Message Forum

Lyn et al

It's 4.59 in the afternoon, Christmas Day. The sun has been bright with a clear sky - not a cloud to be found, temperature a pleasant 26 degrees Centigrade and the wind from the southwest - a nice sea breeze. What you'd call a perfect Christmas Day in Western Australia. Quite a contrast from the weather all over the USA, I gather.

Hope all your Christmas Days will have been as equally enjoyable!

Susan

12/28/08 05:37 AM

#132

Lyn McKinney (McGraw)

So kids - how was the group night out at Bellevue? Who all made it? I was glad to see the weather break for the most part. Was Tony as awesome as ever? Of course was there any doubt. Have y'all checked out the updates to the pics? So I'm curious. How do my classmates plan to bring in the New Year? How 'bout some input? Only Tony ventured to answer my Christmas Quiz. Perhaps some of you will post a line or two and let us know what's up for New Years. How about some of your plans for this coming year? Steve - I know you are completely remodeling your home, how's that going? Mark - What about your Portuguese football team how is that progressing? Tony - are you playing somewhere New Years Eve? Susan - have any cool plans in the works ma'am?

12/29/08 12:54 AM

#133

Lyn

To answer your question about Australia being called "Down Under".....originally it was "the land down under" because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere and is just about the furthest away you can get from mother England.

As to plans for New Year.....it will be a quiet night on New Year's Eve for me and the following day I shall be enjoying the races. I will be comfortably seated in front of the telly where I can watch the races in Melbourne and the races up in Perth. It's Perth Cup Day and not a pretty sight at the race track with the over-indulgence and what goes with that, which is always part of the scene. Not a place for anyone who is a racing purist I'm afraid. I won't miss the "atmosphere" one tiny bit!

And then it's back to work for me on Friday.

Best wishes for a very happy, prosperous and peaceful 2009 to everyone!

Susan

PS Thanks Tony!

12/29/08 09:13 AM

#134

Lyn,

Louise and I are either going to the American Club New Years Eve party or a movie. I am leaning towards going to see Jim carrey's, 'Yes Man' or 'Sim' as it is called here in Portugal. Speaking of movies we saw a really good one last weekend in, 'Australia'. Sue have you seen it yet? If so what did you think of it? I would like to here what Aussies think about the movie.

My plans for the year ahead include some travel and marriage. Louise and I are going to London for Valentine's Day weekend which should be kind of cool. Then in May we are going to Gibraltar for a 3-day weekend. Next fall we are tentatively planning on spending a week in Paris and a week in Ireland with former classmate Donna (Collins) Malcolm and her husband Rick. As far as the wedding plans go no date has been set yet but we may get legally married in Gibraltar on our May visit there. We would then follow that up with a church ceremony here in Portugal later in the year. There is a reason for getting legally married in Gibraltar rather than in Portugal. It is easier to get married there than here because Portugal requires a lot more documentation and a longer waiting period. Also this year I plan to write more poetry and may try to get motivated to write a book that I have had in mind for a couple of years now.

My football team, the Porto Renegades, has won their two pre-season games. We start our real season on January 10th in Lisbon. The team is looking pretty good this year so we are excited to get this show on the road.

I want to wish all my former classmates a prosperous and Happy New Year.

12/29/08 09:49 AM

#135

If you haven't already seen this.... it is an amazing piece of music composed and contributed by musicians from all over the world who made their contribution by listening to others through headsets.

The intro singer like all the rest is a street musician, another in Stockholm, a backup group in Africa, drums on a Indian Reservation, bass violin in Russian, bass in South America, tambourine in Paris, saxaphone, etc.

Musicians all over the world were joined through the recording magic of a group know as "playing for change". The song, "Stand by Me"....

From the award-winning documentary, "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music", a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world. Originally presented on Bill Moyer's Journal. If you like it's still available in its entirety, check out U-tube. I think it's also available through NPR - Bill Moyers...

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did. What a fantastic idea!

http://www.flixxy.com/peace-through-music.htm

01/06/09 04:37 PM

#136

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Okay Lyn:

Since you haven't had much response to your Christmas song challenge, I will make a stab at it. I think Tony got #12 I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus.

Let's try this for the rest:

1. O Holy Night
2. Jingle Bells or even Jingle Bell Rock
3. I don't know the title to this one but it has something to do with grandma running me over with her sleigh or sled.
4. All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth
5. The Little Drummer Boy
6. Silent Night
7. Deck the Halls
8. O Little Town of Bethlehem
9. Away In A Manger
10. We Three Kings
11. Go Tell It On The Mountain

How about giving us the real answers now Lyn?

Have a blessed New Year.

01/10/09 12:14 PM

#137

Lyn McKinney (McGraw)

Nancy-
Wow excellent! 3. Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer and 12. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. which Tony guessed earlier. I all but gave up hope anyone wanted to give a go at it. Thank you. I thought it was fun.

Here's one for New Years top 10 resolutions:

1. Spend..........
2. ......more
3. ......better
4. Quit...........
5. Enjoy..........
6. Quit...........
7. Get out........
8. Learn..........
9. ........others
10. Get...........

If you're up for it try and guess what there are. Then I'll share what my resolutions are and how I'm doing with them.

Lyn

01/11/09 09:42 PM	#138
Dorothy Rodes 2009 greetings to all.

02/10/09 02:26 PM

#139

Dorothy Rodes

This forum is apparently hibernating. I tried to delete my last entry, which was the last entry herein, yet the system wouldn't let me and/or I'm technically challenged. Instead of retreating I'm taking the bag off my head and inviting you to my next gig.
Hope all y'all are well.

Dorothy Rodes with another awesome band!

Dave Peterson - guitar
Jeff Johnson - bass
Byron Vannoy- drums

Tula’s
2214 Second Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 443-422
tulas.com

7:30 to 11:30 pm
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
$10 cover charge

Mediterranean and American cuisine,
a full bar and great music!

Dorothy Rodes
Work (206) 292-9622
Home (206) 363-4543
dorothy@cypressmail.net

02/15/09 11:17 PM	#140
Dorothy Rodes Tony, FWIW? Thanks for the info ("Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice.") Happy belated. Is it a drag to have Valentine's Day as a birthday? Take care, dr

02/25/09 09:49 AM

#141

Karen Kummerfeldt

Hello to all from sunny Phoenix area. I met Nancy Raetzloff-Groth last week for a delicious lunch at a Mediteranean restaurant here in Chandler. She is still working hard to find all of our missing classmates.

Harry and I are really enjoying our time in Arizona this year, especially after being home in Redmond for all that bad weather during the holidays. It will be in the mid 80's here today...

We've been filling our time with lots of golf, but plan to take a little trip this week-end to see the OK Corral and more in the Tombstone area.

P.S. John McCloud -where are you? I miss your postings.

02/25/09 10:24 AM	#142
Sylvia Lovegren (Petras) Greetings from cold NJ, the land of the down jacket and lined gloves. Brrrr. Are you guys excited that Gary Locke has been nominated by Obama to be the Commerce Sec? I think it is so cool. Congrats, Gary! I now return to the couch, hot chocolate in hand.

02/26/09 03:16 AM

#143

Sylvia I agree with you that it is pretty cool that Gary has been nominated for Commerce Secretary. He is a perfect fit for that job.

Karen I am a little envious of you being in Arizona.I miss it down there. This winter in Portugal hasn't been to good. However, it has warmed up finally to the upper 60's-low 70's which is not too bad. Enjoy your stay down there and tell Nancy hello from me.

02/26/09 08:58 AM	#144
Karen Kummerfeldt VERY exciting news about Gary Locke. Our new President needs all the help he can get and I'm sure Gary will do a great job.

03/24/09 11:28 PM	#145
Tony Volchok Congrads Gary, I know you'll do a great job.

07/12/09 11:54 AM

#146

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

HELLO IS ANYONE OUT THERE? No one has posted since late March and it is now mid July. Where in the world is John MacLeod when we need him? The weather here in Phoenix is a toasty 100+ degrees and I am sure that some of you must be having weather that is a liitle cooler and more appropriate for picnics outside and stuff like that. Maybe that is why you are all not sitting at your computers posting to this message board. Duh.. I guess I just figured it out. At least it doesn't mean that you have all up and died on me without leaving your forwarding addresses.

Seriously though, I am still huntin' for the missing ones, and I appreciate all of the help I can get. With a suggestion from Tony Volchok I did find info that indicates that Christine Styer may have died in 2003. If any of you know any details, please let me know. With the Bel Canto reunion and fundraiser coming up in October, we want to locate as many classmates as possible to let them know about the event.

Let's all invite John to come back and lighten our days with his very special brand of humor.

07/13/09 05:38 AM

#147

Hello Nancy.It seems that this site kind of dried up after John abandoned it for whatever reason. So JOHN COME BACK!

Call me crazy but I even miss the Phoenix summers. Has the monsoon season started up yet?

As far as Chris Styers goes I had been in touch with her several (many) years back. I can't remember how long ago it was but the last I knew she was going to move to Yakima I believe.

07/21/09 09:39 PM

#148

Hello

Hooray! There are still classmates out there! I'd given you all up for......not quite sure what! It's mid-winter here down under and today the sun is shining, thank goodness. Last week was a wet one and the paddocks at my place are proof of that. The horses find high ground and stay there! Despite the weather all is well.

JOHN MACLEOD, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!

To one and all take care.

Cheers. Susan

07/23/09 02:51 PM	#149
Nancy Raetzloff (Groth) Hello Everyone: It seems that those of us living away from Seattle are currently more likely to post messages here. Thanks Mark and Susan for your support. Let's all send emails to John MacLeod asking him to come back. Also, a big welcome to our newest website classmates Tom Rhodes and Rick Yoshijima. What are the rest of you all doing? nancy

07/24/09 06:06 AM

#150

Susan,

Where in Australia do you live? How did you end up there? I have a friend that lives in Canberra. Also what kind of horses do you raise?

I think you and I are the two furthest away from Seattle. I am living in Portugal.

Nancy, it seems you are right about only those out of town being on here anymore.

John wake up!!!!! You can't be suffering from seasonal affective disorder at this time with the way the weather has been in Seattle lately, so no excuses.

07/24/09 06:41 AM

#151

Hey, what gives here? My in box has been spammed by a group of known Quakers. I am now under scrutiny by the Dept. of Homeland Security, the PTA, the BSA and many other known and unknown alphabet soup organizations.

My apologies for dropping off the face of the universe. I got out of the habit of posting to the forum and have finally let my fingers drop to the keyboard, instead of just hovering over the keys.

We had a great winter here on the shores of Hood Canal. At sea level we had snow accumulations of over 32 inches which converts to 812.80 milimeters (.81 meters). Any way you look at it, it was an expletive deleted load of snow. I will put a few photos on my profile over the weekend.

I have been working 6-7 days a week on various projects along the canal. Some large and many small. On Sundays I do my best to give gravity a helping hand on holding the couch down. Works well until Phil Anderson's people at the fish hatchery let off bottle rockets or other explosive devices to scare off the seagulls. I jump, the dog jumps. I bark, the dog barks, the seagulls squawk and then all returns to normal. Perhaps one of these days the dog and I will go down to Westport and shoot off a few bottle rockets at Phil's house.

As your mother told you "Be careful what you wish for."

Thanks for the harassment. I'm back.

John

07/25/09 09:35 AM

#152

Mark,

Susan lives in Western Australia, just up the road from Harvey, just down the road from Cokernup, Perth, Fremantle and Pepsi One. WA (Western Australia) is home to what must be the baddest cops on the face of the earth. Only in WA does a desperado burst into flames when being tazered. I will let Susan fill in the details on this story. Captain Kirk told them to set their phasers on stun but they must have misheard him.

Ciao, I am off to Miami Beach today. Miami Beach Washington that is.

John

07/26/09 07:30 PM

#153

Mark,

Inquiring minds need to know como se diz dumkoph em portugues? I need to know whether I am being complimented or insulted by any iternerant Portuguese I may run into. Now e a sua vez to make a posting.

Susan should be just about ready to take her morning coffee break now. 7:15 PM PST 07/26/09 vs 10:45 AM AWST 07/27/09. Ooooh, my head is starting to hurt. Mr Richardson would be glad to hear that I can still use it.

Slainte mhor a h-uile la a chi's nach fhaic

John

One more, I can't resist passing on a good phrase to know.
Tha mo bhata-foluaimein loma-lan easgannan
(My hovercraft is full of eels.)

Only from Scotland, where phlem is a form of language. I suppose the same could be said for Yiddish, Welsh and many more.

07/26/09 08:33 PM

#154

In response to John's message. Here are the details about the incident that he mentioned, from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's news service:

Man catches fire after Taser shot
Posted Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:00am AEST
Updated Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:54am AEST

A 36-year-old man has burst into flames after being shot by a police Taser in Western Australia.

Police say they were trying to arrest the Aboriginal man for petrol sniffing at the Goldfields Aboriginal community of Warburton yesterday when he turned violent.

It is alleged the man was threatening police with a container of petrol and a cigarette lighter, and ignored repeated requests to stop, when he was shot.

The man then caught fire, suffering third degree burns to his face, arms and chest.

Susan Usher from Police Media says an investigation is underway.

"The investigation will try to determine the full circumstances about the incident and also the source of the ignition," she said.

Ms Usher says the community turned on the officer who fired the Taser.

"He had rocks thrown at his head while he was trying to aid the man and he received burns to his hands and also a laceration to his head, which required five stitches," she said.

The Aboriginal man is in a critical but stable condition in Royal Perth Hospital.

**********************************************************

It's pretty rough in that part of the Outback!

Susan

07/27/09 06:32 AM

#155