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 ?