Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

It is a Seattle kind of day in Phoenix.  Misty, drizzle with a high of 60 and a low of 51.  The clouds are so low I can't even see South Mountain which is less than a mile away.  I will enjoy it while I have it.

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Just heard from Sylvia Lovegren over the holidays.  She is now living in Toronto, Ontario Canada.  Her email is the same for anyone who wants to send best wishes her way.  Hope it goes well for you Sylvia.

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

I finally connected on Facebook with Debbie Jo Sivertson.  Is anyone else in contact with her?  If so, please invite her to join this website.

thanks

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

We just received word of the death of Peter Anthony Pardo and I am including the link to the funeral home website.

http://yahnandson.com/?siteid=122&action=1&value=12&obituaries_action=2&obituaryid=67528

The funeral service will be Saturday the 8th at 1pm in Auburn.  We are all saddened to hear of the death of another classmate.

Sylvia Lovegren (Petras)

Just saw that Mr. Maestas had died.  He had such an  impact on me and was a great teacher.  Gracias por su valor, Senor, y vaya con Dios. 

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

John Hein again brought us information about the loss of another classmate in December.  Here is the link to the online webpage for further information on the life and death of Dennis Karn.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=dennis-p-karn&pid=147498757

He died December 6, 2010.

Lyn McKinney (McGraw)

It appears that I am one of the first to post on the forum for 2011.  Last year was a difficult one for me and my family.  However, a new year is upon us and new adventures are awaiting.  I am finally retired.  We will be moving into a home on the Camano Island lagoon waterfront.  Once our belongings are transferred from our storage lockers, I shall search out ALL those projects I put away over the years to play with in retirement.  Photos, crafts, sewing, transfer home movie VHS to DVD, view mounds of negatives to see whats on them, create CD's from my old records, relearn the violin, teach myself the piano, learn to crochet, grow house plants again, catch up on the piles of books I have.  This and much more.  I'll keep y'all posted on what lifes like not being a slave to your job. 

John - If you pop on to this site I want you to know I am praying you didn't have to deal with SAD this year.  You are such a delightful shining light on this forum, I know I can always learn something when I sign on here and/or walk away chuckling at your antics.  You see I too have SAD among other trying disorders.  And it has been a long stressful winter so far.  But I am determined not to let it get a hold of me this new year.

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Lyn:

I admire your adventurous spirit to tackle things both new and old in this new year.  Thanks to the inspiration of Joan Urwiler Cram and her hubby Dave, we have taken up geocaching in 2011.  It gets us outside with a fun challenge each time.  We see places we might otherwise not see and helps keep the old brains working too.  Have a great time in "retirement" .

Virg Descargar (Sd-Alfonzo)

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL THE JANUARY 2011 CELEBRANTS.

THANK YOU NANCY AND OTHERS FOR KEEPING US UPDATED ON THIS SITE. 

 LOVE VIRG

John MacLeod

Gung Hei Fat Choy!!  (Wishing you prosperity and wealth)  The Year of the Rabbit is here. 

May the red lanterns that you have hung by the door to welcome the new year not be confused with another red light establishment.  Don't forget to drop by your local fireworks stand to get your explosives to drive away evil spirits, such as telemarketers at dinner time.  Be sure to start planning your party for next year.  It will be January 23, 2012.

Lyn.....Congratulations on retirement.  Yes indeed my SAD seemed to come on with a vengence this year.  I know, suck it up and deal with it.  It is what it is.  Duh.......yup.  Let's see if I can pull myself out of this funk and get back to posting.  Thanks to those who have kept in contact.

The good news is that work wise I have been busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest this year.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I love my profession.  Turns out my job is my hobby all rolled together. 

Weather wise in the NW we have dodged the sub-zero temps and snow.  I am wondering how many people won't be able to get to the Super Bowl, due to flight delays and cancelations.  I saw that the average ticket price is around $4,000.00.  They didn't give us the median and mode numbers, that might give a better perspective.  I think that the lowest price is around $250.00.  Let's see.....a million dollar ticket and a one dollar ticket gives us a five hundred thousand average.  Plus or minus fifty cents.  I think I would opt for a root canal over attending the bowl game.

Sha-zaam............

John MacLeod

Big doings along the shore of Hood Canal today, 02/05/11.

The second annual Polar Bear Plunge is minutes form starting.  The ambient air and water temps are about the same, in foggy/drizzly downtown Hoodsport.

Participants arrange for sponsors to donate.  The funds raised this year go to Volunteer Fire Dept. #17 and the County Search and Rescue.  Raffle tickets and hot dogs are on the docket.  About half the County Mounties are making the plunge, including the Sheriff.  Our assistant Fire Chief will be making the dip.  She is a rather shapely 40 something year old.  She made the statement that if she raised over $200.00 she would make the plunge in a bikini.  Well......bikini it is.  I think the youngest participant is about 9 and the oldest around 60.  I am beginning to think I am living in a Norman Rockwell painting.

Put it on your calender for next year.  The first Saturday in February.  Perhaps the class could find someone to sponsor next year.  Maybe someone from the swim team.

Go Quakers.........Beat Ballard

John MacLeod

Attention Patches Pals...............

On February 10th, 1958 JP first appeared on Seattle's KIRO TV.  The show ran until September, 1981.

If memory serves me correctly, several of you appeared on the show or had your name called out on your birthday.  I was always facinated by the ICU2TV.  Today we call it video conferencing.

Zero Docka, Smooch a Crocka, Zalla Baluza Bub that's the secret password the we use down at the Club.  Oh, wait, that was Stan Boreson.

Fair weather and following seas.  Oh, wait, that was Captain Puget.

Wunda Wunda, Ding Dong School, Brakeman Bill.  We had our share of TV to watch.

Lyn McKinney (McGraw)

Yahoo!  Hi John...welcome back my friend.  Love your posts.  Walk thru my black and white TV past.  Stan Boreson is from my neck of the woods and appears frequently at the Stanwood Camano Fair.  Still pumping out Scandanavian songs on his accordian. 

News update.  My family just moved to a beautiful house on a lagoon and overlooking Port Susan on Camano Island.  We are still surrounded by endless boxes but each day is a treasure hunt as we unearth yet another object to put to use in our daily lives.  I'm just now beginning to feel the effects of retirement.  I could start to like it.  It does feel odd no longer being attached to the local police and fire service but slowly weaning myself away from it.

John MacLeod

Chock one up to the small world, after all........... 

I met with a new customer/client this afternoon.  She is newly retired from the North Shore School District.  Yeah? So? What does that mean?  Well the next question is, who do we know that works for that school district?  I'll take school teachers for $200.00 Alex.  The answer is Debbie Kashino.  My customer and Debbie know each fairly well.  At least as much as one can in a work environment.

Go to the "Wayback Machine" Mr Peabody.  Remember when the safety slogan was "Stop, Look and Listen?"  Well, I must have had an ear obstruction that day.  Because I thought it was "Stop, Talk and Listen."  Ever since I outgrew my shyness I have been doing more that my share of the talking.  I am working up to colorful character stage of my life.

 "Living off Jacks and Queens".  This line came from which show's theme song???  If you get this we can nominate you for the OTD Award.

Which way to the Beanery?

John MacLeod

Another day, another small world encounter.............

Drove to Port Gamble today to look at a small project.  It's about a 120 mile round trip.  The people are good friends of one of my best customers.  Hence going the distance, so to speak.  Well..........turns out he is a fellow Franklin Grad., Class of 64'.  He lived near Martha Washington.  He was a good friend of Jerry Ozeil, Marvin's older brother.  Turns out he also worked with one of my fraternity brothers.

If you're interested in being nominated for the OTD Award, here is another line from a TV show theme song.  "Easy loping, cattle roping........."  I seem to be stuck on westerns.  If you don't remember you may want to go to your doctor and be tested for CRS Syndrome.

Holy strawberry Batman, we're in a jam now................

John Hein

jacks and queens.......must be Maverick, who grew up to be Rockfish.  "Easy loping, cattle roping........." that one's much more obscure........was it Sugarfoot? My favorite theme was Johnny Trash singing  "Johnny Yuma.........was a rebel"......... Nick Adams was actually hangin' 'round with Elvis for awhile. So, the south met Viva Las Vegas ??? Too bad the Elvis/Ann-Margaret thing didn't work out; where was Roger Smith then??? Hard to believe all this was au courrant 50 years ago.

Peace, out.

John MacLeod

Mr. Hein............Nice pick-up on Sugarfoot.  Will Penny would be proud.  Most people say they never heard of the show.  Obviously you were a fellow fan of the "Oaters" in your younger day.  I have number of other theme songs rattling around in my cranium, but I won't bore others from the class. 

Looks like a snow day today.  We never had a snow day in Seattle during our tenure in the Seattle Public Schools.  My snow day will intail hanging a custom door and pre-finishing it for an install over the week end.  As the "Seven Dwarves" sang........."I owe, I owe, so off to work I go".

"One for all and all for one..........."     Bonanza

John Hein

Yeah, oaters were all over the channels way back when. The Rifleman (then Branded), Wanted: Dead or Alive, the Cartrights, Waqon Train, and so many others. Gunsmoke was very popular, but for some reason I never got into that show, and never cared for Rawhide either (but they had a cool theme song, re-popularized by the Blues Brothers circa 1980). I never missed Zorro; not really an oater, per se, but Sgt Garcia gettin' Z'ed always made the show well worth the price of admission. Then Zorro got Lost In Space...... My sister (class of '62) was a Bat Masterson fan. I think she had a crush on Gene Barry. You remember Mr Kermode (sp?) at Sharples, taught metal shop? Well, when Sis was at Sharples he taught Math, and she had a serious crush on him. I always thought that Gene Barry and Mr. Kermode looked alot alike. Sis's crush on Mr. Kermode had Mom worried....... I never really had a crush on any teachers, but thanks to Sis I knew if I did not to mention it at the dinner table !!!

Anyway, you were right; 2/23 turned out to be a serious snow day. On my way home from work Tuesday nite, I saw many vehicles spun off the road. That convinced me to stay home and self-medicate with hot-buttered rums; let it snow let it snow let it snow.......Mt. Vernon ended up gettin' a foot of white blanket; I-5 was closed for awhile it got so bad so fast. Hopefully we'll be gettin' into spring soon. Personally, I've had enough of Old Man Winter.

Hope things are going well for ya,

G'nite, JRH

John Hein

Hey all, me again. I forgot to mention in my previous post that Bob Sichel's obit is in today's Times. Bob was 6 years older than us and was Liz Sichel's brother. Anybody know where Liz is these days? I'd send her an email of condolence, but alas, she has no profile here. I met Bob once thru mutual friends at a summer BBQ in the Ravensdale area circa 1980. I asked him if he was brother to Liz, and we otherwise talked about this-n-that. He seemed like a really nice guy, very friendly. All those years from Whitworth to Sharples to Franklin, I never knew Liz had a brother. Anyway, by his age, I'm guessing he was class of '62, as was my sister. I'll hafta ask her if she remembers him.

G'nite again, JRH

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Hey John:

Liz Sichel is now Liz Ross and is living in the old Brighton neighborhood.  If I can find your email, I will forward her contact info to you.

John MacLeod

I see that Dana Lavelle and Phil Anderson have checked.  Not much new on their profiles.  Nothing earth shaking such as winning the Lotto or digging a hole to plant a new rose bush and finding a box full of gold coins.  I have know others who have come close.  A friend once found 10 crisp ten dollar bills behind a panel in his basement.  He quickly transferred them to the till at Jake O'Shaunessy's.  I have found a few items over the years, walled away until the next remodeller happened along.  Tax tokens, a post card of the Kalakala, Olympia beer bottles, old newspapers.  I once found a time capsule of sorts, from 1925.  Listed the name of the contractor, the members of the family and the comic section from the Times.  It was dated February 3, 1925.  I often times will put one of my business cards in with the date of the remodel.

Dr. Hein............I hope your prescription of hot buttered rums had the desired effect.  I always liked "Bat Masterson" (Gene Barry) who went on to do "Burke's Law".  We had a neighbor who was an executive for Kraft Foods, the sponsor of "Bat Masterson".  He brought home a 16mm film of the pilot episode.  We got to watch it about a month before it was aired.  That was pretty cool stuff at 8-10 years old.  We were sworn to secrecy.  I have finally broken my code of silence.

Always maintain an element of cool, or is that couth............

John Hein

You really don't get what "omerta" is all about, alas........remember what happened to Joe Valachi ??? (Actually I don't remember either, but it wasn't a happy ending). Nuff said.

G'day all, JRH

John MacLeod

Omerta..............A rule or code that prohibits speaking or divulging information about certain activities, especially the activities of a criminal organization......A code of silence practiced by the Mafia; a refusal to give evidence to the police about criminal activities............Omerta.

Well, I was about 8 years old.  There was no blood shed in swearing to the secrecy.  I am fairly certain that Gene Barry AKA "Bat Masterson" would be okay with my divulging the story some 53 years later.  Now Kraft Foods might be a little different.  I would guess that they may have more than one criminal complaint in their history as well as some organized crime syndicate in their past.

Thanks John.  I have once again learned something new.  Now, if I can only retain it for more than 15 nanoseconds.

Sandra Smith (Hanson)

You guys gave me a chuckle.  How can you remember all of those shows and who starred in them?  I recognize the titles and watched some of them myself, but, geez....you're good.

Liz Sichel (Ross) was at the reunion in 2008.  Merilee McElroy (Watson) and I talked with her for quite awhile.  She looks just the same as I remembered her.  I didn't know that she had a brother, either; always thought she was an only child.

The San Francisco Bay Area was promised snow last weekend, but other than a few dustings at higher elevations, it didn't happen.  We've lived in California 36 years and I've seen snow fall exactly three times, but never stick.  We did have a low of 32 Saturday evening.  Today is not a pretty day; wind and rain, temperature hovering around 57 :-(  Spring would be welcome at any time.

When we remodeled the house on Camano Island we found newspapers from the early 1900's that had obviously been used as insulation.  Also, after the curtains were removed, we discovered that the side-by-side kitchen windows were two different styles and slightly different sizes.  At some point they must have decided that they needed more light and just plunked in a second window.  Alas, we found no other treasures...

Hope your day is going well.  Thanks for keeping us entertained.

John MacLeod

Well............I see that Paul Kageyama has updated a couple items on his profile   He is on Facebook, which I am not.  His photo shows that he looks pretty much the same.  However there may have been a problem with the camera.  There seems to be a slight hint of graying of his hair around the temples.  I assume that was due to a camera malfunction.

Harold Brookins was at the site the other day, or at least his computer was.  The home page lists who is currently logged on the site.  I generally check to see if anyone else is on at the same time as I, or is it me, myself and Irene.  Nancy found me here at o'dark thirty the other morning.   She was correct in informing me that it was waaaaaaaay tooooooooo early.

Sandi.......Nice to here from you.  From what I gather "youse guys" in California have had more that your share of rain and winter storms this year.  Snow would have been over the top.  As to myself and your growing up neighbor Johnny Hein......I can only assume that we were young and impressionable to the rock-em-sock-em westerns of our youth.

Mr. Hein............Any idea when Boeing is ever going to get their "In Your Dreams Liner" into production?  The technology may be severely outdated when it does happen.

Okay, here are a couple other shows I remember.  In the theme song catagory, non-western.  "Barrelling down the highway, wheeling right along.........."  And in the opening scene category also non-western.  Lee Marvin standing along side a 56/57 Ford police car???  Get your answers in quickly, before I forget.