Wednesday July 31, 2019

Wednesday July 31, 2019

Blog time 1130 at Panera

Good grief it is the last day of July.  The summer is moving too fast.

Today I have Breakfast Club.  Up at 0515 and get ready.  Took Ms P out at 0600 and the temp was a pleasant 60.

Good crowd at BC.  Today I gave the Invocation.  No major blunders.

We had a great speaker today.  He is in charge of the Ford Museum’s Historical Presidential Study.  Also a History Prof at GVSU.  Very interesting.

Headed straight home after BC.  Changed to bike clothes and headed to Panera.  Finished yesterday’s blog before heading back home.

July Memories continues:

In July 1964 Ltjg Scott was about to complete his 18 month tour in Vietnam in late August.  I was also completing my military obligation in Sep.  

The military ran Rest and Relaxation flights to Hong Kong and Bangkok.  I had taken the Hong Kong R&R and our construction headquarters were in Bangkok so I had to visit Bangkok about every 4 months.  I wanted to visit an area unique to Asia.   My career plan after the Navy was to return to Alpena, Mi and work for Scott Engineering for the rest of my life.  I thought I would never return to Asia.

I selected Singapore and Malaysia.  Malaysia had just received its independence from Britain in 1963.  Singapore was part of Malaysia.  I would have to pay for the trip out of my own pocket.

Went down to the Air France office and bought a ticket to Singapore.  I wanted to stay at the Raffles in Singapore but it was under renovation so I stayed at a local hotel.  I spent several days sightseeing in Singapore.  

I had never slept on a train so I bought a first class ticket to the Capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.  I took the morning train to KA.  It was about a ten hour ride through jungle and pretty green villages.  

I checked into my hotel, walked around KA and decided to go to a local movie.  I saw Tom Jones with Malaysian and Chinese subscripts.  I was the only blue eye in the theater.  

Next day visited the sites in KA.  Around 1800 I boarded the train and found my sleeping berth.  For dinner I sat in the Club Car and had a nice long dinner with wine.  I thought I was a man of the world. (I have a vivid imagination)  After dinner I returned to my berth and the bed was already made up.  I slept like a baby on the ride back to Singapore.  The Porter woke me about an hour out and I was provided a breakfast of tea and biscuits.  Left for Saigon later that day.  Great memory.

This afternoon Nancy is working at the Gardens.  Lunch, laundry and trash before my nap.

Fixed an apple snack when Nancy got home.  Tonight we had a light dinner.  Fixed Nancy her cheese/pill snack before a walk to the mail box.

Tonight we watched an episode of Murder in Suburbia.  I think we had already seen it.  Nancy headed to bed and I watched Under Cover before turning in.  No AC today and the nice weather will continue through the end of the week.