Change

This entry marks a significant transition to this blog, which was originally started while I was deployed to Italy (in case you didn't know.."Filatore" is "Spinner" in Italian; at least in my vocabulary.) and later morphed to highlight a major project (The "Picture A Day" project in 2007) I was involved in. When we moved to DC, it changed again to serve as a great avenue to indulge my interest in history and local attractions.

I've attempted to highlight some of the most significant, yet also entertaining, sites in the DC area, but I feel like I barely touched the surface. I've run out of time, and never got to tell the story of the Pope's contribution to the Washington Monument (it ended up in the Potomac River), or the man who built Haines Point, or the Congressional Cemetery, or a dozen other stories on my list. You'll just have to discover those for yourself.

As many of you know, this month also marks a transition for Ginger & me. My last day in the office in 2 October (tomorrow!), and I officially separate from the Navy at the end of November. It's been an interesting 5+ years--not what we expected, but then again, life rarely is. It's involved travel to areas far and wide, involvement in some of the most relevant issues of our day, periods of separation, new relationships, and times of hardship and struggle. It hasn't always been fun, or easy, or exciting, but we've gotten through with the love and support of many friends and family, of which we are eternally grateful.

I can summarize my time in the Navy by quoting John F. Kennedy, our 35th President, who said: "Any man who may be asked in this century, what he did to make his life worthwhile, can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, "I served in the United States Navy".



We're taking a month off and plan to travel during the month of October--we'll be in Switzerland (and maybe Austria/Italy as well) for much of that time. In November, I'll start work as the Operations Director at Summit Adventure, and we'll go about the business of establishing our life back in the beautiful Oakhurst/Bass Lake area.

This blog will continue, but will probably transition to highlight more of our personal life and adventures in the future. Stay tuned for more details, and when you come to visit, maybe you'll have your Internet 15 minutes of fame!

Thanks for reading, and sharing. We look forward to good times in the future.