Friday, November 28, 2008

Black Friday

I have never ventured into a store on this day. Never had the need or the desire.
Hope everyone had a terrific dinner for Thanksgiving. For us it was just John and me. We had dessert with my mother in the afternoon. The dogs got a turkey taste. It was a fine day.
Our relatives are scattered around. Cousins in AZ, OR, VA, Japan, Australia and other relatives in Vermont, Georgia and New Mexico.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Kirsten Mackey Fleisher


As most of you know, I have spent the greater part of my career teaching kindergarten in Trenton, NJ...one of the Urban Ten in the state. Sure we have our problems with drugs, gangs and the usual inner city chaos, but every day is also a joy. One of the highlights of the Fall is our Thanksgiving "feast." I cook the turkey, stuffing and gravy, and divide the rest of the meal among the students. It is an adventure to see what actually comes in! This year one of our favorite items was "deer meat stew" although there was not even a crumb left of the pumpkin pie! In years past I have made an attempt at some sort of costumes....usually I settle for a hats. This year the girls tossed aside their female version and everyone wore the traditional male version! So much for factual detail! All in all, it was an exhausting but rewarding day...and it really captured the spirit of the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving to all of my FM alums.

Happy Thanksgiving


Have a wonderful Thanksgiving

Friday, November 21, 2008

Debby Larus Doolittle

Well, this is about my 89 year old Mother. She fell yesterday. The words you do not want to hear. I was just about to start working out when my cell phone rang and I heard those words. "your Mother has fallen and is on the way to the hospital in an ambulance." Turns out she was going out the door to lunch and fell on her right side hitting the front of her head which produced a 3 inch laceration.
I made it to the hospital a little after the ambulance. After standing around for sometime, as one tends to do in the hospital, they eventually paid attention to us. She was taken care of with a CT scan and sutures. Twelve to be exact. I then took her back to her apartment.
I convinced her she would be more comfortable in bed resting. With her Dementia she was having trouble processing all of this.
I saw her this morning and she was doing all right. Now I have to convince her to start using a walker for stability and eating to regain her health.
Unfortunately this puts a damper on Thanksgiving. But I am very thankful she did not break anything especially her hip or arm. So I will have to do a bit more running back and forth to make sure everything is OK. In assisted living they do not do any nursing. Either the family or a private nurse must look after the resident.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Dan Sheedy




Happy Birthday to Dan Sheedy. Just turned 60.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Sandy Jackson Epoch

Well I am back in Austin and quite busy with my grandson these days. Believe it or not I will be cooking my second ever Thanksgiving dinner (always invited somewhere else). It should be interesting. I hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving and the same to all our classmates. It's been uneventful since Ive been home, but things are changing with the holidays coming up. My daughter, Kirsten, works for a foster care company and I help her alot during the holiday season with holiday gatherings with all the foster kids and their families. She also schedules programs continually to interest more families to foster children. There is a great need in Texas. My daughter, Becky and her boyfriend just adopted a black lab mix and at 4 months is already 45 pounds. Her fat cat is still a little skeptical, but a think she may come around when the puppy start settling down in a couple of years.
Take care and Happy Holidays to you
Sandy Jackson Epoch from Austin today

Larry Shipps

About Tom Ross:

Tom was a CPA and a complete foreign car nut. He owned 3 Jaguars and was waxing one of them when he had a heart attack and died. He had two sisters, Peggy (now Marguerite) our age but skipped 5th grade, Kathy (a couple of years younger) and Ralph (10 years younger). Tom was married twice and has three beautiful and brilliant daughters. All three graduated from FM.

Mike Krall

Thought for the day

Right now I'm aspiring to have my 201k turn back into a 401k... :)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Tom Ross


Although not a member of our class at FM, Tom Ross was known by many of us. He passed away this October. His obituary follows:

Thomas S. Ross
October 12, 2008 Thomas Savage Ross, 62, of Chittenango, died unexpectedly at home on Sunday. Tom was born on February 12, 1946, in Spokane, WA to the late Ralph P. and Hertha Trace Ross. He was named after Ensign Thomas Savage who landed in Jamestown, VA, January 8, 1608. Tom spent almost all his life in the Syracuse area, having moved with his family to Fayetteville in 1947, and was a well-known and beloved member of the community. He was past chair of the Board of the Syracuse Brick House. An avid sports car enthusiast, he was an active member of the MG Car Club of CNY and the Jaguar Clubs of North America. He served in the National Guard Reserves in the early 1970s and he was a guitarist who played in several bands and church groups over the years. In addition, Tom operated his own business, Thomas S. Ross, CPA, PC in Fayetteville for many years and was a member of the American Society of Certified Public Accountants. He had innumerable friends from all walks of life, in Central New York and beyond, and they will all miss him dearly. He will be remembered for his eloquence, wicked wit, and unashamed love of a good (or bad) pun. Tom was a proud graduate of Mt. Hermon Preparatory School (class of 1964) and Bucknell University (class of 1968), and a member of Phi Gamma Delta. Tom is survived by three daughters, Tracy (Christopher) Brassard of Dallas, TX, Taryn Ross of Cambridge, MA and Katherine Ross of Syracuse; a granddaughter, Delaney Brassard; the mothers of his children, Geryle Conway and Liz Ross; two sisters, Marguerite Ross of Fayetteville and Kathryn (John) Wainwright of Raleigh, NC; a brother, Ralph (Angela) Ross of Richmond, VA; as well as several nieces and a nephew. Services and a reception will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 17, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 106 Chapel St., Fayetteville. Burial will take place at Fayetteville Cemetery.

Lynne Gibson Lovett

I'm so sorry to have been a non-contributor. I looked at the blog in the late summer and spent the better part of a morning reading through it. I so enjoyed reading about everyone, recalling pieces of the old days, and marveling at where life has taken people - it was such a trip down Memory La. I was determined to send you a blurb about me and my family, and now it's 3 months later!
So here goes: Our home is in Cape Elizabeth, Maine - but we've had an apartment in Jersey City, NJ for the past year and a half due to my husband, EJ, consulting with a hospital system in the area. We've loved the juxtaposed city mouse/country mouse life, though I must say I have felt like I don't "live" anywhere (except in my car). We have amazing views of Manhattan, the Hudson, Ellis Isl. and the Statue of Liberty from our 15th floor apartment. We have loved time spent in NYC and being in close proximity to our daughter, Meghan, and her family in Norwalk CT and my brother in Bucks County, PA. we're nearing the end of that gig and will be full-time Mainers again in February.
Meghan gave birth to her second child, Timothy, in October. I spent a couple of weeks with them after Timothy's arrival and love my role of mother/grandmother. Meg's daughter, Mary Kate, who is 29 months, calls me "GG" (for Grammy and Gib - my husband has always called me "Gib"). She's a wonderful and loving big sister, taking her job of showing Timmy how to suck his thumb very seriously. I cannot believe how much I love grandmothering these two little bugs.
All our family is coming to Maine for Thanksgiving - Meghan and her gang, Daniel from the west coast with his GF, who we hope will soon be an in-law; Timothy and his fiancee, both living in Portland (ME); and Ernie (became our "son" at age 17) and also lives here; my brother and his wife, Gayle, who is Joyce Powell's older sister. Thanks to this family connection, I do enjoy time with Joyce (and her husband, Peter) every year or so. Who would have ever thought 42 years ago that we'd be "family"!
So those are the recent highlights of my life. I'm looking forward to rejoining my Maine community and resuming my volunteer work in Haiti and the multicultural community in Portland.
If any of you find your way to Maine, I'd love to hear from you and get together.
Best wishes to everyone,
Lynne Gibson

Larry Shipps

Greg, Dyke, Timmy ('65) and I buried a very close friend three weeks ago. Tom Ross was a long time friend of ours (for me from third grade on). He did not go to high school at FM (his parents made him go to Mt Hermon) but he had been and remained a very good friend and many in our class knew him. It was also very sad to hear about Dave Milan. He lived accross the street from me on Oakwood street from 1st grade on. We had reconnected at the reunions. Your website has really been a service... it has helped us follow one another's lives. Unfortunately at our age the news is sometimes sad. But thank you for passing it all on for us. Leslie and I have sold our house in Cazenovia and will spend more time in Keene Valley although will keep an apartment in Caz as I still need to be there for a couple of weeks per month. Thanks again Debby. Larry

Campy Tellman

It was very sad to hear about Dave Milan. He was a good guy and although I have't seen him since high school, the passing of a peer is another reminder that life is short.My wife Lisa and I have been busy in business and pleasure. She owns Curves in our coastal town and this fall we have changed the exercise machines so they are now interactive. Computer interfaced so clients can monitor their progress.Our sailboat project is coming slowly. We are upgrading all systems and new sails so we can travel in safety and comfort. We hope to spend Christmas '10 in the US Virgin Islands.Winter in North Carolina is cool and dry and so it is the best time of year for motorcycling. We're located on the southern Outer Banks and with little traffic to be concerned with the motorcycle gets a good workout regularly.We have had a wedding of Lisa's daughter in Syracuse in early October and her son will marry inTampa next summer. Then nephews and children will all be hitched!I continue teaching ESL to elementary children. Most of my students are from Mexico but some are from Burma and India. They are very respectful and thankful for an opportunity at a better life. It is rewarding to help these children and see them grow.I hope everyone has a great holiday season!
Camp Tellman

Please Send News

Experiencing a lack of news again. Please post or send your thoughts to me for posting about anything relevant to life in general at 60.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Kevin Fitch

I was set back by the loss of David Milan who was such a kind person.I knew him from about third or fourth grade on. He was in our class with Bob W. and Larry Shipps and Larry English and Phillip Evans.It prompted me to look at our Oak Leaves yearbook and brought back so many memories so long ago.

I am caught up in my family of Sheila and our three kids and 5 grandchildren all of whom have had a better year than their dad or grandvfather. All of our kids have had good things ; a new daughter for my older son and his wife who received his CPA and a nice promotion in a new hospital group.My son- in- law bought another related business to his map company in Billings. He is doing better than ever loving their third child, a son born in April .

We visited Big Sky and Yellowstone in June with the 5 of them and time went by too fast. Our younger son 25 is doing fine with his two year career of representing conveyer belt systems mostly to the food industry in Illinois and likes it. Sheila 's mom is around 83 and has fallen recently; she remains a delight but misses her husband a great deal. My prayer life has grown several fold; I am in a few bible studies and my life experiences relate to scriptures both good and bad. If I could have information as to how to contact Art Egy it would be good to talk to my work buddy from 40 years ago. Thanks for all you have done.
Kevin

Greetings from the following Classmates

Greetings from
Tom Weller in San Diego,CA
Kirsten Mackey Fleisher in Philly, PA
Mike Krall in Lander, Wyoming
Steve Martin in Dennis, FL
Duke Leonard in Iraq
Jack Mapstone in W. Milbourne, FL
Kevin Fitch in St. Charles, IL
Rick Cook in DeWitt, MI

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Warning Signs of a Stroke

Warning Signs:
If you notice one or more of these signs, don't wait.
Stroke is a medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 or your emergency medical services. Get to a hospital right away!

The American Stroke Association wants you to learn the warning signs of stroke:

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Be prepared for an emergency.
Keep a list of emergency rescue service numbers next to the telephone and in your pocket, wallet or purse.
Find out which area hospitals are primary stroke centers that have 24-hour emergency stroke care.
Know (in advance) which hospital or medical facility is nearest your home or office.
Take action in an emergency.
Not all the warning signs occur in every stroke. Don't ignore signs of stroke, even if they go away!
Check the time. When did the first warning sign or symptom start? You'll be asked this important question later.
If you have one or more stroke symptoms that last more than a few minutes, don't delay! Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical service (EMS) number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can quickly be sent for you.

If you're with someone who may be having stroke symptoms, immediately call 9-1-1 or the EMS. Expect the person to protest — denial is common. Don't take "no" for an answer. Insist on taking prompt action.
For stroke information, call the American Stroke Association at 1-888-4-STROKE or visit their Web site.

Duke Leonard

Had a short email from Duke today. Hadn't heard from him recently. He let me know he had to make an emergency trip back to AZ from Iraq because his wife had a stroke. He stayed for beginning physical therapy and rehab. He's now back at the job in Iraq.

The Mapstones and The Martins


Jack & Renee Mapstone, Gerry and I spent the weekend at St. Augustine, Florida. We had a great time visiting all the historic "stuff" and getting in some good meals. We all took a drink from the Fountain of Youth, I lost 15 years; Jack took an extra swig and turned into a toddler. Life is good here in Florida. I'm still working part time teaching math at a local college. Gerry is now retired and living the "good life". I'm still SCUBA diving for sharks teeth - in fact a neighbor and I are going again this week. The water is getting colder so I'm not sure how many more dives we will get in. I'll be going up to Syracuse for Christmas to spend time with my 4 grandchildren. I hope all is well with everyone.
Steve Martin



Sunday, November 9, 2008

Hunting in Pulaski


My husband John was hunting the last week in Oct. and was greeted with snow
in Pulaski, NY.

Celebratng Millie's Birthday




My brother Dudley and his wife Syd flew to St. Louis to celebrate our Mother's 89th birthday.

Celebrating Fall in Missouri


My husband John Butler and our puppy Mavis and our other 3 year old Bailey, playing in the leaves over the weekend.

Temperature


Wow. It's 27 degrees here in MO at 11:30 at night.

Please Send News

Please send items about yourself, thoughts, reflections.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Adopting a Homeless Animal


Adopting your new best friend
Since 1870, the Humane Society of Missouri has found homes for animals who need people. We invite you to become part of that tradition. We are dedicated to matching homeless, adoptable animals with loving, caring families, like yours.And when you adopt your cuddly critter from the Humane Society of Missouri, you and your pet receive a Paw Partner membership, which entitles you to a 10% lifetime savings on services at our Veterinary Medical Centers.Before you begin your search for your new best friend, we invite you think it through. Adopting a pet is a big decision. You’re about to make a long-term commitment, so you want to be sure it’s right for you. Ask yourself, Am I ready for a pet? Is this the right time? Do I have enough time to devote to my new companion? Will I be able to care for a dog or cat with the resources I have?
We also encourage you to do your research and find the pet that’s right for you and your lifestyle and home situation. Once you’ve given some serious thought about what it takes to be a responsible pet owner, take a look at our pet photos and visit any of our adoption centers to find your new best friend.

Health Benefits of Drinking Water


Improve Your Energy
Increase Your Mental and Physical Performance
Remove Toxins & Waste Products from your body
Keep Skin Healthy and Glowing
Help You Lose Weight
Reduce Headaches and Dizziness
Allow for proper Digestion
Help to keep you more Alkaline
http://www.betterwayhealth.com/drinking-water.html

Friday, November 7, 2008

Sue Bon Walden



I occasionally check the FM Class of "66 to read about all the things our former classmates are up to. I find it fascinating and entertaining. On Monday I looked and was shocked and saddened that Dave Milan had died. Was this a sudden thing or had he been ill? Please extend my condolences to his wife and family. I didn't know Dave well of course, but it hits harder when a contemporary passes away. I seem to have read that he sent news not all that long ago, a photo of himself and a grandchild I think, and said that he was doing well. I was sorry to hear the news.
Two weeks ago I went to Staunton, VA (the mountains.) My friend, Jean, who is from there, and two other women friends went too. Weird as it may sound, we stayed at a B&B which was very nice, with two bedrooms and a sitting room with one bath. It was sparsely furnished and not as elegant as I expected considering the expense. Jean used to ride a school bus with a couple of Statler brothers - of "Flowers On The Wall" fame. She said they were nasty foul-mouth youths, but apparently had an 'awakening' as they grew more famous and cleaned up their public persona. Jean did undergrad work at Mary Baldwin College, which was directly across the street from where we stayed. On the way up we had a two course lunch at a winery in Gordonsville - $60- wine included, gratuity not. We actually did a lot of wine, food, shopping over the weekend, and meeting Jean's grandchildren, of whom she speaks of often. Steve drove down to take care of our dog here in Williamsburg.
Last weekend I went to an estate auction at a plantation built in the 1700's in Providence Forge, about a 30 minute drive from here. There were lots of good deals. However, I have a house and Steve's apartment full of good deals. I did buy a pretty hanging corner cupboard, but I have to work on the interior a little, then move framed pictures, etc. before I hang it. The house I have is apparently the "ever popular 'open' plan" which results in fewer walls and corners.
The presidential election: WOW! A historic moment for sure. Although we didn't know him, Obama attended Punaho, a private high school in Honolulu when we were at Hickam AFB. I voted. That's about all I can say. I'm just glad the election is over. I think just about all of our government leaders are crazy!
Well, thanks for letting me go on here. I hope things with you and your family are going well. I look forward to reading more about what everyone is up to. Take care now.
Sue (Bon) Walden

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Sandy Jackson Epoch

I was sad to hear about the loss of our classmate, Dave Milan. There are some good memories of him through the blog and that's what makes the blog a great communication tool. I send my heartfelt sympathy to his family.

I have been in San Diego for four weeks, house and dog sitting for my brother, Ted. I feel busier than ever as a retiree. I plan on returning to Austin to help take care of my grandson until my daughter completes her masters in May. Then I hope to return to San Diego for another long visit. I made many friends here and I especially enjoy meetups with Tom Weller, his new wife Barbara, Wayne Trevilpiece and Sue. Wayne, Tom, Barbara and I met at JT's again and hopefully we continue to meet at least a couple times a year. Wayne's wife, Sue is still in Antarctica. I hope our next meet will include both Sue and Wayne. We will be anxious to hear how things are progressing on the construction of their new home.

I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Sandy Jackson Epoch from San Diego today

Tap into the Syracuse scene

Click on this link to find out what's happening in Syracuse:

http://www.syracuse.com/

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Deborah Larus Doolittle


My Voting Experience:

My husband John Butler had to head into KMOX radio especially early this morning to cover the voting, so I was up at 4am. I forced myself to get dressed and leave the house at 5:30 to get to the middle school where I vote. There were a lot of cars and a lot of people. I waited an hour in line to vote. I heard one of the workers say that some people had gotten there at 5am. All went smoothly though and I was out of there by 6:45, exactly an hour later.

John came home to rest up so he could go back to work to cover the results on 3 stations. He waited in line for 45 minutes.
I just received my 5th go vote phone call.

Let me know what you encountered today.
This is the only recent picture of myself.

Cinda Meachem Sutton


.......I am a grandmother again!! (#3) My youngest son Ryan and his wife, Nicole, had a son, Colton Scott Sutton on 9/15/08. He is a great little guy and I'm so lucky to have him right around the corner! Our travel group recently spent a long weekend in Nashville. Lots of fun! A mixture of music and Civil War history....very good time!

And today....the privilege of voting in an historic election! Makes you "proud to be an American!" (Of course, especially if my candidate wins....isn't that always the way?) Makes me think so much of the election of JFK, which we were too young to vote in......imagine that it was considered so incredible to elect a Roman Catholic!!!!

I love reading the blog and hearing how classmates are doing. Much better than the Xmas cards I always meant to send and never did!

Jane Gaitley Collins will be undergoing yet another hip surgery in December, so keep her in your thoughts and prayers. We speak fairly often and had a great vacation with them on a houseboat this past summer. I think I already told you about that. Scott is doing very well, too. I never would have thought he would be doing so well, considering the seriousness of his heart attack.

My family is coming in for the Veteran's Day weekend. It is when we celebrate Thanksgiving. We found it too difficult to travel over Thanksgiving, so this is our family celebration weekend. The one time all year we are all together....4 generations!

Hope things are going O.K. with your Mother. Scott's mother has dementia, too, so I can certainly relate. We moved her from Arizona here to be near us. Scott is the eldest of 6 children,but for a variety of reasons, we are the caretakers. Thank God for assisted living! And I thank God that my mother is still mentally in great shape.
Thanks again for all you do.
Cinda

Monday, November 3, 2008

David Joseph Milan


1966-2008

Condolences for Dave Milan

From
Mike Krall
Duncan Hamilton
Glenn Prestwich
Bob Jacobson
Anita Cottrell
Dan Sheedy
Kirsten Mackey Fleisher
Teri Guhin Ayer
Charlene Owen Maguire
Maria Pulos Levy
Cinda Meachem Sutton

November Issue of Finally Magazine

Finally Magazine the online magazine for BabyBoomers
http://www.finallymagazine.net/ click on this link and check out the magazine

Saturday, November 1, 2008

The Saddest News of ALL

I don't know what to say. Our classmate Dave Milan has passed away. His wife, Kristi just let me know. I am deeply saddened by this news.