Hello all.  I've been a lurker here and at other archaeology related sites
for a while now.  I retired from the U. S. Department of Labor in 1997 with
no background in archaeology.  In the spring of that year I saw a newspaper
article about an organization that had a need for volunteers in
archaeology.  I volunteered and -- with the exception of this year which
has been pretty much a wipe out due to back surgery -- I've been able to
volunteer almost year round at a variety of sites both historic and
prehistoric in Northern Virginia.  Most, although not all, of the
opportunities I've been able to take advantage of have been through the
Northern Virginia Chapter of the Virginia Archeological Society, which I am
a member of.  I expect to be at a site again in a week or so. This mail
list is one of the more active and interesting ones I lurk on.