Born on the 4th of July

Who Are We?

I am a resident of Mariposa in California's Gold Country. Mariposa is a small town with a colorful past. Once the home of the explorer John C. Fremont, now
a gateway to Yosemite National Park, the most- visited of America's parks.

A retired Paramedic & Firefighter. I spent most of my working life as an EMT with ambulance companies and as a firefighter (paid & volunteer). I've worked in urban & rural settings throughout Northern & Central California, as well as in the Sierra Nevada mountains. I started as an ambulance attendant in the 70's, when all the license one needed was a First Aid card and I've watched and participated as EMT's have become skilled and professional in this work. I have a great interest in hearing the stories of others from my field, as in my retirement I plan to write a book about my career, perhaps a fictional account of the changes I've seen. The WWW has been a great place to meet folks like myself.

A father of 6 and grandfather of 5. My family is the most important thing in my life. Some of them are of my blood and some just mine in love, but they're all mine (or ours, as my wife, Judith says). From the Jumpstation below you can access each of them in story and pictures.

Oh, yes....I also have a fondness for . I put this graphic here, shamelessly, because the owner of the RJ Coke site wanted to give me her award and a Coca-Cola reference was required, LOL- but I do like Coke! Really!

Miss Judie, in the pictures is my wife, Judith. She is a Head Start teacher and the children call her "Miss Judie". She is also many other things- I met her while training EMT's (the teacher use to be my student) and immediately recognized her talents....she is a superb mother, artist, a wonderful singer (soprano) with many professional credits, actress, plays the piano and organ in our church and does a zillion different crafts- just about every one you've ever heard of except welding. I think the current passion (judging purely by the current mess around the dining room table) is that scrapbook/photograph cutting-up thing.

CC, Miss Judie and, in the background,
another of the world's natural wonders

On TalkCity IRC Miss Judie is known as "Teach2" and CC is called "Ski-Dude", and also the "Galactic Overlord of Virtual Djibouti"...ummm, a long story....

While you are here, please sign my