From husband Bill, Oct. 4, 2026
I won a varsity letter for golf in high school, but it was three weeks before graduation in 1979, so I was happy, but disappointed that I only had a short amount of time to impress the girls. (... not that I ever did; I just wanted the opportunity.) On our six-person golf team, I played in the fifth and sixth positions, depending on how I was playing at the time.
In July 1981, when I was 20 years old, I was a golf instructor / counselor-in-training at a famous golf school / camp for adults (one week) and children (two weeks, ages 10 to 18, formerly 8 to 18) in Southern Pines, North Carolina. I attended this school / camp almost every summer from age 11 in 1972 to age 19 in 1980. I was granted special permission to attend as a "camper" when I was 19 years old.
During July 1981 at the school / camp, I had the honor of playing a round with touring / teaching pro Pat McGowan, who at the time was the boyfriend (future husband) of the daughter of the camp / school / lodge owners. He helped my game immensely. He was like a machine. I shot an 82. He set the course record at that time with a 64. Amazing.
I got a hole-in-one during the spring of 1980 while at prep school in northern Massachusetts. The hole was about 135 yards. I wrapped a pitching wedge around my neck from hitting it so hard. The ball landed on the front of the green and rolled into the hole.
Also during the spring of 1980, I shot my best score ever with an 80, but if I bend the rules a little, I shot a 79. I was playing in a tournament with a shotgun start. I started on the 18th hole and played through to the 17th hole, shooting an 80. I then played the 18th hole again and shot one better. So, legally for the tournament, I shot an 80, but I shot a 79 for the last 18 holes that I played that day.
From husband Bill, Oct. 4, 2026
In the 1970s, when I was a teenager, I had a 23-channel CB radio in my bedroom. The "real" CBers had the 40-channel models who would listen to the truckers. I remember my father attaching the five-foot-long whip antenna onto the chimney of our house. I thought that he was going to fall off of the roof.
My handle (CB name) was "Algernon," named after the character played by Roy Kinnear in the 1965 Beatles movie "Help!." I was a member of the CB Radio Club at high school.
I remember some of the "10-codes." 10-4 is "message received." 10-7 is "leaving the air." 10-20 is "your location." 10-23 is "stand by." 10-36 is "the correct time." My all-time favorite is 10-100: "I need to go to the bathroom." ... and there was the important 10-200: "police needed." Actually, Channel 9 was the emergency channel. We never went there.
My best friend John also had a CB radio in his bedroom. What's funny is that in the evenings, we would call each other on the phone to tell each other we were on our CB radios. We would hang up and then talk to each other on our radios. We could have just continued talking to each other on the phone. Yeah, but it was fun.
From husband Bill, Oct. 4, 2026
I don't drink anymore due to unrelated medical issues, not that I ever really drank much. I avoid vodka because it gives me a wicked hangover. My alcoholic beverage of choice is Campari and orange juice over ice in a short glass. I also something enjoy a gin and tonic.
From husband Bill, Oct. 4, 2026
