Family Life

Wanderlust (wan·der·lust) (wónd?r lùst) noun - desire for traveling: a strong desire to travel. [Early 20th century. From German, literally “desire to travel.”]

My birthmother was a switchboard operator, 20 years old and not married. She had long dark hair, an olive complexion, and big brown eyes. My birthfather was in the area, looking for work. He, however, was married. I was adopted at five months of age. Four years later, my parents adopted a younger brother, followed by a younger sister a year later.

On March 23, 2005, thanks to an adoption angel named Kim, I found out my birth name... Donald Edward Waltrip. Has a nice sound to it.

My Father was career US Navy. He was stationed all over the place, and we moved every few years. I was born in Virginia. From there... 1965 - Clarksville Base, Tennessee; 1966 - Jacksonville, Florida; 1968 - Orange Park, Florida; 1970 - Albuquerque, New Mexico; 1974 - Corpus Christi, Texas; 1975 - Flour Bluff, Texas. January 1978, towards the end of my senior year, I moved to Alice, Texas, to get completely clear of a rotten alcoholic situation at home, and to stay in high school and graduate on my own. After graduation, I moved back to Jacksonville to reconnect with my Mother, brother, and other relatives.

I joined the US Navy in 1979 for the Nuclear Power Program, and went to boot camp at NTC San Diego, California (same place my Father had gone to boot camp in 1940); Machinist Mate "A" School at NTC Great Lakes, Illinois; followed by the Naval Nuclear Power School at NTC Orlando, Florida. The rest is classified. And no, I no longer glow in the dark.

Join the Navy and see the world!

No comment necessary

Radiation Works! Support Your Local Reactor!

The U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). 2nd of the Nimitz-class nuclear powered supercarriers.

After my stint in the Navy, I went to work for Gilman Paper Company, Building Products Division (a southern pine sawmill) near Jacksonville, Florida. Moved up to Oregon in 1986 as my stepmother was very ill. And promptly got a job with Gelco Insituform, an industrial contractor, for a job on the Alyeska Pipeline Terminal in Valdez, Alaska. Imagine... Florida to Alaska in less than 2 months!

I was fortunate enough to be able to travel around Alaska on long weekends and a couple of vacations. I've been to the "northern most Denny's in the world" in Fairbanks. I've been as far north as you can go on the Prudhoe Bay Highway (Yukon River Bridge).

The most incredible place I visited was the area of McCarthy and Kennicott, Alaska. After driving for roughly 60 miles on the gravel remains of the Copper River railroad tracks, you come to the Kennicott River and a campground (bring your sleeping bag and $10 a night). After riding an open metal cable car (seats 2) across the river, a ten minute walk takes you to McCarthy. Another 4 miles and you're in Kennicott, an old copper mining company town from the early 1900s. Just incredible...

I used one of my "open return" airline tickets plus $50, and spent 10 days in Hawaii just off Waikiki Beach. I am still amazed at the memories of crotons (bright variegated shrubs) taller than houses. Walked around Diamond Head, enjoyed the sun, and can't wait to go back.

At the end of the two year Alyeska project, I was offered a permanent position and transferred to Sacramento December 1988. Not a year later, I opened a field office for Insituform Southeast in Tampa, Florida. Later that year south Florida became my home when I opened another regional office in Oakland Park (Broward County). That winter in South Florida was the warmest winter I've ever had. House plants here are outdoor plants there. Imagine a 40 foot tall Schefflera! Made the decision to make my way back to Oregon in 1989.

I went to work for the State of Oregon, Executive Department, in the state's Central Payroll Office in 1990. Later I accepted a position with the Oregon Department of Forestry as their Payroll/Recycling Coordinator.

My stepmother, who had battled major cancer with surgery and radiation in 1973, not even three years after she and my Father remarried, passed away March 1992. I wish I had known her earlier in her life for happier memories.

Had a 20 month stint at Kinko's on South Commercial here in town. One highlight was getting a new in-store ethernet router setup which networked the self serve Macs, self serve IBMs, and the full serve Macs and IBMs to a B&W laser printer, a color laser printer, and a networked color copier/printer. Remember, this was 1996 and Win XP was just a figment in Bill Gates mind of world domination... know that it never worked quite right, but it was certainly one step past AppleTalk. It was a learning experience and I got some decent on-the-job training of Macs and networking in general. Even my basic network here at home with two computers, router, scanner, and shared color laser printer reminds me of some good memories at the big "K". Everyone should have, at some point in their life, a short term job at Kinko's, at least, the "old" Kinko's. Now it's FedEx Kinkos and isn't the same... it's all about the "bottom line" and how much you're willing to "give" to the company. Scott, Nicole, Rachael, Mike, etc... if you're out there know you still ROCK in my book!!!

Managed to make my way back to the Central Payroll Office, now part of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services April 1997. I accepted a position with the Oregon Department of Corrections October 1999.

My Father passed away from Alzheimer's Disease October 2003. I haven't seen or spoken to my Mother in person since 1985. I tried to visit her when I was in Jacksonville on vacation in 1998 with no success. After several years of no communication, we now correspond by an occasional letter or post card. I hope she is well, healthy and happy.

My awesome wiser sister lives here in town - her kids are back east - a niece (elementary school teacher) and nephew-in-law (cable guy) with great nephew Jacob and great niece Allison in upstate New York, and a nephew (stock options guy) and niece-in-law (elementary school teacher) with great niece Claire in North Carolina. A younger sister (zoologist) and brother-in-law (zoologist) with niece Hayley live in east Texas. A younger brother (Captain EMT/Paramedic) and sister-in-law plus nephews Steven and Justin, and niece Beth live in rural Georgia.

My long time friend KC, a long haired Calico with extra toes (and extra claws) on both front feet, had to be put to sleep October 2005 at the good old age of 16. I'd had her since she was a kitten. February 2006, my Lab Ossa had to be put down at age 13 after a stroke that left her blind and unable to stand. Andy passed away July 2008 a month shy of 16. Dinner time with all three running around was truly a sight to see and hear. Between barks and meows they all had something to say. I miss them very much... someday another dog or two will find their home here but I'm not quite ready at this time.

KC the Calico showing who's queen of the house (1990).

KC the Calico loved the sunshine

KC the Calico after visiting Uncle David the groomer

Andy the Sheltie (2003).

Andy the Sheltie (2005) He's a happy boy!

Andy decides he really doesn't like the snow (January 2007) Uncle David cut him way too short...

Ossa the Lab (2005) She was very wise and also very nosy!

Ossa and Andy... the original tag team (March 2005) Andy thinks Ossa can be a bitch at times.

I work for state government in the public safety sector as a professional bean counter, enjoy working in my gardenyard and on home repairs and improvements, along with keeping the two 4-wheel toys in excellent shape... a 2003 GMC Sonoma Extended Cab Pickup with a third door and matching canopy, and a very cool, very original 1975 Chevrolet Nova Custom with only 63,200 original miles. I wish Dad was here to enjoy them. That was the one thing we had in common... the love of a cool ride. And yes, I mean a vehicle...

Hard at work?

My new baby and I.

Field of yellow summer flowers on the way to Mount St. Helens. I was going for a "Sound of Music" scene. The hills were alive . . .

Myself, Lauren and Curtis... the original Mod Squad. Flour Bluff High School 30th Reunion November 2008

Now in my 16th year of living with HIV, this has certainly been one hell of a roller coaster ride. I look forward to the future, and whatever it may bring. In retrospect, it's too bad it took an HIV diagnosis to realize what was truly important in life and what really matters, so I do what I can to make my corner of the world a better, more caring and compassionate place.

Thanks for reading, take care, play safe, and please pray for peace for our planet and the safe return of our men and women fighting for our country. Know that you can pray and work for peace and support our men and women in uniform. Drop me a line if you'd like to. Peace out!

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