Paul and Dee Ritter
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Dee's Home PagePaul's Home Page
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Dee's Home PagePaul's Home Page
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We both work for Hewlett-Packard in Corvallis, Paul in Building 1 upper and Dee in Building 1 lower. We met in late spring 2002 in the Building 1 handicap parking lot. Dee was intrigued that Paul's wheelchair van has a motorcycle bumper sticker and Paul was interested in a chick who straps a walking cane to her Kawasaki Ninja sportbike. We started out as just friends but quickly discovered we have many interests in common - music, motorcycles, style of humor, computers, travel, and a lot of chemistry.
From: RITTER,PAUL R (HP-Corvallis,ex1)
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 5:41 PM
To: GRANGER,DEE (HP-Corvallis,ex1)
Subject: Motorcyclist-related email lists.
We saw "The Boss" Bruce Springsteen at the Portland Rose Garden. It was a group thing - Paul, Dee and her date, and Dee's friend Martha. Paul drove the four of us to and from Portland that Tuesday night. Martha got "shotgun" and later reported how easy it was to talk to Paul.
"Just friends", Dee brought her DVD player and a selection of videos to Paul's apartment for a movie night. Over Chinese take-out and beer we began to discover how much we had in common. That's when Paul dazzled Dee with the poster the Ducati factory made to commemorate his 1977 win at Sears Point. As we watched "October Sky", the first seeds of our romance took hold. Remarkably, this date was to become our wedding day two years later.
The next evening, Paul e-mailed Dee at work to remind her that she forgot her share of the Chinese food leftovers. "Have you eaten dinner yet," she asked. "No." "So why not just microwave it here and have dinner together at work?" So we had a romantic dinner at a windowside table near Paul's desk in Building 1 Upper. We talked about all sorts of things - mostly motorcycles and racing - and marveled over the flocks of birds in the nearby meadow illuminated by the setting sun. Paul tipped his hand by asking Dee whether she was "taken" by that other guy.
Still "just friends", Paul invited Dee to see his new house being built. She brought along her digital camera and took photographs of the framing inside the house and in the back because Paul couldn't get back there in his wheelchair. Guess that was our first teamwork activity. Afterward, Paul took Dee to lunch at the Mongolian Grill restaurant. Upon our return to work, Paul handed Dee a bracelet made of pink and burgundy beads that later became our "going steady" token.
We saw "Lovely And Amazing" at the Avalon Theater, bumping into Paul's friends Jay and Shelley Su. Afterward, we had wine and a snack alone at Big River, where we held hands for the first time. Later (again in the handicap parking lot!), a goodnight hug goodnight turned into our first kiss. Now the romance was in the open!
This had been planned a week or so beforehand as part of the "just friends" biweekly movie night plan. Dee rigged up a ramp system to get Paul up the two steps to her house. She cooked dinner and then Paul transferred to the couch so we could cuddle as we watched "Pleasantville" on Dee's home theater. Getting back into his chair out of that deep, low couch was another "teamwork" story!
We helped pare apples for Larry and Edith at their annual apple harvest, Afterward they hosted a wonderful barbecue dinner and bonfire party, during which Edith took our first picture together.
MacDonald Theater, Eugene. They had the best handicap set-up Dee or paul had ever seen at a concert. About 1/4 of the stagefront was roped off for wheelchair and scooter users, chairs were provided for their companions, and venue security guarded against invasion by able bodied concert goers. If you get there early you might get to be right up there at the stage, just like anyone else with a GA ticket!
Dee had already planned a birthday trip to San Diego to visit Laurie and to attend another Bob Dylan concert. Paul retrieved Dee from Portland Airport and took her to meet his mother. We went out to dinner together and had a nice time.
Paul had his son Steven, then 12 years old, come up on Amtrak for Thanksgiving, but Dee had already planned Thanksgiving in San Francisco with her own son, Russ. So the night before she left for SF, Paul arranged for dinner out at China Delight so they could meet each other.
It was "Pasta Veloce" night at the Jennings'. Dee got to meet the wonderful folks who supported Paul during his 1998-99 hospitalization, recovery, and lifestyle change. And they got to check her out, too.
Chistmas Eve at Dee's house.
We did all the Granger traditions of opening stocking gifts, a late brunch, and opening gifts. Dee roast a turkey for Paul's first Christmas dinner at his new house. Paul's brother Russ (two Russes!), his then-girlfriend Kacy, and her two kids Nancy and Alex joined us for a lovely Christmas celebration.
Christmas morning 2002 (left). Russ and Paul discussing vintage racing (right).
The maiden voyage of the TWATITW (Tiniest Wheelchair Accessible Trailer In The World) was easter weekend 2003. We camped in the rain at South Beach State CG near Waldport, Oregon.
Theresa Ritter's wedding was held on the beach (Pacific City, Oregon) where the couple had their first date and where the groom proposed. It was a beautiful wedding!
Left: Barefoot bride Theresa and her dad, Russ Ritter. Russ is Paul's younger brother.
Middle: Dad says goodbye.
Right: The compulsory wedding cake ritual.
Left: This was the first family event since the birth of Enid's first great-grandchild. Pictured are Paul, Phil and Lynn's daughter Marisa, new baby Megan, and beaming Enid.
Middle: Russ and Kacy.
Right: The Ritter Family wedding gift was a handmade quilt with each square made by a different family member.
We flew down to California to see the World Superbike Championship races at Laguna Seca Raceway. We stayed in a motel in Monterrey, went to dinner with the Bevel Heads, and watched two days of great racing. Because Paul is not only a former Ducati racing champion but remains passionate about Ducati motorcycles of all vintages, we spent a lot of time at the "Ducati Island" exhibition area.
Left: Dee and Paul on Ducati Island at Laguna Seca.
Middle: Ducati took Paul's portrait for their "Ducati Owners" series.
Right: Paul's reaction to Dee's antics behind Ducati's photographer.