1975

Cheers from the Isle of Shoals! Situated here, some seven miles off shore from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, time seems to have stood still. For those of you who have read, The Weight of Water, you have a sense of what it feels like to be anchored off this remote island. The sun is setting over the Portsmouth Hills, and the clouds as they mix with the setting sun, have created a palette of red and orange highlights, against a pure blue sky. Regardless of what is happening in the rest of the world, for just this moment, life couldn't be better.

The mail has been scarce this month, which is just fine, since Nancy and I have been traveling quite a bit these past few months.

From the Internet, comes word that Kel Seliger, who in March was in a special election for state senate in Texas, has managed to be portrayed as Superman in a recent Amarillo Globe-News article. To quote just the first paragraph, "A week after the special election, Kel Seliger's personal life didn't let up. Never mind that a runoff election was less than a month away. On the same day he had a funeral to attend, his son came down with an eye infection. His wife—who was recovering from a car wreck she suffered two days earlier while he was campaigning in Big Springs—still couldn't get around by herself. So it fell to Seliger to swing by the school and pick up his son, Matthew, 12, who had the infection." And so it goes on. Kel, who has served as a commissioner and then mayor, has really made a mark for himself. Something any of us who knew him at Dartmouth could have predicted. We're proud of you, Kel! And in addition to the article on Kel, I just heard that he won the special election and is now a state senator for Texas—con-gratulations, Kel!

On a more personal note, I am pleased to report that the following close classmates of mine have turned 50 way before me: notably, Blake Winchell and Albert "Hairless" Sandy Tierney. I had the pleasure of being at Blake and wife Lou Anns double 50th birthday celebration at Pebble Beach, and we had a wonderful time celebrating just how old they are. More recently I had the pleasure of playing in a Pro-Am squash tournament against Sandy, and seeing how little hair he has left. I let him win—all right, he beat me quite easily, but I still have more hair than he does! In any event, in one of natures reminders of our age, I managed to rupture my own Achilles tendon eightdays before my 50th. So lest there be any doubt, we are all getting old. If you rupture your Achilles, feel free to contact me, as I am now an expert.

On a sadder note, once again, it is my sad duty to report on the death of one of our classmates. James Ketelsen died of undisclosed causes on December 31, 2003. He was an investor relations consultant at the time of his death. His wife, Catherine Gittings, survives him. At Dartmouth Jim was active in WDCR/WFRD and the Dartmouth Outing Club. Our hearts go out to his friends and family.

Make the most of the spring and summer. It goes by too quickly.

5 Boardman Ave., Manchester, MA01944; (627) 737-1100,x302;jbildner@tier.com