BILL & REGINA, THE EARLY YEARS

 We were married for almost five decades. But if I had to pick a time I remembered most fondly, it would be our first seven years together when we lived in Virginia. There were a number of reasons. First of all, it was Virginia and I am a Civil War buff. So we wandered all over the state visiting and photographing battlefields.

Secondly, I had dream summer jobs. I worked as what was known as a Seasonal Park Ranger Interpreter portraying a Confederate soldier at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania  National Battlefield. Then I transferred to Booker T. Washington National Monument since it was way closer to home. Soaking up the atmosphere at every stop.

Next I joined the Fincastle Rifles a reenactment group dedicated to keeping history alive. Became really close friends with them. They accepted this transplanted Yankee and even made me an honorary member of Fincaste Rifles camp #1326 SCV.

But the most memorable time we had was when I was a student at Roanoke College. Since I was a Veteran, I was 4 years older than every other student plus we lived off campus. I really enjoyed school and Regina and I associated with a slightly older crowd. I have to give her credit, Regina was not the best cook in the world when we first married, but she loved looking up recipes and started experimenting. In fact we would invite some of the friends we made over for dinner and a night of that dice game Yahtze. She really got good. To the point where my student - friends would ask me, "what is she making this week?" So we hosted weekend dinners and tried out recipes on my unsuspecting friends.

Then about a year before we left Virginia, Regina became Pregnant with our first child. Angela was born in Culpeper, Virginia. For the longest time, we used to bust her chops calling her our "true Virginia Belle". We finally left Virginia when I received a better job offer up North. But I have always missed the " Old Dominion."

The Blue Ridge Mountains, The Washington Redskins, me at Fredericksburg and the Sunken Road at Fredricksburg.