February 2016 - continued
As usual, the last newsletter generated additional inputs, so here they are. Nice stuff from classmates (and one of our teachers.)
Read and enjoy.
First, however, sadly, there is another passing to report. Bud Ebert died last year from prostate cancer. Jim Granger sent this obit from the local paper there in Arizona.
William ‘Bill’ Harvey Ebert Jr.
July 22, 1942 — May 14, 2015
William “Bill” Harvey Ebert, Jr., 72, of Sedona, died May 14.
He is survived by his wife Roseann; sister Carol Ann Butler; children William Joseph Ebert, Jamie Leigh Ebert, Catherine Ann Dupree; and grandchildren Parker and Xander Ebert.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday, June 9, at 1 p.m. at the Church of the Red Rocks in Sedona. Donations are suggested to Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona or the International Hummingbird Society in Sedona.
Another good guy and a lot of fun to be around. Dabbled in poetry as I recall, and a pretty successful businessman. Thanks to Jim for the reporting.
Some news from Liz (Lewis) Usborne and, I might add, some nice pictures. (Pictures are always welcome, and sought after.....)
I have had a non-eventful year as my feet were tangled in some electrical cords, I turned to leave the room and bam, I broke my arm in three places, the humerus to be exact. The orthopods wanted to let gravity a chance to heal the break after they twisted and turned it with the help of a brace..bottom line it didn’t work so I had a rod put in the bone in late September. He predicts another three months to partially heal..
But in the meatime we were able to drive to meet my brother and his family in Moab, UT..in May
We drove from San Diego, and passed through Monument Valley.
My brother camped and we moteled in near Arches National Park.
Then we drove home through Bryce National Park and Sedona
That was my excitement for the year..hope 2016 is a better one..
And here is a nice note from Debbie (Moslander) Baxter (with some very nice pictures....) recounting the great trip they took for their 50th.
Debbie still has that wonderful smile....
In celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary, we travelled to Salzburg, Vienna, and Istanbul. Our favorite city is Vienna, a place of beautiful music, architecture, art museums and palaces. George’s sister, Joan, has lived in Istanbul for 50 years so we had a mini family reunion there. We then took a Greek Island cruise, accompanied by our younger son David and daughter-in-law Gloria. Santorini was our favorite stop.
A travel note: In Salzburg and Vienna we stayed in apartments rented from Airbnb. Because we were in Salzburg for nine days and Vienna for fifteen, it was nice to have breakfast “at home” occasionally and to have the flexibility of eating in or just lounging for a day.
We then spent two weeks with our family in “Gold Country” in California. The area was tinder dry. The draught has been devastating.
I am sad to miss the upcoming reunion. George’s 50th reunion at the Amos Tuck School is this fall and we have scheduled a New England trip - Nantucket, Cape Cod, and the coast of Maine before heading west to Hanover.
A sign seen during our Greek Isle cruise: “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer”.
Debbie
And, a quick note from Gay Mayer, who, as usual has had some interesting travels.
Have been silent for a while — we have been away — just checked off one more thing from the list — track down the whales in Baja California — which we did last week. Quite a nice affair — managed by Un-Cruise from Seattle.
First night coincidence — at our table we started to talk with a couple from Eugene, Or — turns out he used to work 1/.4 mile from my office here in NJ and his boss is a pretty good business friend. Then it got even weirder - Mary asked him where we grew up- he started to hesitate so I suggested Chappaqua and he started to laugh. John Collins Class of ’78. Lived on Bedford Road across from the Congregational Church. We compared notes on Mr. Barlow and Don Miles.
Small world
Doug Weiss checks in with an update on his travels and activities, and some sage observations. He obviously hasn't lost his sense of humor.
Life is good when you don’t have time for cataract surgery. Strange how we measure good as we get older…good is getting up in the morning and having your feet touch the floor….even better when they hit the floor of your kids house or a hotel somewhere interesting…or having your two year old granddaughter say “I love you papa” on facetime. It’s true, I do need cataract surgery but don’t have the four weeks I think I need until September. That’s what having one family in the UK and the other in Boston does to one’s schedule…and then there are the cruises with friends. No complaints here…at least physical ones. I could complain about any of the presidential candidates, but I’ve chosen to ignore all the gorp until the three candidates for President emerge (that’s my political prognostication…worth about one cent).
Our dance card has us on a cruise to Iceland and visiting kids in UK, then Boston to the other kids, then a river cruise from Germany to Hungary with friends, then a whirlwind trip for our grandaughter’s birthdays (one week apart), one in Boston, the other in London, then everyone flying here for Thanksgiving and our annual Caribbean Cruise with friends to recover from Thanksgiving. Sometimes I think we should rent out our house…someone should use it.
I continue as a fish monger…oh wait…that’s a fish manager J I volunteer at Selby Gardens and maintain/care for their large Koi pond. I fell into the job..no, not into the pond…it seems that the folks that work there know plants and know little about pools, skimmers, filters and fish. I’ve had pools in my last 4 houses so I knew how to clean a filter…and that “expertise” got me the job. Very flexible hours…typical volunteer pay ($0).…but I love to sit and talk with the parents and kids as they feed the fish.
I have to admit that I am slowing down. Yes, I still clean the pool, mow the lawn and take care of the landscaping, and do pest control.…I just do them a little differently now; I write a check. I learned that from a friend who was working on a ladder and fell…he went to his doctor to be checked out and the doctor handed him two prescriptions. When my friend looked, one was for pain relief, the other said “hire someone next time”. (true story).
Ed Note: Amen. I don't even think about downsizing any more. Just keep what we've got and hire the work out. Much less stressful, and if something goes wrong, there's someone else to blame.
I sent Mr. Thrasher an email just to see if I still had the right address, and he replied with this nice little message. Still has that wry sense of humor.
“Tempus fugit” Is the 1942 in your E-mail the year of your birth? It is the year I joined the Navy to save the world from ??? Think the world is in worse shape today than in 1942. Hey, I’m to old to join anything but a geriatric club now. 92 years old to take part in memories. Among the pleasant memories are my days as a teacher at Horace Greeley and having students such as yourself. Presently residing in a retirement complex in Redding, Ct., romanticizing my past. Enjoy life and stay healthy, fondly, Rex
And, just in case you need your memory refreshed, that's Mr. Thrasher in the picture.
And this, just in.....
Beth Porter has published her autobiography. You can read the first portions for free at the link below, and if so inclined can purchase the whole book quite reasonably. Worth a look....
Here is her note about it all, and a pic from when she was 20...
WHEW! AND DOUBLE WHEW!! Have now posted up WALKING ON MY HANDS, my autobiography in kindle format on both amazon.com and amazon.co.uk
I have posted the links for each below and some of you might just want to read it, despite its ginormous size. But then again, I've lived a ginormous life, innit?! Whatever, love you all, Beth x
Link to .co.uk
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-My-Hands-resp…/…/ref=sr_1_3…
Walking On My Hands: how I learned to take responsibility for my life with the help of Woody...
Ed. Note: Depending on what browser you are using, the link may take you to a "leaving Facebook" page giving you the option to continue on to Beth's Amazon link. It's OK.
Last, but not least, don't forget to check out the reunion web page. I try to keep that updated as far as attendees go. Still some room left. Once again, I urge you, if you have not been to one of the reunions, please give it serious thought. They have all been wonderful occasions, and this one promises to be special.
LET ME KNOW IF I GOT ANYTHING WRONG HERE, OR IF I LEFT OUT SOMETHING YOU SENT ME. IT'S QUICK AND EASY TO FIX.
AS ALWAYS, I REMAIN YOUR FAITHFUL REPORTER, DAVE WILLIAMS. RACCOON1942@COMCAST.NET AND YOU CAN CALL ME AT 253-905-2751, RIGHT HERE AT 14801 110TH AVE E,
IN BEAUTIFUL PUYALLUP, WASHINGTON 98374