posted March 03, 2005 07:29 AM               

Mexican food in the Moon Hut ?

It'll be chinese noodles next at Tranquillity Base :-(

I like Mexican and Chinese foods as it happens though :-)

posted March 07, 2005 11:19 PM               

Have any photos of the inside?

posted March 08, 2005 11:13 AM               

Although I have darker hair now, I'm the guy with the whitest hair and moustache!

Astronaut Dr. Duane Graveline was our special guest (back center), and he graciously answered all our questions, posed for photos, and autographed our photos (he provided some too). He was a very interesting person to talk with.

What was most important to me from this gathering was to talk with Steve Zarelli. I was in a deep depression from 9/11 and my mind kept telling me that 60,000 had perished. Talking with Steve, I found out that he was in the station in the basement of the World Trade Center after the planes had hit, and was able to escape before the towers collapsed. I was talking with a survivor and it had given me hope. I will always be thankful for this meeting.

We gathered the next year, too, but with a smaller group.

posted March 08, 2005 12:06 PM               

Gang "Geekfests" were quite common at one time, inspired and first put on by the venerable Russ Still who was there this night but I can't quite tell if he's in the pic or not. I do not believe he is. He was gladly signing copies of Guenter's bio that he wrote. I miss these events. It was a chance for collectors to get together, swap lies and memorabilia. Some historic deals were made at these events. The one at Russ's house should go down in history as being the best one.

However, this one was the most well attended one and at the most historic place. Garry is correct, Dave Canneti and I put it together, with much help from many others. Thats Dave's daughter I am kneeling with in the middle front. I kept trying to adopt her but they wouldn't let me.

In the center in the red shirt in the rear is Doc Gaveline and his lovely bride Suzanne. Doc is a story unto himself, a victim of the early days of NASA PR hysteria. A more well deserve guy to be an astronaut you will not find. AND one of the brightest and neatest. To the right of them is the man, the mystery: Mr. Mint, Gerry Montague. Sitting together on the right hand table are Steve Zarelli and Rob Pearlman. Standing on the left hand wall starts with Roger Guillemette, dear friend and prolific writer, Bill and Vicki O'Donnell, Gary and Julie Clark and next to Doc Don " the Dawgman" Brady (whom you know as Apollo11lem5). Also visible is Ian (Skippy in Space) sitting in front of the left hand standees, next to him Andy McCulley and Jimmy Brown is standing to Mints right. Towards the front on the LH side is Rob Sumowski, Garry has already ID'd himself although he has a new look today. Kevin Taylors lovely wife is on the right table in the front, and Kevin took the picture.

On the right side standing halfway down is Charles Davis, and in the right hand corner is Dave Cannetti standing behind his (then) wife Tammy (in the pink), Matt Scherzi is to the right of my left shoulder with the beard, behind me is Karen Mauer slightly to the left, Gil Huey in the LH corner with beard, to the right behind Kathy Taylor is Jerry Matulka and his bride.

Please forgive me, all whom I left out as my eyesight is bad and I cannt figure out the rest.

I thought Tomy1 was there, but I cant tell in this picture, he's usually quite prevalent at all events along with some guy who's name I am forbidden by the National Security Act in naming or showing a picture of.

<phew> What a grand time. Thanks again Rob for sharing the photo.