OUR NEW NEIGHBORS
John Russell and Ann Rivers [yes she uses her own name] lived for quite
awhile at opposite sides of Cleveland before they ever met, and then after
what they call a long courtship, they were married, and eventually retired
here to 138 Hawthorne after some looking around.
John is "99% retired". He was a research chemist for B.F.Goodrich,
working with rubber and plastic. Now he is part owner of a company in Cleve
land that makes plastic catheters for open heart surgery, and he goes to
Cleveland frequently. The catheters are a marvel of technology [he showed
me one]. Since they are meant to be extremely flexible during the surgery,
they have inside them a stainless steel wire designed not to touch any part
of the catheter and to keep it from kinking. Fantastic!
Ann is a self-employed psychologist under contract three days a week
to the Neuse Mental Health Center where she counsels adults. In Cleveland
she worked at the Rainbow Babies' and Children's Hospital counseling parents
and staff in the premature babies ward. In fact, she continues to go back
there and do counseling videos on the growth and development of the preemies,
but she loves being at Neuse, saying it's the best place she's ever worked.
I noticed an enlarged photograph of a little girl who turned out to
be John's grand-daughter sitting in front of a plate of "green eggs and ham"
prepared for her as a reminder of Dr. Seuss's book. She was adorable, that
little 4 year old, but did not look pleased about eating the colorful meal!
Ann has 4 sons, 1 daughter, and 4 grandchi1dren, while John has 1 son
and 1 granddaughter. They are both tutoring for the literacy council and
are active in the North Carolina Coastal Federation and the Unitarian Coastal
Fellowship, of which John is Vice President. They are vigorously learning
to sail, and in between they flit about in kyaks [they have 3 and would wel
come calls from otherswho want to go paddling]. Ann also has done white
water rafting and long distance biking. She wants to cross the country on
a bike, but got distracted recently when she had an opportunity to go to
China to see a friend. She got to Inner Mongolia. Hardly anyone else ever
has! Anyway, she's looking for biking companions here. In extra, unfilled
moments Ann and John do Great Books and Bird Watching. I'm wondering where
they found the time to let me come in, but I'm grateful they did!
MARY DOLL
It was, for a moment, disconcerting: I walked into the living room
of Judy and Bill Poit at 127 Beechwood and greeted them both. Then I turned
and met Barbara and Bob Poit. I thought I saw two Bills [or two Bobs, as
the case may have been]. Actually, of course, they're twins. Bob and Bar
bara were here looking at property in anticipation of moving down.
Anyway, Bill and Judy are here now, and feeling very good about it
indeed after three months. Bill has recently retired from Grumman [quite
a group of you guys around here, huh?] where he was an associate research
engineer. On a wall in one of their rooms is a giant poster given him when
he left; Bill is shown intently concentrating in front of a variety of
technology, and in one photo he's in what he calls a moon suit, creating
some sort of lasers out of molten glass.
Judy spent 20 years as the administrative assistant to the superinten
dent of schools where they lived, in Rockville Center, Long Island. When
she left she was presented a computer which is keeping her busy these days.