I first met my dear friend, Shirley Polinger, when one of our mutual friends asked if Shirley could join the ukulele group I played with in Littleton, NH. So while she wintered at her ski home at Bretton Woods, Wednesday afternoons were spent playing our ukes and singing songs like her favorite: "Octopuses' Garden" by the Beatles. From there we became great friends which eventually led to me driving her down to her new winter home in the Villages once her skiing days came to an end. "If I can't  ski, I don't want to be cold!" she said. I agreed to be Shirley's partner in crime for three winters starting in 2022. Sadly, this past winter the decision was made that Shirley's health issues would be too challenging for us to make the trip back to Florida.
It was a heartbreaking choice.
While home in Maine this winter, we finally did finish the book she had been working on for years about some of her experiences with her career as an educator. Shirley passed away on January 3, 2026 at the age of 88.
I'm forever grateful for our friendship.
Please click on and enjoy Shirley's Memories of Teaching.