Raised on Long Island, New York during WWII learned about victory gardens, black-outs, scrap metal drives and scouting. Graduated from New York State Maritime College as a marine engineer in 1958. Went to work for Ingersoll Rand Company in Phillipsburg, NJ. Married to Dot in 1960. We bought a country home that had five acres. We call it “Try and Find Us”. We used a bridge to walk across a trout stream to get to the house. We had ten years of life’s experiences before moving.

I was promoted to chief engineer of the new commercial pump division in Allentown, PA. One of the most challenging projects was the design of pumps to pump coal slurry 1000 miles using water from the Colorado river. It would have almost drained the river. However, railroad eminent domain won the contract. Another project was developing a pump to produce a pressure of 10,000 pound per square inch. Used to dismantle old wooden box cars rather than polluting the air by burning.

Represented the United States in writing International Pump Standards for ISO for 25 years. Interesting to get agreement with engineers from around the world. Received a Life-time Achievement award from Hydraulic Institute (Untied States Pump Industry). Obtained 24 United States Patents for pump designs. Retired from Ingersoll Rand after 42 years

Traveled to 28 countries. The most memorable trips were to Egypt, the Serengeti and Central America. At Egypt I climbed up the inside to the top of the great pyramid on semi-ladders. The lady in front of me had high-heels! During the safari in Serengeti, we were in a reverse zoo. The animals were looking at us while we were in Land Rovers. Central America was an awaking to learn about the Mayan culture. They developed lava-concrete highways before the Romans. When in China in 1980’s, I noted that they were using bamboo scaffolding when putting up high-rises. When I returned home, I said” that the dragon is awakening”. And now it has awoken.

I always wanted a sailboat. 1979, I bought a 25-year-old kit for a wooden a 14 foot-Sunfish that was started but never finished. My 13-year-old son and I completed and launched it in 1980.

We endeavored to learn the skill sailing. It was a very steep learning curve.

I was a caregiver for my wife who had Alzheimer’s for ten years. To pass on my experiences of slowly losing a loved one and wrote a book “A Caregiver’s Tips”. As the disease progressed a phenomenon referred to as sun-setting occurred in the evening. She would be standing next to me and start talking to an invisible group to two to three men who she would address by name. The thing is that the subjects she talked about where never discussed in her normal conversations. Sometimes it was about finance, or it may be politics. During these conversations she never looked down to me. Like I was not there.

After Dot passed, I became a Master Gardener for Penn State. Made friends, learned a lot about plants and gardening. Became a member of the Speakers Bureau of the Master Gardeners. Gave talks on gardening and my travels to garden clubs, libraries and church groups. Became a mentor to new Master Gardeners.

2014. joined ILR (Institute for Learning in Retirement) as a lecturer. The institute has about 450 retirees. 30 to 35 classes are given twice a year. Was asked to be a board member in 2020.

2014 started to write a book on the phenology of suburban back yard. First draft was 1100 pages. No publisher would take it. Whittled it down to 568. It was published as Anticipation in 2019