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[PcflEZFlng]

There is also a Sturgeon Lake next door in Ontario! Except it is in southern Ontario, near the town of Lindsay. I spent many fun, summer days there as a boy when my uncle had a cottage there.

Aaaaaand not surprisingly, there is another Sturgeon Lake in northwest Ontario, north of Ignace!

 

[jimf41]

Mine is a picture of me after landing a Blackhawk helicopter in a particularly difficult spot in a field in Nicaragua. You might wonder what the heck was a NY Army National Guard helicopter doing in Nicaragua in the first place. Well we were part of a JCS (Joint Chiefs of Staff) sponsored mission to bring medical care and build schools in remote areas of Central America. Each year the JCS sends Reserve and National Guard soldiers to back woods areas of these countries to help out the local population. A contingent of nurses and doctors to provide medical care, some engineers to build the schools, some MP’s for security and a company of aviation to get all these folks where they have to go.



Most of the time soldiers practice their warfighting skills but every once in a while we actually get to do a peaceful mission to help folks who really need it. Most of the time we just drop off the personnel where they need to go and fly off to the next mission. In this case we had an hour or so before our next job so we shut down to wait. I got to see the folks the medics were helping. One look at the smile on a 10 year old who ate a poor diet and had never seen a dentist would keep you volunteering for this mission year after year. On this day we brought out some gifts of clothing, school supplies and other stuff donated by the families of our unit. The villagers knew we were coming and to them it was a big event. As you can see in the pictures they got dressed up in their Sunday finest.

I should probably change my avatar to this one

That's me about 20 years ago, you can see my hair just starting to thin out

 

[DaveNV]

Mine is a picture of me after landing a Blackhawk helicopter in a particularly difficult spot in a field in Nicaragua.

Excellent, Jim. A job very well done! Thank you for sharing that.

Dave

 

[Quiet Pine]

Mine is a blooming cactus in my back yard. I also have a few red ones.
My name is my street (Quiet Pines Lane) when I first joined TUG.

 

[Glynda]

Mine is me in Napa about 15 years ago. Miss TUGers! Hi!
Ellen

Hi Ellen! I think of you from time to time here wondering how you are and your family are doing! Good to see you!

 

[Glynda]

On a rather bizarre and disturbing historical side note, the area where I was standing when I took that shot, is now infamous for another reason. On the evening of July 14th, 2016, during Fête nationale (Bastille Day) celebrations, a terrorist drove a white cargo truck east along the seafront pedestrian Promenade. He killed and injured hundreds of people before police were able to shoot and kill him. The truck ended up just about where I was standing when I took that shot several years earlier. There but by the Grace of God!! So my avatar is now also a memorial of sorts.

We too stood very close to that spot on our trip to Nice. That's nice on your part to have it as a memorial avatar.

 

[merriot]

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Mine is a picture of me after landing a Blackhawk helicopter in a particularly difficult spot in a field in Nicaragua. You might wonder what the heck was a NY Army National Guard helicopter doing in Nicaragua in the first place. Well we were part of a JCS (Joint Chiefs of Staff) sponsored mission to bring medical care and build schools in remote areas of Central America. Each year the JCS sends Reserve and National Guard soldiers to back woods areas of these countries to help out the local population. A contingent of nurses and doctors to provide medical care, some engineers to build the schools, some MP’s for security and a company of aviation to get all these folks where they have to go.



Most of the time soldiers practice their warfighting skills but every once in a while we actually get to do a peaceful mission to help folks who really need it. Most of the time we just drop off the personnel where they need to go and fly off to the next mission. In this case we had an hour or so before our next job so we shut down to wait. I got to see the folks the medics were helping. One look at the smile on a 10 year old who ate a poor diet and had never seen a dentist would keep you volunteering for this mission year after year. On this day we brought out some gifts of clothing, school supplies and other stuff donated by the families of our unit. The villagers knew we were coming and to them it was a big event. As you can see in the pictures they got dressed up in their Sunday finest.



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I should probably change my avatar to this one
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That's me about 20 years ago, you can see my hair just starting to thin out
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Wonderful pictures, Jim! We've always known you are the best! Thank you for all your years of service. Plus, look at all the fun you had flying those helicopters! Buzzing our houses! I think it was when we were 57 we bought the timeshare...inspired by you!

 

[Janann]

Me in St. Maarten. I had everything I needed...a good book, a beer, the pool a few feet away, and the beach several yards away.

 

[DaveNV]

Me in St. Maarten. I had everything I needed...a good book, a beer, the pool a few feet away, and the beach several yards away.

Sounds perfect!

Dave

 

[Bucky]

Mine is the insignia of an Army Warrant Officer of which I was for 34 years.

 

[jimf41]

Mine is the insignia of an Army Warrant Officer of which I was for 34 years.

Officially known as Eagle Rising but commonly called the squashed bug. I too wore it proudly , for 41 years. They finally kicked me out when I hit 62 years and 2 months old. It was a hellava ride. A bunch of my old Army pilot buddies have a chapter in the Army Aviation Association and we get together quarterly to drink beers and tell lies. There is a saying among retired Aviation Warrants, "The older I get. the better I used to fly". It's certainly true for our chapter.

 

[Timeshare Von]

From my trip to Churchill, Manitoba . . . "the polar bear capital of the world" . . . or so they claim

 

[SueDonJ]

Mine is from an old sewing needle company. I first saw the image when one of my sisters made it into a poster that hangs in my sewing area, the pic captioned, "Susan hoped the sewing circle would grow into an International revolutionary women's organization to fight injustice and inequality." Ha. Haha.

Since then I've collected a few actual needle cases from different flea markets, consignment shops, etc, and now use the image on most of my social media accounts. It's also the back of my phone case.

 

[normab]

Well, I have enjoyed reading all of your descriptions. Fun and interesting reading!

I was in jr high or high school when Woodstock joined the Peanuts gang as Snoopy’s pal. There was just something about him that captured my affection, I have always championed Woodstock while it seemed everyone else loved Snoopy....not that Snoopy isn’t cool...

When I joined TUG I had seen this pic somewhere, and since it depicts my posture, on any and mostly all vacations, relaxing at the beach or by the pool, I felt it captured the essence of my timesharing experience. The only thing missing is the glass of wine or rum punch....

Norma

 

[Quiet Pine]

From my trip to Churchill, Manitoba . . . "the polar bear capital of the world" . . . or so they claim
View attachment 20403

I honestly thought you were a fan of Iorek Byrnison in The Golden Compass.

 

[Timeshare Von]

I honestly thought you were a fan of Iorek Byrnison in The Golden Compass.

Mmmmm I'm not familiar with that. I'll have to look it up

But nope . . . just love the wildlife and bears in particular!

 

[Quiet Pine]

Mmmmm I'm not familiar with that. I'll have to look it up

He's the exiled King of Svalbard. Here he is in his armor.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Do you think I'm sexy??