Back From Mexico

The Anniversary trip to the Ritz Carlton in Cancun was wonderful. I will endeavor to report on same when the photos are e-mailed from my wife's computer. Suffice it to say, this particular Ritz property is an oasis of luxury and civility perched on the Mexican coast. Through a client we were comped a suite worthy of Kate & William for a ridiculous price per night and we received the full "Sinatra treatment" from the moment we arrived.

In the meantime, the early duck season is open and I am heading down to the Club tomorrow evening to hopefully shoot some Teal. These early season birds are fast and sometimes plentiful...they are also extremely tasty on the grill!

A Personal and Professional Loss

When the phone rang this morning at 6 A.M., I knew it was going to be ill tidings. When I answered, a friend advised : "Shep passed away yesterday."
"Shep" was the Honorable Albert W. Sheppard,Jr. He was the Judge I clerked for when I graduated form Law School. He was a mentor,a teacher, a gentleman and a stellar jurist of integrity and scholarly legal wisdom. He helped me hone my legal writing skills, told me which lawyers to watch in the court room to learn the chops of a litigator....and he was a friend. Furthermore, he officiated at our wedding ceremony 20 years ago this Wednesday.His son went to Lehigh with me and the Sheppards treated me like a trusted family member. Shep imparted to me the tenets of what he called "intellectual honesty" in the practice of Law and of loyalty to the client, the litigants and the black letter of the law itself. He convinced me that there is no such thing as great legal writing....only great legal RE-writing. He will be missed on the bench and in the community. I am profoundly saddened by this news.

The following is an excerpt from the Penna. Bar Association text when Shep was given the prestigious William Brenna award:

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Senior Judge Albert W. Sheppard Jr. will receive the Association's Justice William J. Brennan Jr. Distinguished Jurist Award at the Association's Oct. 20 Quarterly Meeting and Luncheon.
The award recognizes a jurist who adheres to the highest ideals of judicial service. Any member of the state or federal bench, whether active or retired, who has made a significant, positive impact on the quality or administration of justice in Philadelphia is eligible for consideration. Examples of accomplishments worthy of nomination include innovations in court administration, implementation of pioneering case management techniques, assumption of a leadership role in areas affecting the administration of justice, publication of a significant opinion, article, or other scholarly work, or the like.

P.S. Apologies for the poor photo quality of the image of Shep and I shaking hands on my last day of work in his Chambers....the scan did not work to well....but blurring my countenance is probably a good thing....and the point gets across...

Sunday Random Shots

The Dove hunting this week was miserable. The thought is that Irene and her fury drove all the migratory doves out of Kent County. My son did have a beautiful 35 yard left to right crossing shot and I popped a few. The sunflowers pictured are NOT what our field looked like this year....drought in May and June gave is a dessicated stalk of only waist height which did not help for hunter concealment. Well, the pig roast and camraderie was good anyway.
I went at it again with my buddy Wight yesterday A.M. and only shot one...but we had a great time catching up and a tremendous crab feast at Sambo's in Liepsic friday evening. Wight came down from Connecticut and I picked him up at the Wilmington Train station on Friday. We got a few hours in the dove field Friday evening before the crab dinner and had some icy cold beers and good conversation in the field while sitting on the back of my F-150 tailgate. Nothing like a post-hunt brew with one of your oldest friends to make things seem in equilibrium.
My daughter had her horse grazing in our back yard yesterday and this picture rounds out the random images....along with the spectacular view from the window of the master suite on Lower Saranac lake where we stayed during our recent trip...and a shot of my wife and I with our best friends Bonnie and Glenn at Glenn's parent's Camp on Lake Colby...around the corner from Lower Saranac.
So, last randomalia is a few pictures of the Ritz in Cancun. We cannot wait to head to the Ritz Carlton in Cancun on Tuesday morning to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. I have some special celbratory things planned for the trip....and to satisfy my inner Sportsman, I will get in a 4 hour Marlin deep sea fishing venture on Saturday morning while my lovely wife enjoys the hotel Spa.
Enjoy the waning of Summer and get ready for Waterfowl and small game seasons which will be here shortly!

Fraud and Corruption

WASHINGTON (AP) —" As much as $60 billion in U.S. tax dollars has been lost to waste and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade due to lax oversight of contractors, poor planning and corruption, according to an independent panel."



I refrain from political discourse in this forum. However, this kind of news makes me puke. We clearly all knew this was going on...but when it is confirmed and quantified it underscores the outrage we should all feel.

Adirondacks Fun

This Summer we had a tremendous week of weather in the Adirondacks. There was wakeboarding and fine dining, cocktails,hiking,canoing and swimming and jumping off rocks.We had a wonderful time with our friends and with the kids. As soon as I download some more shots I will post some additional photos.
Right now I am trying to finish off this week and next week my wife and I travel to the Ritz Carlton in Cancun,Mexico to celebrate our 2oth wedding anniversary.

College

This morning my Wife packed up the Suburban and headed South to drop my eldest daughter at College for the start of her Freshman year. I could not go for the trip due to work obligations. I am experiencing a swirl of emotions about this development that range from sad to proud and everything in between. This departure of my first child is no unique milestone and I have 2 more coming up in a few years.
Damn, it seems like only a few years ago she was climbing the steps of the school bus for 1st grade. The impact is hightened because she was away most of the Summer working as a Counselor and water skii instructor at a Y.M.C.A. camp on the Estern Shore of the Chesapeake.
On a lighter note, my 14 year old Son had sage and succinct advice for his Sister as she got in the car to leave: "Don't be dumb..."
That statement covers just about anything and it made me laugh hysterically.

Dove Season Approaches

Attention Sportsmen and Sportswomen,Dove season opens next Thursday. That means it is time for our Club's pig roast lunch and our Season opening afternoon in the field. That also means you better have your fieled piece oiled up and clean and plenty of shells on hand. The dogs must be ready and the shooting stool dug out of the garage. This year our sunflower field is a bit scraggly due to the lack of rain at the Farm. Neverthless, we hope for the rapid beat of wings and diving doves and a full bag for all. After the shoot we report to the Clubhouse yard and a big galvinized tub of ice cold beers, a bushel of steamed crabs freshly harvested from a couple of miles down the road in the Delaware Bay, and some grilled dove breasts. We call it the "Wing and Claw Feast" and truly there is very little to equal such a culinary experience. My son will be in the Field with me again this year and I am as excited for him as he is himself. He has his lightweight camo shorts and shirt ready and is begging me to take him to Dick's Sporting Goods to purchase his own .20 Guage shells. "Mark!"....bang bang!..."fetch 'em up boy."