Drive!

I like to drive.
I started "Driver's Ed." when I was 14. I often wondered how I pulled that off until recently- reading others comments here at VK, I'm realizing I may have been one of the older guys in our class, and maybe there just weren't others with an interest.

Anyway, I got my learner's permit when I was 15, and proceeded to chauffer my family almost everywhere we went together for the next year. When I turned 16, I may have been one of the most experienced 16 year old drivers in the world! (Our family made a trip to California later that year, and I drove most of the way to L.A. and back.)

But the enjoyment of driving obviously has it's limits. Plunking your butt behind the wheel, looking at a view similar to the one above for 14 hours makes flying mighty attractive.
But ya can't move the junk necessary to furnish a two-bedroom apartment in a Boeing 737. (Well, ya could, but $$$$$$, you know!)

So we just finished driving approximately 31 hours... more than 20 hours of it staring at a sign that said "Interstate 40 Westbound".

Some thoughts about this trip:
-No matter how fast you go, someone always needs to go faster.
-Where the pavement is concrete the heavy trucks, in many places, have turned the right lane into a brain-liquifying experience. Where traffic was light enough, I spent most of the time in the left lane.
-Tumbleweeds really do tumble in the panhandle of Texas.
-From the New Mexico State Line West, this Hoosier Boy wished someone else was driving so I could gawk at the passing mountains.
-This Moving Van had no cruise control. 31 hours of driving without cruise control is cruel and unusual punishment!
-Pull off and buy gas, and the very next station you pass will be selling fuel for 2 cents cheaper than you just paid... irritating when the tank you're filling holds 40 gallons!
-Moving Vans should have either a CD or tape player for those of us that enjoy "reading" a book on tape while we drive.
-The Penske truck we rented was dramatically cheaper than the U-Haul or Ryder trucks we priced. This is our second experience with Penske Truck Rentals, and I heartily recommend them.
-Flagstaff Arizona is breathtaking. Go!
-There was snow on the ground in Flagstaff. Two hours and 5000' lower in Phoenix... we encountered nearly perfect "late Spring" type weather.
-Phoenix Arizona in February... a perfect 80 degrees.
-Phoenix Arizona in July... bake your Duncan Hines Yellow Cake on the front seat of your car.
-Car horns get a workout in Phoenix. With me, blowing your horn achieves the opposite of the desired result.
Cell phones... what would we do without them? They're indispensable on these trips!

Enough bits and pieces for now. I'm sure there's more to come later.
Your thoughts?

GBFR- The Week That Got Away

I awoke to a strange noise...
More a vibration than a noise, really.
A kind of mild thrumming that I felt deep in my chest cavity.
Coming from my back yard- I cautiously went out my back door to investigate.
Odd.
It was coming from above. I looked up, and suddenly I was surrounded by an intensely bright light and felt myself being sucked up in this shaft of light.

No... that's crap of course.

What a week this has been!
My son met me at work Wednesday morning and we drove an hour to rent the 16 foot moving van. We drove it home and I hit the sack, having to work Wednesday night/Thursday morning.
Bright and early Thursday I left work, drove home, and helped load the things Sara Jean and Big Bubba hadn't been able to load during the evening. We were on the road by about 10 A.M., me driving the Van, Sara Jean and BB following along in his car. We drove South to I-40, then West through Little Rock, Oklahoma City, and finally stopping in Clinton, Oklahoma after 14 hours of driving. We had a fitful night sleeping, then back on I-40 Westbound.
The Texas panhandle disappeared fairly rapidly, but in New Mexico the wind picked up and began to blow my moving box around pretty badly. Snow started drifting across the road in the heavy wind, and we saw Semi-trucks on their sides in the median. I ain't dumb... I slowed dramatically.

By Albuquerque the snow was gone and the wind was light. We pressed on as the sun disappeared, putting another 14 hours beneath our wheels before stopping for the night in Flagstaff, Arizona... a full moon, ground covered in snow. It was beautiful, even for three nearly dead-tired movers.

Saturday dawned clear and sunny. We started South on I-17 and had our breath taken away-
At about 6200' elevation when we started, beautiful mountains in the distance as the signs alongside the road advised truckers of "runaway truck lanes", and announced our descent into the valley and Phoenix... 5000', 4000', and so on.

We arrived at Big Bubba's apartment complex at 2 P.M. and got the key to his apartment. After a quick look-see, we began the process of unloading the van. In my mind there's no way to make this job enjoyable... you just do it and keep on truckin' until the job is done.

We spent Saturday, Sunday, and Monday unloading boxes and constructing bookcases, file cabinets, dining room table and chairs... much of the furniture Big Bubba had bought required "minimal tools" to assemble for use. Ol' Greybeard got mighty tired of twisting a small Allen wrench before the job was done!

But BB is comfortably situated in Mesa, Arizona, and we are home safely as I write this at 10 P.M. on Tuesday night. There was no weigh-in on Saturday... I couldn't find a scale, and since we were on the road eating whatever we could get our hands on, quite frankly I didn't want to know what the scale would say!

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and words of support.
I wanted to throw this post up quickly to answer the big question...
I also want to tell you more about the trip in a soon-to-come post, after I've had more time to recover.

Two things right now, though...
It was 85 degrees when we left Phoenix, 33 degrees when we arrived home.

And when I showed Sara Jean the above "empty nest" photo, she commented:
"Where are the two fat parents in that nest?"
I'm glad after all we've been through for the past week that she still has a sense of humor!

More later y'all.
Thanks again.

Where's the Weigh-in?

GB, there are some of us out here struggling to lose weight right along with you. I'm not doing as well as you are but I still need an update.

OH, one other thing: Won't you have to go through Texas to visit Arizona? Yep, I think you do ,,, well if you take the long way. Purple Tom Cat and I would love it if you and Sara Jean stop by for a visit.

Bittersweet

I'll take a shot at this, although trying to put words to feelings will bring on the tears...

I started later than most of you. I was 36 when Big Bubba was born. Most of you have suffered through this and will either totally identify with me, or think me a sentimental fool-
He's leaving this week.

Our relationship with our son has been unique. He's been an odd loner... wanted friends because he felt social pressures... it was "normal" to have friends around. But when he would try to befriend someone, he grew tired of having to do things he had no interest in, or he would quickly become tired of their lack of interest in things he wanted to do. He'd quickly cast them aside.

So, his Mother and I have been his best friends. He's accompanied us on vacation without embarrassment. We've enjoyed watching movies together... old and new. We've had a few tense times, but they've been nothing compared to the stand-offs I can remember having with my Dad.

Now we are counting the hours 'til he'll no longer be in his bedroom downstairs.
He's a DJ at a local radio station, and we are listening to him do his last "Sunday Morning Gospel Hour" show. He's dedicated songs to Sara Jean and I... told us he loves us over the airwaves.
More tears.

His apartment is waiting in Mesa, Arizona... utilities turned on.
"Starter" furniture is purchased. Towels, sheets, and other needs are taken care of.

He's a success.
He's a wonderful human being and a fine, caring Citizen.
We've produced a product we can truly be proud of.
Why is this so hard?

GBFR, Week Four

"We're taking you out to dinner for your birthday! Where do you want to go?"
A wonderful gesture... these friends had no knowledge of my diet. We went to the Chinese buffet and had our fill, complete with ice cream for dessert.
This, on top of my favorite- Strawberry Shortcake that Sara Jean made for my 60th.
Sabotage I tell ya! I cry foul!

I dreaded getting on the scale this morning, but it's not as bad as it could be:
Last week, 202.
This week- 203.
(The music goes Waa, Waa, Waa.)

So, a setback.
I have to get back on track, (just as soon as all this strawberry shortcake is gone!)

How's your week goin'?
Vandy's Kids need some good news!

Three Score

"It's your birthday...
Get busy!"

Today is my 60th. It's likely if you are reading this, you've already celebrated your 60th, or you will soon.
I reserve the right to blog the subject to death later. In the meantime, correct me if I'm wrong-
Jackie P's 60th was 24 January.
Gary S's is tomorrow, 26 January.
IE, isn't he your cousin? Phone, email, write, beat a path to his door, and wish him "happy birthday" for me, will ya?
TPO's B-Day will be here in 9 days.

So for the rest of you I can only say, "so far, so good." I've been 60 for half a day now, and I think I like it!

VIP's

I wanted to make sure you saw this post.

Thank you GH...
On the money!

VIP 2007

VandysKids in Paradise

We have a classmate that lives in Paradise! Most of you that read the VK blog probably know this already. In fact, she has a blog site of her own. It’s called Golden Horse. In her Blog profile, She calls Hawaii the most isolated place on the planet. She has been a Vandys Kid, a Valley Girl, and a true Trojan since as far back as I can remember. We have missed her at the last few mini reunions. Soooo…., a few of us have decided to visit her this November. Come join us and maybe, just maybe, we can make Paradise a little less isolated for the Golden Girl.

I propose that we make our own arrangements, both travel and lodging and have a core time for everyone to be there. If you need some suggestions, email me. Golden Girl says that the first of November works for her. So, if you would like to join us, be there Thursday, Nov. 1 thru Thursday, Nov. 8. Come earlier and stay later if you’d like. At your leisure, you are welcome to stay longer or even shorter if you care to. During the core time, we can spend some fun time together doing whatever. Like a visit to Pearl Harbor, a hike to the top of Diamond Head, visit a lighthouse, a visit to Waimea Bay (one of my favorite places), or maybe some quiet time spent together in remembrance at the Punch Bowl. It will be strictly up to you to decide what you want to do and when you want to do it. We can plan on dining together several times and maybe even just hang out on occasion. You know, like maybe have a beer, a glass of wine or just try that perfect margarita that our Golden Girl makes so well…

Some of us may extend our trip and visit Maui, Kauai, or even the big island of Hawaii for a couple of days. Right now, nothing is planned except to try to be on Oahu at the same time for a few days in early November 2007.

The Lonely Planet Destination Guide said “Mark Twain declared Hawaii to be 'the loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean', and not even 50 years of mass tourism have managed to prove him wrong. Whether your thing is volcano spotting, surfing or hanging loose on the beach, this is the place to indulge yourself.”

Let’s go see for ourselves!

BTW – I have recently spoken with IndyEcho and she advises that the Fall Mini at her place will take place mid October instead of late Oct. This date should allow more to attend this Mini. The food is good, the Hostess is the Mostess and the people that you might meet there are the greatest.

The U.S.S. Arizona

I think TwoDogs will soon address the upcoming Trojan invasion of the Aloha State. There's still plenty of time to begin making plans to join us!

With that in mind, I wanted to give you another incentive to attend. This morning I read this article which indicates time and the elements are pretty quickly taking their toll on the U.S.S. Arizona.
The Arizona is one of those sights I've always had the intention of visiting.
Go and read the article. Maybe it will help motivate you to join us in November.
Hope so.

Rudolf Wanderone- GBFR Week Three

That name doesn't ring a bell?
How about this one- "Minnesota Fats"?

"Fats" was a neighbor of ours for a while.
He lived in the next town South of ours on the highway, and frequented many of the retail stores I used. You could always tell when Fats was in the area... although basically a nice man, he was very loud and a little crude.
He had that distinctive voice we've all heard during his "Wide World of Sports" pool tournaments against Willy Mosconi. If Fats was in aisle 8 in our local grocery store, you knew he was in the store even if you were in aisle one.

Searching for his picture, I was surprised to find he died in 1996... it just doesn't seem that long ago. Heart failure got him... just one of many reasons I want to get my weight down.

The Saturday weigh-in is complete.
Last week I had lost 2 pounds. That's neat, 'cause my goal is to lose one pound a week, but I was afraid it might mean I was gonna "plateau" this week.
Last Saturday the scale said 203.
This morning, it read...
Mr. Costa, fanfare please!
202.

So I'm still on schedule.
Going about it this slowly, I'm not really suffering.
It's entertaining to hear my stomach growl when I wake, (I make jokes about the "New Madrid Fault" acting up!) But my minor hunger pangs only reinforce that I am on my way to my goal.

Another topic-
Many of you know my son just graduated college and is interviewing for a job.
This week he accepted a position in Mesa, Arizona with a company that makes video games.
He starts February 1st, so we are scrambling to gather the things he'll need to set up housekeeping in his apartment there. While he drives his car, for two 10- hour days we'll follow in a van with his "stuff".
So, it's an exciting and emotional time for us.
I'll keep ya posted.

Now-
Open topic time. I'm sure you've got news to share...
RIGHT?

Gulf Winds East

Those roofs look blue, don't they?
They're actually kind of Hunter Green... don't know why they look blue in the picture.

We have already reserved two of the units-
the second and third units from the right in that front row.
They face South, and have a great view of the water through the gap where you see the gazebo, and to the East of the condos across the street, all the way to the horizon.

And the water is just that color... a milky green in spots, Emerald green in others, and all shades of green in between.
The sand looks like driven snow, and "barks" at you when you walk on it.


The condos are townhouses- two full bedrooms downstairs with two full baths. One of the baths is connected to the Master bedroom.
Upstairs they have a full kitchen, dining room, living room, and a half bath. The sofa in the living room is a hide-a-bed.

So far, I'm unaware of changes to my confirmed list:
TwoDogs and Cinders,
TC and Sharon,
Greybeard and Sara Jean,
Harry and Carol- (The Chipley Mafia),
FlyGirl, and her Happy Cappy (we're just gonna be positive, FG!)

On the agenda so far, (one event per day)-
The DDFF.
An afternoon/evening excursion on a Dolphin cruise boat-
(Sara Jean and I did this once and saw 150 or so Dolphins).
A "Sea World" type marine life show.
Florida Caverns State Park is worth a visit, and is pretty close to where the Chipley Mafia lives, so if there's enough interest in wandering through a neat cave, we might meet them there.
Other things are brewin', depending on interest.

Core dates are May 3, 4, and 5, departing the morning of the 6th.
Stay longer either before or after if you want.
Interested?
Let me know, and I'll give you the particulars!

TWTYTW- 1965

My title is a play on the TV show, "That Was the Week That Was."
Wasting time at work, I went lookin' for 1965 stuff.
Anyway, while poking around, I found this.
If you're bored with a little time on your hands and lookin' for a memory jog,
go have a look at 1965.

Of course Viet Nam is mentioned a lot.
Bob Dylan's name comes up quite a bit.
It was a productive year for Dr. Martin Luther King.
It WAS NOT a good year for miners!
There are lots of NASA firsts.
And Brooke Shields was born just about the time we graduated!

Have a look and see if anything surprises you!

The DDFF-

Thanks to FlyGirl, we have a new name for our fishing outing:
"Destination Destin Fishing Fiasco (DDFF)."
Pure brilliance!

As VK's commit, I'll post their names, and I'll keep this post close to the top of the page.

"Yeas" so far:
Mr. and Mrs. TwoDogs
TC and Sharon
Mr. and Mrs. Greybeard
Harry and Carol.... (commuting)
FlyGirl.... but her HB is a question mark at this point.

TwoDogs suggests we limit four to a condo so everyone can sleep in a real bed.
Take a look at these rates and I think we can all agree with him.....
split between two couples, the per-night rate is cheaper than most nice motels.

Watch this space and I'll post updates as more responses come in.

GB Adipose Tissue Report, Week Two

The Saturday morning weigh-in is complete.

Ready for the results?

Remember, last week the number was 205.

This week, the scale said,

Drum roll, please.........

203!

So, two pounds down, fifteen to go.

Several of you have emailed with encouraging words, and a few have extended diet advice.

I thank you for your kind thoughts and support!

Now, a couple updates:

I chatted via telephone with TC this afternoon. I wanted to be sure Ms. Sharon was gonna meet us in Destin. He assured me she will be there. I should have asked him if she was any good at catchin' fish..... that's one more gal to compete with, guys!

Hope you've also noticed that TC finally figured out how to leave a comment. He's still trying to figure out how to become a contributor, so I may give him a call and work with him on that soon. But the fact he can now leave comments is a great step.

GH wrote and said the recent earthquake in Hawaii damaged the road on the volcano on Oahu, so those of us with our hearts set on bicycling down the volcano might have to go to Maui in order to scratch that itch. She says they are working on the problem, so I'm hopeful they'll have work completed by the time we get there in November.
GH, anything to add there?

I'll begin to firm up plans for the DDFF starting 1 February.

Again, the prospective dates are 3, 4, and 5 May, departing Destin the morning of the 6th.

Take a look at your schedules, mark your calendars, and let me know if you think there's a chance you can come. (And Carol..... don't sweat the sleeping arrangements. Your distant cousin will have a place for you to bunk no matter what, and I don't mean in the bathtub, either!)

Now, as I said in the first GB Fat Report, let's throw this post open for off-subject comments. Got something you wanta report? Now's the time to do it!

(And in case you're wondering, the airplane is the Blue Angel demonstration team's C-130, "Fat Albert"!)

A Spoonful of Humor makes the Weight Go Down

Deep Thoughts for those on a
Self Improvement Quest

Happy "Vandy-versary"!

Today marks the 1st anniversary of the creation of "Vandy's Kids".
A year ago I published this post kicking off the Blog, thanking PT for her insight and initiative. Her creativity and foresight continue to amaze me.
Since "Vandy's Kids" was created, we've celebrated the GGFF, the Nashville mini, and the Edinburgh mini..... all wonderful memory-makers!
Am I forgetting anything?

I just checked the sitemeter totals-
there have been 9892 unique visits to "Vandy's Kids" since I installed the meter shortly after we established the site.

This post brings the total to 172... of which I have written 95, more than half. I'm ashamed of myself. Communicating here has been great. Still, it would be fantastic if we could get more Vandy's Kids to contribute, or at least leave comments.
It's my hope that will happen..... a slow, sure growth in participation.

Thanks to all of you who post and comment here, and
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

GB Fat Report, Week One

Man, do I really wanta do this?
Not really....
But if I don't do it, I may weaken.
If I include you in this process, I'm more motivated to succeed,
so here goes:

I got on the scale this morning. I'm goin' to do it every Saturday morning until Mid-April, and I'll let you in on the results.
This morning, the scale said 205.
Actually, that's better than I expected.
So if I stick to my goal of averaging a pound a week loss, I'll weigh 188 pounds when I see you in May.

These weight reports can serve another purpose too-
If you have something you want to discuss in comments, bring it up here so we can all chime in!

Next Saturday, 204 or starve!

Myopia

Easy isn't it..... too easy, to look through our own eyes and imagine everyone is dealing with life as we are?

I've had such great experiences at our mini-reunions....
I've been beating the drums trying to insure as many others as possible come and have a similar experience, and of course that is selfish too, because I want to see as many of you as possible. I've personally been a little frustrated because many VK's I'd love to see can't, -or won't- attend. My thought process has gone something like, "Everyone who attends these things seems to enjoy themselves SO MUCH, how can I express to everyone how wonderful these things are?" Through my eyes, It's been my failure to properly communicate with you.

Then, in a comment to the Post below this one, Bo came upside my head with a 2x4, and brought me back to life's realities:

"My mom is 88; dad is 90. Mother has Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Dad just had lower back surgery and now seems to be having mini strokes. My life for the last 8 months or so has been filled with doctor appointments, errands, etc. for them. Some days I have had 2 appointments for one and 2 for the other. By the end of the week I am exhausted; mentally, physically and emotionally. The advantage of being an "only child" you see is not so great. I love them both more than I can express but man oh man are they a challenge. The reason I am telling you all this is to explain that I want to attend the DDFF and right now I am planning to; but I never know what each day will bring in terms of their care."

BMG has a full time job- and by that I mean 24 hours a day, 7 days a week-full time. It's mighty hard to break away for a high school reunion when you are the only one capable of handling that kind of full time job. What surprises me about my own self-centeredness in this is that I helped care for my Dad as his health failed.... and I was fortunate, because Mom carried the major burden of his care, with Mommanurse relieving her whenever she could. I played a relatively minor role caring for him. It's hard to imagine having Bo's responsibility.

So Bo, and anyone else that has a complicated situation which precludes you from being able to make long-term plans, make note:
If you find you can make the DDFF at the last minute, have no fear- we can include you with barely a ripple. Right now our plan is to house two couples in each of the condos, and there is room in each for three couples. If, at the last minute, you decide you can head South to be with us, PLEASE, come on down!
It just won't be a big deal at all.

And to Bo, Fly, and others caring for sick loved ones at this time-
Most of us have either "been there", or we will be there soon.
God Bless you. May he give you strength, and more than that- may he give you patience!

The First Day of the Rest Of Our Lives

1 January 2007

It's an important day for me, not so much because it's New Year's Day, but because I met Sara Jean 26 years ago on New Year's Eve, then married her exactly 10 years later. (Sure makes it easy to remember the anniversary!)

Do you make resolutions for the year? I do.....
my perpetual resolution is about weight loss. I continually carry 15 to 20 extra pounds and would love to drop them. Funny thing is, I do a pretty good job of losing weight when I devote myself to it, but I never change my long-term eating habits, so the avoirdupois always slowly finds it's way back to my middle.

This year I want to make this commitment publicly here at "Vandy's Kids", to give myself extra incentive-
I intend to lose a pound a week. And this time I'm gonna keep it off.
By the time I see you at the DDFF, I'll be 20 pounds lighter than I am right now. Then, to keep it off, I'm gonna weigh myself weekly, and if I've gained a pound, I'll do what is necessary to drop it right away.

And about the DDFF mini......
I've warned our condo managers of the impending Trojan invasion, and I reserved two condos for May 3, 4, and 5, departing Sunday the 6th. I can reserve extra units and modify dates as necessary.
Sara Jean and I will be back in Destin in February. By that time I should have a better idea of how big our group will be, and I'll begin to firm up arrangements for a boat for the tournament.

So, everyone, be well and happy. It's my hope the coming year is safe and prosperous for us all, (and lighter for me!)

Dateline: Destin, FL

Cloudy, 60 degrees, wind from the Southeast at 5 knots.

Every time we come down here at this time of year, I ask the same question:
"Since I hate cold weather with a passion, why do I continue to live in the Midwest?"

I love Midwestern Summers.
With normal rainfall, everything is lush and green.
Hot days don't trouble me, and days that are really unbearably hot are few.
Nights are wonderful.
It also helps that I love thunderstorms.

Winters are a different story-
Cold weather is uncomfortable for me, even with the proper clothing.
Below 20 degrees fahrenheit, with any wind at all, I am just miserable.

So we come South during December, January, and February, and temperatures are running 20 degrees higher than they are at home.
Again the question-
Why the heck do I still live in the Midwest?

Of course, the answer is that life is more than just weather.
Job, family, friends, and other complications need consideration.
But for me, more and more, weather is a bigger factor.

At some point, and I think it'll be soon, weather will become a top priority, and we'll be making the trip North during Spring through Fall!

Christmas Thoughts

First, I hope Christ's Birthday is a happy one for you all.
At Casa Greybeard, there is wrapping paper all over the floor. Bellies are full. I hope you can say the same.

Hopes always run high at Christmas. It's one of those important days we all hope will be perfect, and we're disappointed when it's not. Too many focus on Christmas's commercial aspects.
As I've gotten older, I've learned to put more emphasis on family and fellowship. My Mother is here with us, and at 81, with all the health complications that have come in her last few years of life, we are blessed that she is as healthy and mobile as she is. Just having her here today has made this Christmas a good memory.

For those of us that have been fortunate enough to serve our country, this day comes with certain baggage. We know all too well that we have Men and Women putting their lives on the line so the rest of us can celebrate this holiday in safety and without fear of religious persecution. Please, if you are comfortable doing so, say a little prayer for our troops..... overseas and otherwise.... they are all potentially at risk.

My holiday wish for you is health, happiness, and at least enough money to satisfy your needs.
I'm lookin' forward to seeing and visiting with many of you in the near future!

The 2007 Fishing Fiasco!

I was gonna post this after the first of the year, then realized that there was no reason to delay the posting, and it might actually be helpful to some of you.

As most of you know, last year Tools and the gracious Mrs. Tools hosted our fishing fiasco. John T., TwoDogs and I flew to Galveston and spent three wonderful days there NOT catching fish.
It didn't matter...... we had time for wonderful fellowship, and visited several great eateries for some mighty tasty seafood that someone else caught!

We had hoped to have a "Second Annual" this year.
PT and others had expressed some dismay last year that we made the event "stag", so this year we were leaning toward a co-ed event.... to see if gals can do a better job of putting fish in the boat than the guys did last year. (That's not too tough!)

But there is sand in the butter-
Mr. and Mrs. Tools are selling their home.
They are moving North, to a home on a lake.
Their house may sell quickly, so for long term planning, we need another venue.

I'm suggesting Destin, Florida, starting April 29th.
Take a look around this website to get a feel for the place.
Sara Jean and I own a unit on the ocean side of the complex.
The units have a great view of the ocean to the South, and a somewhat limited view of the pool to the North. The units are 1300 square feet, have 2 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, a full kitchen, and a wet bar. They sleep six with comfort, more if you bring a comfortable air mattress.

Destin is a great town. Lots of restaurants..... the seafood they serve was probably caught yesterday. Sara Jean tells me to say there is "Mega shopping" available.....
Silver Sands outlet mall is a 10 minute drive, and is one of the biggest outlet malls in the world.
For golfers, there are several beautiful courses within a 15 minute drive.
There are two wonderful aviation museums-
The Air Force Armament museum and Pensacola Naval Air museum, both within fairly easy driving distance.
Florida Caverns, a surprisingly beautiful cave, is also an easy drive if you'd like to walk a couple hours through a cave that has much to offer.

And the beach! Walk out the door and across the street- taking all of 3 minutes, and you can cover your feet in the whitest sand on earth..... it's made from quartz, so bring your sunglasses. It also "barks" at you when you walk on it if conditions are dry enough!
In April, the water will probably still be a little nippy, but days will be warm, nights will be light jacket weather, and visiting will be easy.

Sara Jean and I will be in our unit starting the day after Christmas, through New Year's Eve. We'll block off our unit for a week, and the unit next door for at least three days. (I can block off additional units and extend the length of stay if necessary.)

So, there ya have it for planning. Take a look at your calendars and block off a few days starting April 29th. TwoDogs and TC have already indicated they are "all systems GO!"
If you are sure you can make it, let me know right away so I can reserve condos. Even if you cannot commit right away, keep your options as open as possible, and we'll find a way to make room!
(And those of you from other CGHS classes are welcome too! You can help fill in some blanks in faulty memories! Dan, could you make sure others know?)

Let me know folks, via personal email, or comment here.
Small group/Large group..... this could be a ball!

UPDATE:
I've already had a couple comments via email.
I realized that since Sara Jean and I will be there the entire week, we could do the fishing fiasco on 3, 4, and 5 May just as easily, and that would be a little farther away from Spring Break, and a little farther toward days that will be truly warm for the beach.
Again, I posted this post so we'd have plenty of time to hash things out. I hate to throw up too many options, because planning around too many choices can be a mess. I'll keep the updates coming as more VK's respond.

Class '65

Mike George
I'm a little late with this but you remember Mike George. He was in our class until he moved to Franklin after the 7th grade ( once a classmate always a classmate ). He graduated Franklin '65 . He passed away Dec.5th. The way the paper read it was a heart problem. He was 59.

I wonder how many kids passed through the class of '65 ?

Walkin' In A Circle

Another of those memory triggers..... Christmas time.
We'd bundle up for the cold and head downtown.
Block's, (were they the store with the clock on the street, GH?), L.S. Ayres, and, was it Wasson's? I think I have that memory right.
These downtown stores would have animated Christmas displays in their windows on "the Circle".
The stores competed with one another to see who could gather the most "AHHHHHHHS".
As a kid, I can remember being absolutely knocked out by how clever they were.

Several years back, we returned to walk around the Circle.
Although there were no displays in the windows, there were special Christmas activities goin' on.
Ice skating, I think, and carolers?
A huge "Poinsettia" Christmas tree at one of the opulent hotels.

It makes me happy to think kids today will have happy memories of downtown Indy when they are older.

I hope they're as happy as mine are.

The Winter of '62?

A couple quick thoughts, and then a little mild comic relief for you:

St. Louis just took a pounding, weather-wise.
Some areas got more than a foot of snow, after an ice storm took down trees and power lines.
Thousands are still without power and sleeping in "warm shelters" like school gymnasiums several days after passage of the storm.
My home is 60 miles Southeast of St. Louis, and we didn't see a snowflake.
Odd.

Anytime we have a snowstorm that temporarily brings things to a standstill, I remember the storm of '62, during Sectionals. The storm this weekend came without the wind we experienced all those years ago, so there wasn't the attendant drifting. But the ice made this storm treacherous. Flying into St. Louis tonight, we crossed the snow line about 20 miles Southeast of St. Louis. The full moon reflecting off the snow made it almost like flying in daylight.
I could see the "moon shadow" of the helicopter! (Wanta sing Cat Stevens, anyone?)

It's deer hunting season here, and the deer are moving like crazy from just before sundown to just after dawn. I've narrowly missed three deer in the past week on my way in to work. I commented to TC at one of our minis that I don't remember ever seeing a deer in White River Township when we were growing up. I know there is a population of them there now, but are there large numbers of them? They are truly a nuisance, like rats, in our area.

Now.... something I hope will at least bring a smile to your faces.
I posted this article at Pitchpull 18 months ago.
The Players:
Willie is Bill F., (class of '63.)
Bob is someone that blogs here at Vandy's Kids.
Tom is Tom D., (class of '66.)
Kenny is Ken H., (class of '66.)
The scene is Hatfield's Standard Service.

I hope you'll enjoy!


"The Pit"

Kids do strange things.
Sometimes kids do strange things just because they are strange.
When I was still trying to control pimples on my face, I went through a phase where I thought being an auto mechanic might just be the greatest job on earth! I loved cars, so what better way to be around automobiles and learn what makes them tick than take a job at the local garage/filling station?
The garage where I worked was old. It had been in existence so long, a layer of grease and dirt at least half an inch thick had built up on the concrete floor in the shop! This facility was built before the advent of hydraulic lifts. To facilitate oil changes, lubrication work, and other under car services, there was a "grease pit" dug in the floor just wide enough that a car could straddle it. It was about four feet in depth, and a ladder at one end allowed you to climb down for access to the underside of the car.
When we had a lot of rain, this pit would fill with about 4 inches of water.

I grew up in a pretty rural area........not a lot of things for teenagers to do. This garage became a meeting place for my friends. One night, after a really rainy stretch, I was standing with four of my friends, Willie, Bob, Kenny, and Tom, looking down into the standing water in the pit. Willie had hands in pockets, jingling his change. He drew his hand out, counted the change, and said "Greybeard, I'll give you 59 cents if you jump into the pit!"
I was wearing clothing my boss called a uniform.......oil stained, holed with battery acid and then patched. No skin off my nose! Into the pit I jumped!
As I climbed the stairs, Willie forked over the 59 cents with a grin.
I had change too, and pulled it out of my pocket.......37 cents. Adding my change to Willie's I turned to Bob and said, "Is it worth 96 cents to jump?" Bob wasn't in a ratty old uniform, so it surprised me when he took the plunge! He climbed the steps and I forked over the coins.
Bob shook his pocket, pulled out his change. He then turned to Tom and said, "Will ya do it for $1.26?" SPLASH! Tom was $1.26 richer. Tom to Ken......another 40 cents in the kitty. Now the only one without wet trousers is Willie, the instigator. But Ken added 80 whole cents (!) to the pot, and Willie couldn't resist!
Up to this point, it somehow seemed to make sense.
Willie counts the cash, removes his original investment, turns to me and says, "I'll give you $1.87 to do it again!" I'm already soaked, so what the heck? In I go!
I took out my 47 cents, counted the rest and said, "Bob......there's $1.40 in it for ya to jump!" Then Tom, then Kenny.......
At the end of this wonderful exercise, we were all grinning, soaked to the waist, and pleased with how silly we were. We all had the same riches we started with. And we all had a story to relate about what it was like to be an adolescent male in rural America in the mid 1960's.

Classmates

I hope you can read this article and this post works out, my first time with the article.

Mystery
John T. found this article in the Nov.15th Daily Journal. He was asking me if I knew who this was. I looked in the books and could only find the last name in the 1990 class. Like I told Graybeard, we had about 140 in our class but think about 440 have claimed to have been in the great class of ' 65. Anybody have any idea who this is ?

Twins for Grandma Janet

Thought you might like to see Grandma Janet and Grandpa Jim with their newest family additions. Twins!!! Born 10/30. Both sweet, gaining weight and perfect in every way. What a wonderful gift for the holidays!


 

Close Encounters

It was 1978, and I was Chief Dogcatcher.
My boss asked, "Would you like to be Civil Defense Director?"
The old CD Director had retired before writing the Emergency Operations plan the County desperately needed.
I took the job and got started making contacts and writing the plan.

The job came with a fairly nice office on the second floor of a privately owned office building.
A Real Estate Broker occupied the office across from mine.
My first morning on the job, the Broker came in and introduced himself-
"Hi, I'm Ben! Are you a coffee drinker?"
When I answered in the affirmative, he said, "Well, there's no need for you to brew your own, 'cause I always have a fresh pot brewing in my office. Just contribute now and then to the coffee fund, and you can have a bottomless cup!"
I grabbed my cup and he led me to the pot.
Ben introduced me to his attractive secretary, who also carried the name, "Mrs. Ben".
Her name was Shirley.

Next morning I unlocked my office door, turned on the lights, and grabbed my cup for the first cup of the day.
Ben was nowhere to be found, but Shirley was holding down the fort.

"So Shirley, where are you from?"
-"Indiana".

"Oh? What part?"
-"Central".

"Oh? What town?"
-"Just outside Indianapolis".

"Oh? Where outside Indianapolis?"
-"South of Indy".

"Oh?!! Where did you go to High School?"
-"Center Grove."

"What was your Maiden name!?"
-"S******"

I laughed out loud.......
"You had an older sister Sheila, and a younger brother Jeff.
Sheila was a cheerleader.
Jeff graduated in the class before me. I knew him pretty well!"

We were 250 miles from home.
Small world.
Great coffee!

CGHS Class of 1966

Greybeard, Greybeard, Greybeard!
Man, I sure get tired of reading the crap that this "Greybeard" guy posts!
C'mon....... where are the really interesting writers?

A couple days ago I got an email from someone that will remain unnamed, asking permission to link to "Vandy's Kids".
Of course, I approved.
A little investigation reveals that he graduated in the CGHS class of '66, and he's an old "Valley Kid" too!
Hooray!
Let's see, that would be VK(2), wouldn't it?

Further probing led to an interesting Yahoo Forum our underclassmen have started. You can find it here.
Late last night, while I was at work, I poked around and found photos of their latest class reunion, and saw several faces I remember....... I was even able to attach a name to a few of those faces!
When you have time, go browse there and see what they're doin'. Like us, they are considering ways to say "thanks for our blessings". One of their ideas is to fund a scholarship. Wonderful!

To those of you from the class of '66, or any other class of "Vandy's Kids", we say "WELCOME!", and please, if you are so motivated, leave a comment so we know you stopped by.
We're all family, and we are proud of what you are doing!

The Valley

The subject of the Valley comes up a lot here at VK, and now also at our reunions.
I'm not sure how most would define the term...... that's a topic for the comments..... what does "The Valley" mean to you?
Technically, to me it meant the neighborhood on Old Smith Valley road, from the E.U.B. Church, down the hill to Paddock road, then South, half a mile or so toward Olive Branch road.

I think I may have been the youngest "Indianapolis News" carrier in history.
I have no way of knowing if that's true.... no way to check. I just know the regional manager said I was the youngest ever when he gave me the paper route.

But at the age of ten I decided having a little jingle in my pockets would be a wonderful thing! I can't even remember the kids name, but he was 2 years my senior and lived in the Hiatt addition, just over the fence and four houses North from our house. He delivered papers in The Valley and he was moving. He needed someone to take his place.

I proposed becoming a small-businessperson to my parents. They were concerned for a thousand reasons. Having their 10 year old son take on that responsibility was scary. They knew I would be married to the route, delivering the Indy News on weekday evenings, and the Indy Star early on Sunday mornings. They knew they would bear the responsibility of watching over my shoulder to insure it was done properly.

I was so young, they even worried about my ability to make change when I did my weekly collections.
I knew they were leaning in the right direction when we practiced making change.
I knew the route was probably mine when I showed I could do it successfully.

I've had many milestones in my life.
I delivered The Indianapolis News in Smith Valley for almost 5 years, and I think that route taught me many important things that have served me well all these years.

Suttons, Perrys, Dotys...... I delivered the news to many with those names.
Many that didn't carry those names lost the name when they married. When I took the route, I delivered 21 Daily and 13 Sunday newspapers. When I handed the route over to John A. (who lived next door to the E.U.B. Church), I was delivering 54 daily and 32 Sunday papers.

I rode my bike past Doty's (then Hatfield's) Standard Service Station, The Beehive, the Smith Valley Community Center, the aforementioned E.U.B. Church, Effie Robinson's Variety Store, and Don Sutton's Grocery. During the Winter, the pot-bellied stove at Effie's was a welcome place to warm up while munching on a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Summertime would find me outside, sitting on the bread box at Sutton's grocery, after grabbing an ice-cold Pepsi and a bag of peanuts inside.

When there wasn't a pick-up basketball game going on at Steve W.'s, the old bridge over the creek near Steve W. and Jane Ann C.'s house would beckon for 30 minutes or so. I always seemed to have a sidekick alongside to go down and skip rocks on the creek, or gingerly ride our bikes upstream when the creek was frozen over.

The route was a life lesson.
Many of those homes were occupied by old people. More than once I went to collect for my papers, only to find there was no one to collect from. People get old and they die, ya know..... even those you have learned to love.
Old people get lonely, and if they have no one to talk to but a very young paper boy, well, he'll do...... it's better than bein' alone. Part of my pay came from devoting the necessary time to someone that had not spoken to another human being all day.
All people are different.
Some are "not quite right".
Some folks will go to great extremes to avoid paying a young businessman the few cents they owe him.
Some women will pay their bill wearing very little clothing, just to see what reaction results.

But customers all wanted to read the news, and they wanted their newspaper delivered in one piece, dry, and on time.

The route taught me about budgeting and saving for the future,
and I did always have a "jingle" in my walk!
Such fond memories.
I wouldn't trade 'em for the world!

Roasting OJ

If these photos don't make sense to you, well, I guess ya had to be there.

Roasting OJ became a golden moment in time to be remembered with fondness and belly laughs for a long time 

More Photos

  

9:03

Did you enjoy Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone"?

If so, I'd like you to devote five minutes of your time to an audio drama my son wrote, produced, directed, recorded, (complete with adding sound effects), and played in.

He's graduating with a Degree in Communications/Radio-TV in December, and this was a class project. Those of you that come and read my personal blog may have already heard it. It's told from the perspective of a tape recorder in the office of a group of telemarketers.
My son calls it 9:03.

Additional pictures

 

 

 

 

Playing with photos

 

R.M.U.

Vice President Cheney was at Camp Atterbury recently to speak in support of Indiana National Guard families.

I was watching Fox News the other night and caught a glimpse of someone that looked familiar on the video of the event. I found this photo that affirms what I saw.
All I can say is, Attaboy!
You make us all proud!

Yet More Pics....

These are the last of my pictures.
I'm hopeful others will post theirs soon.
Here Jan K, Janet, and Mrs. T. chat with Mr. M., Linda K., and Cynthia in the background.





Back at the kitchen table, Sharon, StraightRickie's better half Maggie, and DJinIndy share a little time.






It was such a beautiful day!
Purple Tomcat and Hot Lips enjoy the deck just outside the kitchen door.






Indy Echo commented on the wonderful food. Here you get a feel for it. Purple Tabby, Cynthia, and Vicki come for dessert.
What a great time!
When's the next mini? I'm ready!

S'more pics:

Well, that took two kinds of forever!
Blogger is acting up tonight. Luckily, the weather is Schmutz.... (look it up), and I have the time to mess with downloading these photos. Here, Hawkeye and Purple Tabby seem oblivious as TwoDogs makes his moves on Indy Echo! (Or is he just thanking her for being such a wonderful hostess? You be the judge!)

Meanwhile, the lovely Cinders waits,
and waits.










Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell make the grand entrance with big smiles, crushing Sara Jean in the rush to join the fun!





Keaney, Tracy, and Carol urge Ginger to make an editorial comment.


Can there yet be more photos?
Yep, if technology will cooperate!

October '06 in Edinburg

(Click photos and they should enlarge.)
Blogger is taking forever to download photos today, so I'm gonna post a few now, then more later, hoping the download speed picks up.
Look closely, and you'll see faces you may not have seen in a long time!
Here we see Indy Echo, Cindy, Hawkeye, and Ginger's John S. chatting in the kitchen.






Ferdy, StraightRickie, and Sharon. Rick sure seems to be enjoying himself!











Mr. C. has FlyGirl's attention......








Jan K. and our guest of honor. The older guys
are sure smooth, aren't they?




More photos on the way soon.

More Edinburg "Stuff"

Have you ever been assaulted with a shovel?
I shudder to have to relate this to you-

No..... I can't bring myself to do it now!
It'll have to wait to be told after I've had a chance to face up to the horror of it!

There are a few loose ends to tie up: Vicki asked that I post and remind those of you that have stories you'd like to relate about either OJ or Vandy to finish writing those and submit them to her so she can compile them in the notebooks she's made for that purpose. This doesn't have to be a big deal by any means....... if either of these guys had a positive effect on your lives, please email or send them to Vicki soon so she can honor Vandy and OJ with them.

And Vicki-
If there are any of them that are poignant, funny, or otherwise of interest to Vandy's Kids, please copy them so we can share them here!

Come on guys...... I know there are more stories to relate out there!

Blogging the Mini

Dateline: Edinburgh, Indiana

Six hours of driving finds us chatting with Vicki I. for the first time in 41 years!
Wonderful.

IE and Shifty, Ferdy, DJinIndy, and Vicki were very obviously enjoying one another's company as we entered the scene. Hawkeye and Hot Lips had departed before our 10:30 P.M. arrival, to return Saturday for preparations for the Mini.
All is well here folks.

Saturday morning here now. Sara Jean found her way to bed at 4 A.M.. She and Vicki were up late plotting the violent overthrow of some Latin American country, I think.
I didn't ask..... my eyes slammed shut an hour before.

It's clear and cool here. The trees are doing their normal late October Indiana thing. Gorgeous.
I have my camera, and will do my best to remember to take it out of it's holster and actually shoot some pictures.

Stay tuned. Back later.
GB

Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!

Working nights fits my temperament for a number of reasons.
I have always been a Nightowl, so it's kinda natural for me to work 12 hours from 6:30 P.M. to A.M..

Late night rolls around, and I find myself in front of the computer monitor, getting paid for surfing. I also show myself "online" on MSN Instant messenger, and chat with buddies from near and far.
One that frequently shows up at Midnight or thereabouts is our beloved Golden Horse. Five hours after the sun has set here, it submerges in the Pacific at the Aloha State. GH shows up, and we talk about what you'd imagine....... classmates, happy days, next week and next year.

But there was something else to chat about last night. GH and her Kenman got shaken outta bed this week. They are okay, but inspections are ongoing to see how much damage was done to the infrastructure around them. Damage was greater on the Big Island, but Oahu was pretty well shaken too. GH says they had power off for a while but they seem to be headed back to normalcy around her pretty quickly.

I was glad to chat with her and get that news, and wanted to relay it to all who might be concerned. She'll probably jump into the comments here, but still wishes she were headed Eastbound this weekend. Maybe we'll fire up a computer in Edinburgh at some point and all who want to can fill GH in on what she is missing? That would be fun.
I know we're all glad she and Ken are unhurt.

That Chipley, Florida Gang

(Click photo to enlarge)
A week and a half behind us in Destin, we leave tomorrow, (Sunday) to head back North, knowing next weekend we'll be enjoying visiting with many of you. We're lookin' forward to it!

The last couple times down, we've been in touch with Carol and Harry, trying to get together. We finally pulled it off last night!
Carol and Harry drove down from Chipley and met us at Baytowne Wharf, which is part of a gated community in Sandestin, Florida. Dinner was great. Visiting was better. They both look wonderful....... broad smiles all around.

They're sad not to be able to make it to the mini next weekend- they considered it, but a number of responsibilites will keep them in Chipley. They want everyone to know they'll be thinking of us and wishing they were with us in Edinburgh on Saturday.

Drop 'em a note and encourage them to be sure and make the next one!

Quimby Shirrell

Last week I emailed everyone about a Benefit for Quimby Shirrell. She is at the IU Hospital in the transplant center. You can go onto my Blog and see all the details on her & her sister's surgery Oct. 16th.

This is the flyer we are hoping to put out. We have talked with the American Legion and the VFW. Both said they thought there would be no problem in being the sponsor, but they have to present it at their meeting on Tuesday. If we have anyone here that is in the American Legion and could put in a good word for us, that would help alot. You can call Scott @ the American Legion - 317-881-1752.



Benefit for Quimby Shirrell

Sponsored by:
AMERICAN LEGION & VFW OF GREENWOOD

Spaghetti Dinner
$25 per person
Presale tickets

Presale enters you into raffle for big screen TV

Dinner / Auction / Music / Raffle

Nov. 24th, 2006 Friday
6:00 p.m.
Location: Primo Banquet Hall
I-65 & S. Keystone
For tickets call
352-0389 777-2767 839-9006


We are looking for any help & donations of any kind: monetary, services, auction items, if you have a place of business and could take some of the tickets to sell, etc.
You can contact any of us: Courtney Turner, Nancy Steelman or me - numbers above.

First Priority is to please keep them in your prayers.

Rebel Rouser

Okay schoolmates, I need your help.
Sara Jean and I are on our annual get-away to Destin, Florida. Driving down we frequently listen to "Oldies" stations. One of the songs we heard on the way down was Duane Eddy's "Rebel Rouser", and it set me to thinking. Jane Ann C. and I were both in the band for a long time. I took trumpet lessons with Mr. Kaufman the summer between 4th and 5th grade, and was surprised to find myself in the High School band starting our 5th grade year. I think Jane had the same experience. In band we mostly played classical stuff with a few marches thrown into the mix.
I was surprised to come into band practice one day and find the sheet music to "Rebel Rouser" in the folders on our music stands!

It was as much fun to play as you'd imagine, and when we'd play it at our ballgames, the reaction was predictable.

But it also set me to thinking about another bandmate, and I'm ashamed to say I'm not sure I remember his name correctly. He was our snare drummer. Very talented, I think his name was David Lofton, but here in Florida I don't have yearbooks to lean on to verify that.

I know I heard he had passed away some years ago. (Bad heart?)
Hawkeye, or someone with a yearbook handy...... he was either in the class of '63, or more likely, the class of '64. Please solve my headache of trying to remember his name! And if anyone has particulars on how and when he died, maybe someone other than me would also like to hear that information.

Nellie Update:

Thanks again to those of you that wrote kind words for me and my family concerning my Mom.
We spent Friday with her at the hospital in Pensacola. In good spirits, she was still tired and a little weak from her experience. They worried she was losing blood somehow, and had given her a unit of blood. There was some question she might have had a silent heart attack.
Mommanurse has been guiding much exploration to find the problem, but so far they have turned up nothing........ good news and bad, 'cause we were hoping they'd find a problem and fix it!

Mom is now in a rehab facility. She has been borderline diabetic for years. Now she is gonna have to start taking insulin shots in order to control her blood sugar. At the rehab facility they are giving her diet and exercise tips, and will teach her how to properly administer her shots..... dosage and technique. She should be released from that facility soon...... maybe even before we finish our vacation here, which would be wonderful, because we could help get her settled back in her apartment with her beloved cat!

She comes here to VK to stay current on our posts and comments. If you knew Mom, I know she'd be overjoyed to read your thoughts and supportive comments.
Thanks again to all of you thinking and praying for us!

Vandy's Kids

Suggestion has been presented by alumni member to host a sock hop at BB game between Christmas and New Years. BB game honors former players, coaches and yell leaders. Goal to obtain alumni supporting CGS in house and hopefully get alumni organized so we can support CGS. I would appreciate any comments. BB game last year hosted about 40 alumni players and yell leaders, good evening.

Center Grove Education Foundation has created a CGS / WRT fact sheet with local info. i will provide copies to JT and Barb for Oct gathering if i can not attend.

alumni banquet set for first saturday in june at CGHS cafeteria

vandy's kids if being read by many and enjoyed at CGS.

alumni will soon have a link to CGS web page, will keep you posted.

hatchet

"Dewey Beats Truman!"

I have a cruel, twisted sense of humor sometimes.
My first title for this post was gonna be "Mini-Reunion Cancelled!"
Please, know up front that title is just as wrong as the one above.

I've had emails and calls inquiring about the mini-re.
Some were confused that the posts about who was coming and what to bring were taken down. Others apparently emailed IE about something reunion related and had gotten no response.
Don't despair folks, the sky is not falling!

We will meet.
We will have fun.
You will take home memories you'll never forget.
You will be glad you came.

I'll bet a couple things:
Indy Echo is probably up to her butt in alligators...... by that I mean that on a couple occasions she has let me know that her personal business has been keeping her more than a little busy lately. She just got back from vacation, and I suspect she is pulling her hair out trying to catch up on her backload.
Seems to me I also heard something a few weeks ago about her computer going on a work stoppage, or something to that effect. If you've written her via email and have had no response, it might be that IE's "Mr. Dell" is just being an obnoxious electronic jerk and has not been doing his job properly.

But just to reassure you-
We will have a meeting, somewhere.
Brown County, McCormick's Creek, the Teacher's Parking Lot at Center Grove High School-
what do we really need in the way of a place to meet?

I personally heard from IE a couple weeks ago. I've also recently heard from Ferdy and PT. I have no reason to believe that we are not "all systems go, A-OK for launch" of the mini-re!

I bet we'll be in Edinburgh around a fire smiling at one another on the evening of October 21st.
But if not there, there was a nice fire at Purple Tabby's Mom's house in Nashville, and I have it on good faith the welcome mat is out there too.

And all who were there left with warm hearts and smiling faces!
Be of good cheer, folks. See ya in a couple weeks!

Autumn Leaves

"And the days dwindle down,
to a precious few....
September,
November."

Ya know, I probably write too much about stuff that makes me introspective and melancholy. When we started "Vandy's Kids", PT posted, with the best of intentions, the list of schoolmates that had passed on, and we included the cause of their passing. We took the memorial down and stored it because the list began to be pretty long, and we were depressed by the loss of youth, promise, talent, vigor, and so many other things it represented.
Now comes the news about Jerry Mullinix and Mickey Kincaid. It's a little easier for me to rationalize the loss of these guys....... they didn't die painfully young- they had a chance to live and make a mark to remember them by.

Pretty early in childhood you realize the normal progression of things. As youngsters we watched as Great-Grandparents died, then Grandparents. We knew that if things unfolded normally, our Parents would be next to go.
Along the way now and then came the shockers-
Friends and loved ones dying much too young due to accidents or horrible disease..... so hard to accept because we're not prepared for it.

I can hardly believe I'm rapidly approaching 60 years of age. And 60 for me is a kind of breaking point- still too young to die, but people who reach 60 have had time to experience much in life, and it's not such a tragedy as dying sooner.

My job has shown me that people of all ages can die of things you don't expect. I regularly see folks under thirty with serious heart attacks. I once transported a 4 year old who had suffered a stroke. Cancer is another disease that can strike at any age.

But now we are entering the 7th decade of our lives.
In "Chico and the Man", Ed Brown, played by Jack Albertson, checked the obituaries in his newspaper to see if his name was there.
Funny bit........
but more and more our contemporaries names will be listed there, and although we may not be comfortable with it, it's a natural thing isn't it?

That's why I believe our memorial to schoolmates will probably remain dormant.
It's also why these mini-reunions are such a wonderful thing, and why it's important you come share fellowship with us if you can.

I hope to see you on October 21st!


Update, 1927 hours:
Home from work this morning, Sara Jean said I needed to call Mommanurse right away- my Mother is in the hospital.
Mom is 81. She has been borderline diabetic for some time now, but the condition has gradually worsened. She is now taking insulin and they are having trouble controlling the dosage and getting her sugar level stabilized. This morning the visiting Nurse couldn't get her to come to the door, and when she investigated, she found Mother confused. She called Mommanurse. MN made the decision to take her to the hospital (where Mommanurse is on staff). There they decided to keep Mom at least overnight to observe and investigate her situation further.
I thought it odd, and sort of premonition-ish that this would happen after publishing this post late last night.
Your prayers and kind thoughts for Mom would be appreciated.
GB