Surely the Sailboat

Surely the Sailboat
Last Day

Shirley's Sign

Shirley's Sign
Beginning the Journey

At the Western(Wailing) Wall

At the Western(Wailing) Wall
Tony, Joe, Myself

Heartbreaking Hawaiian Sunsets

Heartbreaking Hawaiian Sunsets
Scenes of Heartbreak in Haiti will follow later

Pastor Emory Gaskins, and his wife Cindi

Pastor Emory Gaskins, and his wife Cindi
University Ave Baptist Church

University Ave Bapt Church Cambodian Mission

University Ave Bapt Church Cambodian Mission
'Him' playing a Cambodian Thor

Waikiki Yacht Club Xmas 09

Waikiki Yacht Club Xmas 09
Guest of Brian&Kimmie Mahalo!!!!

Good Friends Brian&Kimmie

Good Friends Brian&Kimmie
We Were Kaiser Pediatricians In The 70's!!!

Our Family The Best To be Sure see Chris in other pics

Our Family The Best To be Sure see Chris in other pics
God Is Good, God Is Love, Thank you, God

Chris and The Volcano

Chris and The Volcano
Did He Inhale??

Chris Gets His Goat

Chris Gets His Goat
Date: 1010/01/02/2010

The Father, The Son, The Holy Goat

The Father, The Son, The Holy Goat
We Ask Thou Blessing, O Lord

Kauai Krushers Poipu

Kauai Krushers Poipu
Hard Way To Fish

Well Not Skunked

Well Not Skunked
Chris And The Wrass

Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve
Dec 17, 2009, Another Famous Day!!!

Life is good again!!!

Life is good again!!!
My Bird and Xmas has arrived!!!

Sounds of Aloha!!

Sounds of Aloha!!
Our performance at Kahala Nui 12/3/09

Sounds of Aloha!!

Sounds of Aloha!!
Dan and I

Mac Keral (speaks Spanish) and me

Mac Keral (speaks Spanish) and me

Jeff on GW

Jeff on GW

'Tea Fer' x 2

'Tea Fer' x 2

'Two Fer' x 2

'Two Fer' x 2

Condo Sept 09

Condo Sept 09
WOW!! Compare this with 1974!!

Bill's last Sunday, His Church

Bill's last Sunday, His Church
He left it on Fire; see the Smoke!!! ( Who will be the new Pope?? )

Bill's last Sunday

Bill's last Sunday
with Crystal and friends

Bill's last Sunday at the Pullpit in Hickory

Bill's last Sunday at the Pullpit in Hickory
Still looks young!!!

Commander Walls with me last days

Commander Walls with me last days
A very special person, a joy to work with

A Wonderful Goodbye, Cherry Point

A Wonderful Goodbye, Cherry Point
My CO, Cap't John, old me, Mike, the Base Radiologist, and the Paddle for my Butt for leaving

My doctor friend and old guy: Truk Hospital 1971-73

My doctor friend and old guy: Truk Hospital 1971-73
36 years seem to fade away that day we met again in Ala Moana Park

Chuukese Missison Church Nuuanu

Chuukese Missison Church Nuuanu
Classic Chuukese dress for the women; the head pieces are called Marmars

Chuukese Mission Church at Nuuanu Baptist Honolulu

Chuukese Mission Church at Nuuanu Baptist Honolulu
The young people sing the rich Pacific island spiritual songs

Chuukese Family and Haole Guy

Chuukese Family and Haole Guy
my doctor friend with his large family under the Banyan tree

Chris

Chris
FrontSteet, New Bern

Jamming at the Dink's

Jamming at the Dink's
Patsy fills and thrills!!

WB&Ruth brought the cake

WB&Ruth brought the cake
Go Back 44 years!!!

Gretchen and Joey

Gretchen and Joey
with Shirley at our BibleStudy weekend in May09

Beer Can Chicken and my sister

Beer Can Chicken and my sister
NannynannyPooPoo!!!

Father&Son: Ren&Bill

Father&Son: Ren&Bill
Dock Devotion Time

GG&GW: Jonathan&GradyWhite

GG&GW: Jonathan&GradyWhite
Lift Off!!!

July 2 at Shacklebanks

July 2 at Shacklebanks
Chris, Buzz, Lee, and his boys-Lee manwhatatan!!

Horace&Fran

Horace&Fran
"This is so nice"

Chris' GRRR888 MUSIC

Chris' GRRR888 MUSIC
OneManCBand

Airport Reunion

Airport Reunion
TheCMan arrives!!!

Monday, December 21, 2009

Aloha&MerryXmas=MeleKalikimaka!!!!!

Jingle bells on a steel guitar; Thru the palms trees the same bright star!!
Mele Kalikimaka is the island way to say Merry Xmas to You!!!!

Hello again this time I feel like Adam in the Garden of Eden, and have just been delivered a most wonderful Xmas present and I didn't have to give up a rib for her, altho I would have given an arm or a leg: Yes, Santa's sleigh flew my beautiful bird to me here in the islands. She was supposed to come nonstop from Charlotte on an inaugural flt on the Wright Brothers famous day 12/17, but head winds caused them to drop down in LA to take on some more fuel. Sure glad the pilots weren't preoccupied with their laptops!!! See her pics as she came in!!!

Chris comes on 12/30 and then we go into nonstop with hunting on the big island and fishing on Kauai. We will try to fit in all our favorite places and resturants here on Oahu too. He has been accepted into a radiology residency at Madagan Army Hospital in Tacoma, Wa in 2010. Congrats, Dude!!

Shirley and Chris spent a wonderful TGiving with GG's/WH's family in Vero Beach; I sure miss seeing all of them and Matthew and Colson; I hope Santa is good to them!! Matthew has been doing Gr888 on the piano.

I will be 'hanging it up' on January 1, 2010. I have really enjoyed my work here, but I need time now with Shirley to spend the next 6 weeks finding our old selves in the 'old Hava'iki that we experienced 40 some years ago. Life is what the Lord gives us!!!! It is a gift--the present!!!

The Top Ten Events of 2009 are: my wife, my family X 10!!!!

A Very bountiful Aloha and Merry Xmas to all of you!!!! God Bless you and God Bless America.

Al&Shirley


Sunday, December 13, 2009

Honolulu Marathon

I wish I had the pic of George Brown and I as we finished the HM together 16 years ago Dec 1993. I was just down watching it, at 5 this morning Dec 13, 09, starting off with the fire works and the StarSpangedBanner!! As I looked for my friend, Dan, running his 30th, the feelings and memories of that morning long ago welled up inside. I couldn't believe myself that I did it and now all that's happening since. Where did all the years go??
George had done all of them since 1974 or so, so that made it his 19th or so. He had been asking me, then encouraging me as I started training back in Sept of that year. Our SpringerSpaniel got into the act and over the next 3 months I figured later that she&I covered the distance to Boston in our training practice; so we did our own Boston Marathon getting ready for the HM!! Why was I doing it?? I needed another reason rather than just to do it.
One day at the hospital a patient's mom said she had trouble taking her very sick boy to the ED; she had no car, no transportation. The idea went off in my questing head: raise money for her to buy a car. That was my mantra and my shirt saying: "I'm running for Linda's car"; on the back it said "Bury me at Punchbowl". Later after finishing we gave Linda a check for I believe, thinking back, about $1800. There was a write up in the Fayetteville paper.
George&I got to Honolulu 2-3 days before the Big 2nd Sunday, played some golf, got psyched up, me plying him for help tips. Then the time came, gathering down at Ala Moana Park about 430AM, the gathering dread/thrill, wandering if I could really do it--. There were at least 25,000 runners gathered. The Kenyans and other fastest marathoners were put up front. The fireworks went off and so did we, although it took about 6-8 minutes for the crowd and us to really start running. The first 7-8 miles went well, climbing up and around Diamond Head to a glorious sunrise; I was going to be fine. Right.
At Hawaii Kai, about mile 13, I hit the wall!! I had to stop; cramps set in; I thought I was done for; I was lying in someone's front yard; agony of agonies; George was very patient; he even massaged my cramping legs; gradually I got better; unbelievably I got up and started a say-shaying/shuffle-- I learned it from the Trukese (where Shirley&I lived in Micronesia). The next few miles were a blurr; I have memory now of the false finish line at the beginning of Kapiolani Park which was like a Jacob/Rachel thing where you have to work another 7 years to get your true love; 26 miles is a long way, but the other 0.2 miles to the finish is like another 100; the pure joy of finsihing is like no other--well I could mention something but not here--but finish I did and George was right there with me, sacrificing his usual time of 2 hr and 40 min to do my 6 hours and thirty some minutes. Receiving the clapping crowds, the shell lei, the medal, the shirt, remembering the sweaty smell, my own priceless sweat, lying under the huge umbrella banyan trees, just relishing not having to run any more, and that I was still alive!! Thank you, Jesus!!
I swore at the time that I would never do this again, but I did. Running is sorta like an addiction. I ran the 94 HM this time George doing his usual 2+hours; I cut my time by 30 minutes. Later in July of 95 I ran the Grandfather Mtn Marathon. I tried 2 more but my shoes gave out and I could never find another pair. It takes magic shoes. You also have to be a little driven and crazy.
George and I got together again in Dec 95, while I worked on the Big Island for a few months; this time I just did the Mayor's Walk 10K; George continued to do the HN until he broke his hip on ice about 2 years ago. I think he did 37-38 consecutive HNs!!! My running shorts and shoes are off to him for that and helping me achieve these memorable moments in my life!!!
Thanks, George!!!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Cherry Point-Anchors Away Me Boy!! Oct 08-August 09

I was very fortunate to be asked to be the pediatrician at this wonderful Marine Base in Havelock, NC. For me it was just right between New Bern and Morehead City, 17 miles each way. We had rebuilt Shirely's old home place on Brice's Creek about 5 years before. A small condo at Atlantic Beach had been a get away place for nearly 30 years.
I was to bridge the gap until another retired USAF peds could come. Those 10 months were busy and challenging as re military medicine and the Computer which kicked my butt for nearly 3-4 weeks, but it was good for me, later using the same system at Tripler a year later. My CO was the best person possible: Captain John Burgess, not just because he was a double Wake Forest graduate, under grad and Med School, but a super CO, fair, helpful, directive and in command without overbearing. Of all that I miss about Cherry Point, he is missed the most. Here are some pics of that memorable year.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

The Micronesian Connection--Keep on Trukkin

Honolulu is a magnet for the Micronesians, the island ethnic groups between here and the Phillipines and New Guinea Island Groups. In 1971-73 Shirley, Jonathan and I lived in Truk-now called Chuuk; I was the pediatrician for about 3 million square miles of ocean and about 50 square miles of land. Micro--nesia means many small islands. Those were exciting days working with their local physicians and Peace Corp, sometimes traveling on steamers for hundreds of miles to see patients on small islands, the people living just like National Geographic pictures them. Shirley fit right in raising a blond 2 later 3 year old toe head. She was the perfect wife in a 3rd world tropical island. She accompanied me on several of the travels. She collected wonderful shell specimens and even snorkled, while I made about 50 some scuba dives on the ship wrecks from WW2.

Now I am seeing many of these folks here; the Chuukese respond very excitedly when I speak their language!! I have reconnected with a Chuukese doctor here who I worked with over 36 years ago, and made pictures recently with his extended family. I am putting a few of these on the blog.
What's the reason for the population shift? Their islands are becoming over populated and life is more difficult there. They are looking for the better life. Most are on subsidies and Medicaid, though I see many working, like my parking garage attendants. Actually along with the Hawaiians and the other rainbow spectrum of people here, they add even more color to Hawaii.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

It's a job, but I love it!!

Working in Hawaii is sure different than a vacation, but for the length of time I'd just as soon be working, and of course getting paid!! Otherwise one could ill afford it unless you're filthy rich or just wanted to go thru your retirement quickly. (Actually I would do it free if I was filthy rich!) I love the job here--as a joke goes--'I love going to my job; I just hate the 8 hours until I go home'.
That's not true with me: doing pediatrics at Tripler is the 'Everest" of peds to me; there are 7:30 rounds where a problem in a child is broken down to its essential parts hx, phys, labs, daignosis and differentials, and rx; the residents are quizzed and anyone can offer or ask for information. Other larger conferences are held if I have time from my schedule which is manageable with 10-18 pts. Also the staff docs and nurses are incredible and always ther to help. Everything is on computer--EMR and most times it works.
I really enjoy getting to know the parents and kids; it's amazing the number of coincidents (God incidents) that occur. Just the other day a mom said she was born in Hawaii, and at the old Kaiser hosptial; I hated to ask when but she said anyway Nov 1973. Wow!! I said I bet I could have been your pedatrician!! Several parents have lived in Fayeteville; since we have been there for 34 years I suppose its inevitable.
I love to have the 3rd year students from U of Hawaii Med School and the Uniform Med School in DC; they are eager to take part in the hx and phys and eval of labs, studies, and assessment and plans; this can lead into more analysis and discussion of the problem after the pt leaves; I love to throw them questions; so far they are pretty sharp!!
As for getting to Tripler, I have to get up about 430 and hit the road by 615 if I'm going to make the 730 rounds; traffic is a problem but I've got my route and can usually make the 9 miles in 30-35 minutes. Listening to Radio KINE or Hawaii's NPR, learning my barbershop songs on my iPod, or talking to Shirley makes the time past quickly and of course the scenery ain't bad!! There's still plans to put in a monorail type mass-transit. Impact studies re the environment seems to trump all other issues.
Re being here 5000 miles away from Shirley (she'll be here in less than 4 weeks now-yeah!!), J WH and the grandkids in Fla, and Chris in Texas, and home for these 6 months, I compare it with the military guys and girls who are deployed to far more hardship areas--'the sandboxes'. I rejoice with a tinge of guilt that I am here trying to do the best job I can for these families. I feel unworthily blessed. I will look back when I do go home, that this has been the most special opportunity of this time of my life. God has done this for me. My job right now is to fulfill His gift to me to my utmost. Thank you, Lord.

Friday, November 20, 2009

A Time for "Believe" again!!

Last year bout this time I took liberty with Polar Express's Believe by Josh Groban. I'm sorry; I still think its pretty good: a better message for the season!!! I will try to cut and paste it here.

BarberShop in Hawaii

I've been attending the practice sessions of the Sounds of Aloha a large Barbershop group here that belong to the Barber Shop International; a very talented and great group of guys, about 60-65, some have been with the group 30 years. I have tonite decided to join but will still have to work and be in audition to be able to do performances with them. There are several Xmas programs that I hope to be able to be accepted for; it's taking the place of choir and men's ensemble at home. There are several leaders who keep us focused, like Our Great Leader at home--LD!! In meantime its practice w the CD's and the sheet music--a lot of work like the Tree but very inspirational!! The person who introduced me to this group is Dan Tom, long time friend of Evelyn Gardner, who with her husband Joe were residents here in the 60's. Here's a pic of Dan and some others as they sang at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center last Sat.
Well I finally did my 1st performance Dec 3 at the Kahala Nui Nursing home; I was told I did OK!! Here's my pic with my friend Dan Tom and then the whole group. We have 3 more performances this week of Dec 7-12.

Monday, November 16, 2009

40 years ago in Hawaii

Its like being a ghost being and working here again; Shirley was expecting finally-we had to go over to Molokai at the advise of an old tutu, to visit the phalic rock- and exactly 9 mo of incubating Jonathan on the N Shore Haleiwa beach she delivered him at Tripler where I now am a contract pediatrician. Honolulu has changed in these 40 some years (and so have we).
Here's a couple of pics of where "I was born" Jonathan used to say.

Friends and Cousins in Hawai'i!!!
To top it off to make a long story short, our friends, Carolyn and George Brown were here the same time; they were in OB-Gyn and Pediatric residencies. We were in each others weddings in Winston-Salem. It was magic doing things together here again. We have been well represented with relatives over the times.
Shirley's cousin Jeff and wife Fran were here too in the Navy and Army respectfully; more later about them.
My cousin Fran and her husband Horace were here when we we arrived in July 1967 and put us up for a few days until we found a place to stay. They are coming out in January for the 1st
time ; they will get a shock!!
Then I had a cousin, Freda here with her husband, Lucien, stationed at Pearl Harbor Navy. There son, Sandy, was born a few months before Jonathan. We had some good parties at their home!!
Now Shirely's cousin Bobby and his wife, Amy, both Army West Pointers and 3 kids have been having a good time together.
Also a pic of Dan Tom, a friend of Evelyn Gardner in Fayetteville, Hong Le, who directs the Cambodian Mission, and self at the University Ave Baptist church we attend; Bruce Harless of ECR introduced me to this church in 1997, my first of seven missions to Vietnam.

Another amazing person we have known since 1967 is Maurine King who we met at Nuuanu Bapt Church then who has been teaching at Hawaii Baptist Academy for 50 years!!! On every visit here she has been most gracious in her hospitalilty to Shirley&I; we also learn interesting tidbits of the history here as well as her wonderful meals at her home. She is an institution to say the least!! She is also on Bruce's ECR Board of directors.
George and Pearl Meida of Kauai are other wonderful friends who participate on the ECR missions. We have a lot of fun as well as give tremendous help to each mission to VN and Cambodia.

Spirituality and Sin and Tragedy

Which are the factors that make men evil or cause evil? Mental illness, Satan, man's various emotions and behaviours, the time around the full moon?? All of these things seem to coalesce at the time of the Maxwell murders, the Ft Hood massecares, the rampage in Florida, the attack on me at Tripler--no body harm--just hurt pysche, then my own loneliness producing a call up of old teen harmonal rambunctiousness--fortunately resulting in more loneliness. Living in paradicical Hawaii has its shortcomings mainly that of sans wife--God! She's coming in a month!!!
So the whole past 12 days or so have been flying home to be with my brother and friend John Fox, spending 6 days there- as if I was an already apparition in Hawaii impersonating another apparation returning to my old haunts in Fayetteville!! Flying back brought many old memories of the many times we have flown here as if on a magic carpet. Sorrow was an unwelcome companion this time; John's magnificant magnamanity was one of the most uplifting issues to come out of this tragedy; I pray for him and Henrianne and the whole family, that the Lord will sustain them and uplift them as David says in the 23rd Psalm!! John is a better man than me; in fact like Eric Johnson said of his father's remarks about John Fox: he's a gentleman and a 'gentle man"! He is also a Godly man!!
Our new pastor, John Cook, retired USArmy Chaplain at West Point, at the most poignant funeral, brought us to know that in any storm, Jesus is in the boat with us. We just need to call out to him to calm the waves, the storm. And that is exactly what happened.
I am so blessed to have been able to come home at this most precious time. The magic carpet has Christ as our pilot. Thank you, Lord.


Hawaii now into 2 months

Well just attended the Big Kokua Fundraiser for the Pacific Islanders Victims of the Tsunami, gave $500 in name of Tripler Pediatrics--my check all by meself- that was matched by Clear Channel Radio-wow! Wish I had said they deserved more of a kokua than the weak clapping they got, and wish I had included the Filopino kids--kinda concentrated more on the Samoans which was OK for all they have been through. Then after that I got distrasted by the Hooter girls and maybe tried to be some hero thing to my dirty blonde waitress; who was this old creepy guy trying to put the make on her she thought--while all along I was just missing my wife more and more as the sun sank into its romantic swan song and the Star of Honolulu left its mooring with the hula girls and guys doing their thing on the wharf--oh well that's life of a lonely pediatrician in Hawaii.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

September 09 New stuff

Well, you have careful about what you pray for--- several months ago I put my name in the hat for a position at Tripler and now am faced with --guess what--a job there---funny you know how you want something--(need another thing)--then when its staring you in the face, you start shying away--more later. I am praying; the good things are the freinds there, Tripler the Mecca that I have dwelled in and been stimulated by Dr Jim Bass, the memories of S&I 40+years ago;

Thebad: the stinking air travel, terrible heads, screaming babies, going thru security, tiredness--but finally arriving at the BAP-best airport- in the world; let's not scrutinize the familiarity of all of it--not get depressed over missing so much back here--what will I regret more? Not going or going--and hey--its a job they're paying for it--hope its enough in Hawaii--and its patriotic and there's Chris there in the 'Hood"--just hope we can go hunting--then hope to get the boat down to GG---more later.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Bill's last Sunday

In late July, Bill, my wonderful B-I-Law married to my equally erstwhile sister, resigned after some 40 years in the pullpit; he was at Hickory 1st Baptist since 1995, at Rockingham 1st Baptist before since 1975, and before at Kiokee Baptist since about 1969. He is an avid Wake Fan and a reason that he and Crystal moved to within spitting distance of the campus in Winston. I hope we can save on hotel rooms when we come to the games.
Here are some pics of that memorable day.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

GR88888 Time July 2-8

It was gr8888 having GG&C here, all the Brinson folks and the Hartness'ssss. Then we had a new boat, new lift, and dock annex; lots of good food and fun. The weather was good most days; the 2 trips to Shack were supper!!! Will post more pics later.

Monday, July 13, 2009

These past 2 months!!!

Have been wonderful but hard work esp for Shirley; the whole idea was to celebrate our families after some 44 years of being married not just to each other but to our wonderful families and friends.
We started out with our Bible Study group of about 10 couples the last of May. We had some good hoedown music!! The Overbys, Joe&Gretchen joined us and then we attended Joe's Sunday School Class at !st Baptist here in New Bern.
Then All of June was preparing for the big 44/70 birthday for July 2-6. The highlite of course was having Jonathan fly in on the 2nd, and Chris on the 3rd. His girlfriend Katie 3rd year med at MCV, joined us Saturday the 4th. My Cuz Fran&Hus Horace came in late Friday. In the meantime a new member of the family joined in the form of Ms Grady-White 18.5. Just in time for the boys gettin here was the transformation of the dock annex and the boat lift unbelievable in 4 days by Mr Arnold and Co. We made 2 runs to Shackleford banks with Katie, C, and GG (J) amd me swimming to a sandbar the 1st time.
On July the 4th we had the Brinsons gang with about 25 folks with Lennie of Europe '62 fame, and his wife Carolyn from Henderson. Then July 5th my sisters family came in: Crystal, Bill, and Ren. Monday July 6 my brother WB and wife Ruth came, followed by Angel and Mike, then my wonderful uncle John and his daughter Patsy. We had more good hoedown music.
Then July 11 we invited down our Celtic Museum group: Alton, Brian, Liz and her friend Lisa from Nebraska, both fantastic fiddlers. Neighbors Barabara, Bill and Isabelle, Richard and Rebecca joined and we made more gr8888 hoedown music with Bill and his harmonicas.
Then Shirley invited 3 women of the Bible Study group back this past week. We made another mad run at Nickolus Sparks new house on the Trent.
There is so much to tell some not so good, ie: the snake eating my baby birds; the beaver chopping a lot of our willow tree. But I can't believe its over--all like a dream- maybe it was.

More pics posted today 7/20/09; Be sure to go all the way down to see all the new pics!!!