Recently I learned that Karen and I were the sole terrestrials who hadn't spent a night in the White House, so I'm writing this bit of gonzo jour­nalism from Abe's bedroom on Pennsylvania Avenue's Motel 1600. The U.S. Postal Service's finest forwarded a billet-doux from former dance­ committee-buddy Chuck DIVER (Slovak Committee 3), who waxed poetic about his life, wife, and strife: "After a meteoric 20-year AF career, I decided to start a second career before I got even more un-hirable. Headed to Greenville, SC in 1980 with Digital Equipment Cor­poration as industrial engineer, there 'til January 1992 at which time I got re-structured, downsized ... laid off! Both kids were out of school, and I convinced Edie to quit her job as ticket manager of the Greenville Sym­phony (that took two years) and move west. Our small house has a nice view and is halfway between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. If you or anybody else from our class gets up here, we'd love to see them!

"Our daughter (32) got married March '96, she and her husband are systems engineers at EDS in Plano, TX; son (34) married in August '96, he's a process engineer with AT&T-Seattle. I'm not actively employed (Scribe: Chuck's reverted to his 'hunting and gathering' mode); but, I keep busy as grounds maintenance manager for our place. We wanted a view with a low-maintenance house and grounds; well, we have a nice view!" Chuck later wrote that he and Edie spent the entire month of January in France visiting Avignon, Aries, Nice, and Paris, where they had to learn French-"No big deal!" (sez Chuck).

Hardy Franklin LEBEL (formerly of Dallas, TX, and member of the Aero and Mountaineering Clubs), writes about one of his more bollixed flights--"Salty Able" has been known to top "the wind-swept heights with easy grace where never lark nor even eagle flew," while occasionally departing runways in Rhode Island near his Admiral Dewey Inn (which he and wife, Joan, operate in South Kingston) with perhaps a-few-too-­many-birds-in-his-antenna: "With luck, I'll be flying in the spring of '97!" (RC: that's now).

Hardy was referring to an aircraft fortuity near Santa Fe last September where his entry into the "Land of Enchantment" as an aspiring land sailor became something less than a red-shoed tiptoe into the Kingdom of Oz--Hardy tried to make scrap metal of his semi-beautiful 1947 RC-3 SeaBee equipped with pontoons, by landing on the dry beds of New Mexico's Canyon Cliff Dwellings, which is not one of your more popular spots for a seaplane landing. Hardly Able--as ever, Salty--then spent 2 1/2 weeks at St. Vincent's Hospital in Santa Fe where those nuns of the Order for "We Only Deal with Totally Lost Causes" nursed a somewhat unnerved Hardy back to near-abnormality. Stay tuned.

Charlie HART and his wife, Linda, recently joined Pete KING and his wife, Linda, at a friend's cabin near Cody, WY, where they toured Yellowstone National Park. Pete was asked by self-designated class historian, Dr. Bill (William) GILLIS (Ed. D.) at our 35th reunion: "What Are You Famous For?" Former Lt. Col. KING's response: "I have more solo time than anyone other than Thunderbird pilots. As maintenance test pilot in the Spain depot, we didn't always have a back-sealer, which went on until discovered by the AFMC Stan Eval/IG pilot on his visit (Dick Rutan, who later piloted Voyager around the world and once flew a check flight with me). I flew all models of the F-4 (C, D, E, RF) in one day prior to a regulation prohibiting more than two flights a day, but wasn't too sharp on the fourth mission! And, my name was mentioned in an Apollo Ground Control conversation--Wally Shira said 'Pete KING told us that this device wouldn't leak and it does!' And, if that's not enough fame, the crew carried my class ring into orbit on the first Apollo flight in 1968." (This declaration of fame becomes part of an ongoing serial with another classmate's claim appearing in subsequent issues.)

Dr. GILLIS (Ed. D.) also writes: "Since August of '96, we are full-time grand-guardians for Sebastian (four going on 22) and Cecelia (19 months). My fighter-pilot days are being re-compensated for by the relearning of basic skills: diaper-deals, gourmet-cooking, kindergarten teacher, etc. I get to mold their young minds with loud CDs of Louis Armstrong, Stan Kenton, et al.. Due to the above, I won't make the Ski ­Union in Utah but, we'll be there in soul. Kath is still a full-time workaholic at the university, plus works Saturdays at the eye doctor (her first late-life job). I am looking for something she can go do on Sundays, but, unable as of yet."

But, others did attend another successful MiniSki VII March 2-10: An­di BIANCUR and son Christian, Ken ALNWICK and son Kieth, Al and Gale JOHNSON, Phil MEINHARDT and fiancee Grace, Jim GLAZA, Greg BOYINGTON, Brian KALEY, Vic YOAKUM, Fran and Jim BROWN (‘60). Andi writes: "We had absolutely great weather, and the snow was hyped as the best in Utah history. We tried throughout the week to hit as many different ski areas as possible--and succeeded in that--but, unfortunately there was never one single day that everyone was able to ski together. In fact, we did a bit better rounding up everyone for evening dinner formations at some of the local watering holes. We'd rather eat than ski--NOT! Of course, we were all honored to be able to attend 'The Al JOHNSON Ski School' with the man himself. It bordered on a religious experience, and he did demonstrate many of his patented moves--including binding checks, helicopter turns, tandem skiing, etc." Next year's event will be 1-8 March.

NOTAMs: Norm and Liz HALLER had their twelfth grandchild over Christmas ... William Thomas HODSON III ("I'm the third guy in my family to be called that!") wrote that "Fran and I have been in D.C. four years now, and will probably stay a couple more. I'm still teaching at NDU and Fran's with the National Renewable Energy Lab. We recently went back to Colorado for a visit with four of our five children and their four grandchildren (one daughter lives and works in Shanghai)" ... Chris and Pat WARACK visited their son and family in the D.C. area over Christmas, even saw the infamous Japan sumo bout on VCR at Tall-Tony BURSHNICK's house .. . George ("Don't ever call me Emerson") ELSEA (Fishing Club 3,2) took early retirement from EDS, and is full-time using his free time to build a brick patio (RC to George--that's gotta be either one helluva large brick patio, or you didn't do much at EDS) ... Roy JOL­LY's enrolled in a long-term Prostate Cancer Preventive Trial run by the American Cancer Society--to enroll in this "gratis" program, call him at (702) 346-3426. Roy and Barbara moved to Nevada to "find a warmer climate," since Roy had frostbite during a tour in Korea, and lost a few body ... Also originally scheduled to participate in that same study, Vic THOMAS learned he had prostate cancer and underwent surgery on 21 January at Nellis AFB. At our age, we're all candidates, and Vic sent me a quite thorough compendium on his knowledge/experience concern­ing this disease. Call Vic at (702) 294-1341. Have a good recovery, Vic ... Jim and Erika KERR have moved from Toowomba to Melbourne, and one of their sons is handling sales and marketing for the Dolphin's lawnmower ventures. Bye ...