40 Years Ago Today - December 26 and 27, 1978

On two consecutive days, December 26th and December 27th of 1978, my father went on an airplane flight. As the pilot. I don't exactly follow all of the terminology but it looks like he flew a Cessna C-152, tail number N159BC, and did some basic maneuvers. While none of these flights included me, it sets the stage for later aspects of my childhood, including my first airplane ride.

40 Years Ago Today - Assorted 1978 Photos

Without any firm dates on these photos, it's hard to determine exactly when they were taken. But I'll do my best based on what details I do know.

The first set would appear to be mid or late 1978. The backs of the photos say "summer" or "fall" and based on the location, clothing, and who is in them, I'd have to agree. They all look like they were taken at the house in Maryland and since we didn't move there until March of 1978, that would line up with the labels on the photos. Additionally, one of the photos is labeled "Hollywood, Maryland" and appears to be from the same roll.

First, we have two photos of me inside. In one, I'm on the phone. In the second, I'm in the nude holding a toothbrush.

Then we have an outside shot of me standing in front of my Uncle Harold and my dad. The booklet is titled "Canon Lenses In A Nutshell." Based on the short sleeves, I would guess this is during the summer.

The next two photos appear to be in the fall as I'm wearing a winter hat and long sleeves. You can see the green van in the background as well as the rear of the house in Maryland.

The final photo is me helping my mom with the dishes in the kitchen.

We also have a scan of the floor plan design, "The Siddell," of the house on Flintlock Court in Maryland.

40 Years Ago Today - December 3, 1978

Once again, I get measured! This time, I've grown to a whopping 33 and a half inches. That's two inches taller than the last time I was measured.

40 Years Ago Today - December 2, 1978

On December 2 and 3, 1978, the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society held a Candlelight Tour at Abram's Delight. Both tours, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, were from 3:00pm to 9:00pm. My grandmother, Dorothy, was a Hollingsworth. She, and the Hollingsworth's listed below, were all direct descendants of Valentine Hollingsworth.

The interior of the brochure states:

The Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society welcomes you to "Christmas at Abram's Delight". This limestone house, built by Isaac Hollingsworth in 1754, is the oldest existing home in Winchester, Virginia. The western section was added before 1801.

The original Abram's Delight plantation, settled by Abraham Hollingsworth, father of Isaac, consisted of 582 acres. Abraham, a Quaker, as was his son Isaac, came to this area from Philadelphia about 1730 and thus was one of our first settlers.

The property remained in the Hollingsworth family until 1943 when it was purchased by the City of Winchester because Rouss Spring was a source of water for the City.

The building and grounds were restored by the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society. The log house, built by the Society is very similar to that which preceded the stone house.

Christmas at Abram's Delight during the eighteenth century would have been celebrated in a very simple manner. Christmas was the principal holy day of the ecclesiastical year both in England and Virginia. The exchange of Christmas gifts between families and friends was not customary in Virginia during the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries, and even the widespread use of Christmas trees was not popular until after the Civil War. In spite of the simplicity of customs that prevailed during that period, we are taking the liberty to enhance this charming home with decorations that add greatly to the enjoyment of the season.

The opposite side of the interior continues:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

DECORATION OF ABRAM'S DELIGHT

ENTRANCE DOORWAY AND LANTERN ..... Hawthorne Garden Club
ENTRANCE ROOM .....Glen Burnie Garden Club
DINING ROOM .....Old Fredericksburg Garden Club
HALL .....Little Garden Club
LIVING ROOM .....Winchester/Clarke Garden Club
BEDROOMS .....Lord Fairfax Garden Club
KITCHEN .....Colonial Garden Club
CABIN .....Winchester-Clarke Junior Garden Club
CHRISTMAS TREE .....Hawthorne Junior Garden Club

WINCHESTER-FREDERICK COUNTY JUNIOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY

CHRISTMAS MUSIC:
Madrigal Singers
Glenn Caluda
Winchester Elementary School
James Wood High School

The rear of the brochure shows Farmers and Merchants National Bank as the apparent sponsor of the printing.

40 Years Ago Today - December 1978

As is still standard today, we have a Christmas photo card from family friends. I'm pretty sure Dan and Gunilda were the parents while David and Sara are the children shown.

40 Years Ago Today - November 8, 1978

Looks like my parents paved the driveway. Insley Construction did the work for $290.

40 Years Ago Today - November 6, 1978

The water test results are in and a Sears water softener is recommended, either the Automatic Softener 1 (stock number 3425) or Automatic Softener 1 (stock number 3435). Of course it's also recommended that the softener be cleaned with the Sears Resin Cleaner (stock number 3442).

Interesting to see the results come back so quickly. I would have assumed it would have taken longer.

40 Years Ago Today - 1978

I was remiss in reviewing additional documents and discovered I missed the entire medical journal my parents kept. It turned out to be a gold-mine of information. Aside from the usual information about ear infections and chest colds, it also shows my trip from Oxnard, California to Hollywood, Maryland. On March 12, 1978, I was seen by my regular doctor, Dr. Cho, in Oxnard. Then on March 15, 1978, I was seen by a doctor in Bountiful, Utah. On March 21, 1978, I saw a doctor in Chicago Heights, Illinois. By March 31, 1978, I was finally in Leonardtown, Maryland, seeing Dr. Bennett.

It was also my first serious injury. The family story goes that I was running in the house and hit the edge of a bookshelf. They had to put stitches in my left ear lobe. X-rays showed no major head injury and a few days later, they pulled the stitches out.

40 Years Ago Today - October 22, 1978

My dad ran a water test on the Flintlock Court house on October 22, 1978. There are a few interesting facts within the report. The first thing I noticed was that it shows three people living in the house. Next, I saw that there was a flow rate of 703 gallons per hour. Finally, the smell and taste of the water. Described on the back, it was "water smells like iron" and tastes "metallic."

2018 Oil Creek 50k Race Report

Adaptation.

As humans, as animals, we have adapted over millennia to become the species we are now. We've done this because as our natural habitat has changed, we have been forced to change or die. This simple rule, this simple fact, is an underlying tenant of ultramarathons. As weather changes, as our body changes, as the course changes, we have to adapt to the changes or fall behind.

It was my ability to adapt that truly saved my race this year. My ability to recognize issues as they arose, address them as best as I could, and then carry on. But change isn't always comfortable and for this year's race, I walked away with some expected battle scars and some unexpected ones. But I finished. And I survived.

This year's race began, as it usually does, with a lack of training. But this summer, I took things to a whole new low. Despite having a good training plan in place and an awesome coach, I logged less than 15 miles since the end of May. Granted, I did bike and swim more than previous summers, but for some reason, I just wasn't feeling it on the run. So I didn't. And as it usually does, it meant I planned on walking much of the 50k course. As in years past, I stuck to that plan, only running a few short minutes in each section of the course just to feel better about myself.

This year was also marked by a mildly concerning level of forgetfulness. In past years, I've been known to over-pack when it comes to gear. Too many clothing choices, shoes, gear, etc. This year, I forgot a rain jacket and pants, two items that I normally have with me. I have no idea why I forgot them. Thankfully, I didn't need the pants. But man, that rain jacket would have been awfully nice to have.

Again, as usual, I arrived at my mom's house, thankful to have some good, old fashioned home cooking and some quality time with my mom. We did some shopping the next day and then I went to packet pick-up. This is when things drastically changed.

I've been doing this race for a few years now. Enough so that I've lost track of the exact count and have to look at my previous list.

• 2012 100k
• 2013 100k (DNF)
• 2015 100k
• 2016 50k
• 2017 100k
• 2018 50k

So as you can see, a good number of years over the race's ten year history. And I've loved every one of them. Over time, I've come to learn the course fairly well, how to get to Titusville, where to park, when to leave, etc. I've even started to recognize a few familiar faces, especially the Race Director Tom Jennings. But never in all of my years, including this year, never would I have ever expected him to recognize me. So when he came up to shake my hand and say hello during packet pick-up, I was floored. It's always an odd experience when somebody recognizes you and you don't recognize them, but more so when a rock star like Tom recognizes you and makes it a point to say hello. I felt thrilled, honored, humbled, and motivated all at the same time.

After eating my normal pre-race dinner, I headed back to my mom's to get some sleep.

The next morning, I was once again spotted by Tom and he once again said hello. I did my usual pre-race morning stuff in the bathroom, had some coffee, and chilled out. The race started and just like last year, I made sure I was the last one off the start line. Last year I finished a few minutes ahead of last place, aka The Wildcatter, in the 100k and what do you know, I managed to meet her as we walked down the bike path. Melinda was a joy to talk to and totally took my mind off that first climb into the trees. Made me feel good. We caught up to Julie from California who was moving slowly but still moving. I decided to move ahead and eventually caught up to Eileen. We chatted a bit but she gifted me with a surreal experience. Just like Tom, she said she recognized me from my YouTube videos of previous races. I was shocked. It totally made my day, made my race, and was probably worth more to me than the belt buckle at the finish.

As the race progressed, I slowly caught a few people and passed them. Not many, but enough to feel like I was making decent progress.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long for my survival instincts to kick in. Within the first few miles, I developed a hot spot on my right heel. My socks, shoes, and lubrication hadn't changed and had been proven to work wonderfully in the past. I had no idea what was going on but I applied extra lube as needed. It didn't help. I continued to develop more pain and by the time I reached the halfway point and get to my drop bag, both heels and several toes were rubbing more than they should have. I had plenty of A&D Ointment on before the race but applied more. My socks were still fairly new but for some reason didn't give as much cushion as they should have. So I changed them. My shoes were rubbing quite harshly and I had never had that happen before. Loosening or tightening the laces didn't help.

All of these issues were small but over time they grew. I was able to adapt and change things as best as I could but without an extra pair of shoes to change into, I was stuck wearing the painful ones. So when I rolled out of the last water table in Section 4, just a few miles from the finish, my left blister popped. It's one of the worst feelings ever. But I toughed it out, slowed down, and dealt with the pain.

It was at this same time that a thunderstorm rolled in. It was serious enough to have lightening and thunder and pouring rain but not serious enough that I felt like I was in danger. In fact, I was more worried about the lightening out in the open than I was on the trail. But it stopped raining as I got to the power lines right before the end of the trail so I was able to dry off a bit before the finish.

Once again, Tom was a great race director, taking the time to talk to me, shake my hand, and hand me my buckle and sticker. Once again, I had a long but wonderful race. Once again, I was amazed that people could be so nice, so helpful, and so pleasant to be around.

And it really is the people that made this year's race so great. From Tom and Eileen recognizing me to the woman at chip pick-up and the finish who I knew from previous years but couldn't remember her name (I still can't. Sorry!). The volunteers at all the aid stations helping the runners. The volunteers at Aid Station 3 serving me food and fluids as I sat and chilled out. The fans and families cheering everyone on as they finished. The 100k and 100 mile runners headed back out for more but still willing to cheer me on. The other 50k runners in good spirits despite having their own issues (To the young lady at Aid Station 2, I hope Elvis eventually left the building, but only at a convenient time.).

So there you have it. Another year in the books.

Weather:
Temps were 70F to 80F. May have dropped a bit when the storm rolled through. Humidity was moderate to high. Overcast most of the day. Foggy in the morning. Rain in the afternoon and evening. Not much breeze.

Fluids and Fuel:
I stuck mainly with GenUCAN Hydrate and food but also snacked on the aid station food when I could. I also had some NUUN here and there.

Aches and Pains:
The usual chafing/peeling. Heel blisters were unexpected. Might lose my right big toenail thanks to a couple of hard stubbing incidents.

Gear:
Wore my KR Endurance shorts, shirt, and Nathan hydration vest.

Splits:
Start to Aid Station 1 - 2:36:43
Aid Station 1 -  1:08
Aid Station 1 to Aid Station 2 - 2:33:55
Aid Station 2 -   12:11
Aid Station 2 to Aid Station 3 - 3:29:39
Aid Station 3 -   9:33
Aid Station 3 to Finish - 3:31:43
Overall - 12:34:54

40 Years Ago Today - October 3, 1978

Forty years ago today, I turned two. Based on the photos below, I got some pretty nice presents. Some Buddy L trucks, Coke trucks, and some wooden Playskool blocks. All of which I remember playing with as a kid when I was older. I also remember the copper or brass pitcher that's sitting on the chest in the background. The photos were taken in our new home in Maryland and my Uncle Harold came to visit. I know at one point he lived in Maryland but I'm not sure if he lived there in 1978 or sometime later or both. It's also no surprise that my mother was there but I do know that the divorce is a looming issue.

40 Years Ago Today - September 1978

After a few months of silence, there is finally a new entry int he #40yearsagotoday project.

This artwork was presumably sent to my Uncle George and Aunt Wilma but I can't be sure. It is at least dated, September 1978, in what appears to be my mother's handwriting.

[2018-09-05 UPDATE] Thanks to some additional information from my mother and cousin, I've learned the art was actually sent to my Grandma Dorothy. They both recognized the handwriting as hers, not my mother's.

40 Years Ago Today - June 20, 1978

On June 20, 1978, my father wrote a letter to Art Struempler, detailing his plans to apply for teaching positions at local colleges and universities. Without going into too much personal detail, there were a few things that I enjoyed reading about.

First, was the brief history my father gave about what happened to him after his time at Chadron State College. To summarize, he worked at Pt. Mugu in California, served in the Army during the Vietnam War, then returned to Pt. Mugu. He also describes some of the college courses he took as well as his work at Patuxent (Pax) River in Maryland, where he was working when he wrote the letter. Most interesting was all of the early computers and networks he was involved with.

Second, is of course the short paragraph where he talks about my mother and myself.

"Well I hoped this will help you Art and if you have xxx [strike-through] any questions please write or call. Gayle is doing OK andso [sic] is Neil. Really like to watch him grow. I am really getting to dislike xxx [strike-through] people who are mean to children. Seems like there is a lot of that around here. But any way he is doing fine after we got into the house. He can run and play outside without the fear of someone xx [strike-through] coming down the street in a car. We were getting ready to xx [strike-through] quit Gov't work and move to the midwest before xx [strike-through] this job came thru. We still will like to live in the midwest somewhere. But first we must see the East part of the country."

Finally, when he closes the letter, he says "Guess it is time to quit, my typing and spelling are going to pot." And it was. There were several strike-throughs and spelling errors leading up to that last sentence.

Attached to the letter was a recommendation form for one of the jobs he was applying for.

What is missing from the letter is more information about Art Struempler. He was a man I only remember meeting once. During that meeting I remember he had a lapidary (rock polishing) hobby and also collected meteorites. Turns out he would find a giant one a few years after getting this letter. When I visited, Art's wife, Jo, was also there but I can't remember much about her. I do recall how much my father revered Art and this letter further proves that. Now that I'm much more familiar with history, I wish I had asked him more questions about his service aboard B-17s during WWII.

40 Years Ago Today - May 15, 1978

This is a BIG post so hang on! The first part is a card from my mother to Aunt Wilma. The second part is the deed on the new Flintlock Court home in Southern Maryland. I guess it was a very busy day 40 years ago!

My mother sent a card to my Aunt Wilma on May 15, 1978. This is where the move to Southern Maryland has finally occurred and things begin to take a turn for the worse. As I've stated before, this is where my family's history will become redacted to a certain degree. With that in mind, I've included a transcription of the letter below (even though my mother's handwriting is easy to read).

May 15, 1978

Hi-

We're fine. Living in an empty, but beautiful house. Furniture comes Wed. So does phone. Today they're supposed to install range & dishwasher. I've waited all day for the electrician - but he's still working on the house behind us.

We still have *so* much to do. But the grass is starting to come up. Gary's been cleaning windows. I've been cleaning all the cupboards & paneling. The whole basement is paneled - I've only just started. I need to line all the shelves with paper yet - but can't go to K-Mart to get it till the electrician comes & goes. It's 10 miles into town for groceries, McDonald's, drugstore, etc. - so I have to plan everything for 1 trip. There's gas & bread & milk about 2 1/2 mi. away for emergencies.

It's so quiet here - no streetlights, even. But the peace is nice 0 a real change. Neil is fine. Has been sleeping *well* from the nite we got here. It's as if he knows we're home. He has a bit of a cold - but nothing that bothers him a whole lot yet.

I went to a TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) convention in Baltimore Sat. & it was great. I drove 3 other women & we got lost twice, but we were always safe & sound - even tho it poured all day. It's rained the past 4 days now & looks like it will again. I wish it would dry up some 'cuz Wed all those guys will be

--> to the back

[page 2]

[portion of card removed]

address & phone though.

Take care.

We love & miss you.

Love, Gayle, Gary & Neil

[pre-printed portion of card]

Hope Mother's Day
is nice for you
'Cause you're an Aunt
who's so nice, too!

[hand-written portion on same page]

Love, Neil & Gary & Gayle, too!

It's funny - Gary thought *I'd* be real homesick. I'm not & *he* *is* !!

[written in different color ink]

Sorry so late - Cards got lost when movers came. Dug 'em out today.

The second part of the day was the deed that recorded the sale of our new house on Flintlock Court in Hollywood, Maryland. It's not too exciting but still interesting to see. I had thought about redacting it like the closing documents but there wasn't much detail on the deed and it's a matter of public record. Plus it's 40 years old!

40 Years Ago Today - May 12, 1978

On May 12, 1978, my parents closed on their house in Maryland. Located in the Scotch Point neighborhood of St. Mary's County, the house is located at the end of a cul-de-sac on Flintlock Court in Hollywood, Maryland. That's right, I used to live in Hollywood (I was destined to be a star!).

As with previous records I have found from my father's collection, there is a plethora of paper. So even though some of the documents may be dated before or after May 12, 1978, I'm using that date as the central point for this particular event (the purchase of the Hollywood house). As an example, the Deed is dated May 12th, but doesn't get "received" by the St. Mary's County Clerk until May 15th. Plus all the insurance statements, mortgage bills, and various other papers all have a ton of names and dates that are just too much to share and would overwhelm the story. Speaking of which, let's get back to it.

While their previous house in Oxnard, CA was purchased for about $20,000, this house was much more expensive. Nearly four times as expensive. And the interest rate on that mortgage? Nine point three percent (9.3%). And while the cost of the new home is an interesting tidbit, I think the details on the Settlement Statement are more interesting. The property was described as:

Route 1, Box 105-5

Flintlock Court

Hollywood, Maryland 20636

Lot 5, Block E, Scotch

Point S/D, 6th Election

District of St. Mary's Co., Md.

An election district was actually listed as part of the property's location. Weird. Not so weird, but still neat, is the line item under Title Charges for "Photostat copies and telephone calls." Yep, they were "photostats" back then, not just "copies." The Hollywood house was purchased directly from the development company, Garner (or Garners) Development Company.

The house itself was a split-foyer style on about an acre of land. It had three bedrooms and two bathrooms with roughly 2,600 square feet. There appears to be a primitive homeowner's association in the form of the Scotch Point Civic Association. Dues may have been $20 per year and they did maintain a pier off of Millstone Lane that was only to be used by those Association members that paid their dues.

While prior to them moving in, the list of things to fix looked relatively small. A few screens were missing, some light fixtures needed covers, and a few appliances still needed to be purchased. And while we're talking about purchases, there's a lot of receipts. I won't list them all but here's a reasonably complete list of the stores they came from:

• Hollywood House TV & Stereo - Route 235, Hollywood, Maryland 20636
• Radio Shack (A Division of Tandy Corporation) - St. Mary's Square Shopping Center, Great Mills Rd., Lexington Park, Maryland, 20653
• Bill Raley's Service Center - 226 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park, Maryland, 20653
• Maryland Tobacco Growers Association - P. O. Box 48, Cheltenham, MD. 20623
• Best Products
• Mammoth Mart
• Peebles - Lexington Park MD.
• MSI - Hughesville, MD
• American Hardware - of Waldorf, Md.
• Fischer's
• K Mart
• Ben Franklin Store - Leonardtown, MD.
• Hechinger
• Sears

Not to spoil the story's ending, but the time we spend in this house will be short. As a family, we were still in Oxnard, California in January 1978. By May 1978, we were in Hollywood, Maryland. By 1979, the Hollywood house was listed for sale. By 1980, my father and I would move to King George, Virginia while my mother would stay in southern Maryland.

40 Years Ago Today - May 10, 1978

A preview of things to come. Big changes for the family 40 years ago!

40 Years Ago Today - April 15, 1978

Though not technically taken on April 15, 1978, the photo is dated "April 1978." I was hesitant to post anything on April 1st because of April Fool's Day and also wanted to give some space between postings. The photo is of Cindi and Jill Eubanks, neighbors of ours from when we lived on Foxglove in Oxnard, California. Their parents, Roger and Christine, were friends with my parents and I have a few pictures of them both prior to and after 1978.

40 Years Ago Today - March 1978

One of the most popular photos from my early childhood, this family photo is from March 1978.

This string of Polaroids is also from March 1978. My parents and I went to Uncle George's for a visit, possible on our way east to the new house in Maryland. Based on the serial numbers, the photos were all from the same batch.

There's a single photo I found with my cousin and I playing at Uncle George's and Aunt Wilma's. I've blurred out her face because I know privacy is important to her family and I wanted to respect that.

40 Years Ago Today - March 1, 1978

I was finally able to locate, learn, and use a large bed scanner. Which made it possible to scan a growth chart my mother had for me. The first measurement was for January 3, 1977 where I clocked in at a whopping 20 and one half inches! Fast-forward a year and a couple of months and I grew to 31 and one half inches.

40 Years Ago Today - February 6, 1978

Apparently I was artistic even as a child.