Sue and Bob Kirkpatrick got married 9 years ago and took all their 5 kids with
them to Ocean City, New Jersey for a family honeymoon. Sue was a widow with a son and
a daughter; Bob was a widower with 4 sons. The kids had sort of known each other as
they'd gone to the same schools. It's all worked out splendidly. Sue and Bci) figure
that now, at last, they are having their private honeymoon right here in D-23, Westport,
PKS, where they've been living since late May.
Bob worked in sales for an acoustical ceiling sub-contractor [they did at least
10 casinos in Atlantic City!] Bob says he's always peering up at ceilings to see what
they're made of!
And Sue taught math at Springfield High School for 17 years. That's Springfield,
Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia, and it's the same high school where Bruce Yaeck teaches.
Bruce is Cres Yaeck's son, [and we all know Cres who invented the word sittum and has
been here for almost 17 years] and it was through that connection that the Kirkpatricks
first came to PKS and began looking round for a retirement paradise.
Three of their 6 combined kids are married, [there is one cheery 9 month old grand
son whose photo makes you giggle with delight] and three are single - the youngest still
in college.
The Kirkpatricks looked at boats before they came, but decided to concentrate for
a while on golf, and Sue continues to knit and sew [she made her daughter's wedding
dress. It should have won a prize! Elegant!] They can watch the activities at the
marina from their deck and they think they see more people working on their boats than
people riding on them, so they're relieved about their decision, and are awfully pleased
with their new found free time and the prospect of discovering more of North Carolina.
M. DOLL
O.W.L.S. PATIENT OF THE MONTH: PILEATED WOODPECKER
This woodpecker [the largest in North Carolina] nests in large rectangular cavities
in tall trees. A nest tree v;as cut do\m in Morehead City, leaving 3 babies on the
ground. One was dead, and two were brought to O.W.L.S. We were thrilled to have these
beautiful babies, and made sure our mealworms were in good supply. Due to internal
injuries - caused by falling 40 feet — we lost one bird after two days ... leaving
"Woody". She soon learned to take mealworms from tweezers, and talked to us constantly;
in fact, we became convinced that Woody even talked in her sleep! [The call of the
pileated is not soft and melodious!]
When she was fully feathered. Woody was put in a large outside enclosure and given
dead logs. With amazing instinct, she immediately began drumming and using her long
tongue to eat termites and ants. Now she not only talked, she drummed non-stop! Thank
goodness for patient neiglibors.
Woody was recently released at Norrine's place, and returned for mealworms for
a few days. She then joined a family of pileated woodpeckers in the area, and is hope
fully enjoying having someone to answer all her talk!
O.W.L.S. needs: funds to buy mealvrorms, dog and cat carriers, a temporary "home" to
rent.
PT.KASK call the wildlife phone - 240-1200 with questions or problems. This phone is
in Stephanie's home, but is manned by trained volunteers [through the miracle of call-
forwarding]. These volunteers can handle any situation, and know how to help you.
Admissions to date: 442.
S. GOETZINGER