ABOUT ME

ABOUT ME:

Playing the piano paid my way through college and graduate school and has given me pleasure all my life. I like writing my own arrangements, and have more than 200 in memory. I still play virtually every day at home, and occasionally at parties or small neighborhood gatherings.

Piano Arrangements by Charles Isbell:

(These are on the YouTube channel of my son Baraq Isbell and will open in a new window.
To get back here, close the new window.)

Saint Louis Blues Unforgettable The Rose The Shadow of Your Smile Annie

This is my first experiment with putting my arrangements on my channel: Georgia (& from Baraq: Unforgettable)

Lap dogs: Shomer & Trixie

Dogs are another major interest, especially training them. In Kansas City, I trained a Doberman Pinscher police dog, that successfully nabbed a robber in my home and was later accepted on the KC force. Since then, I have rescued and fostered giant breeds in Louisiana, finding them good homes with good people. One of my foster gals (abused and starved to near-death when I found her) spent almost a year with me, during which time she graduated from a complete regimen of obedience training and was officially named "Sweetpea." She then moved in with her adoptive "forever" new owner and in 2010, was named the “Mayor of Pittsburgh” in a parade for rescue animals.

I no longer foster dogs, but I do continue to help owners and potential owners select, train, work with and understand their dogs (including both medical alert and service dogs).

"Romance and philosophy combine in this engaging, imaginative tale..."

Here's to our wedding day!

My wife (Leslie) and I are both stroke survivors; each of us has a service dog. Both are English mastiffs with the laid-back attitude, patience and great size to give us the support we need. Leslie’s Trixie is her constant companion. My dog is Shomer (Hebrew; Shomer means “Guard”). Shomer goes with me everywhere, including LSU.

Interests have become mutual. Leslie is a University of Florida, College of Journalism graduate, a former English teacher, a former editor of a Florida newspaper (The Citrus County Chronicle), a professional photographer, a certified Louisiana travel planner, a travel writer and owner of "The Easy Traveler" tour guides. Together, we have created "Living Large Late: A Practical Approach to Enjoying Life."

Both of us, we’ve discovered, have always tried to “live large.” To us, this appears to be an attitude toward life that comes naturally, needs to be encouraged and is never too late to start.

Before Leslie, I had written a novel about the woman I wanted to share my life with but could not seem to find. Just after we met, Leslie read my book and announced: “I am Sarah!” This was the opening gambit in a whirlwind romance that resulted in our marriage.

THE RABBI AND THE WIDOW (available now at AMAZON.COM & INARA PUBLISHING & BARNES AND NOBLE) exemplifies Living Large Late.

RV: Charles drives & Trixie watches.

RV travel is another area of interest for Leslie and me. When we met, Leslie had spent 10 years traveling full-time in an RV and I had driven trucks doing farm work, so now she plans our trips and navigates, while I drive. We have a 35-foot Tiffin Motor home that accommodates us and our two dogs. We take it whenever we leave Baton Rouge and rent cars as needed. The vantage point high up in a motor home, lets the world pass by easily and comfortably. It makes travel delightful.

Both of my out-of-state children work for the federal government. Baraq lives in St. Louis and helps keep our nation safe by preventing computer hacking for the Department of the Interior, while my daughter Danielle lives in Overland Park, Kansas, as does my college-age grandson, Thomas. Danielle is an agent with the IRS.

For me, life continues to be interesting because I have so many things that I love to do.