2012 Singing Hurricanes Reunion Cruise
This reunion was also a trip to the Bahamas: Julie Rohr McHugh almost single-handedly made this reunion trip happen. It was a great bunch of fun, esp. since Lounelle and Glenn were able to be with us, all the more a poignant memory since Glenn's passing in 2019. Here are the photos.
This would be the official photo of the trip and travelers. From L to R, the back row: Glenn Wright Draper; Lee Norbraten. Second row: Michael and Jan Eaton; Margaret Edmondson; Merri Lee Bitz; Dean Draper. Front row: Julie Rohr McHugh; Glenn and Lounelle Draper.
Like the unapologetic tourons we were, the Bahama's version of "Atlantis" was an irresistible attraction. We waited in a long line of the unwashed clad in Hawaiian shirts and Chicago Bulls caps to do the above. The literary illusion to the caption I assigned Lee comes from Pogo Possum ("We have seen the enemy and he is us"), and of course, the original quote came from Comdt. Oliver Perry in the War of 1812.
Lee and I hardly ever made fun of Margaret unless she was alone or with someone. Here we suggest that the glass sculpture behind us resembles Margaret's hair, which was always very healthy and animated. This photo joke led to the retouched photo below featuring Maggie as a mythical Greek goddess.
Photo-retouching is quite a valuable tool even on an
idyllic cruise ship trip. This three-photo montage illustrates this truth; it also shows the retouching job in sequence, in which certain background content was altered or removed.
Some might make the case that a better retouch would be to remove myself; I cannot quibble with that.
Sometimes "photo retouching" is just "truth-telling," based on what the photo is really trying to say to us. Lee was just being cautious, and the "Thot-Cam" realized this and added the essential clarifying content.
The Thot-Cam is only guessing, however.
Evidently, I took this woefully incomplete photo, which explains why I am omitted, and the reason why isn't the usual reason I'm left out, which we won't go into now. But, since I am the photo manager, my retouched inclusion was predicable. The added me, by the way, comes from a photo of the "Country Gals," a specialty act in the touring Singing Hurricanes. I was the guitarist, and Margaret was in the ('66 and beyond) Far East version of that act; see pics below:
Everybody knows that Lee Norbraten is some sort of... rocketman or something.
Julie was our unofficial tour guide on this visit to "Lost Atlantis." At least one of those words came true, but we bravely forged onward and Julie got lucky and led us back to the ship.
More Fun with Margaret
On Nassau Beach
I and my honorary Singing Hurricane wife, Jan, enjoyed this cruise tremendously, and as I look back at this time, it is all the more priceless: it's been a solid decade, and time and opportunities to undertake such marvelous adventures have waned. Thanks, Julie, for making it happen: you are the best.