1933

Some may think that we are running the business of Gil Fernandez and the ospreys into the ground, but the whole business fascinates us, even though we wouldn't know a Pandion haliaetis if—with its wing span just short of an eagle's—one flapped down beside us. Not only is the enterprise of Gil and Jo intriguing, with the salvage of hundreds of these massive birds, but the idea of Gil, once of the New Hampshire hills, Theta Delta Chi, and The Experimental Theatre, prowling the marshes of Buzzard's Bay to erect platforms to sucker those oversized hawks, titillates by its contrasts. The Taunton (Mass.) Daily Gazette recently went all out in describing this admirable work, spreading on its pages two photographs of Gil and Jo patrolling the Westport River, a sturdy platform in the background ready to accommodate one of their feathered friends.

"It brings you in contact with very wonderful things about nature," Gil told the Gazette of his work. "It makes you realize the interweaving of the ways of life in nature and how it affects the quality of life of man." Of course, those fish that now get scooped up by the doughty sea eagles might have different thoughts.

When we called Lym Wakefield's home recently, Willie, his wife, in a surprised voice said, "Why, he's at the office!"—not a characteristic locale today for us octogenarians. We called him there and found that he is in a third career with an independent bank- and-trust company, Resource Trust Bank, which he helped to start 20 years ago to provide an alternative to the financial behemoths, such as First National, where he was vice president for 30 years. He finds the smaller size attractive to customers and comfortable for him as chairman emeritus. In the winter he heads for Carefree, Ariz., where he is a neighbor of Jim McFarland.

We reached John Woodman in Kennebunk, Maine, and found him happy and relaxed. He and Mary headed home Down East the day after he retired from Rohm & Haas in Philadelphia, where he spent 35 years in the chemistry and plastics business. Five miles from the ocean and the wonderful beaches, they have never regretted their move. No mention of his former avocation— barbershop-quartet singing. As for bathing in the Maine waters, "Up to the ankles is enough."

3043 West Lane Keys N.W., Washington, DC 20007-3057