"Magical Mystery Tour"

 This past week, I celebrated another Birthday. Born on August 16 in 1957, I have reached an age that I do not want to say out loud. As a mathematician, I was able to come up with the concept that I am celebrating my 17th Birthday for the fourth time. That is right, I am sweet 17 again. Let us look back at the previous cycles of my life, 17 years at a time.

The first cycle of 17 could be called a Magical Mystery Tour. Nothing in your life has been set yet. Every decision you make, even at a very young age, may alter the future you end up following. Some things are givens, while others are just s coin flip on the direction you may head. Let us look at some points in my first 17, often biased by what pictures I may have.

Siblings, not a lot you can do about that. My older sister Patsy (Pat) was 10 years older than me. My brother John had a seven year head start and brother Tom was just 2 and one half years ahead of me. We looked so innocent at my first Christmas, me trusting my brother Tom to hold me safely and not let me fall. I was born at Porter Hospital while we were already living on Weybridge Street in Middlebury.

I was only one year old on my first visit to Florida. Both of my Mom's sibling, Bobby and Peasoup, had moved to the Melbourne area in the 1950s. I never asked how those decisions were made but they would influence my future tremendously. The photo is me at Daytona Beach, where my Dad's parents wintered for many years..

Camping was an important part of my upbringing. My parents always bragged that my first time sleeping in a tent was before I was a year old. I don't remember that particular trip, but I do remember waking up in a tent many times in the first 17 years. Here we are at York Beach Maine with the Wesleys and the Phelps.

I also became an international traveler/ Living in Vermont, Canada was damn close and we did a few trips through our Northern neighbor. The Provoncha family had settled in Quebec in the 1600s, and eventually moved down to the USA. Here I am with brother John, in front of the Rambler in Canada. I think we are near the Gaspe.

My education started at Saint Mary's Catholic School in Middlebury. I was cute for a second grader and that cuteness would change my future.

Skiing was very important to me but I would not have had the opportunity if my dad did not work at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl on weekends while I was growing up. This was one of my first season passes, endorsed by James Ross. I would become friends with all his kids as I grew up. Laurie was suppose to marry me but that is a different post.

As I reached my Junior High years, I learned that drinking was a social activity and the Hen House was a great place to have a drink and then pass out. That is me relaxing in front of the "Hen House", a central location in many future parties. I am sorry to say that it no longer exists.

I did play Little League baseball, an important sport in my life. I have no photos of my three years of Middlebury Little League, but I do have this photo of my at bat in Rutland when I was in 7th grade. I am not sure of the site, but I am sure I hit a homerun.

My High School years were very important to me. But so was my family. In 1971, I was just a Freshman, and Tom was a Junior. This particular year we drove my Dad, dressed as Santa Claus, to many spots in Addison County. This particular stop was at the Gardner's home in Middlebury. Although there were many stops, Santa had a beer at each. Sadly, I did not learn that Dad drank too much and I started down the same path. I do not want to bad mouth my father, I loved him very much, but as I passed through more 17 year cycles, I have come to realize that Dad drank too much.

My older sister Pat moved to Hawaii and my parents took me, as a young impressionable teenager, to visit her. It was 1972, and it was such a memorable trip, I have not forgot it to this day. Our car was unusable do Dad and I would ride bikes through the Sugar Cane fields on our way to the Haleiwa Post Office. I remember, fondly, Dad would start conversations with everybody. He was really a wonderful person.

I cannot remember who at the National Bank of Middlebury found this, but I am so very happy that they did. Me doing a transaction with my Dad at the bank, where he was the Head Teller.

Baseball was my game, but I also like playing football. Sad to say. in my 17th year, the last of the first cycle, I broke my collarbone and missed my whole Junior year. Happy to say, Coach Hubie Wagner had me keep stats which influenced my decisions in future work choices (and college degrees).

I ended the spring of 1974 by being the Junior Marshall with Laurie Ross for the Senior Class of 1974. I would work at Middlebury College as a Hobart Engineer for the summer, and this would end my 17thh and first life cycle. Did I mention I was going to marry Laurie?

Well, enough for now. The second cycle of BJ's life will be in a future post. That will cover from 1974 through 1991.

About Title

"Magical Mystery Tour" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles and the title track to the December 1967 television film of the same name. It was released on the band's Magical Mystery Tour soundtrack record, which was a double EP in Britain and most markets but an album in America, where Capitol Records supplemented the new songs with tracks issued on the Beatles' 1967 singles. The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership.

The Beatles recorded the track in April and May 1967, soon after completing work on their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and several months before committing to make the Magical Mystery Tour film. The song serves as an introduction to the audience, in the style of McCartney's opening title track to Sgt. Pepper, and includes ringmaster calls, a trumpet fanfare and traffic sounds.[2]