Well, with the exception of the blood work scheduled for tomorrow AM, I am done with the week’s testing. The P.E.T. scan went OK and the Pulmonary Function test was OK, too. You have to work hard on that one… I didn’t think I could blow out any more air and son-of-a-gun, I found the strength to squeeze some more out… whew… what a workout.
My TR friends are not going to believe this: While Ruth Ann and I were waiting for the PFT, who comes strolling in with his wife, none other than Charlie Brown! I first met Charlie when I was president of the Connecticut Triumph Register… he and Carmie had driven from Goldens Bridge, NY to Manchester, CT for the annual CTR picnic and concours at Wickam Park. He had (and still has) a TR3A that he massaged from ratty to nice over the years that he has owned it. For all those who think that British sports cars are too small for them, consider this: Charlie is about 6’6” and fits into the TR3 just fine.
Anyway, he and Carmie moved from Goldens Bridge to Danbury several years ago, and had a place in Clearwater Beach. They sold the place in Danbury about 6 months ago and are now living permanently here in Florida. I had talked to him several weeks ago and it looked like we could meet up at Moffitt Cancer Center one day. It didn’t work out that day, so it was a real surprise when he walked in… with Carmie in tow. So we had a nice chat and caught up on his travel… Bermuda, Hamptons, etc. Life is good for Charlie… except for the freekin’ cancer.
I sure miss those CTR shows and all the other shows that we had in CT. There was the MG show in New London in early Spring on the water (they used to have it at Gillette Castle), and their other show in Bethlehem at the fairgrounds in later September. Who can forget British on the Green up in Granby… 300 British cars! We even did the Norwich show at least once, and I went to the Lions Club show in Southbury once (1200 cars!!!!). Ours was still the best… we had the best trophys (Armetal plates and cups) and in the early years, we even gave out free food for the participants. Later we gave the food concession to a Boy Scout Troop from the area and we let them keep the profits… they made a ton! Gary LaRue used to come and help with the food, too.
The last time I went to a CTR show was probably ’06 and I showed up with my ’58 Alfa Spider Veloce. I think it was that same year that Bob L., Larry R. and Gary D. went to the Alfa show in Manchester NH… me with the TR6. So in one year, I went to an Alfa show with a British car and a British show with an Italian car… go figure, huh?
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