WHO AM I?

 The following is a little biographical information, much of which was compiled by Shelly DeGolyer from my Facebook page.

This is how I described myself on Etsy, some time ago. It's fairly comprehensive.

ABOUT ME
Folks think I don’t do much 'cause I’m retired.
Well, why am I never, ever bored? Maybe it’s
because I’m a widower, father and a cat valet;
tenor, cantor, chorister, a harmonica player;
composer; photographer and philosopher;
book-seller & antiques dealer; dreamer;
kayaker, canoeist and bicyclist; once a
Ph.D. biologist, still a naturalist, but
now more often a lyricist, satirist
or humorist; Transcendentalist
and a Catholic Buddhist (vice-
versa, I suppose); now semi-
professional artist; rather
prolific writer of poetry
and a little less prose.
My occupation, in a
word, is ‘Pilgrim’,
certainly not a
‘retiree’ who
has little or
nothing to
do. Nope.
Bored?
Never,
ever.
Not
me
!

________________________________________________

SCUBA is easy

WALKING is difficult

RUNNING is impossible

 

Let's  make the impossible possible...

_________________________________________________

SCOOTING in style

It's great in airports

but it's suicidal on stairs

The local supermarket said I couldn't ride it in the store. 

So I wrote a letter that began with "In accordance with the AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT..."

Now I hang a shopping basket on the handlebars.  

________________________________________________

I do clean up good.

for the Syracuse  Oratorio Society 

at a Symphoria concert

A LITTLE BACKGROUND

 WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

Assuming the fundraising effort organized on my behalf by Shelly DeGolyer (a daughter I never had) is successful, I'll be going to Hanger Clinic in Gig Harbor, Washington, in October.  There, I'll be fitted with a high-tech orthotic/prosthetic hybrid for my lower right leg.  Hopefully, it will enable me to walk unassisted, maybe even run again.  Please see the GoFundMe Campaign (link above) for a full explanation and an amazing video of what other candidates have been able to do.

MY SCHEDULE

I'm leaving my cabin on Autumn Lake in Northern  New York in late September, with my one remaining cat (Corina), and pulling my new travel trailer with my old Jeep Grand Cherokee.  You'll be able to follow my progress on this blog.  I'll be at Gig Harbor October 12-14 for the fitting -- and again October 21-27 for the rigorous training program.  Remember, this device was developed by the US Army for wounded soldiers, some of whom wanted to return to active duty.  Me, too...but not in the Army.

I can't go home until May 1.  We get up to 300 inches of snow here, east of Lake Ontario.  My driveway is 0.25 mile long, up-hill and north-facing.  The snow lingers.  In the past, I've gotten stuck for days in my driveway in mid-April.  So you are invited to tour the country with me.  I visit a lot of National Parks and do a lot of kayaking and bicycling.  This year, I might be able to go on hikes, too! Imagine that.