1966.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #026acb; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-948" height="150" src="https://charleymallon.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/bob-buffin-1966.jpg?w=150&h=150" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 1px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px !important;" title="Bob Buffin 1966" width="150" /></a><br />
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Bob Buffin 1966</div>
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Later he earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin and eventually went to work for the National Labor Relations Board for 35 years. Bob recently retired after 42 years of government service. Bob lives with his long-time partner, Karen, in Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco. Bob plans to get back into music (he played his guitar on many a long bus ride in training to entertain the rest of the trainees) and keep up with his wine making (we all agreed his Shiraz was excellent).</div>
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Charley Mallon 1966</div>
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My service was important to me as well. The association with other volunteers, many of whom were quite high quality individuals, gave me the confidence and desire to do much more with my life than I had heretofore considered.</div>
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Charleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13236708568916506812noreply@blogger.com0