Woo, woo! Got me some
fake nails. I went on a trip with 14 women to Savannah and someone on the bus needed
something opened. They asked, "Any one on the bus with real nails?"
I was the ONLY one that raised a hand. So, I decided to make my OLD hands
look a little nicer. I also looked around and saw that I was the ONLY one
on the bus with GRAY hair. Now, I was the youngest at 59. So, I
think maybe I might go get something done about that, also. Maybe I just
need a little pampering.
Check out my NEW section of the NEWSLETTER that includes your
"BUCKET LIST"
entries. I will add any stories that you send me on
checking off those wishes on YOUR list!
************************************************************************
MAIL CALL
from Shari Louvier Parker
in New Boston, TX
I have exciting news. I have been publishing cookbooks for
almost two years now and I have just added a printing division
to my company. We can now do all kinds of printing, cards,
fliers, calendars, brochures, etc. We will be working on a
calendar for a funeral home here for 2010. Say a prayer
for me. (http:gardenofedenfarms.com)
from Bob Sandoval
in Kermit, TX
I'm working in Kermit, (west of
Odessa), doing
construction management and engineering on a fire rebuild
project. Partof Southern Union's plant burnt down in July.
It's bleak, waitresses won't wait on strangers, half the town
appears to be on drugs, and Kermit makes Saudi Arabia look like
Las Vegas! I'll do another "I remember when" soon, I
promise. I received very positive response from my last
entry on "Casey to the Rescue." (Bob is on the right)
from Fred McCarty
in Kingwood
My oldest son, Matt, is now in his second deployment in Iraq.
Matt is a Captain in the Army and he is the Commanding Officer
for a Cavalry Troop in the 4th Cavalry Regiment. He
deployed from Ft. Riley, Kansas back in August. His unit
conducts operations in the northern part of Iraq from west of
Mosul toward the border with Syria. I talked with him
recently and he is doing well. The recent events at Ft.
Hood were tragic and hit many people in the Army quite hard.
I hope that the investigations underway result in a better
understanding about what happened and how to help prevent any
similar situations in the future.
So far, retirement is going well, and we are travelling a little
and planning for some future trips. It is great to have
more time to do the things we want to do and spend time with
friends.
from Jan Russell
in Spring
I am a Texas History teacher at Kleb Intermediate in Klein
ISD. When you have a spare minute, check out my web page
listed below. This is one of the ways we communicate with
parents in the 21st century! I post homework assignments,
etc., but I also have "games" to lure the students to my web
page. Hey, whatever works!
http://classroom.kleinisd.net/webs/jlrussell
**********************************************************************
BUCKET LIST
(This
section is for us to rejoice in checking off items on our BUCKET
LIST, aka "things I want to do before too late!")
from Hal Ross
(remember Hal also wrote a month ago about
kitesurfing ...a check off his Bucket list!)
Before last year's reunion I read in the NEWSLETTER that
John Wilson completed
the MS 150 in April, 2008. I had never heard of this event
before. A bicycle ride from Houston to Austin?
Really impressive, John.
I had been interested in cycling 10 years ago, but never
ventured too far with it because none of my friends were
interested. In June, '08 I became a volunteer for the
Spindletop Spin, a Jefferson County Bar Assn. fundraiser, and as
I registered about 500 happy riders that morning, the excitement
and enthusiam captured me.
So, I went with it. I bought a new bike, picked up the
pace, got interrupted in the training, first by Hurricane Ike,
then winter, but in June '09 rode in the Spindletop Spin,
although only a 35 mile ride, but now I was hooked. I even
recorded and watched the entire tour de France this summer.
Last month, I rode in the Lance Armstrong Foundation's Austin
Livestrong Challenge, and befoe I could get home I started
sending out feelers for a Team spot for the 2010 MS 150.
Luck was with me and within two weeks I was sitting in the
Houston ConocoPhillips headquarters at my first team meeting.
14 weekly training rides starting in January and leading into
the April 17th start is in the near future.
Between now and then, I'm getting as much seat time as possible
and have even resorted to spin classes at the local gym.
Not to overstate the nature of this event, this is a ride, not a
race. There will be riders my age and older. But, as
I cross the finish line after 150 miles over two days, and do
something I've never done, this 60 year old will be grinning
from ear to ear, and thanking
John for setting the
example.
If anyone else here is riding or knows someone we know that is
participating, please let us know. It would be great to
get some group pictures and visits along the way. Oh yeah,
for you Austinites, come on down to the finish line on Sunday.
Did I mention there would be 13, 000 riders? I hear it's a
heck of a party.
from Jan Russell
in Spring
I noticed that Cheryl Freeman
is living in Lake Charles, LA. Does anyone know how to get
in contact with her? She was my lab partner in Mr. Cell's
chemistry class, and she saved my "you know what" many times by
explaining something or helping me with my labs. I never
thanked her properly. She was one of the first African
American students at TJ. I can only imagine what she must
have been feeling, being part of a very small minority at TJ.
I have always felt guilty that I didn't befriend her because I
was afraid of what other people would think about me. (I
was SO young and stupid!) I know now that MY life would
have been blessed even more if I had truly gotten to know her.
Part of my "Bucket List" is to apologize to Cheryl and thank her
for being so nice to me.
from Linda McFadden
in Lumberton
Two checks off my list is taking my HOT AIR BALLOON ride and
going to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY last year!
Yep, saw Mickey Mantle's plaque!
(I think that this new addition to the NEWSLETTER could really
add some fun and interesting news to our website. Go for
it! I can't wait to see the variety.)
**********************************************************************
Thanksgiving Preparation
I know that it is supposed to be fun but getting ready sure can
be a hastle. I am looking forward to the 11 that are
coming. 17 of the family members said , "Can't come".
Do you think my reputation as a cook is preceding me? Mom
was always the one that made the delicious egg plant dressing,
pecan pies, etc. Okay so I have to write the NEWSLETTER,
clean house, go to store, cook, wash, don't break my new nails,
lose 50 pounds by Thursday! Okay, I have it all under
control. At least we don't have to do what the following
story details.
WARSHING CLOTHES RECIPE....this
is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook (not
mine)- with spelling errors and all.
This was written by an Alabama grandmother who gave this to a
new bride:
WARSHING CLOTHES
Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water.
Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert.
Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water.
Sort things, make 3 piles
1 pile white, 1 pile colored, 1 pile work britches and rags.
To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin
down with boilin water.
Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and
boil,
then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch.
Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench,
and starch.
Hang old rags on fence.
Spread tea towels on grass.
Pore wrench water in flower bed.
Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
Turn tubs upside down.
Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs
Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL
***********************************************************************
NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT
This happened last week:
Drove from Lumberton, picked up parents in Groves, dropped
Mom off at the beauty shop, drove Dad to barber shop in PA,
locked myself out of Mom's car, drove barber's car to beauty
shop for keys, back to barber shop to get our car, back to
beauty shop, realized barber's keys were in my purse, back to
barber shop, back to beauty shop, Dad says, "Where did I leave
my hat?", and you know the rest of the story! I need a
drink....or maybe I had had one and that was the problem! Nah!
Just getting like my parents.
***********************************************************************
SUPPORT NEEDED
(update)
Barry Boudreaux
(heart condition) from wife,
Janice Hebert Boudreaux
Here is the latest on Barry, or should I say Barry AND our
daughters! Seems that what Barry has, (extra heart beats),
may be genetic! Our youngest, Brooke, went to the doctor
for her usual every three months congestion and because of blood
pressure, they did an EKG. They told her she needed to see
a cardiologist because she had abnormal heart beat (extra
beats). We made arrangements for her to see Barry's
cardiologist and she does have exactly what Barry has.
They will be doing a stress test, echocardiogram, and a 24 hr.
holter monitor on her soon. Our middle daughter, Brandi,
had already been to the doctor and she was found to have extra
beats, also! Our oldest daughter, Bridgette is making an
appt. to be checked as well. The two cardiologists talked
and said they had never heard of a family having this.
Barry had a nuclear stress test done and we are awaiting the
results. Stay tuned.....!
3319 Highland Laurels
Kingwood, TX 77345
(281)361-5440
mbsjanice@aol.com
from Laura Meece Darby
in Kingwood
Starting in June after my routine mammogram, I found out that I
had DCIS, (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ), in my right breast, which
is a Stage 0 breast cancer. It doesn't spread to the lymph
nodes or other areas of the body. The cure rate is close
to 100%. I had two lumpectomies in August hoping they
could remove the cells, but that didn't work. So, I had a
mastectomy, which I had done on Oct. 9th. I also had my
breast reconstructed with tissue from my tummy (tummy
tuck)....didn't want to do an implant. Thank goodness I
had the fat stomach! On Dec. 15, I will go back and have a
reduction on my other breast and also to do revisions on my new
one. It hasn't been a good summer for us.
Recuperation is taking a long time. The good news is that
the lab reports came back good....all
cancer is gone. I won't have to do any kind of
radiation or chemo. I will have to get on medication to
keep this from happening to my good breast.
Thanks to all that have been praying for me. I didn't want
to talk about it sooner because I wasn't ready. But, now I
am on my way to a full recovery.
5207 High Glen Ct.
Kingwood, TX 77345
(281)764-1155
lauradarby49@yahoo.com
***********************************************************************
CONDOLENCES
Cherlyn Hebert
(death of her mother) See Obituary
7928 Ellinger Lane
Houston, TX 77040-5905
(713)460-9424
hebert1220@att.net
from Jan Russell
MEMORY of
MR. LIONEL
ROWLAND
I wanted to add my two cents worth to the
memories of Mr. Rowland. I remember his piercing blue eyes
and those "A Contracts", "B Contracts", and "C Contracts"!
Even after 36 years of teaching, I don't know how he managed to
keep up with all that. I'm not nearly that organized!
However, the one thing that stuck with me was his prediction
that World War III would begin in the Middle East! At the
time, it didn't really make sense to me, but that summer of '67
was the 7-day war between Israel and Egypt. All of a
sudden his words came back to me. And with international
events as they are now, well, need I say more? I hope he
knew how many lives he touched and changed for the better.
***********************************************************************
Okay, that's a wrap. It has been fun writing this edition.
I hope to hear from more of you. Don't let the holidays
give you an excuse to forget Mike and I. We still have to
do our job!
Stay in touch and contact a classmate,
Linda DeCuir McFadden
lindasuemcfadden@sbcglobal.net
www.tjhs1968.com
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