Don PARKER #211

Letters to the Editor

from Don PARKER in CMO #211

@. . . . . Great hearing from you... Happy Birthday! I turn 60 on 28 January. Unfortunately, in this country we have no such delightful traditions associated with 60 years. In fact, this is such a youth-oriented culture that turning 60 is something to dread. Of course, I don't feel that way -- Mars keeps us young! And tired!
I am glad that we have no traditions of wearing baby clothes. I would look like "Jabba-the-Hut" from Star Wars in diapers!
I apologize for not keeping in touch more often. My mother (who turned 95 last week) fractured her hip in April, and I have spent a great deal of time in Chicago caring for her. She is doing well now, but refuses to come to Florida.
I have attached my Mars images from October- December. I have sent the January images in a separate e-mail. The seeing has been variable here but pretty decent. February is our best month, so Carlos and I are looking forward to some serious observing.
Thanks again for continuing to send the CMO. I always find very useful information in it. I hope someday to put all this into a database, along with the ALPO and BAA data. Just thinking about it makes me feel 80, not 60!
Happy New Year. Hope the images are in satisfactory format. Best,

(19 Jan 1999 email)

Don PARKER ( FL, USA ) dparkr@netside.net