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JAMESTOWN, New York - The photo of the page didn't turn out as well as I wanted, but you can pretty clearly see Chris Henderson, Greg Taft, Marianne Jim and Rick Shevalier.
The text might be a little more obscure.
These were the pages that listed what activities you did, what teams you were on and for some of us slackers, well, the listing was a little thin.
In my case, due to some slip up somewhere (no doubt my fault, somehow), my vast list of high school activities doesn't appear.
I know I did a few things: the newspaper, the track squad, wrestling and very short stretch on the football team. Not much, now that I look at it.
But pretty soon we will get the chance to jog each other's memories about what we did do - and didn't do.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The boarding passes are printing as I write this.
(Hmmm. The printer is making seriously funny noises, so maybe not. I love technology, I love technology. Arrggggh.)
Whatever the case is, Admiral Fox and I are packing the New York State bags for a red-eye flight east tonight and the Class of '66 reunion in a few weeks.
Watching the weather from here, I wish I could haul along some California sunshine. Everytime I check on Western New York, I see there is a flood watch and thunderstorms predicted. That's a far cry from the 100-degree weather we have been sweating through until this morning.
But remember the 20th reunion and the flood and the cars washing away down the creek? A little weather can make for great tales to tell later.
I'm sure before reunion weekend, Randy Carlson will be giving me a final tally and list of who is coming - and not. And maybe then we will also publish a schedule of what's happening when and where...
Please let Randy know if you want to hit Grazer's Restaurant in Lakewood for breakfast on reunion weekend Saturday. Given that I will probably still be snoozing at Webb's Resort that morning, I'm going to pass on the drive to Lakewood.
But maybe not.
If the 20th and 25th reunions were any indicator, some folks go to only a single event and not the whole panoply. (Good grief, where did that word come from this morning?) So there could be some in-town SWCS alums - or teachers perhaps - who might make the breakfast their only time to chat. I would hate to miss that one shot.
Chipped beef on toast anyone?
OCEAN SPRINGS - Jennifer Wall, it turns out, is a neighbor of Jim French in the deep south - 40 years after they were neighbors in West Ellicott.
Jennifer and Jim, I have a question: who is following who? (Or is it, who is following whom? Where is Mrs. Kistler when we need her?)
In any event, Jennifer emailed to say she can't make the trek.
Another classmate who I will miss seeing!
But all this emailing, et al, is connecting people all over the place. And that's great...
Here's Jennifer's note:
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Dear Mike,
Wow! I have been reading about those alumni sending regrets about not coming to class reunion. I just read the e-mail you sent on to us from Cathy Lindstrom and Jim French. Jim French must be following me or I following him. He lived almost in my backyard in West Ellicott, now apparently lives in my backyard here in Ocean Springs. Please forward this e-mail on to him so may be we can communicate by e-mail and I also seem to see his name here in my phone book. I will give him a call.
Sorry I can not make reunion either. I was really looking forward to it. I have not been home since my little sister's wedding about 4 years ago. We too have weathered Katrina and pretty well compared to others - we still have our house. I am starting a new job this week which will prevent me from taking any vacations for a while. I also have daughter and grandson staying with us a while while her husband is in Iraq. It seems every year he gets sent somewhere overseas.
Mike, thanks for your hard work. You have done a great job pulling all us together once again even if only by e-mail. As a result I think there will be more communication now between some of us who had lost track of their school friends.
Jennifer Wall Breland
LAKEWOOD, New York - It is getting so close to the SWCS Class of '66 40th reunion that we need to talk about breakfast.
Yup chowhounds, breakfast.
Randy Carlson asked me to post the photo of Grazer's Restaurant and his message below.
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"The management at Grazer's restaurant has requested that we give them a rough estimate of the number of people that plan to have breakfast Saturday the 15th from 7am to 9am so that they can be properly staffed. Please email Randy at carlscus@netsync.net with a non-binding yes or no so that we can accommodate.
Boards will be available at Webb's to post pictures, messages, mementos, etc.of attendees and non-attendees so bring/send lots.
The non-attendees will be able to view pictures of the festivities on Mike's blog. Casual dress is the order of the day at Webb's.
Procrastinators need to respond as we will be making final arrangements by around 7/1.
Thank you.
Randy
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SOMEWHERE IN GEORGIA - Randy Carlson reports that Cathy Lindstrom Prince will be attending the Class of '66 reunion after all.
Whoo-hoo!
On a less-happy note, Jim French just emailed me and said he will not be able to attend, joining Becky Scowden who this week also said she would not be making it.
Next thing, I suppose Jim and Pam Carr will say they aren't coming.
What is this world coming to?
Here's the email I received from Jim French. Jim, we'll miss you but we will not take any excuses for the 50th reunion.
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Mike,
I was hoping to make final arrangements and attend the planned festivities, but the way things look right now that is not going to happen. Neither my wife "Margaret" or I have been back to Jamestown since the 25th and I remember then there was a serious flood.
We live in Ocean Springs, MS where I work in the Shipbuilding industry for Northrop Grumman as Deputy Program Manager for USCG construction. Shortly after graduation I left Jamestown to find my path ahead. This path lead me through two tours in Vietnam with the USN Seabees, which made me realize that a college education was not a bad thing. Then got degrees in Oceanography, math and finally education all of whcih have nothing to do with shipbuilding. To round out my military career I decided to spend another 20 years in the USCGR, finally retiring in 96.
Margaret and I love the Mississippi Gulf Coast (except for Hurricanes - after Katrina we hope for none this year while the coast re-builds).
Our oldest son Jimmy chose his own path and decided that an Officer in the USAF is the way to go. Youngest son Jeffery, works at the shipyard with me.
"Have a ball at the reunion, hopefully no thunderstorms this time."
