Because I outlined a rather aggressive retreat schedule, I opted to hold two retreats this year at my condo in Dover, NH rather than to travel.

Advanced group session at The Governor's Inn, Rochester, NH for Saturday night's closing dinner. Left to right - 3rd Degree Black Belt Sandan James Nancarrow of the Northwood School of Self Defense, Northwood, NH, 3rd Degree Black Belt Sandan Carl Parker of the Lone Pine Martial Arts Academy, Spokane, WA, 4th Degree Black Belt Yondan Russ Jones of the Sachem Self Defense School, Laconia, NH, myself, and 3rd Degree Black Belt Sandan Tim House of the Tai Chien Dojo, Portsmouth, NH.

The first retreat was just for the Nidans and then I held a session for Sandans and above. I felt that the needs of each group were unique enough to warrant this approach. In this manner, I was able to focus in on specific issues that were at the heart of the new disciples material to make sure they were comfortable with what they are doing, and then correspondingly to work at an advanced level for those who had covered more material.

• Nidans Thursday October 18 8:00am through Friday October 19 1:00pm.
• Advanced Friday October 19 11:30am through Sunday October 21 12:00 noon.

I also held a CaneMasters clinic for the combined groups on Friday morning. We spent several hours going over all of the basics, worked on the two person interactive drill, made sure everyone was up on the Old Man With A Cane form, and finished up with a seminar on power dispursion theory and then we did some free form self defense work.

Sandan Parker flew in to Boston late Tuesday afternoon and took a bus up to Portsmouth. I picked him up about 7:30pm and he was starving. So, I took him over to Bugaboo Creek Steak House in Newington, and did it to it! He's enjoying a look at the photo album that my students presented me with at the party to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Rose School of Karate a couple of weeks before.

Catching the late afternoon sunlight after returning from taking Sandan Parker on a 75 mile Road Trip to view the spectacular New England Fall foliage. It had been such a great day, we just couldn't pass it up!

We drove out Rt. 4 to South Berwick, East on Rt. 236 and picked up Rt. 91 North to York, ME. We drove out the back roads and came out onto Short Sands Beach in York Harbor, ME. After winding through town, we drove out to the Nubble Light House and walked around there smelling the salt air; Parker doesn't smell much salt air in Spokane, WA and I had to keep him from wandering down the rocks to get closer to the water explaining that some fools actually get washed off those rocks by rogue waves that occasionally sweep over them. Then we came back South along Long Sands Beach, through town, and then South on Rt. 103 and stopped at Pepperell Cove out on Kittery Point, ME for awhile. On our way out of Kittery, ME toward Rt. 1, I spotted a new Italian market and we skidded to an abrupt stop to check it out. I got all the fixings for the spaghetti dinner I planned to cook Friday night for the Advanced group. Then we headed down Rt. 1 into Portsmouth, NH for a walk around the beautiful Prescott Park area.

Sandan Parker checking out one of my philosopy books that was laying around. The cameraman is still not used to Marissa's camera and thus some pictures are horrible - like this one, and the next few. I'll get it; I'll get it...

Nidan Rick Downs arriving early Wednesday morning for the Nidan session. He was tasked with the morning's coffee run, and rather than help him in the door, I took his picture instead...

Please note that others also had trouble getting a clear picture. Or... maybe this is the way I actually appeard to everyone after running two retreat sessions over a 6 day period of time from this spot.

We pressed Sandan Nancarrow into service early Friday morning to whip up some omlets as the others began to arrive, but by noon we were all ready to eat as the advanced group began to arrive. I volunteered Sandan Parker (red shirt) and Nidan Downs (the blurr in the background) to make the Friday lunch sandwich run.

Sandan House (center white shirt) working with Nidan Downs (left) and Sandan Parker on the two man interactive cane drill.

Sandan Nancarrow working through the two man interactive cane drill as Nidan Downs and Sandan Parker practice in the background.

Nidan Downs and Sandan Parker working through another set of the two man interactive cane drill.

Sandan Parker and me working through one of the moves in The Old Man With A Cane form.

Sandan Parker and Yondan Jones relaxing early Friday evening after I finally shut up and let everyone out to play.

Sandans House and Nancarrow carrying the salad and spaghetti into the dining room for dinner Friday night.

An after dinner shot. They all look happy in the picture...

Well, later in the evening we awarded Yondan Jones the Pity Story Gooey Treat of the Night for his sad, so sad, tale of woe and despair.

But it wasn't long before we were back into some long discussions, though we did end up the Friday session around 10:30pm so folks could drive home and get a good nights rest as we were meeting at 7:00am for the start of the Saturday session. Of course some of us stayed up too late - Sandan Parker and Yondan Jones were both staying at the condo and were a captive audiance for more of my rambling. I recall climbing into bed around 1:00am... Nice...

Way too early Saturday morning and Sandan Parker is trying to bust Sandan Nancarrow's chops because we wouldn't let him cook breakfast and delegated that to Nancarrow because we were blaming Parker for fixing a crummy pot of coffee Friday afternoon - which we had to recant later in the day when I tried to fix a pot and it was equally crummy. Seems the grounds were too fine for the amount of coffee we were attempting to force my poor percolator to make; most of the grounds were still dry and all packed together in the middle. We let Parker cook Sunday morning...

Saturday morning work session in the living room. The third morning session went way over and we didn't get out the door for our drive over to UNH until almost 12:30pm - over an hour late. But there was so much discussion and material that had to be gone over it's amazing we went out at all; I almost called it off.

On the road to UNH. I had told everyone that I would let them accompany me on my annual October UNH Walkabout, and the day was just spectacular for it, as you can see from this shot out of the window going over Rt. 4 heading toward Madbury Road.

We hit it just right - the picture just doesn't do justice to the spectacular colors of the leaves, both on the trees and those that blew across the ground.

A quick shot down the length of campus toward the library - way in the distance and not visible; but that's the way the shot was lined up.

Coming back along Rt. 155 toward Dover.

Advanced group session at The Governor's Inn, Rochester, NH for Saturday night's closing dinner. Left to right - 3rd Degree Black Belt Sandan James Nancarrow of the Northwood School of Self Defense, Northwood, NH, 3rd Degree Black Belt Sandan Carl Parker of the Lone Pine Martial Arts Academy, Spokane, WA, 4th Degree Black Belt Yondan Russ Jones of the Sachem Self Defense School, Laconia, NH, myself, and 3rd Degree Black Belt Sandan Tim House of the Tai Chien Dojo, Portsmouth, NH. We had a great meal and wonderful experience thanks to Chelsea and Linda for their terrific support and service.

Sunday morning with my coffee. Coffee run provided by Sandan Nancarrow who then took great pleasure in harassing Sandan Parker as he cooked breakfast - picture not available due to its potential graphic nature...