AHHHHH, the smell of
fall in the air!
Okay, not quite yet
in
SE Texas
but soon, very soon.
Thank you, hurricane
gods, for keeping
the storms away from
SE Texas.
We are keeping our
fingers crossed.
from
Cherlyn Hebert
in Houston
I got back on August
24 from three weeks
in Russia
and
Ukraine. It was hot, low to
mid-90's, but not
nearly as hot as I
had been worried
about. The
smoke from the
wildfires near
Moscow wasn't really an issue at all, either.
Of course, three
days after we got
back, their temps
were in the normal
range of 50's-60's!
The main problem, as
always, was the lack
of air conditioning
in the churches and
museums. I
have a hand fan I
bought last year in
Greece, and it's definitely the best
$3 investment I ever
made because I gave
it a real workout
for three weeks.
Everyone keeps
asking me what
thought of the
people in both
countries and I have
to say the Russian
people seem
depressed and not
very friendly.
Of course, that just
might be their
culture because all
of our tour
directors were from
Russia and when they weren't on duty,
they tended to be
very brusque and
off-putting.
The Ukrainians were
friendly and always
laughing and seemed
to be enjoying life.
We had a nice talk
one day with an
American who has
lived in the
Ukraine for 7 years, so it was nice
to get his
perspective on the
country.
My next trip is a
quick one to Turks
and Caicos in the
Caribbean
for what they call
"a travel agent
familiarization"
trip. We have
a chartered flight
from Houston and
Dallas on October 7
and then we're
spending a night
each at two
different Sandals
Resort locations on
T&C and then back to
the States on the
9th. It's
quick but
practically free!
Since I just booked
my first destination
wedding as a travel
agent and it happens
to be on T&C, I am
really excited to
get to see the
island.
Hopefully, none of
this will happen as
a hurricane is
passing through!
(I really appreciate
the time you take
keeping us informed.
It is like we are
traveling with
you.)
from
Mrs. Jayne Smith
in Pt. Arthur (t.j.
English teacher)
I know you don't do
1984, but I will
still tell your
classmates how small
a world this is.
While a friend and I
were on flight one
of our trip to Malta
that I just returned
from, flying on Brit
Air from Houston to
London, I was
walking up and down
the aisles when a
man sitting with two
young girls stopped
me and asked, "Are
you a teacher?"
It was
Craig Wilson,
an ex-student who
graduated in 1984
and was on his way
back to
Bahrain,
a place he loves
after four years
residence. You
can't escape TJ'ers!
(I appreciate you
taking the time to
drop us a note.
Glad you are a loyal
reader of our
website updates.)
from
Harold Erixon
in Liberty Hill, TX
I still enjoy the
website and
Newsletters.
(Well, thanks!
We still enjoy
classmates writing
in to tell us that!)
from
Robert "Bob"
Williamson
in Pt. Arthur
(taken off of Face
Book)
I'm back from the
monthly YMCA board
meeting. The Y
is in the BLACK.
More folks are
joining and we are
considering
expanding our
programs and
services. Yea
Y!
(Hey, I wonder if
our other classmate,
Ronnie Moerbe, is
still on the board?
If so, tell him to
drop me a line and
let me know what is
going on in his
world in Bridge City. I haven't seen nor heard from him
since before
Hurricane Ike.)
from
Jan Russell
in Spring, TX
I'm doing fine (for
a 61 year
old-OMG!!!) and plan
to teach five more
years. I am
teaching
Texas
and U.S. Pre-AP
History in the Klein
ISD. When I
retire I hope to
teach U.S. History
and government to
immigrants working
toward citizenship.
My church has an ESL
program, so I may
work with them or
maybe with the
Immigration and
Naturalization
Service. In my
spare time, I like
to play with my
furry canine child-
Jeb Stuart- a
Jack
Russell/miniature
schnauzer mix.
He is a bundle of
energy. He
talks to me all the
time, unfortunately
I can't speak "dog"
so I have to try to
figure out what he
wants. Every
Monday night I go to
Bible Study
Fellowship, a
non-denominational
Bible study that is
international in
scope. This is
my 10th year with
BSF, and I really
love it. So,
there it is.
That's my life.
I love the webpage
and the newsletters.
(You sound like you
have a plate full.
I remember being a
7th grader! I
had Mr. DuBois at
Woodrow Wilson for
7th grade
Texas History. He was wonderful. I bet
you are, too.)
from
Pam Owings Hund
in Port Neches
I'm sure
you are already
aware of this, but
every month the TJ
alumni meet at
various restaurants
for lunch. My
husband and I went
with my aunt Sept.
18 for the first
time. It was
held at the new
mystery theatre's
restaurant on
Sara Jane Road
called
Beau Reve.
Mostly at this time
it is the classes of
1961-63 that seem to
be well-represented.
Anyone interested in
going or wanting to
take some of their
own classmates and
change the ratio of
year representation
can go to
www.tj61.com to
see where the next
monthly gathering
will be.
Currently, they have
a picture of
Beau Reve
for September up.
I can't wait to go
the the Mystery
Theatre part of the
restaurant.
from
Fred McCarty
in Kingwood
I want to give a
special "Thank You"
to our class
webmaster,
Mike Lawson,
for the additional
time and effort he
spent in getting the
remaining sections
of our 1968 Yellow
Jacket included on
our website. I
really appreciate
him taking the time
to make that
available to all of
us.
As for me,
retirement is still
great. Several
of my friends have
asked me what it
feels like to not be
working anymore.
My answer is, "I may
be unemployed, but
that does not mean I
am "not working".
I am staying busy
working on the
things I want to
devote my time to,
enjoying friends and
family, doing some
leisure travel, and
doing things on my
own schedule.
So, what could be
better than that??
(You forgot to "toot
your own horn" about
researching all the
classmates'
birthdays so that we
can publish a
monthly list on our
website. I
love it. Yes,
I do try to contact
all that have a
"good" e-mail
address. I
enjoy touching base
with them.
Thanks to you, too.
Mike knows I am a
FAN OF
HIS.....big-time!)
from
Sandi Ellis
MacNamara
in Elgin, TX
My mama always had a
pot of shrimp gumbo
ready Christmas Eve
so that there was
plenty of food for
all who "passed by."
I was wondering if
any of our other
cajun classmates
have similar
traditions? It
is creeping up on
the holiday
season....let's see
what family
traditions we share.
My example is that
the three sisters
cooked Christmas
dinner- my mama made
cornbread dressing,
Aunt Margurite made
dirty rice dressing,
and Aunt B made
oyster/bread
dressing.
Everyone eventually
made it to each of
the sister's before
the Christmas
holidays ended.
When my mama passed,
I asked our son,
Eric, what he wanted
me to cook for
Christmas Eve.
He replied "cook
gumbo-duh!" So
I did, but I make
seafood
gumbo-shrimp, crab,
and oysters. A
couple of years ago,
I brought the Elgin volunteer fire deparment to our house.
The silent alarm
system notified them
that the house was
"filled with smoke."
When they showed up
one of them said, "I
don't know what that
is you're cooking,
but when will it be
ready?" I was
making the roux!
So, we have brought
a long-ago cajun
tradition to
Central Texas
and built on it.
Now the preacher
from the Church of
Christ that lives
across the street
and his wife "pass
by" and get a bowl
of gumbo on
Christmas Eve with a
couple of old
hippies (that's us!)
The next door
neighbor, born and
raised in
Elgin, never
even saw gumbo until
a few years ago.
He now "passes by"
as do many of our
friends from Austin and of course, Eric, his wife, and the
twins who are
acquiring a taste
for Christmas gumbo.
Maybe
Mike
can add a special
section on the
website closer to
the holidays
(Halloween,
Thanksgiving,
Christmas, New
Years) for us to
send in our special
holiday memories!
(Well Mike?
Perform your magic.)
from
Cla Simon Weishaar
in Colorado Springs, CO
All is well.
John and I are still
both working, don't
think we'll choose
to retire, too ADD.
Just wanted to say
how much I
appreciate the
website.
***********************************************************************
GREAT TRUTHS THAT
ADULTS HAVE LEARNED
(contributed by
Debbie Borres
Desmond)
1)Raising teenagers
is like nailing
jelly to a tree.
2)Wrinkles don't
hurt.
3)Families are like
fudge....mostly
sweet, with a few
nuts.
4)Today's mighty oak
is just yesterday's
nut that held its
ground.
5)Laughing is good
exercise. It's
like jogging on the
inside.
6)Middle age is when
you choose your
cereal for the
fiber, not the toy.
***********************************************************************
Well, I hope you
have stopped
laughing now about
me and my dad's
NAKED scene? I
bet my dad is
saying, "Thank you
God for giving me
dementia so I don't
have to remember
what I just saw!"
After seeing my
mom's sagging
"marble bags" for
years he probably
been praying for
something a little
perkier in his old
age. Sorry
dad. My
"marble bags were
just fuller!
If you don't have a
clue to what I am
talking about, then
you will need to go
back to the
NEWSLETTER on
9/11/10.
I am heading to
Boston for 5
days in October with
23 others (mostly
women). Never
been, always wanted
to, so this will be
a check on my BUCKET
LIST. Never
heard from you on
your BUCKET LISTS.
I went to two
funerals Wednesday!
One was for Joe
Sassine, 53 years
old, who died of a
heart attack.
He was a Tj '75 grad
and has worked at
several car
dealerships over the
years. A
benefit is being
held Saturday, Sept.
25, selling bbq
links to help with
the cost of his
funeral. The
event will be held
from 10-3 at Allen
Samuels Dodge Jeep
on Hwy 69.
The other funeral
was for a family
friend, Walter
LeLeux (Bishop Byrne
'66). He was a
entrepreneur,
hospital
administrator, and
business leader in
the Bellaire area.
I sat with
classmates,
Beverly Copeland
and
Jim Simmons.
On two separate
occasions a week
apart, I ran into
classmates
Allen Andrus
and
Georgette Licatino at
the Gulf Credit
Union in Groves. What were we all doing that was
identical? We
were withdrawing $
from our parents'
accounts to pay for
their bills, etc.
That is what many of
us are doing being a
part of this SANDWICH GENERATION.....helping with our elderly AND with
grandchildren.
My brother, Danny in
Friendswood, turned
65 Wednesday by
getting admitted
into the hospital!
He had a
gall-bladder attack
that lasted for 11
hours before he
yelled "uncle" and
his wife brought him
to the ER at
St. John's
in Clearlake.
He is having surgery
Friday. I am
heading that way and
then coming back
home right after.
He works at St. John's as a CRNA
(certified
registered nurse
anesthetist).
You know how those
medical personnel
are....the worst
patients. We'll
see.
Don't get me started
on the Cowboys!
Texans are showing
you up! What
do you think about
Survivor with Jimmy
Johnson? I had
never watched the
show before this
season. I was
just too nosey not
to watch that PA
boy.
(True
Story.....Long
ago, (close to
1960), a PA momma
was fussing at her
son and his 3 best
friends about
goofing of.
"Ya'll will never
amount to anything,
she said."
Well, I think the 4
of them proved her
wrong~ The
four were Walter
Umphrey (megabucks
attorney), Dr. Jim
Hollingsworth
(longtime family
physician in PA),
Walter Montondon (chaplin
in the military and
now monsignor in the
Catholic church),
and Jimmy Johnson
(successful NFL
coach and now
television
commentator)!!!!
***********************************************************************
from
Joel Levy
in Houston
(update on his dad's
fight with multiple
myeloma)
My Dad is doing ok.
The chemo lowers his
blood counts and he
is sort of off and
of with it, but it
has been doing him
good with the
cancer. He, of
course, can't live
by himself anymore
and is living with
us in
Houston while he is getting treatment.
That means he can't
live in PA anymore,
so we are moving
toward selling his
home. Ther are
some minor repairs
needed, even since
the first round of
repair for the Ike
water damage.
Do you know a good
RELIABLE CONTRACTOR
in the PA area who
would go and do some
work? We have
been through 3 and
are dissatisfied
with their lack of
interest in getting
to work.
Karen Giles'
sister,
Phyllis Hebert,
has been a godsend
to us in helping
with the place.
We have had
burglaries and
breakins.
(If any of you are
contractors or maybe
one of your children
are, contact me and
I will send the info
to Joel. Please
don't send me a name
of someone who knows
someone who knows
someone! You
understand what I am
saying, I'm sure.)
***********************************************************************
Harold Schkade
(death of his
sister, Shirley)
2701 McBride Dr.
Port
Neches,
TX
77651
sagshws@swbell.net
**********************************************************************
Thanks again for the
classmates that help
me write this
newsletter by
sending in their
"news". Mike
and I get the
compliments but we
couldn't do anything
without your input.
We really do
appreciate it.
We do understand
that not all of our
readers are
comfortable writing
about yourself.
I still LOVE you.
"-)