Billy Joel in Concert

Saturday night Debi and I went to see Billy Joel at the Pond in Anaheim. Well, it's called the Honda Center now but I hate the renaming of these venues to the highest bidder. It was a one-time only event to a sold-out crowd. It was a great concert of old favorites interspersed with a rendition of Highway to Hell by Chainsaw with Billy Joel on guitar. You can see a similar rendition here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLeEjOSYL78. Also you can read a review of the concert here: http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/billy-joel-honda-1986654-center-anaheim. What was surprising was the number of yount people in the crowd. Most of them were probably not born when Billy Joel's string of populare albums were released in the 70's.

Picture Identified

Click picture to enlarge
This is the picture that Karen found at George's house. It is a picture of my mother, Adelaide Congdon, with her grand uncle Kenyon Hampton driving. This was taken circa 1926 when my mom was about 11 years old. She was living in Glendale, California with her grand Aunt Grace and grand Uncle Kenyon. I sent a message to the Los Angeles historical society and they identified the building as the Los Angeles Amory. This is one of the last great city armories still standing. It is located in Exposition Park which includes beautiful rose gardens. The Los Angeles Coliseum is nearby. Today the Amory has been converted to a science museum and includes an Imax theatre. Notice in the picture to the right below the exact spot where the picture was taken next to the lamp post. I can only imagine that they were on a outing to tour Exposition Park. My mom used to say that they took rides into Los Angeles on weekends and that her uncle had many fender benders with that car. The car is a 1924 or 1925 Ford Model T with nickle radiator shell. This car cost $685 in 1924 and based on inflation, the price today would be about $8,300.

1924 Ford Model T and advertisement

Another Old Friend Passes On

I bought my HP Laserjet 4L printer in 1994 for $600. It was a major purchase but it has served me well with thousands of pages printed. I have repaired it several times over the years and parts are readily available on the internet. Recently it starting giving me trouble and after about 4 hours of work on it, I was unsuccessful in getting it back to life. I have been wanting to get a new printer anyway since the 4L only does 4 ppm. So, for $160 I bought a new Dell 1720 Laser printer that prints 27 ppm. This is about the only printer available that has a parallel port that I can connect to my printer server.

Old ........................................................................................... New

O-KAY! I give up!

Today I retired my 20-year old Ikea desk chair. I had the seat and back reupholstered about ten years ago but the arms had several layers of black tape. I took them to an upholstery shop today and was told it was hopeless. When I moved last January I had forgotten to give my Ikea chair to the movers. So, I put it in my truck and carefully transported it across country. This chair originally came from the Ikea at Plymouth Meeting, PA. This is going to be a difficult transition for me so please pray for me.

Out with the old ....................................... In with the new

Rose Parade 2008

A good time was had by all thanks to Ray Bowman's hospitality with his motor home parked on Colorado Boulevard. Ray, his son Brad and I arrived about 1 p.m. Monday afternoon to set up the RV at about the 4 mile point of the parade. We got the RV settled and then welcomed our two neighbor RV's on either side. We staked out a sidewalk location with chairs and the self-contained fire pit. Soon Ray’s friends began to arrive. In total I think there were about 17 of us. We spent the night staying warm by the fire, cooking hot dogs and marshmallows, and drinking heavily. The children occupied themselves with the tossing of marshmallows and crazy string attacks. Ray insisted on launching fistfuls of marshmallows with his giant slingshot to the partiers on the opposite side of the street for which he had to attend a meeting with the police.

The police were in full force all evening up and down the street in squad cars, paddy wagons and on foot. Strangely, just before midnight they all disappeared only to show up again at about 12:30 a.m. For sleeping arrangements, there were eight of us in the RV, three on the street in sleeping bags, and some of the women and children in a local hotel.

I was up at 6 a.m. to sit by the fire and watch the sun rise over Pasadena. The parade starts at 8 a.m. but we didn’t see the start until about 9:30 a.m. It was great seeing the floats up close and all the bands and equestrian teams - a real treat not to be missed in one’s lifetime.

Ray is the consummate host with everything prepared, including fresh roses for the ladies, lots of marshmallows, dozens of cans of crazy string, party favors and a great breakfast. Thanks man! We love ya!

Christmas 2007

Many thanks to Andy, Dorinda and Maya for hosting the Christmas get together for the Rumbold clan in Perkasie. It was a great week of gatherings. On Wednesday and Thursday Andy, Jonathan and I drove up to Woodbridge. I installed the low temperature alarm in Elmcroft and on Thursday Karen came down to take us to the cemetery to see the plot for her parents and to George's house to see the work that has been done to get it ready to market.
See Andy's blog for lots more photos of the Christmas gathering.

Thanksgiving Remembered

A very sad Thanksgiving today, knowing that George was not with us. He was supposed to be in White Bear Lake, MN having dinner with Laurie, Dennis, Alexis, & Timothy. Debi and I had dinner at my house with a prepared meal from Albertsons. Here is the Thanksgiving dinner from last year at Elmcroft. L-R: Emily Odell, George Rumbold, Dorinda Rumbold, Andy Rumbold, John Rumbold, Rachel Odell, Doug Odell, Karen Odell, Jacob Odell.

We miss you George.

Probe underway in reservoir accident

Woodbridge man who died in Seymour remembered as helpful community member
By Susan Hunter, Editor
Valley Gazette

SEYMOUR - Family and friends speak fondly of Woodbridge resident GeorgeRumbold, 66, who died Nov. 13 after his car skidded off the road and slid into the Peat Swamp Reservoir. Police are trying to piece together the events that led to the untimely death.

The state Medical Examiner has ruled accidental asphyxia due to drowning as the cause of Rumbold's death. He died at Yale-New Haven Hospital, according to Seymour police, hours after being pulled from his pick-up truck, which was submerged in the reservoir.

Police and fire department personnel and emergency medial technicians responded to the accident on Haddad Road at about 10:50 a.m. A passerby had called police after finding the fence down at the reservoir, which is operated by Birmingham Utilities, and discovering the truck overturned in the water. The passerby tried unsuccessfully to get Rumbold out of the pick-up truck and called 911. [This man, Marlow Tinari returning from New Haven, was first on the scene and called 911. He took it upon himself to jump into the water and up onto the overturned truck with hammer in hand. His attempts to break the glass were unsuccessful due to the resistance of the water. He could not see through the water due to the oil and gasoline floating in the water. George carried cans of gasoline for his chain saws. Bob Anastasio, George's good friend from the transfer station arrived shortly after but did not recognize his friend's overturned truck. He left the scene as emergency personnel arrived. - John Rumbold]

Police and emergency crews tried to pry the passenger side door open with crowbars, also without success. Then an American Automobile Association tow-truck driver, who learned of the accident while he was parked at a Seymour business, used the winch from his truck to hook onto the side of the pick-up and move it closer to shore. This enabled fire department responders to use the jaws of life to pry the driver's side door open, according to reports.

Ken Woodward, the tow truck driver, said the Seymour business owner heard about the accident over a police scanner and alerted Woodward. He said he had worked in the Amity area and knew the location of the reservoir. "I had a vehicle that could possibly help them," Woodward said, so he drove out to the accident site.

Using his winch cable and j-hooks, he pulled the pick-up truck out of the water so volunteer workers could free the driver's side door. When the pick-up truck crashed into the water, it turned upside down, crushing the roof and jamming the doors, Woodward said. "I was bummed out that he didn't make it," Woodward said. "I have to commend the Seymour volunteer firefighters. They jumped in and did what they had to do and put themselves at risk."

Rumbold was extricated from the truck and given advanced life support by Seymour Ambulance Association personnel. He regained a pulse after arriving at the hospital, police said, and was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit. He died late that afternoon.

According to a preliminary investigation, police said Rumbold's vehicle, a 1990 Ford F-250 pick-up truck, was traveling in a southeasterly direction on Haddad Road. For an unknown reason, the pick-up truck failed to negotiate acurve, said Seymour Police Lt. Paul Satkowski, and left the travel portion of the roadway.

It slid down an embankment, overturned and landed in about four to six feetof water, trapping Rumbold inside.

The road surface was wet at the time from recent rains and covered with leaves and pine needles. "Speed is not considered to be a factor at thistime," Satkowski said.

A familiar face in town
Rumbold's son-in-law, Dennis Blandino, said his father-in-law would have gone out of his way to help, as Woodward did, had he found someone in trouble. "He would have done something," Blandino said. "He wouldn't turn his back on anybody."

Blandino and his wife, Laurie Rumbold Blandino, Rumbold's daughter, live inWhite Bear Lake, MN.

In their grief, they are trying to make sense of the tragedy that took the life of the grandfather of their young children.

Rumbold loved his country, Blandino said, and wouldn't think twice before writing letters to government leaders about the loss of American manufacturing jobs and other issues.

His strong views were always tempered by tact and a good-natured acceptance of other people's viewpoints. "I don't know anybody more patriotic than George was," Blandino said.

Friends, family and acquaintances are struggling to understand how a man so familiar with Haddad Road, who typically drove slowly and was safety conscious, could have met with such a fate.

"He was a religious zealot about wearing a seat belt," said Joe Hellauer, administrative officer for Woodbridge. "I feel badly for him. It's a toughway to go."

Rumbold was well-known in Woodbridge for delivering wood, pruning trees and trimming hedges.

Because of the nature of his work, he often made several daily trips to the Woodbridge landfill and was probably on one of those trips when his car left the roadway last Tuesday, Hellauer said.

Rumbold had worked in a managerial capacity for U.S. Electrical Motors, formerly in Milford, Hellauer said, and for the past several years, he was self-employed as a handyman.

He did yard work for the Hellauers a few times a year, and was on their property just two weeks ago Sunday trimming apple trees.

A Seymour police department reconstructionist is investigating the accident, Satkowski said. There are no known witnesses to the crash. Anyone who was traveling in the area of Haddad Road before the accident or who may have seen something is asked to call the Seymour Police Dept. at 881-7600 and ask to speak with Sgt. David Parratt, the lead investigator.

A memorial service for Rumbold took place at Trinity Evangelical Church in Woodbridge on Monday. An obituary appears in today's issue of the ValleyGazette.

Accident Investigation

The cause of the accident in which my brother George died is still under investigation. The toxicology results of the autopsy will be another five weeks for determining if he suffered any kind of medical affliction although he had no history of any medical condition. The police are still conducting their study of the vehicle for possible mechanical failure. The speedometer was stuck at 25 mph so speed is being ruled out as a factor. When I visited the scene last Sunday, I noticed that the right hand tire skid mark in the pine needles was off the traveled part of the lane and it was very straight. This means that he was not trying to turn away from the reservoir to follow the curve of the road. It also means that he was not centered on his lane. However, as a careful driver he may have been giving a wide berth to oncoming traffic on this winding road. We found a small piece of metal which I am thinking could have been part of a motor mount. It was found over a hundred feet from the incursion down into the bank of the reservoir which is indicated in the photo below. My speculation at this time is some kind of mechanical failure or some medical problem causing him to loose control. In the photos you will notice that the wire fence had already been repaired. The family may look into possible legal action for the failure of the city and/or water company to install a guard rail on the road. We have been told that many vehicles have gone into the reservoir but this is the first fatality.
Click images to enlarge




Note that the fence has been repaired

My Big Brother

From the memorial service today:

My brother George was born three years and three days before me.
We were never very close growing up.
I knew why and he knew why but we never talked about it.
Our parents favored me over George and he resented it.
George was not a big brother to me growing up. I never looked up to him in those days.
He didn’t protect me or guide me as a big brother often does.
He looked to me as the smart one and himself as the not so intelligent one.
He completed junior college and I ended up with a masters.
George was the extrovert. I was the introvert.
He had many friends – I have few.
I can’t remember any friends from more than fifteen years ago.
George has five friends that he has know since he was fifteen.
And dozens more over the years of his journey.
I moved around a lot. He stayed put.
He was the lucky one. He had all the fun.
After all, George, it wasn’t me that shot out Miss Russell’s barn windows with the BB gun.
I never had a BB gun!
I was stringing a wire from the attic window across the lawn to the tall pine trees for improved reception on my crystal radio.
And, it wasn’t me that had to confront the Woodbridge Police at 1 AM in the barn loft to shut down the party.
I was probably sleeping and dreaming of trigonometry formulas.

In reality, I just had the knack to sit and read a textbook
He was good at sitting and talking with friends – and sometimes dancing wildly.

I always thought of George as an eccentric. A dear eccentric.
But he was much more than that;
George was ordinary and simple, complex and extraordinary.
A friend. Caring. Offering to help. Full of good humor. Always a patriot. Never taking advantage of anybody. Complaining and then looking the other way when somebody took advantage of him.

In maturity we became closer.
We had families to share – cousins to bring together.
During the last two years we became very close out of necessity to care for our mother.
After her passing last year we spent six months together in Woodbridge preparing mom’s property to market.

Sometimes, I helped him with his activities – riding in his truck over Haddad Road along Peat Swamp Reservoir to the transfer station a dozen times. He taught me how to fall a tree.
Since I returned to California, we talked once or twice a week. I missed our rides together.

We talked about mom’s property that George was caring for; or estate matters that I was handling. But, he would talk on about his client’s activities; trimming Mrs. So-and-so’s bushes, falling Mr. so-and-so’s tree, the so-and-so’s cellar clean-out, or the little annoyance he had at the town hall.
I had no idea who these people were. I got to know them through George. They were his clients. They are his friends.
We would talk on until he ran out of things to say. I never ended the conversation. I was absorbed.

I have my clients. He had his.
My clients and friends needed help with their financial lives. Businesses and individuals call me about their taxes or financial futures with question like defined benefit plans versus defined contribution plans. Or, what is the alpha of one mutual fund compared to another.
George’s clients and friends need help with their daily lives. A bush, a tree, a cluttered garage, some firewood. Maybe just a long talk about something on their mind.
I suddenly realized that there was no difference in what we were doing. We were both meeting the needs of people.
Except that his clients could understand what he was saying. My clients have no idea what alpha is or what cliff vesting is.
I may have book smarts but George had compassionate intelligence far above my learning.
I envied him.
I looked forward to our calls.
Many times I would call him but it was nice to see his name displayed on my ringing phone. What new adventure was he in today? Did I have enough time to share it all? I always made the time.

Finally, I had my big brother. Somebody to look up to.
Now, George is protecting and guiding me from on high.
I know that he is preparing the way for me.
Look after mom like you always did.
God be with you, till we meet again.
I Love you.

Accident Scene

Sunday the family visited the accident scene to place a cross and flowers. George's two daughters, Laurie adn Karen, their husbands and five grandchildren attended. Also in attendance was George's cousins Charlotte and Thom Kearns, his finance Barbara Stewart and his nephew Andrew Rumbold. We also met Ken Woodward, the tow truck driver at the scene. George's good friend Bob Anastasio from the transfer station also came by. Click pictures to enlarge.


Granddaughter Rachel

George Storrow Rumbold, 1941-2007

George S. Rumbold, 66, of Woodbridge, CT departed this life on Nov. 13, 2007. Born July 13, 1941 in New Haven, CT. He was a lifelong resident of Woodbridge. Lifelong friends and recent aquaintences respected and admired George for his selfless caring and humor; his steadfast patriotism and friendship. He was the beloved father of Laurie Blandino and her husband Dennis of White Bear Lake, MN and Karen Odell and her husband Douglas of Pawling, NY, five cherished grandchildren; Alexis, Timothy, Rachel, Emily and Jacob. He is also survived by his brother John Gordon Rumbold of Irvine, CA. He was predeceased by his Father John S. Rumbold and by his mother Adelaide Congdon Rumbold. He was also predeceased by his former wife Elaine Rumbold. He leaves behind his beloved fiance Barbara Stewart of Mendham, NJ. A Memorial Service will be held Monday Nov. 19 at 2:00pm at Trinity Evangelical Free Church, 33 Center Rd, Woodbridge. Contributions in George's memory may be made to Autism Research Institute, 4182 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA, 92116.

Woodbridge man pulled from reservoir dies

New Haven Register, Thursday, November 15, 2007
By Lauren Garrison, Register Staff

Seymour – The Woodbridge man whose pickup truck plunged into the Peat Swamp Reservoir off Haddad Road Tuesday morning died later that afternoon at Yale-New Haven Hospital, police confirmed Wednesday.

He was identified as George Rumbold, 66, of 118 Ansonia Road, Woodbridge.
An autopsy conducted Wednesday morning determine that his death was caused by asphyxia due to drowning, according to a spokesman from the state Medical Examiners’s Office.

According to Seymour police, a preliminary investigation revealed that Rumbold’s 1990 Ford F-250 pickup truck was traveling on Haddad Road when it “failed to negotiate a curve, left the travel portion of the roadway, slid down an embankment, overturned and landed in approximately for to six feet of water trapping Mr. Rumbold inside.”

Police noted the road, which has many curves, was “wet at the time from recent rains and covered with leaves and pine needles.”

Police do not believe speed was a factor in the accident.

There are currently no know witnesses to the accident.

Anyone traveling in the area who may have seen the pickup before the accident is asked to call Sgt. David Parratt, the lead investigator, at 881-7600.Rumbold’s family could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Driver pulled from pickup submerged in reservoir

New Haven Register, Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Woodbridge man spent 22 minutes underwater
By Elizabeth Benton, Register Staff

Seymour – A 66-year-old Woodbridge man was submerged about 22 minutes Tuesday morning in a reservoir off Haddad Road after his pickup truck plunged into the chilly water.

The man was without a pulse and was not breathing as emergency crews pulled him from the truck, Seymour Ambulance Associate Chief Scott Andrews said.

Crews performed CPR and advanced life support as they took him to Yale-New Haven Hospital. The man’s pulse returned on the way, and he was listed in critical condition in the hospital’s intensive-care unit later Tuesday, according to police.

There were unconfirmed reports late Tuesday night that the man had died.

Police did not release the man’s name, but are expected to do so today, pending notification of his family.

Andrews said emergency crews were called to the scene at 10:49 a.m. by a passer-by. At that time the truck was upside down in 3 to 4 feet of water.

I was unclear how long the driver may have gone without air. Andrews said there may have been air pockets inside the cab of the truck.

The cold water may have increased the man’s chances for survival. “With a cold-water drowning, that slows all the body’s processes down. The colder the water, the better the chance of survival as they warm him,” Andrews said.

Emergency crews used a hydraulic tool to open the truck while still in the water. Once the unconscious driver was extricated, teams used a basket to pull him onto the embankment.
A tow truck operator driving past the scene also stopped and offered his wrecker to help stabilize the submerged truck as they pulled the man from the water, Andrews said.
“As chaotic as the scene seemed, everybody worked really well together to gain access to the patient to get him out of the water,” Andrews said.

Police are still investigating how the truck landed in the water.A small amount of gas from the truck spilled into the reservoir, and state Department of Environmental Protection officers were called to the scene. Birmingham Utilities President John Tomac said the reservoir has not been in use since 1984, and the incident will not affect water quality.

Note from John Rumbold:
It was reported that when my brother arrived at the emergency room he had no brain activity and his body temperature was 70 degrees F. The emergency room team worked on him for over four hours but he ultimately suffered another cardiac arrest and could not be recovered.

Good Samaritan helps pull truck from reservoir

Helicopter photo


by News Channel 8's Annie Rourke


Posted Nov. 13, 2007Updated 9:30 PM
Seymour (WTNH) A tow truck operator jumped into action to help a person that had careened off the road into the Peat Swamp reservoir in Seymour.
Ken Woodward heard about the accident from a Seymour store owner who was listening to a scanner.
"I know it's out in the middle of nowhere, maybe they couldn't get there in time, maybe I can help whoever's there, you know, it was just something that came over me, I had to do it," Ken said.
Woodward jumped in his AAA tow truck and drove to the scene, arriving just as the fire department was pulling up. Chopper 8 captured the rescue from overhead. The pick-up truck had swerved off Haddad Road and slid down a ten-foot embankment, flipping upside down into the reservoir.
"For some unknown reason, he was unable to negotiate the corner, the curve, and went off the road, into the reservoir," said Lt. Paul Satkowski of the Seymour PD.
Paramedics jumped in the water, desperately trying to free the driver trapped inside, but one door was wedged into the embankment and the other was stuck in the muck and wouldn't budge. With precious seconds slipping by, Ken Woodward turned his tow truck around, hooked up the cables and dragged the victim's truck out enough to free the driver.
Woodward says he doesn't know what made him go to the reservoir, but his intuition told him he might be able to help. Tonight, Seymour police are calling him a hero, saying his help gave that driver a fighting chance.
"Our hats go off to him, without his help and assistance, the outcome could've been a lot worse," said Lt. Satkowski.
The victim is in critical condition. His name has been withheld pending notification of his family.

Here is the link to some video: http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?s=7352755
It may not be up for very long.

Revised Family Tree

Click to enlarge

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

Click image to enlarge.

This is where the Santiago Fire is located in respect to my home. Keeping the windows closed helps to keep the smoke smell and ash out of the house. On the right side of the picture you can see Santiago and Modjeska canyons which have been in the news. Modjeska canyon is named after Arden the Helena Modjeska (mo-jeska). Helena was a famous Shakespearean actress from 1888 to 1906. The home is now a park: www.ocparks.com/modjeskahouse

Fire at Dusk

Today the Santa Ana winds came on with a fury for the first time this season. These are east to west winds that blow down the Santa Ana River valley in Orange County. The winds gust up to 50 MPH (100 MPH in the mountains) and are accompained by relative humidity in the single digits. The Malibu Canyon fire started at about 5:30 this morning, reportedly started by a high tension power line being blown down by the winds. Late this afternoon a fire started near Orange and is reported to be headed towards Irvine. Fortunately, I live in a very urban part of Irvine with little in the way of open space forest. Here are some pictures taken from my street.

Liberal Media Bias

Another fine example of liberal media bias.

MSNBC headlines:
White House urges Social Security cuts
Bush administration urges Social Security cuts
Report: Fix requires combination of benefit changes and tax increases

FOX News headlines:
Bush Administration: Tough Decisions Await Social Security
Bush Administration Says Social Security Fix Lies in Cutting Benefits or Raising Taxes
The Bush administration said Monday the only way to permanently fix Social Security is through some combination of benefit cuts and tax increases.

CNN was silent on this news. I guess they don't feel that the looming Social Security trust fund bankruptcy is important. The reports on MSNBC and FOX are the result of a new study by the Treasury Department which says among other things:
"Social Security can be made permanently solvent only by reducing the present value of scheduled benefits and/or increasing the present value of scheduled tax increases," the paper said. The Treasury paper said that while other changes to the giant benefit program might be desirable "only these changes can restore solvency permanently."

I find it interesting how MSNBC made it appear that the President is recommending cuts in Social Security benefits. Interesting how the liberal media bends the truth.

Lots of Excitement in Woodbridge

Woodbridge Villiage, Irvine, CA that is. Just to show you how exciting my life is (by the way Melissa, what's a vacation?), here is my latest news.

Hot water heater started leaking. It was original in the house - 21 years old. Got it replaced under home purchase warranty. The deductible and upgrades cost me $400. Yes, I know - I could have had [insert name of illegal alien here] do it for about the same price including the cost of the hot water heater.

And the straps are for earthquake protection. Not that anybody cares if my hot water heater falls over. Just to make sure I have 40 gallons of water available for drinking during the weeks it will take me to hack my way out of the rubble. Oh, and I guess that broker gas line could be a little problem. Fortunately, I don't smoke.