Jack Mapstone

Debby,
Thanks for being so considerate and consistent with keeping the blog updated. Your efforts are truly appreciated. Are there any special instructions for going to the blog and editing the entry myself? As an aged crepitant(?) I'm certain I've seen something, I just can't remember where.
News(if you can call it that): The holidays were wonderful, especially being able to spend Christmas morning with our 2 granddaughters ages 7 and 4. I finished the last semester supervising 10 student interns: 6 high school, 2 middle school and 2 elementary. I was delighted to see what goes on at the elementary level! I can honestly say I wouldn't mind my own kids being placed in any of their classes. This semester I've been assigned 12 interns by FSU: 10 high school and 2 middle school. My wife Renae and I enjoy traveling locally to small Georgia, Alabama and Florida towns with some strange names(Wewahitchka?, Attapulgus?, Wacissa?) to wander through the shops, especially antique shops, have lunch or dinner in a local restaurant or, playing golf if there is a golf course near by. We are planning to go camping with Steve Martin and his wife Gerry, sometime in February. I hope this message finds "all y'all" well and happy. jm

Dave Eckerson

Uh … how about:

I am headed out to Afghanistan in February for two months to shore up our senior management team. I am awaiting final decision on my next posting, and it looks like I will be running a mission in Africa beginning this summer. Seems absolutely nuts to be headed off to another post at age 60, but kids are finally out of the house (two still in college, one out who is still deciding how she will change the world).
On a humorous note … we have been at war with Sears over fact that our repair service contract has been useless, and we have been blown off five successive times since November to use it to repair our dishwasher. We have attacked them on all fronts this past week, starting with the Washington Post Newspaper Ombudsman, and progressing to letters to everyone on their Board of Directors.
The signs we put in our window (photo attached) have really attracted attention in the neighborhood and in the Sears Board room.

Keep up the great communication, D

Peace

eckerson

Peter Bacel

Peter Bacel lives in Williamstown, NY about 5 miles north of Westdale where Jon Flatt lives. Peter recently retired from Kodak.

Sons of Jon Flatt

#1 Jason
#2 Jamie
#3 Jeff

Jon Flatt

Received a very nice handwritten note from Jon Flatt. He said in his last note that he does not like computers and any other electronic stuff. He sent some photos of his 3 sons. He also included one of Peter Bacel who lives in Williamstown about 5 miles north of where Jon lives. Peter recently retired from Kodak. ... His sister-in-law is once again Nan Leland from our class. Nan was in homeroom with me and we were pretty good friends. Jon says that Nan and his older brother Sam Flatt got married again. Nan is now his first and third wife. ... Jon's sons are 30, 33, 35. Jason, Jamie, Jeff. Son #2 Jamie, has 3 children, Ethan, Jaelyn, Aiden.

Gerry and Denise Phillips

Panama Canal Cruise

The Pepsi Generation

Skip Doolittle

Jeanne O'Brien

Sue Connor

Barb Lloyd

I found this in my mother's things

over the holidays.

Debby

Family Photo

Dudley, Debby, Sydney, Millie, John

Dan Sheedy

Dan sent this for your listening pleasure. Click on the link:

"We did have fun"Click here: Take Me Back To The Fifties <http://oldfortyfives.com/TakeMeBackToTheFifties.htm>

Dave Neary

Hi Debby,
Hope all is well with you. Thanks for prodding us all to participate and communicate. You asked for an update:
I spent the month of December in Sioux City, Iowa, working as a volunteer for Barack Obama. Believe it or not, it was some of the best fun I've had in the last ten years, and one of the most intriguing learning experiences of my life! Sioux City is NOT the vacation capital of the universe. The midwestern winter was miserable- subzero cold, ice storms, fog, frigid winds- made Wyoming feel balmy in comparison.I had been planning a trip to Bolivia, and just could not ignore the political situation any more- this country, NOT Bolivia (I suspect that tells your readers something about my personal politics, eh?), so I connected with the Obama campaign and decided to explore the Iowa caucus from the inside.I went to every event, hosted coffees, helped with house parties, had the opportunity to meet and question every candidate who is running (except Gravel who didn't show up in SC, and Romney, who I wasn't interested in seeing). Clinton, Huckabee, McCain, Paul, Obama, Biden, Dodd, Richardson, Edwards, Thompson all held major events. Knocked on doors, talked to voters, enlisted supporters, converted Republicans, worked the telephones and helped organize the Precinct 34 caucus for Barack. And, we won! My personal precinct goal was 3 delegates, we actually got four, so I felt great about the outcome.It was very intriguing to see the entire process first hand. The democratic caucus, in particular, is not very democratic. All sorts of issues with voter access; "viability", were any candidate with low turnout, 15% or less, is dropped from the count; privacy- no secret ballot here; voter education; etc. I saw campaign dirty tricks being played out right in front of my eyes- the Clintons really do cheat! Altogether, fascinating.As a result, I've just arrived in Charleston for the remaining two weeks of the Democratic campaign! Will be here through 1-26, and then probably on to one last state until the super Tuesday vote on 2-5. After that will kayak and bike in northern Florida for a little bit before returning to Wyoming. It's not Bolivia, but all told is a fascinating insight into this particularly historic election cycle.Will try to catch up again after the primary.
Dave

Barb Belton Robertson

ok, get ready for this..when i was returning from christmas in the rockies with my family, met up with maria pulos levy at the "rocky mountain diner" in denver. she took the "light rail" ( i called it the trolley because the tracks run on the side of the street just like sanfran ) from her home in littleton,co. ken (my s.o. ) and matt, my son drove thru a snowstorm, but we all made it. had lunch and maria and i talked so fast that the guys couldn't get a word in. it was so great to see her!!! miss her already...here are the pictures of us old broads - not too dusty, eh?
barb belton robertson

Television Memories

Larry English

2008 is starting out just about like 2007. I turn 60 in a very days so my friends and family are gathering to celebrate… my growing old. How exciting. Take a deep breath Deb and enjoy the year, we are all closer to the end than the beginning, no time left to get overly excited.

Judy Lapham Drake

Debby,

Thank you for your continued communications. When I get home from work I have had enough of the computer and communicating. That is my excuse for not responding sooner. I am working as an administrative assistant at a senior living facility. My children are grown, but now I am the mother of a group of 70 to 90 year olds. Our facility has apartments and is for healthy seniors who need a lot of interaction, and very minimal assistance. I love most of them, but it is a lot like "daycare". I explain Medicare D, and when the podiatrist is coming again. I am really a freelance artist, but there are no benefits or steady paycheck. It keeps me sane to paint .I have attached a recent picture and hope you can post it or what ever magic you do. I have truly enjoyed seeing everyone, I just don't understand it all. I spend my time negotiating government web pages-yuck.

Thanks again,

Judy Lapham Drake

Tornadoes

For the past 2 days, the temperature has been in the 70's. Record breakers for January. I walked my dogs this morning with a T shirt. And it was humid. The kind of weather that generates freaky winds and tornadoes. The entire St. Louis and surrounding areas have been under watches and warnings since early evening. Fortunately where I live is a hilly area so I'm not too concerned. But it's about 11pm and it's lightening and thundering in the distance. We get some pretty mean hail in these parts. Not good for the vehicles. Car dealers run hail damage specials. So different from the East coast where they advertise rust prevention and fixing salt damage.

Tom and Tim Neveldine

I just sent out another class mailing asking for news and information. I heard for the first time from Dave Courtwright. I also heard from Tim Neveldine, older brother of Tom Neveldine. It is Tim that is married to Joyce Cook, not Tom as I always had heard. So the emails listed in the class directory are incorrect. Please let me know if you'd like the most up-to-date directory emailed to you. We're on about the 4th revision.

David Courtwright

Hi, boy am I glad I’m single,,,brought the dogs back in, that works for me….

Dave

Tom Ford Class of 68

Friends and family, 2007 has been another interesting life experience in Ukraine. My other two team members left last February, so it has been lonely at times with no Americans around to talk with. Fortunately I had Nadia to share and enjoy new life experiences. I was able to travel home twice on business and bring Nadia with me to Pensacola and Chicago. She had a wonderful time in America. We also made many trips to Kyiv and spent four fun-filled days exploring Istanbul. This morning, I spent my last Christmas in Ukraine by teaching at their Naval Academy and having Christmas brunch with some of the professors. I will be starting a new job in Corpus Christi, TX as the Program Manager for a U.S. Navy contract that involves courseware and curriculum development at the five Naval Air Training bases, which will allow me to get back to Pensacola regularly. I plan to arrive in Corpus on 6 January, directly from Ukraine. The following week I will be in Pensacola to spend time with my Dad & Jacque; Cliff and Marin, my 3rd granddaughter that I’ve never met; Stephen, Lara, Madison, & Makenzie; and Tommy. Captain Cliff (USMC) will be visiting from Camp Pendleton, CA and deploying soon to Iraq for his third tour flying H-46 helicopters.Since I’ll be back in America after 28 months, I hope to see some of you and renew old friendships...and play some golf too.Please take time throughout the year to thank the military men & women that protect our freedoms and their families for their sacrifices, most especially during this Christmas period. Please enjoy this video -- http://www.iwo.com/heroes.htm I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and may God bless and watch over you in 2008.
Tom Ford

Kirsten Mackey Fleisher

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008