Christmas Picnic 2005

Check out the club web site which is a work of art and kept up to snuff by Joey N9LQ.
URL; http://www.imarsflorida.com

Christmas Picnic 2005
Notes – by Jerry KØJH 2005 12 08

Hello all,

We lucked out again, the weather was perfect for the picnic and we had a good turnout. Hank N4TJO and Dotty were waiting for me when I got there. I think they were a little afraid that nobody was going to show up ;-) I was late because my old van (140K miles) acted up and threatened to leave me stranded. Fortunately it normalled up and I didn’t have to put my thumb out to get to the fire house. Hank had coffee on and before Carlos arrived and we started getting set up.

We sorely missed a lot of the people who have been with us in the past. Those include Bill N4ZZO and Charlotte, Tom KB2JZX and Phyllis, Merle K8ESC & Marion, Frank KK4RW & Dotty, Grant N3CJJ & Margarete and also Dick K4ANT, Bob KC4LXW, Don, KC4UUM, Margaret KD4OPQ and Richard KD4CTJ. They were in our thoughts and we hope they are all healthy and well and will rejoin us soon. What a crowd we would have had if they all could have made it.

We had some welcome visitors too. John G4VMR and Terry G4VSL were there. Keith Mattison “SOCIAL” brought a friend, the widow Carol Seelinger. Margot and I have known Carol and her husband for quite a while and were as surprised as she was to discover we had a mutual friend in Keith.

As usual there was more good food than we could consume, even with the help of the two on duty firemen who helped all they could! Barbara Kesler made her famous fish chowder. Joel N9LQ brought a big jar of home made peanut brittle. Margot Hale did her German cusine, Weiner Schnbitzle and Kartofel Salad. Everyone outdid themselves and it was a really wonderful meal. The desert was too good to believe. Keith and Carol brought a gallon of ice cream and two key lime pies! Someone else had a big fluffy chocolate cake to die for! Many other equally super deserts were there and I didn’t try to figure out who brought what, I just dug in! Too bad one can only hold so much. Somebody asked whether I had tried the dish she brought and was justifiably proud of. My reply was that I started at one end, took a little of everything until I ran out of room on my plate. That got me about half way down the table!

Carlos, WA4ZKV, had a stack of certificates that he made to show appreciation for the people who keep IMARS going. He called out the names, many were not present, and presented the certificate to everyone, shook their hand and posed for a picture. We all appreciate the effort that Carlos went to and I, for one, have my certificate on the wall beside by license. Thank you Carlos.

I gathered all of the IMARS pictures I could find and set up my newest toy, a digital projector. I was afraid there would be too much ambient light but I sat the screen in the shade of the firehouse and we could see the pictures pretty well.

Russ, W4ZIP brought his digital camera and you know I’m NEVER without mine. Between us we took 75 pictures. I have posted them all to an album on Photo Access (actually it’s now Photo Works.) The URL is:

http://www.photoworks.com/share/shareLanding.jsp?shareCode=A62FBF1BF76&cb=PW

You can view, download, or print these pictures. Photo Works will send you prints and you would be supporting this free service. Their prices are low and I think you get the first several prints free on your first order. Give them a try.

Toward the end of the festivities Jean Maxwell read a letter from Joe Chaput’s grand daughter. It’s the second letter Joe has shared with us and Jean gave it all of the flair she is famous for. It got really quiet around the tables as everyone began to realize what a great experience this young lady is having. She is teaching English in a small town and is keeping her grandfather up to date with all of her adventures. She is a very good writer and has a sense of humor that makes her letters a joy to listen to.

Today (Wednesday) I finally made it to the Deltona Computer Club. Our own Bob Cook WB9SOE spent a couple of hours answering questions for people who wanted to buy their first computer or who needed help getting their pictures attached to an eMail and such. None of the people attending had much experience so don’t be bashful, if you need to know anything about computing, from basics through expert level, go over to the Deltona Library on the 1st or 3rd Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. They have a web site, also generated by Bob, URL at the end of this, and a Yahoo eMail list to allow the club members to communicate. You won’t find a better deal, no dues, no officers, a structure much like that of IMARS without the donuts and coffee ;-) I had a good time and at the end was able to get some advice on a networking problem I’ve been having.

Deltona Computer Club http://www.dcc.byethost4.com/

Well gang, it’s after 3 a.m., I’m bleary eyed and can’t decide whether “normalled” up or “normaled” up is correct, the spell checker says they are both wrong. Margot’s long since in bed and I can’t find my German/American dictionary to see whether I’ve spelled Kartofel Salad correctly but you’ll just have to live with the mistakes, it’s time to bail out.

73 & 88
See ‘ya on Monday

Jerry KØJH .- .-. …-.-