Sandy Jackson Epoch

Happy Holidays

Wishing everyone the best this Holiday Season and an Exciting 2010. It is warm here, in Central Texas. T-shirt weather yesterday but in the mid forties on Xmas day. The only thing I miss about no snow is not having it on Xmas eve and day. Our small historic town has a Christmas stroll every year and each year it seems to get bigger and better starting with a big community parade. Since our winters are mild, the parade includes many vintage cars of all makes and models decorated for the holidays, as well as school bands, clubs and businesses of course, with decorated horsedrawn carriage and haywagon rides. The Town Square is beautifully decorated, but the most exciting for the kids besides pictures with Santa was a full block of a Whoo Village and pictures with the Grinch. Another block was a Bethelem village full of projects for kids of the era. What a great program designed by the small historic village of Georgetown, Texas. Here are a couple of pictures. We also have a fantastic drive thru light show that is a couple miles long throughout the park complex of Fort Hood in Killeen, TX. Just 40 minutes from us. I have driven and walked through many light shows from Syracuse, Knoxville, Austin, San Diego, even Orlando and more, but nothing as big and wonderful as what Fort Hood puts on with Santa's workshop at the end. After pictures with Santa you drive out of the park in a tunnel of colorful blinking lights for about a quater of a mile. Lots and lots of oooh's and aaah's. Last year some cows from a neighboring farm found a way out of their home and were wandering around all the lights which was an added excitement.

I hope you all have lots of things to do to celebrate the holidays and share them with the rest of us.

Sandy from Texas today

Chuck Gough Class of 1962

FM ranks in US News and World Reports top high schools in America.

http://www.usnews.com/listings/high-schools/new_york/fayetteville-manlius_high_school

Class of 1959 Ed Hutchinson

"Residents of FV in the good old days might enjoy seeing a new site containing biographies of all the people--and their children--covered by the FV post office in 1942. Please see:

www.erhutchison.com/FayettevilleRegistry.html"

Thanks.

Ed Hutchison
JD Class of 59

Jack Mapstone

Debby,You continue to amaze me with your persistence. I thank you!
May this note find all y'all healthy and happy.It appears winter has arrived here in Tallahassee. We had a real gully washer (6 to 8 in of rain) on Wednesday and now the colder weather has moved in. I'm sure those of you who live much further north are thinking I'm an idiot for commenting on 35 - 50 degree temperatures but.... all things are relative. The first week in November Renae and I, Tara(1st born) and her family went to EPCOT for their Food & Wine Festival. We met Steve Martin and his wife there and had a ball sampling food/wines/beer and other libations from approximately 30 different countries. Some were good, some were just OK, some not so good. But to be able to share the experience with those whom you care for, is just special.Our family traveled to Statesboro GA. for Thanksgiving to be with Renae's extended family. We ate the usual Turkey-Day fare along with some fine southern touches: oyster dressing, sweet potato casserole, butter beans and pecan pie.We will spend Christmas here in Tallahassee with Tara, Perry and the grandkids. Renae's Dad and brother will be joining us as well.Renae has the week after Christmas off. I'm sure we'll find somewhere to go and something to do. I have finished another semester supervising student interns and can happily report that they all survived. Although it was touch and go for a couple of them. The new technologies that have been created for the classroom are amazing. But, teaching still boils down to good communication, classroom management and delivering a well thought out lesson plan. Let's hear it for human interaction! Happy Holidays to and to all a good night.Jack M.

Finally Magazine December Issue

http://www.finallymagazine.com/