Jul to Dec Jenni completes degree I return to Oz

1988 Our lives in America
Jul 4 weekend 1988 My time in America is coming to and end and we have a few celebrations. This is a barbecue at Kaz' house in LA with the LA Stunt mob attending. Our host Kaz Minato Bob and Jim Armour. Both have passed away. Tom Lay and friend, Sue Whitley walks away - both Tom and Sue have passed away. Jim Armour effects repairs to his sunnies.
Four of the six cars usually parked at Bob's house in Fountain Valley. Monday July 4, 1988 We go to a car show and 50's rock concert at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley 1988 late1988 0066 a 1988 late1988 0067 a
Part of the 50's rock concert. Bob is a devotee of this music, me not so much. The crowd appreciates the musicians on a gorgeous sunny day in L.A. This is a group called the Shirrells. The dance floor.
Beautiful '32 Ford. These were called the Deuce Coupe, there is even a 50's rock song about it. The 32 Ford was the world's first popularly priced car to offer a V8 engine. Saturday July 9, 1988 Bob Crawford invites us to a farewell at his house. 1988 Invitation 0001 b
Bob gets his 1967 Stingray out of the garage. This car is worth somewhere between $80,000 to $100,000 in 2022. The production run of this body style finished with the 1967 model. He lets Jenni drive. She doesn't get out of second gear.
KRC is Bob's initials Blondes have privileges us ordinary people don't have Bob was offered a promotion to NCR headquarters in Dayton but knocked it back because he prefers the California lifestyle. Jim Rosenau and his wife - I never get to meet her much. I like Jim a lot. We often argue about whose daughter is the more beautiful.
Bruce signs the book they give me. Lowell Balzum on the right is one of Bob Crawford's managers at Rancho Bernardo. Steve Goulette (centre) with Bernie Guzman and Hafez Guayzani 1988 late1988 0084 a Friday July 15, 1988 Brian, Val and Cheryl Eather arrive on my last day at work. I am no longer employed by NCR in the US but by NCR Australia. I take 4 weeks leave while in the US.
Saturday July 16 Bob comes down from Fountain Valley to join us for a barbecue at our place in Mission Valley. Kaz and Miyako join us Brian enjoys some California hospitality. We leave California on Sunday 17 July and go to the US Nationals held in Virginia Beach, Virginia. We get back to Mission Valley on Saturday, August 6, 1988. We review the photo album assembled after the trip.
We go to into town and Brian changes into his shorts. Can't take an Australian anywhere. We see Who framed Roger Rabbit? Hilarious We go to Seaport Village, a waterfront shopping and dining complex adjacent to San Diego Bay in downtown San Diego. It houses more than 70 shops, galleries, and eateries on 90,000 square feet of waterfront property. This is the carousel. We go to the Dingy Bar that featured in the movie Top Gun.
We have lunch here. Greasy food, paper plates, plastic forks. Fantastic! Brian forgets his telephoto lens. A staff member rushes out to give it to him. Saturday August 20, 1988 The final round of goodbyes. We go to Bruce and Sandy Walter's house for a barbecue. Jim Rosenau and his wife.
Rick Rubin is my replacement as manager at SESD. One of the guys I really liked - Bruce Walters. His wife Sandy holds their grand son. 1988 late1988 0255 b Me with our admin assistant Sue and her partner.
Cheryl Guzman and hubbie Bernie. Bernie is a good friend. He buys Jenni's Honda Civic when she leaves San Diego. Roy Shoemaker. Gene Saunders. Sister Susan arrives and we have dinner at Hamburguesa in Old Town San Diego
Susan stays with us in Mission Valley. The two sisters. At the Wild Animal Park, an 1,800 acre zoo in the San Pasqual Valley area of San Diego, near Escondido. It is one of the largest tourist attractions in San Diego County. California's flag, the Bear Flag", flies under the US Flag. The precursor of the flag was first flown during the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt and was also known as the Bear Flag. It is believed that the bear on the flag is based on the last California grizzly kept in captivity. This bear was named “Monarch.”
It's still Saturday August 20, 1988 and we go to Bob's place in Fountain Valley for a farewell from the L.A. flyers. John Pointer makes this farewell cake for us. John Poynter and Keith Trostle's wife Barbara. Bob and sister Susan in the background. Keith Trostle and Jim Armour. Jim lets me drive his 70's Chevvy convertible. Nice and quite an honour. Bob's trophies adorn the wall.
Kaz and I discuss the finer points of Tom Lay's inline twin. Jim. He died on January 21, 2011. Susan with Gene Rhodes. He is a neighbour of Bob's and a fellow car enthusiast. Bart and Nancy Klapinski arrive.
Sunday August 21, 1988 Air show at Miramar Naval Air Station. This is my third visit to this air show. A couple of C131s KC10 Tanker U2 spy plane. 430mph, 70,000 feet, range 3,000 miles.
North American T2C Buckeye jet trainer. Handley Page Victor K.2 In-flight refuelling tanker converted from a strategic bomber (I.E. drops atomic bombs). This plane XL231 has a fascinating history. It spent 1982 assisting the Falkland War effort and then went on to become part of the regular Airbridge flights to the island in support of the Task Force and later British forces on the Falklands, only finishing these duties in July 1985 when she moved to 55 Squadron. XL231 was back with 57 Squadron the next month, but they were disbanded in June 1986 as Falklands Airbridge ops had so reduced the fatigue life of many Victors that several had to be taken out of service. Back with 55 Squadron, XL231's next period of active duty was in 1990/1991, supporting operations during the first Gulf War. Flown with 100% serviceability on all tasked operations, the Victor force spent the last years of their lives supporting RAF and Allied operations in the Gulf area. XL231 was finally retired to the Yorkshire Air Museum on 15th October 1993. The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces and also the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps. The C-46 served in a similar role to its Douglas built counterpart, the C-47 Skytrain, but it was not as extensively produced as the latter.
A4 Skyhawk and E2C Hawkeye E2C Hawkeye. Can track 600 targets. Crew of 5: Pilot, copilot, radar, combat, air control. F14s. I think the paint scheme was done for the Top Gun movie. Can track 24 targets and simultaneously and guide attacks on six different targets.
The CH-53 Sea Stallion (Sikorsky S-65) is a family of heavy-lift transport helicopters designed and built by Sikorsky Aircraft. Originally developed for use by the United States Marine Corps. A4 painted as an enemy aircraft to train Top Gun pilots F104 Starfighter. This F104 is privately owned.
Business end of F18 T34 Talon, 2 seater trainer based on F5. Privately owned Chance Vought F4U Corsair. S3 Viking Sub Caser Tracker
The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a 4-crew, twin-engine turbofan powered jet aircraft used by the U.S. Navy (USN) primarily for anti-submarine warfare. The Viking provides electronic warfare and surface surveillance capabilities to a carrier battle group. Because of its characteristic sound, it was nicknamed the "War Hoover" after the vacuum cleaner brand. F18s of the Blue Angels before their show. Flags of all 50 States There's a Confederate Flag in there. Whoops! in 2022 Five states still include the Confederate Flag in their State flags.
Team America SIAI Marchetti F260s from Italy. They give a pretty impressive demonstration. Interservice precision parachute team. Fightertown USA
F14 Flight demonstration. The F14 lands. See the elevators? E2c demonstration
The E2C bows after landing A privately owned MiG 15. It's owned by the "Combat Jets Flying Museum." F86 from the same organisation Blue Angels put on an impressive display.
1988 late1988 0154 a 1988 late1988 0155 a 1988 late1988 0156 a 1988 late1988 0157 a
These three photos are in sequence. Number 1 Number 2 Number 3. Taxiing in after the show.
Me at the airshow. The previous weekend I go with Bob to Chris McMillan's father's place. This is the engine of his "car show" Jaguar E12. The Ferrari is a fun car but the Jag is for car show competitions. It always wins; it has only 7,000 miles on it.
The story is two foreigners, probably Arabs, want to buy it and are willing to pay $100,000 for it, cash. They have the money in a suitcase but McMillan Senior says no deal. San Diego from Cabrillo Point - return to OZ time draws nearer. Tuesday, August 23, 1988 All our stuff is packed and ready to go back to Oz with the removalists. We sell the car to Bob Whitely. The garage looks depressingly empty right now. How quickly three years have flown. The washer and dryer are gone, sold but the buyer wants his money back and stops the cheque.
The removalists pick up all the stuff we accumulate over three years. I think we use Kent removals, the same company we used to get to San Diego from Oz. I don't shop around for the best price, I do this all by myself as opposed to leaving Australia where NCR does it for me. Piss on 'em. Thursday August 25, 1988 We have a farewell dinner with Gary Mathews and family. Susan comes as well. Marge
Justin Erin. The Mathews kindly offer Jenni a place to stay with them while she stays behind to finish her degree at San Diego State. Gary tends to the barbecue A London broil no less. A London Broil broil is a beef dish made by broiling (grilling) marinated beef, then cutting it across the grain into thin strips. Despite its name, the dish and the terminology are North American, not British.
There is plenty of meat. Gary is one of the senior managers at SE-SD; a thoroughly nice fellow. The next day Friday August 26, 1988 We have a farewell dinner at Stuart Anderson's Black Angus in El Cajon with Ranny and Caroline. Ranny died in 1999. Susan takes the photo. Stuart Anderson's is my most favourite restaurant anywhere. I revisit it many times in future years.
Saturday August 27, 1988 We take Susan to another favourite of ours, El Indio take-away Mexican. It's on the eastern side of the I5 freeway, San Diego Airport is on the western side. This is the first Mexican Food restaurant I ever go to. Ranny and Caroline take me there on my return home from Dayton in 1968 - 54 years ago. Yikes We stroll down to San Diego waterfront which isn't that far from El Indio. 1988 late1988 0186 a
The America's Cup practice is on, this time in San Diego. America V New Zealand; this is the USA entry, The Stars and Stripes. The 1988 America's Cup was the 27th America's Cup regatta, and was contested between the defender, San Diego Yacht Club represented by Stars & Stripes H3, and the challenger, the Mercury Bay Boating Club represented by New Zealand Challenge's KZ-1. Run under strict Deed of Gift rules, the regatta was won by the San Diego Yacht club, in a two-race sweep. The 1988 America's Cup was the first hostile Deed of Gift challenge. Dennis Conner had won the America's Cup for the San Diego Yacht Club on 4 February 1987 at the 1987 America's Cup. In July, New Zealand banker Michael Fay went to the San Diego Yacht Club and issued a Notice of Challenge from the Mercury Bay Boating Club of New Zealand, which was based on a strict reading of the Deed of Gift. The Fay challenge stipulated that the boats to be sailed would be defined only by the details of the Deed, namely single masted yachts no more than 90 feet (27 m) at the waterline and that the race would be held the following year in 1988. He proposed to bring a 90-foot racing yacht for his challenge boat.
The unconventional challenge was met with an unconventional response. As the challenge used the original Deed of Gift as its basis, there were no explicit class or design requirements other than that the boat was to be 90 feet (27 m) or less at the waterline if it had one mast. Thus the San Diego Yacht Club and the Sail America Foundation chose a much faster multi-hull design. NZ tried to cheat and were outsmarted. There are usually four years between Americas Cup challenges with the challenger selected by winning a series of sail-offs for the right to challenge. Michael Fay's challenge excluded other nations' right to challenge. On 5 May 1988 the Cup returned to the courts with Michael Fay seeking a court ruling that the catamaran was an invalid defender. The court instead ruled that the cup should be contested on the water, and any further legal action should be delayed until after the race. Sunday 28 August, 1988 The car is loaded with my model box on top and I'm on my way to LAX. I feel very sad right now for two reasons: I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and do not want to go back to Oz, and I know that I will miss my beautiful wife who is to stay behind.
A couple of days later August, 1988 Ian and Julie Smith arrive and take a picture of Jenni calling me. I stay with Joan and Roger temporarily while Jenni house sits for Ranny and Caroline for the next two weeks. Caroline shows Jenni where she is to sleep and points out the hand gun that she keeps in her bedside draw. Jenni freaks out. I arrive in Australia on Tuesday August 30 and report for work the next day. I spend the next three weekends working on Dean's car at his mother's in Mosman We eventually get it working by changing the engine. There is a small problem in that it tends to catch on fire. Noeline decides immediately to get rid of it. I spend the first two weeks back at Joan's place and move in with Dennis and Bonnie.
Bonnie is only 38. Dennis is aged 48. Pete is 10 years old. Me at nearly 48. Even though overseas phone calls are still stupidly expensive, Jenni and I manage to talk together every couple of days.
A weekend or so later, KMFC holds a competition and Ian Smith is there. Keith Graham has improved dramatically in the three years I am away. Dennis and Reg Towell Ian puts Bonnie down for a moment and flies his plane in the competition.
Brian flying at KMFC Line up of stunt planes with my US Nationals stunt plane in front I have this plane in the roof although I never fly it. Ted and Jenni
October 2-3, 1988 I go to Braidwood to visit Steve and Sam, Jenni's brother and sister-in-law. This is their son Jarrah. What a little cutie. Asha, 3 years old. On the Sunday Sam, Dean, Sky and the two young ones and I go to Canberra for a look. This is the new $1 billion Parliament House Sam and Asha
Dean and Jarrah. The mark on Dean's face is where he fainted and hit his head. Daughter Sky I think the elegant flag pole is out of place on an inelegant building The Australian Coat of Arms
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. It's weird but my Grandmother, born in Australia, was like all Australians of that era who considered themselves to be English people living in Australia. The funny thing is we were never English citizens, we were only ever British Subjects. To me it's quite ugly - pretending to be magisterial but looking anything but This is the Great Hall. The timber work is beautiful. The $6million flag pole
Sam, Sky and Asha The Old Parliament House is on the right centre, Lake Burley Griffin is the lake with the fountain. Old Parliament House looking up to the Australian War Memorial. A multi-level pool sits outside the buildings entrance
This used to be Dean's Grandmother's car; she left it to him in her will and I buy it from Dean It is a 1982 two speed Honda Civic, similar to the car I had in America but it a semi-automatic. How do three adults and two kids fit in this car? October 22, 1988   Jenni receives a special award from the California fliers for her support of modelling activities in the US. Jenni won a lot of hearts here (as she does wherever she goes)
The best thing that happens all year is right now. I see an ad in the paper about a new Landcom release at Mount Colah and a few of the more expensive blocks are still available. I rush to the Landcom office at Castle Hill, hoping all the way there, that the block is still for sale and it is, and I buy it. This is the view across the valley from the back of the block. Saturday October 15, 1988 Sydney is going through another of its stupid housing booms. The house we sold in 1985 for $90,000 is now worth $180,000 and we can't afford that much. Jacqui, Dean and the girls come with me. Dean and Jacqui stand on the peg marks that define the width of the block - 30 metres. Joan says, "You what?'   "You did this without asking Jenni?"   "What will she say?"   "It'll be fine, we trust each other's judgement," and she was fine with it. Quite excited I might say. This is the fire trail behind the block. Nellie takes this picture. The block, LOT 208 Banyula Place cost $135,000 and is 785 square metres - its a huge block. I borrow $108,000 on 28 October, 1988 and the land is ours. What a year!
We own the land and Jenni isn't even in the country. View of the block from the street to the back. It is one of the relatively flat blocks in the estate hence more expensive than all but one other block. We walk a couple of hundred metres up the road and we can see right up the National Parks in the distance. This weekend Bonnie, Dennis and I wallpaper the living area of their house at Beecroft. While Jenni is in the USA, I send her pictures of the houses within our reach. It looks like we can afford four bedrooms, two bath rooms and a two-car garage. She shows an interest in this one.
It has a nice private garden area. Jacqui comes with me on some of the weekends as I continue looking at New Display Home villages I favour this one by Allworth Homes priced at a budget-stretching $58,000 for the basic home. She favours the one on the left called the Encore. Spoiler alert, guess which one we select? We sign for an Encore with a final price, with extras, of $98,000. There's a local competition on at Liverpool.
Frank Battam has a new plane. Denver Harvison, haven't seen him for years. Lovely bloke. Brian judges while Bonnie writes his scores down. Dennis is there and flies one of my older planes. He wins!
Brian Gardner's father Laurie practice-judges with Brian coaching. The Percivals and I catch a monorail to Darling Harbour. It hasn't been open all that long. "Somebody at San Diego State Loves Me". Jenni and I talk a lot during our months apart.
Bonnie looking as though somebody loves her too. Part of the Darling Harbour complex. Monday December 19, 1988 Dean leaves for Germany. Noeline has got him an apprenticeship with Arri the German movie industry camera giant. Jacqui and several of his friends come to the airport to wish him farewell.
Jenni returns to Australia on Wednesday 21 December, 1988 my birthday. Thus ends the American part of our lives together; me with a decent job in Australia and Jenni with a Batchelor's Degree, graduating Suma Cum Laude with honours, from SDSU. The end of this segment Jump to Home Page of this site