HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL - YOU ARE THE BEST

You have all heard me say before that my favorite musician of our lifetime is Paul McCartney and I haven't changed my tune.  His birthday is today, I think his 70th.  If you look down the right side of this blog, you'll hear The Beatles singing Happy Birthday, I use it sometimes for my friends, too bad we can't sing it for him.  I was thrilled to see him on the Queen's Concert and even more thrilled to see him right behind her at the family tribute to her.  He was visible right behind her the whole time and in print photos!  Sir Paul has come a long way from Liverpool and deserves every kudo he gets.  The worlds of music and entertainment are the better for having had him in them.  So happy birthday to Paul, my pal Tony and everyone else who has a birthday today.  Celebrate yourselves silly!

DEATH OF ANOTHER KHS65 PARENT

The obituary of Mike Bosworth's father is interesting to us on several accounts.  I did not realize Mike's running successes were hereditary!  And I had forgotten that Mike and Art Leavens were step-brothers.  

I think you will find this interesting:

http://kirkwood.patch.com/articles/robert-w-bosworth-serviceman-and-track-star-dies-at-89?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001

Our condolences to Mike and Art and their families. 

KHS65 - what do the numbers mean?

I was just roaming around in my brain, after reading quite a bit online about Her Majesty's Jubilee activities, and got to thinking about the numbers.  Sunday is June 10th, the 47th anniversary of our graduation.  Most of us in the class of 1965 were born in 1947, so this is a significant year, even if not a milestone anniversary year.  Then there is the fact that those same 1947 babies in the Class of 1965 are turning 65 this year, some of us won't have that joy until much later in the year while some already have become 65 of course.  Saturday I'll be 64.5, always a milestone for me.  I always remember because two special friends of mine have June 9th birthdays.  When my kids were little we celebrated their half-birthdays sometimes, especially if we needed a reason to celebrate something.  Numbers can be fascinating, their interrelationships, their regularity and their complexity.  I think those same words apply to us members of KHS65.  Here's another visual reminder of numbers, it appears there were quite a few more white caps and gowns (females) than the males in red in our class - wonder how these numbers impacted our social lives?  And were there enduring ramifications of those experiences...too many girls, not enough guys?  Maybe all of these numbers are meaningless, but fun to think about maybe, no?  The bottom line is, as I am continually reminded, we can't think about the numbers too much, it'll drive us crazy.  We are who we are, and by golly, we're aging, and in my humble opinion most of us are doing it quite gracefully and with great style, as we have done so much throughout our Babyboomer lives!  So, no, we can't let the numbers get us down, but we can play with them and enjoy the looking back.  Have a great Sunday, and try to spend some time having some Thursday, June 10, 1965 memories interspersed with your Sunday June 10, 2012 activities. ENJOY - send someone a yellow rose, the traditional sign of friendship, and our class flower!  You should be able to rightclick this rose and capture it to send to your friends.

BECKY EMRICH'S SISTER PASSES AWAY

If you don't follow Facebook you might not know that Becky's sister Joann Walker passed away last night in Little Rock. Becky has been posting daily as she visited Joann in the hospital, and I think I missed the very beginning post. Joann and husband Dennis were on vacation in Arkansas when she became sick. Her lungs were involved and it's now been a two week battle which Joann fought valiantly, but lost last night. Please keep Becky and her family in your prayers. When I learn more, I will post. Our classmate Gary Schmidt is now at home resting and progressing a bit each day after two heart attacks and surgery this past weekend. He too needs all our prayers and positive vibes.

MORE FROM THE USS IOWA

My brother Kert, KHS69, spent two weeks in March aboard the USS IOWA as she was undergoing major restoration prior to her new role as tourist and educational attraction at San Pedro, CA. He's made a good video of the work, and he's back this coming week for more. Here is his explanation:

The ship is undergoing major restoration now (4/12)- she has been completely scaffolded and paint crews are sand/waterblasting, priming and painting. We opened to the public in December up in Richmond to generate $$ to stay afloat. It's the $3M from the Iowas state legislature that has allowed the new round of work to begin. We will tow to LA on the 21st of May. The plan is to have the ship open to the public at her permanent berth in San Pedro for the last week of June. To that end we are just starting a round of video/museum installation projects to tell her story. Waiting now for funding for that. We seem always to be waiting for $$ which usually comes, but not as much as we would like- always... So standing by to do a lot of work in a really short time! I was aboard for two weeks in March and am heading back this morning for another week to film the painting.

Check out his video to see the latest on the progress - he'll be making another video to show the rest of the work and the unveiling of her in her new glory! Way to go Kert and to all our Veterans who served aboard her we say THANKS!

Nostalgic night ramblings

After spending a couple hours in Crestwood this evening with a KHS65 alum who shall remain nameless, I drove home about 11:30pm on this beautiful clear, cool night. Downtown Kirkwood was pretty much deserted and the lights were nearly all green all the way from Watson Road to Manchester. Couldn't help but notice how much has changed but my mind seemed to see it all with old eyes. Spencers is still the same, Nipher has an addition closer to the road. Manor Grove Nursing Home, the old Kirkwood Old Folks' Home, where my former mother in law lived and died, has had an addition; passed by the corner where the Clark station was, where Sue Hoch & I used to grab a quick smoke before school, then the site of the old Pfitzinger's, the show, the block that used to be brick houses where Ronnie Reed's sister lived & held his b'day party; the Magic House is now HUGE, and as I passed by the site where the Kirkwood Hotel was I couldn't help but notice the fact that the new modern building taking up most of that block sits close to the sidewalk and road, just like the old hotel did. Remember those old geezers who used to stand around outside? So much has changed, yet if you use the right night vision goggles you will still see Katz Drug, the bank where I had my first savings account, Kirkwood Pres where we had Girl Scout Sunday services. Then the house where Cyril Clemens lived - remember his walking down the sidewalk with his white beard? Of course turning left to come west right at Parkmoor is always a memory-trigger - boyz and their carz. Claychester Cleaners where we took our dry cleaning, and never could figure out why it was named for our street? Then the corner where Bopp intersects Manchester, nothing like it used to be. Remember the Gulf Station? For awhile they had a special offer, stainless cutlery for a reduced price with purchase. I had that cutlery for many years! I passed by so many places - streets where our classmates lived, streets where I lived. North Kirkwood Jr. High, the Chemistry teacher Mr. Adams' street where Jane Via and I teepeed and thought we weren't caught, until a few days later when Mr. A played a home movie for us in class....a movie of me and Jane tossing the rolls!!! We were mortified! Then north on Ballas Road past Squire Korum's house, and the home of relatives of close family friends, then the street on which lived the true love of my life, then the recently-shuttered Shell gas station at Ballas and Clayton Roads where my friend took me when I was about 19 to pick up a credit card application, my first, then west on Clayton past more streets of friends. That brought to mind how much of my life has been spent on or near Clayton Road, even more so as I passed the nursing home where several of my friends have lived and died. Spent some time thinking about Route 66 because Manchester Road is part of the old 66 Byway. Past the old Flaming Pit restaurant on Manchester where we ate dinner after graduation and before THE party, which was before the swim party, much of which I don't remember due to the bottle of champagne that my date and love of the time opened for me as we drove in his convertible MG to Cool Dell.

I frequently come home from Kirkwood at night up Kirkwood Road to Manchester then Ballas then Clayton but for some reason tonight the nostalgia bits seemed foremost in my mind. Hardly another car on the road all the way home until, closer to home, I passed the high school from where my kids graduated, past the road to my home in Manchester of 12+ years, and into my driveway where the light was on, and the first moth of the season was fiercely clinging to the white garage door. It must be spring, the trees are abloom, forsythia gorgeous and the tulips under our mailbox stand are in full color...and then there's a solitary moth! Some things never change. And thinking of Clayton Road and Lindbergh, the way I sometimes come home rather than the detour over Ballas, reminds me that I recently had a BIG BEVO at Schneithorst's...I only recently realized they STILL serve them. The sauce is as good, but not enuf of it - I plan to speak to the chef on my next visit, he's probably young so needs a refresher course in Big Bevo-making.

OLD FRIENDS COME BACK IN SPADES

When we were in grade school my family went for a visit, Thanksgiving I believe, to my paternal grandparents' home in Westfield, NJ. While there I went to school with the girl who lived across the street. She and I had become pals during our visits. I had a great time and was surprised how well I was welcomed. Anyway, in more recent times I was looking to reconnect with Carolyn, that friend, while I was working on my grandfather's diary transcription because her family is mentioned therein often. In the process I googled around and found Nancy who is the reunion/alumni guru of their 1965 graduating class (and found Carolyn) and now Nancy and I correspond on reunion topics. Today she sent me the following message which I'd like to share to illustrate what a great thing can happen when we just start looking for someone! We never know what influence we might have on someone else's efforts. Thanks Nancy for sharing. I've learned from Nancy too! And of course, I appreciate her kind words. I am guilty of getting busy and NOT updating often enough, I'm behind right now back to OCTOBER news! But I do try to keep it current. I promise to try to be better - one of my favorite KHS65 members mentioned just last night that I'm not posting very often, MY bad!

Hi Leslie,     It's Nancy here from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in Scotch Plains, NJ wishing to THANK YOU for printing these 'Oldies AND Goodies' memories!  Made me laugh to see my name on your website!   Funsie!!!    Well, I'm finally 'catching up' to your way of thinking by eliminating individually e-mailing 420 Classmates (in 8 groups) every time there's "New News" to share with a SPFHS '65 WEBSITE!!!  When I got my FIRST computer 4 years ago (Love that Apple) and knew NOTHING, it only occurred to me to "bring the news to the classmates" as I didn't think they would go to a website to see or read it, and, now I see, the time has come...to "bring the classmates to the website"!    Any ideas on website creation that allow lots of flexibility - free or otherwise?  Who designed yours?   It's MAGNIFICENT the way you constantly update everything and post the dates and times and slideshows! Quite organized and impressive!!!   A GREAT memento for future generations! I'm now up for the challenge!!!   Bring it on!!!    THANKS soooo much for your 'everything', Leslie! Luv, Nancy

Words of Wisdom at this time in our lives

In cleaning up my office I found this and just had to share it, it's soooo US!

In Memoriam

I have just learned today of the death of Mike Trueblood's mom, and learned that Cathy Modray Guirl's husband died suddenly earlier this month. Just yesterday I also learned that Linda Stevens' dad, about whom you will read if you go to the older posts, has also recently passed away. These wonderful folks will all be missed I know and we send our condolences to these great families. You can go here to see the obit for Mike's mom.

If anyone has information about these that they'd like to share, please either email me or comment here. May they rest in peace and love.

KIRKWOOD MUSINGS

Well folks, I'm always saying I'm behind, and so nothing changes. I have posts on visiting Jake's old store, in its new life as a great restaurant, the story of Craig and Lee Conway's wedding in October, Ken McBride's dinner party in November, the adventure on which Bob O'Neill's bride has just embarked, and probably more if I look around my desk and the floorspace all around my office! For this minute, I wanted to share the link where we can go vote for our favorite St. Louis restaurants, bars, and other manner of eateries. There are a good number of Kirkwood and closeby restaurants on the first round. PJs is in the running, they treat us sooo well, we should all go vote for them for sure! Besides, their food is killer good. Some of us indulge in their yummy fries a bit too often. Stay tuned, more coming soon.