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Neptune at Dubbo



 
 
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  #61  
Old February 12th 07, 10:49 AM posted to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation
Thomas A. Hoffer
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Posts: 6
Default Cats and Neptunes at Dubbo - 2 attachments

Bob:

I'm glad to hear that you and your cat are doing better. I'm a cat owner
too (seems like a lot of us on this newsgroup are coming out of the closet -
LOL). Actually, as much as I like dogs and having grown up with German
Sheppards, cats are easier to care for and maintain.

Mine "adopted" me almost twelve years ago. "Gizmo" (that's the name she
came with) was neglected by neighbors and was about to be "dropped off"
along the highway. She exhibited at first traits normally associated with
ferel felines. The first 7 years I kept her as an indoor/outdoor cat.
However, since moving into my home 5 years ago, she's been strictly indoors.
With 1700+ square feet Gizmo has plenty of room to run. My one consistent
concern with her has been a running battle with her anal glands rupturing
and becoming infected. The surgeries are not pretty. So I empathize with
you.

On another note. You and I are near neighbors. I live in Olympia. I worked
at Sand Point from 1987 to 1990, then called NAVSTA Puget Sound, and I was
there the night the former BOQ burnt down. I was watching a video in one of
the day rooms with a co-worker who had the CDO duty and left an hour before
the place caught fire. Afterwards I remember passing the area the Job Corps
kids were using and watching them leave. To this day I wonder, "What if?"
Had I popped my head into the room to turn off the lights would I have
noticed the smoldering cigarette? Next morning I awoke to the news on the
t.v. of a five alarm fire at the base. Tragic!

Some say the fire secured Sand Point's closing.

Urban legend had it that the hill overlooking Sand Point had almost as many
retired regular and reserve captains and admirals as did San Diego. An
exageration to be sure, but I remember giving a presentation for a group in
the BOQ/O'Club and I never met so many retired reserve (not regular) flag
officers.

After the fire they tried to relocate the O'Club function to the CPO and
Enlisted Clubs, but it wasn't the same. The allure for whatever reason was
gone. Plans changed as well. Land had been purchased from the Tulalip (sp?)
tribe and the need for for the Navy to keep Sand Point really disappeared.
The BRAC decision to close Sand Point came as no surprise.

I had actually been assigned, after college, as an analyst intern in the
Everett Homeport Project office and the Base's Manpower Management section.
Wonderful three years of my life. Was paid peanuts, but I had a ball! The
original plan was to develop the old shipyard on the Everett waterfront as
an operational site with Sand Point Annex providing most of the support and
logistics (i.e. housing, commissary /NEX, etc.).

I visited quite often and watched as one tenant command after another left
for other locales. I had to renew my vehicle decal in October 1993 and the
place was very quiet. The only people left were security, fire and public
works caretaker staff. The Brig may have been still active, as well as the
commissary and Exchange which had been fenced off from the station in 1992.
By Winter of 1995 it was a ghost town. All tenant commands were relocated
and all that remained were the boiler plant staff and a small fire/ security
detachment.

Unfortunately I could not attend the decommissioning ceremony in November
1995. I was informed too late and I had other committments. They opened the
base to the public one last time, allowing people to walk through many of
the now empty buildings. In the admin building hanger many former personnel
brought mementos and there were other exhibits. I remember catching it on
the news that night and wished I had made other arrangements.

My own personal history of Sandpoint goes back earlier, but not as far back
as Bob's. My family moved to Seattle in September 1978 and we spent a week
in the BOQ until our household goods arrived. At that time it was referred
to as Naval Support Activity Seattle. For about 15 months we lived in
Redmond and used the commissary, Exchange, gym, dispensary until moving to
the Kitsap Peninsula. At that time Magnuson Park was under construction and
the fence lines were well established delineating the city park, NOAA
headquarters and the naval cantonment area.

Today the former Navy property is used mostly by the City of Seattle. The
Seattle Police occupy the old dispensary/dental facility. A boating/sailing
outfit is located in the old Public Works area as well as the old MWR docks.
A group involved in making movies is in the old hangar used formerly by the
reserve Seabee and reserve cargo handling battalions. The North and South
wings of the BOQ have been refurbished and are a shelter for battered women
as are the three former senior officer quarters down the street.

The old yellow hanger that housed the NEX/commissary still stands but may be
torn down. I'm not sure if anyone has found this. But five years ago I
discovered what looks like an old marker of some sort which has "VR 51"
stenciled on it. It's buried in asphalt.

The City of Seattle Parks Department has a nice webpage on the military
presence at what was once called "Sand Point" , but I know of no plans for a
museum.

Geez! I've babbled on long enough. At least it's aviation and cat related.



  #62  
Old February 13th 07, 08:36 AM posted to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation
Bob Harrington
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Posts: 681
Default Cats and Neptunes at Dubbo - 2 attachments

  #63  
Old February 13th 07, 08:43 AM posted to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation
Bob Harrington
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 681
Default Neptune at Dubbo - 2 attachments - 1 attachment

redc1c4 wrote in
:

Bob Harrington wrote:

redc1c4 wrote in
:


talk to your vet about this stuff:
http://www.cpvh.com/Pharmacy/ph39.html

we use it on Hairy Calahan. he's 9# of **** & vinegar that's
supposed to be a cute Persian. his brother, the Balinese Siamese
is ~20#'s of confusion that's fairly certain he's a dog. (long
story)

to keep this remotely on thread, Hairy was born to & raised by
family friends who live on Whidbey......

my best to your boy from mine.

redc1c4,
who has a pool in the yard so the cat's have water to drink.... %-)


Thread, schmread... At least we ain't bitchin' about politics.
('poli' as in 'many'; 'tics' as in 'involuntary spasms'.)

The Barniff needs a return visit to the cat repair shop for a checkup
soon, after we get the results of what his rocks were made of. Vet
already mentioned the possibility of such a dietary tweak. Not
looking forward to stuffing things down his gullet - he already has a
few of my fingers to gnaw on...

Is it nap time yet?


Hairy actually *likes* eating the tab.... strange as that is. gotta
crack it in half, but the ruffian will jump up on the counter in
search of his dose, and eat it enthusiastically..... contrary SOB that
he is. (obviously *my* child.... %-)

buy them on line: i got 500 tabs for about what 60 was
via the vet here in Lost Angels.

pics are from the RESCAP i drove to get "Smoky"....

we didn't plan it that way, but we went to Insane Diego the day of the
Cedar Fire....it took all my army acquired skills to get through the
barriers and the blockades to meet up with his rescue people at their
evac site....they had to unass their AO & we met at the local WalMart.

redc1c4,
"poli' & 'ticks' as in many blood sucking creatures...... %-)


Yoiks! That's more smoke than I need to see in a lifetime...

Hairy the drug scarfing feline appears to have lots of catitude!

 




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