Michael Gillman
Mike Krall
Linda Craig Cummings
Pat Narrow Rapple
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Linda Craig Cummings
As you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
My beautiful 34 year old daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer. She found a lump which one doctor wasn't concerned about. Her regular OB-GYN recommended a biopsy which showed precancerous cells. Because there is no family history of breast cancer, the doctors thought that when they removed the lump that it would be benign. It wasn't. She underwent a second surgery to see if the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes and to try to get clear margins around where the lump was removed. Fortunately, the lymph nodes were clear but the doctors didn't get clear margins. She was given the choice of another re-excision to try to get clear margins or a bilateral mastectomy. She chose the bilateral mastectomy because of the type of cancer it was. It is a cancer that can be very invasive but we were fortunate that it hadn't spread to other parts of her body. We are four weeks post-op and she is doing really well and has returned to work. She meets with the medical oncologist this week regarding follow-up treatment. The cancer is Her2 positive so she may need to have a 90 minute drip of Herceptin once a week for the next year. Not as bad as chemo but evidently will really tire her. I am glad that she is living with me and that I am able to help her through this. I have been really busy taking care of my grandchildren -a three year old and a seven year old in addition to working. Our friends have been a blessing and many angels have helped us through this. We will be doing two cancer walks - one in April in Naples and a 39 mile walk in Colorado the end of June. (Yikes - 39 miles - I definitely will be training for that one!)So, breast cancer has no age limits. Seventy percent of the women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history. Don't ignore any lumps and have regular check-ups and mammograms. It is important.
This has been an interesting journey.
Linda
My beautiful 34 year old daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer. She found a lump which one doctor wasn't concerned about. Her regular OB-GYN recommended a biopsy which showed precancerous cells. Because there is no family history of breast cancer, the doctors thought that when they removed the lump that it would be benign. It wasn't. She underwent a second surgery to see if the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes and to try to get clear margins around where the lump was removed. Fortunately, the lymph nodes were clear but the doctors didn't get clear margins. She was given the choice of another re-excision to try to get clear margins or a bilateral mastectomy. She chose the bilateral mastectomy because of the type of cancer it was. It is a cancer that can be very invasive but we were fortunate that it hadn't spread to other parts of her body. We are four weeks post-op and she is doing really well and has returned to work. She meets with the medical oncologist this week regarding follow-up treatment. The cancer is Her2 positive so she may need to have a 90 minute drip of Herceptin once a week for the next year. Not as bad as chemo but evidently will really tire her. I am glad that she is living with me and that I am able to help her through this. I have been really busy taking care of my grandchildren -a three year old and a seven year old in addition to working. Our friends have been a blessing and many angels have helped us through this. We will be doing two cancer walks - one in April in Naples and a 39 mile walk in Colorado the end of June. (Yikes - 39 miles - I definitely will be training for that one!)So, breast cancer has no age limits. Seventy percent of the women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history. Don't ignore any lumps and have regular check-ups and mammograms. It is important.
This has been an interesting journey.
Linda
Linda Craig Cummings
The man in the center of all these women is my Dad who will turn 88 in February. He is holding my granddaughter Morgan. On the left is my sister-in-law Kathy and below her my niece Michelle who is in her third year of vet school. I am in the back wearing blue and my daughter is below me. This picture was taken after her first surgery and before the second.
We had lunch at the Turtle Club in Naples which is one of our favorite restaurants. We usually choose seating on the beach but my Dad cannot walk on sand. So we eat outside and look at the Gulf of Mexico.
Linda
We had lunch at the Turtle Club in Naples which is one of our favorite restaurants. We usually choose seating on the beach but my Dad cannot walk on sand. So we eat outside and look at the Gulf of Mexico.
Linda
Friday, October 24, 2008
Dan Sheedy
My innermost thoughts on the upcoming election would not be printable. I have never been so disgusted with the networks and the print media. Their shamelessly biased "reporting" has completely tainted our election process. The childish behavior of the Hollywood crowd on behalf of their favorite has completely turned me against all but a small handful of them. It's not just that I disagree with their agenda. Disagreement over political issues is part of our way of life. But when did disrespect and ridicule of a sitting president during a time of war and national economic crisis become an acceptable form of legitimate dissent? Likewise, the use of unkind mimicry and outright insults denigrates our political process.
Any idiot can make glowing political promises (and one has been doing exactly that).
But when it comes time to actually pay for those generous programs, that same idiot
and his cohorts will be looking to you & I to foot the bill.
The gullibility and immaturity of the American people never cease to astonish me.
Any idiot can make glowing political promises (and one has been doing exactly that).
But when it comes time to actually pay for those generous programs, that same idiot
and his cohorts will be looking to you & I to foot the bill.
The gullibility and immaturity of the American people never cease to astonish me.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Political Stuff
I sent out the last reminder email asking for political thoughts. I put that in the subject line originally to be an attention getter of sorts. I did get a few responses. I generally like to keep politics out of things, especially this class blog, BUT, how can one not mention what is going on day after day. It seems like 4 years have gone by with all this campaigning. I'm still on the fence about it all. One thing that is abundantly clear, is that Bush, led us down the wrong path. I remember him landing on that air craft carrier like the conquering hero. It was impressive for about 5 minutes. Now we've had 5 years almost of war in the middle east. We've barely recovered from the Vietnam war, then Desert Storm and now this scene. It's really hard to make sense of what has happened to our country. Not a lot of great times to look back on.
Big Weekend for Me
My mother's birthday is Saturday, the 25th. She turns 89. My brother Dudley and his wife, Sydney, arrive tomorrow from Atlanta. Since my mother has Dementia, I've told her everyday for the last 2 weeks that her son was coming to celebrate her birthday. She's happy about it every time I tell her.
So far it's been a big, troublesome, expensive week for me. My puppy Mavis had to go to the Vet and we found she had a UTI and is now on antibiotics. Yesterday, I took my other Dal, Savana, to the vet because she was hiding, panting and being aggressive. A clear indication she was in some kind of distress. She had blood work, X-rays, and a couple other tests. All proved to be normal. Couldn't get a diagnosis. It was like being on an episode of "House." She is now on antibiotics for an UT infection as well. She's also taking some pain meds and an anti inflammatory. She still won't let me get near her. She raises her gums and growls and then cries. It has not been a fun time for me at all.
In between everything, I've been trying to straighten and clean the house. Thank goodness my brother is staying in a nearby hotel so I don't have to get the house in guest ready status, just presentable status.
Saturday, we'll have some kind of party for my mother with a small cake. My husband, John Butler, is back in Syracuse, actually Pulaski area, on his annual hunting trip with our Lab Bailey. They went hunting today and had a wonderful time. It rained here in MO and was dark and gloomy. Perfect weather to fork over $$ in abundance to the animal doctor.
You know, this is actually what a blog is supposed to be == an on line journal. I've chosen to include pictures to make the posts more interesting, especially to me and to those of you who are not well versed in blogging.
By the way, are there those of you out there who like the program "House?" It's one of the few TV shows I can tolerate this season. I've been watching "The Starter Wife." Have lost interest in the CSI dynasty. Caruso is a joke. NCIS is now all the same. CSI NY is all right and is the original CSI. But with Grisom leaving as well as the others, it won't be the same show.
I've also lost interest in Law and Order Criminal Intent. It's gotten too weird. I actually like the Hedi Klum show Project Runway.
So far it's been a big, troublesome, expensive week for me. My puppy Mavis had to go to the Vet and we found she had a UTI and is now on antibiotics. Yesterday, I took my other Dal, Savana, to the vet because she was hiding, panting and being aggressive. A clear indication she was in some kind of distress. She had blood work, X-rays, and a couple other tests. All proved to be normal. Couldn't get a diagnosis. It was like being on an episode of "House." She is now on antibiotics for an UT infection as well. She's also taking some pain meds and an anti inflammatory. She still won't let me get near her. She raises her gums and growls and then cries. It has not been a fun time for me at all.
In between everything, I've been trying to straighten and clean the house. Thank goodness my brother is staying in a nearby hotel so I don't have to get the house in guest ready status, just presentable status.
Saturday, we'll have some kind of party for my mother with a small cake. My husband, John Butler, is back in Syracuse, actually Pulaski area, on his annual hunting trip with our Lab Bailey. They went hunting today and had a wonderful time. It rained here in MO and was dark and gloomy. Perfect weather to fork over $$ in abundance to the animal doctor.
You know, this is actually what a blog is supposed to be == an on line journal. I've chosen to include pictures to make the posts more interesting, especially to me and to those of you who are not well versed in blogging.
By the way, are there those of you out there who like the program "House?" It's one of the few TV shows I can tolerate this season. I've been watching "The Starter Wife." Have lost interest in the CSI dynasty. Caruso is a joke. NCIS is now all the same. CSI NY is all right and is the original CSI. But with Grisom leaving as well as the others, it won't be the same show.
I've also lost interest in Law and Order Criminal Intent. It's gotten too weird. I actually like the Hedi Klum show Project Runway.
Greetings this week
Greetings from
Jim Myers
Dan Sheedy
Mike Krall
Flip Benham
Mike Gillman
Jamie Steele
Charlene Owens Maguire
Jack Mapstone
Jim Myers
Dan Sheedy
Mike Krall
Flip Benham
Mike Gillman
Jamie Steele
Charlene Owens Maguire
Jack Mapstone
Monday, October 20, 2008
Jim Myers continued
Frank just left Phoenix on Saturday. He was here this past week for his annual Men’s Seniors Baseball Tournament. He drove down with some buddies from Oakland and stayed in a hotel that houses several of the teams each year. Marsha and I met him for brunch last Sunday and spent a couple of pleasant hours walking around a lake in Scottsdale with him. We had hoped to entertain him for dinner at our home on Saturday night, but his team was eliminated early and his friends wanted to head back home early Saturday.
As for Wayne, we have been in touch by e-mail and phone, but we haven’t seen the Trivelpiece family since they visited us here in Phoenix more than a year ago. They were here in mid-May 2007, not too long before the San Diego area fires that burned their home down. Sue is currently in Antarctica, so Wayne is Mr. Mom. I invited him to bring the girls here for a weekend, but haven’t heard from him in a couple of weeks.
Here are some shots from their 2007 visit:
As for Wayne, we have been in touch by e-mail and phone, but we haven’t seen the Trivelpiece family since they visited us here in Phoenix more than a year ago. They were here in mid-May 2007, not too long before the San Diego area fires that burned their home down. Sue is currently in Antarctica, so Wayne is Mr. Mom. I invited him to bring the girls here for a weekend, but haven’t heard from him in a couple of weeks.
Here are some shots from their 2007 visit:
Jack Mapstone
In answer to my query of thoughts on the election. This is what Jack Mapstone sent back:
'Old White Men' have been in control sufficiently long enough. I'm not saying we relinquish control completely, but share it by enlisting different perspectives.
'Old White Men' have been in control sufficiently long enough. I'm not saying we relinquish control completely, but share it by enlisting different perspectives.
Jim Myers continued
Marsha’s consulting work in the field of health care information technology has been taking off nicely, and my long-time side business as a professional voice and TV talent has also been growing steadily as a full-time occupation, despite the current economic debacle. Here’s an update that I’ve been sending to potential clients:
It’s been a busy summer and early fall, including some marketing consulting and radio production work for a fledgling wireless internet provider in Tempe, AZ called Slingshot,™ narrating multiple new videos for both General Dynamics and OmniVision Technologies, and considerable e-learning voiceover work for both Corpedia Education and Pearson Digital Learning. I also had a chance to host a recent webcast on new data security products for IBM, and have just completed hosting a TV infomercial with real estate guru Dean Graziosi.
Finally, I’m both pleased and a bit surprised to say that CSK Auto (Checker Auto Parts), where I worked as Creative Director until Sept. 2007, actually brought me back in July as their regular weekly price/item radio announcer. We recorded 9 weeks of new national spots during the summer months, and we have just completed another 3-week flight for the holidays. What goes around comes around, as they say. Anyway, in these days of economic chaos, I can’t complain.
I hope as your business continues this year and into 2009 that you’ll keep me in mind as both a talent and a production resource. I am readily available, now have my own voice recording system at home, and can often turn projects around same-day. If you have a minute, please check out my web site at the link below. (Revisions are in progress, so please forgive any construction artifacts you may encounter!)
Deb, that’s about all I can come up with for now, except to say that, like many of us in the class of ’66, Marsha and I have been “re-evaluating” our retirement plans in light of the current economy. I expect, given that our health is thankfully very good and we’re both fairly energetic types, we’ll probably work until the day when no one will hire either one of us any more! Wouldn’t it have been nice to know about all this back when we were all about 25!
Best…
Jim Myers
Jim Myers
Hi, Deb…
Sorry it’s taken me a while to get back to you, but the good news is we’ve been busy! In mid-September Marsha and I celebrated my 60th by renting a big house at Sandbridge Beach (just south of VA Beach) and holding a small family reunion that included her son Tom Davis and his family, my daughter Colleen, son Ed and their families, and even short visits from both of our former spouses. The weather was great, everyone got along fine, and, although a bit hectic on the first weekend when we had 16 people at the dinner table (including 7 grandchildren ages 3-11), a good time was had by all. Here are a couple of photos:
Sorry it’s taken me a while to get back to you, but the good news is we’ve been busy! In mid-September Marsha and I celebrated my 60th by renting a big house at Sandbridge Beach (just south of VA Beach) and holding a small family reunion that included her son Tom Davis and his family, my daughter Colleen, son Ed and their families, and even short visits from both of our former spouses. The weather was great, everyone got along fine, and, although a bit hectic on the first weekend when we had 16 people at the dinner table (including 7 grandchildren ages 3-11), a good time was had by all. Here are a couple of photos:
Charlene Owens Maguire
Too many thoughts, too little time. Hello back to you. Overloaded with things to do. Happy Halloween, Charlene
To all the regular blog readers
To the regular, daily readers of the blog, I just want to thank you. I have a site meter so I can tell what part of the country someone is from but not exactly who. Contributions have pretty much stopped. People must be caught up in other things like the election and the sinking economy. Understandable. Wayne's email was the last one I've received recently.
When this happens and there is no news from classmates I put in relevant items to people our age. I have sent out many emails to class members and made some phone calls but to no avail.
Just wanted to let you know, there's nothing I can do about classmate news right now. I hope it will change.
Thanks,
Debby
When this happens and there is no news from classmates I put in relevant items to people our age. I have sent out many emails to class members and made some phone calls but to no avail.
Just wanted to let you know, there's nothing I can do about classmate news right now. I hope it will change.
Thanks,
Debby
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wayne Travelpiece
Hi Debby,
After all the time and hard work you have put into this FM Blog, the least I can do is respond to your plea for a little news from the home front....
It's been a tough year from many of us with the down turn in the economy and all the repercussions associated with that. I have to say I won't be sad to see the last 12 months fade into the history books. We're fast approaching the date of the loss of our home in the San Diego wildfires on Oct 21, 2007. I would have been hard to have imagined just how disruptive losing everything would be to our lives. However, in the end, it doesn't pay to dwell on it and frankly, now, except for the personal art work, photographic library and a few other odds and ends, it is almost "freeing" in a way to have so little baggage all of a sudden. In addition, whenever I do get a little down I think of Dick Shanahan and what he and his family are facing. Give me a wildfire any day! Sue, my wife and co-worker has just headed off to Antarctica for the next two months. At the moment, she's paying the price of having an exciting job in one of the world's great natural laboratories, as she's bed ridden on a ship in Drake's Passage. Another two days of hell and she'll be dropped ashore on King George Island where she'll set up our penguin research study that will continue until March. I hope to attach a few photos of the "office" to the end of this email and with luck, others of you can see where I've spent 2-6 months a year for the last 33 years. While Sue's away, I'm single-parenting our two daughters, Sara 16 and Amy 11. Luckily they are basically great kids and need little parental nagging, but still it is a crazy two months for me trying to coordinate all of their activities and still get my own work done.
Life would be far easier if it weren't for the fact that we are also about to begin construction of our new home. The plans are finally finished and we are awaiting permits, with luck we will be breaking ground in November. It's been a while since we all gathered for our 40th and I'm looking forward to the 45th. Since then, I have visited with several old friends from our class. We all spent a long weekend as guests of Jim Myers and his wife Marsha in Phoenix, AZ We got in some good hiking a great food and drink while staying in their beautiful home. Gary and Pamela Revercomb finally made it to CA last fall and we had a nice visit. In fact they were the last guests to stay in our old guest house before the fires swept through two weeks later. I also got together with Tom Weller and Sandy Jackson (Epoch) for drinks this past summer at a bar in San Diego owned by her brother, Ted (class of 65, I think). There aren't many of us all the way out west, but we're trying to keep in touch.Well enough for now. Thanks again Debby for all your work on this great blog and for giving us all a place to keep in touch. I'm looking forward to getting our home rebuilt and THEN will extend an open invite to any and all of you to please come on out west for a visit.
Cheers,
Wayne
After all the time and hard work you have put into this FM Blog, the least I can do is respond to your plea for a little news from the home front....
It's been a tough year from many of us with the down turn in the economy and all the repercussions associated with that. I have to say I won't be sad to see the last 12 months fade into the history books. We're fast approaching the date of the loss of our home in the San Diego wildfires on Oct 21, 2007. I would have been hard to have imagined just how disruptive losing everything would be to our lives. However, in the end, it doesn't pay to dwell on it and frankly, now, except for the personal art work, photographic library and a few other odds and ends, it is almost "freeing" in a way to have so little baggage all of a sudden. In addition, whenever I do get a little down I think of Dick Shanahan and what he and his family are facing. Give me a wildfire any day! Sue, my wife and co-worker has just headed off to Antarctica for the next two months. At the moment, she's paying the price of having an exciting job in one of the world's great natural laboratories, as she's bed ridden on a ship in Drake's Passage. Another two days of hell and she'll be dropped ashore on King George Island where she'll set up our penguin research study that will continue until March. I hope to attach a few photos of the "office" to the end of this email and with luck, others of you can see where I've spent 2-6 months a year for the last 33 years. While Sue's away, I'm single-parenting our two daughters, Sara 16 and Amy 11. Luckily they are basically great kids and need little parental nagging, but still it is a crazy two months for me trying to coordinate all of their activities and still get my own work done.
Life would be far easier if it weren't for the fact that we are also about to begin construction of our new home. The plans are finally finished and we are awaiting permits, with luck we will be breaking ground in November. It's been a while since we all gathered for our 40th and I'm looking forward to the 45th. Since then, I have visited with several old friends from our class. We all spent a long weekend as guests of Jim Myers and his wife Marsha in Phoenix, AZ We got in some good hiking a great food and drink while staying in their beautiful home. Gary and Pamela Revercomb finally made it to CA last fall and we had a nice visit. In fact they were the last guests to stay in our old guest house before the fires swept through two weeks later. I also got together with Tom Weller and Sandy Jackson (Epoch) for drinks this past summer at a bar in San Diego owned by her brother, Ted (class of 65, I think). There aren't many of us all the way out west, but we're trying to keep in touch.Well enough for now. Thanks again Debby for all your work on this great blog and for giving us all a place to keep in touch. I'm looking forward to getting our home rebuilt and THEN will extend an open invite to any and all of you to please come on out west for a visit.
Cheers,
Wayne
Thursday, October 16, 2008
10 Commandments for a healthy yard
See Audubon Birdscapes for helpful information: click on link
http://blog.audubon.org/cs/blogs/birdscapes/
http://blog.audubon.org/cs/blogs/birdscapes/
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Camilla Zankowski Daniels
GREAT NEWS! I became a grandmother, Sunday, October 12, 2008 to a little girl named Ilsa Rose Daniels. She came into the world weighing 8# 7oz.- 19 1/4 ". She has her father's dark hair and her mother's wonderful disposition, (thank God). My son Ben is already wrapped around her little finger. My daughter-in-law, Gina is fine and is resting and napping. She deserves all the pampering people can give her. Chip, Leslie and Robert all became grandparents long before I. So I join another sororilty.
Camilla Zankowski Daniels
Camilla Zankowski Daniels
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Vivian Bender Munson
My husband, Don, and I wrote an e-book about his/our experience with cancer. It's accessible online at VivianMunsonEsq.net. We were going to name it Just Proud To Be Here, but chose a more descriptive title, Prostate Cancer? You Go On With Your Life. It provides "perspectives of one sweet, optimistic wife and her absolutely hard-core old man." Readers have found it helpful. Please send your comments to dvmunson@mac.com. Thanks
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Mike Stackfleth
Great news. I made contact with Mike Stackfleth in Orlando, Florida. He and his wife, Chris Kosciolek Stackfleth, have 3 daughters. Chris is kindergarten teacher and Mike has a cutting edge presentation company.
Hi to David Carner
Hi to David Carner and his wife Jan of Binghamton, New York. I called David to get an email address and spoke with his wife Jan. David is in Raleigh, NC visiting his daughter. Hope to hear directly from David when he returns.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Larry Shipps
I'm a 
grandfather. Jocelin Byron Bayart was born to my youngest daughter and her husband Etienne in Strasbourg France on 9/1/08. He was 8 pounds at birth and 10 pounds when Leslie and I last saw him on 9/17/08. He will be visiting for the month of December this year.
grandfather. Jocelin Byron Bayart was born to my youngest daughter and her husband Etienne in Strasbourg France on 9/1/08. He was 8 pounds at birth and 10 pounds when Leslie and I last saw him on 9/17/08. He will be visiting for the month of December this year. Larry
David Neary
Hi Debby:
I finished a very successful season managing the Wyoming Shakespeare Festival Company. We produced Shakespeare's most obscure play KING JOHN, with great results. Not only was our touring season tremendous fun for the actors involved, but audiences throughout the state loved the play- hard to do with an obscure, 13th century history! (I played both Lord Salisbury and the Executioner).
Since then have spent most of my free time either in the mountains recreating or on the campaign trail- I'm running for the Wyoming House of Representatives. Although my district is registered 2 to 1 Republican, it looks like it is going to be very close. I'm knocking on lots of doors. Fortunately we're having superb fall weather, so walking the neighborhoods has been a real pleasure.
I'm also working on a plan to restore and renovate the towns historic Carnegie Library- we're turning it into a small performance space for theater, music, lectures and art exhibitions. Will let you know how the campaign turns out- in 27 days!
Best,
David
