David Belchamber:
CLASS OF 1969
M. M. Robinson High SchoolClass of 1969
Burlington, ON
David's Story
My wife (Myrna) of 40 years (as of December 2011) and I became first time grandparents in June 2010. Our daughter (Kristine) and her daughter (Emma) live with us.
Myrna and I moved to Ottawa shortly after getting married. Myrna retired from the provincial Dept. of Health in 1998 after 30+ years and I retired from Bell Canada in 2004 after 28 years service. After our move to Ottawa I worked at a small computer consulting firm during my university work terms and worked full time with the company for several years before joining Bell. I started with the Computer Communications group in Bell, followed by a short stint in Bell Canada International developing a contract in Equador, then spent several years in various Bell departments including Engineering, Engineering Economics, and Regulatory Accounting. However, the best was kept for last when I had the privilege of working for a great group of executives in the Regulatory Department at a time when Bell was transitioning from being a monopoly to facing competition in every facit of its operation. Then to top it off, jsut when I qualified for early retirement, we were offered the opportunity to retire with a bonus package that was equivalent to retiring with a full pension and benefits. Life has been sweet indeed.
We both had great working careers, but retirement is sooo much better. Over the years we've travelled several times to Myrna's homeland in the Phillipines, spent various extended vacations to most of central Europe, Greece, Egypt and Turkey, and most of Canada and the US.
Before Kristine was born, Myrna and I became avid hikers, particularly in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. As a consequence, we've been vacationing in the White Mountains for at least a week every year for more than 35 years. However, the constraints of a youngster caused us to change tactics so that our outdoor activities became canoe trips in Algonquin using a lightweight 18 ft. stripper canoe that I built in 1983. It was ideally suited to the numerous portages encountered in our adventures.
I'm still downhill skiing and occassionally cross ...Expand for more
country skiing, having been a very active cross country skier and 10 time participant in the 100 mile Canadian Ski Marathon. After 30 years as a glider pilot and eventuially as an instructor, I stopped flying and in 2003 bought the 38 ft. sailboat in the profile picture. As a consequence, sailing has become a major part of our summertime lives. This precipitated a training trip to the British Virgin Islands in the fall of 2009 at which time I obtained an International Charter Skipper's certificate. I also renewed my scuba certification on the same sail and dive adventure. The scuba training was put to use in a 2010 vacation to Bermuda.
Golf is another summer pastime and for winter hobbies I've taken up cabinet making, having completed the part time cabinet makers course at the local college. I'm also nearing completion of the photography certification program at the same college. As part of my sail training, I've completed all of the navigation courses and have been teaching celestial navigation in conjunction with the local Canadian Sail and Power Squadron.
The love for scuba diving and photography came together in the summer of 2011 with the acquisition of a good underwater housing and strobes for a Canon 50D DSLR camera. The first major use of the equipment occurred during a week of diving in Little Cayman Island in November 2011 followed by another week of diving in Roatan, Honduras in January 2012. Although great trips in their own right, they provided the opportunity to become familiar with the camera equipment and appropriate underwater photographic techniques in preparation for a longer dive trip beginning on 3 April 2012 to Bali, Indonesia. When I get back, Myrna leaves for her annual visit of a month and a half to see her elderly mother in the Philippines. While she is away, I'll be undertaking extensive technical dive training on the St. Lawrence so that I can participate in longer and deeper dives requiring decompression stops using a dry suit and multiple tanks with multiple breathing gases.
So liife has been good, we've been healthy, and the adventure continues.
Register for Free to view all details!
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos
