HELLO, ALL,
( DEAR WEBMISTRESS, PLEASE DO SHARE THIS WITH THE GROUP. )
AND DRAT AS GILES IS RETIRING AT THE END OF JUNE AND ON JULY 25th WE ARE BOOKED ON A FLIGHT TO THE EAST COAST. AFTER VISITING FORMER FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES FROM OUR NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND TIMES IN BOTH VERMONT AND NEW HAMPSHIRE WE WILL HEAD NORTH TO MASSEN, N. Y. WE GET
BACK IN EARLY AUGUST.
WE WILL VISIT GILES’ 98 YEAR OLD MOM THERE.
THEN WE WILL GET A PRIVATE, FAMILY TOUR, OF THE NEW HEADQUARTERS OF GILES’ UNCLE, HIS MOM’S BROTHER’S EDIFICE NAMED AFTER HIM ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF OTTAWA. GILES’ UNCLE WAS THE ONLY NATIVE FRENCH LANGUAGE SPEAKER TO HEAD (CALLED COMMISSIONER) OF THE MOUNTIES = ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE OR “TOP COP” IN CANADA.
THE NEW HEADQUARTERS IS CALLED – COMMISSIONER MAURICE JEAN NADON AFTER HIM. AS WITH ALL COMMISSIONERS OF THE R.C.M.P. HE HAD ONLY ONE 4-YEAR TERM. HIS BEGAN IN 1974 THE TIME OF THE
“FRENCH CONNECTION”. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PHOTO OF HIM SEARCH THE WEB FOR – COMMISSIONER MAURICE JEAN NADON AND WINDSOR CASTLE AND QUEEN ELISABETH I I TO SEE HIM
COMING OUT OF THE CASTLE WITH HER AFTER ONE OF THEIR MANY MORNING TEAS THERE.
DURING HIS TERM IN OFFICE HE WORKED WITH SCOTLAND YARD, THE C.I.A., F.B.I. AND OTHER AGENCIES SUCH AS INTERPOL. HE PASSED AWAY ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO AND THE NEW HEADQUARTERS WERE DEDICATED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. HE KNEW OF THE NEW HEADQUARTERS BEING NAMED AFTER HIM.
“UNCLE” MAURICE WAS ALSO NOT ONLY THE ONLY “NATIVE FRENCH LANGUAGE SPEAKING” COMMISSIONER
BUT ALSO [IT WOULD TAKE A FRENCH MAN!] TO INVITE AND PROMOTE QUALIFIED WOMEN AND RACIAL MINORITIES INTO THE R.C.M.P. OUR TOUR WILL BE ONE FOR HIS FAMILY AND WILL TAKE PLACE IN EARLY AUGUST BEFORE WE RETURN TO SPARKS.
WE HAVE NOT PUT OUR HOUSE UP FOR SALE YET. PROBABLY IN A MONTH OR SO WE WILL. WE PLAN TO RELOCATE SOMEWHERE NEAR U.C, DAVIS, BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT. GILES RETIRES AT THE END OF THIS MONTH OF JUNE BUT HE JUST RECEIVED NOTICE THAT HE WILL STILL BE RECEIVING FUNDING FROM N.A.S.A. FROM THREE NEW CYCLES OF RESEARCH WORK ON THE SEARCH FOR LIFE IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. OH, WELL! SO MUCH FOR A REAL RETIREMENT.
CURRENTLY WE ARE STORING, SELLING, AND DONATING LOTS OF THINGS WHICH NEED WEEDING OUT IN THIS HOUSE FOR WHEN WE DO HEAD WEST. CURRENTLY I AM PREPARING A HOUSE LOT, NO HOUSE ON IT YET, IN THE BERKELEY HILLS NEAR THE CALDICOT TUNNEL BETWEEN BERKELEY AND OAKLAND ON THE ORIGINAL “TUNNEL ROAD” FOR SALE. IT IS NEAR THE ROCKRIDGE B.A.R.T. STOP.
SO WE WILL BE AROUND AND HOPE TO ATTEND SOME MORE OF OUR WONDERFUL CLUBS EVENTS EVEN THOUGH OUR SCHEDULE WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO ATTEND EVERYTHING WE’D LIKE TO. THE OL’ BEEMER
IS DOING FINE AND I WILL NOT!!! PUT IT UP FOR SALE.
I OFTEN WISH I COULD CLONE MYSELF AND THIS TRIP TO THE BUTTES IS ONE OF THEM. DRAT ! !
I DO ALSO WISH TO HAVE TO BMWCCA MEMBERSHIPS IN THE FUTURE. THE ONE WITH YOU AND ONE FOR THE SACRAMENTO GROUP TOO. BUT, I CAN NOT IMAGINE ANY GROUP NICER THAN THE “SIERRA” CHAPTER. YOU ALL ARE SO SUPER !
WARMEST GREETINGS TO YOU ALL FOR A FINE JULY.
IT IS A FUN TIME AND HAS SPECIAL MEANING FOR MY FAMILY AS ONE OF MY ANCESTOR UNCLES, SAMUEL POWEL THE THIRD, WAS THE PRE- AND POST-REVOLUTIONARY WAR MAYOR OF PHILADELPHIA. OUR FAMILY CARRIAGE WAS LOANED TO GEORGE AND MARTHA WASHINGTON FOR HIS SECOND TERM IN OFFICE AND IT IS STILL ON “LOAN” TO THEIR ESTATE. I’VE SEEN IT AND WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE POWEL CREST IS STILL ON THE CARRIAGE WHICH IS STILL IN IT’S ORIGINAL SHAPE AND COLOR SINCE THE 1700s.
I EVEN TEASED THE WOMAN WHO AS THE MT. VERNON SITE MANAGER ONCE ABOUT WONDERING WHEN THE
“LOANER CARRIAGE” WAS GOING TO BE RETURNED TO THE POWEL HOUSE IN PHILLY WHICH IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FROM THURSDAYS THROUGH SUNDAYS. IT IS NEAR THE LIBERTY BELL AND ALSO ABOUT 3 INCHES FROM THE HOUSE OF ONE OF WILLIAM PENN’S GRANDSON’S IN THIRD STREET.
THE POWEL HOUSE HAS THE HONOR OF BEING CONSIDERED THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF PHILADELPHIA GEORGIAN ARCHITECTURE IN THE REGION. IF YOU DO GO TO SEE IT ALSO INCLUDE A MEAL IN THE “COLONIAL INN” RESTAURANT WHERE THE FOUNDING FATHERS HAD TIMES TOGETHER JUST AS THEY HAD AT THE “DELICIOUSLY DECADENT” ONES HOSTED AT THE POWEL HOUSE IN THOSE TURBULENT TIMES.
WE HOPE TO SEE AS MANY OF YOU AS WE CAN AND SOON AS WE CAN. ENJOY YOUR SUMMER DAYS.
DAWN HAMMOND AND GILES MARION.
