You can let us know what it's like, Patti! Happy Birthday (in a few days)!!

You showed your worm. What I want to know is what you caught for fish. Did you get a Budweiser delivery route or did you ply younger men with alcohol or . . . ?

Hi all, Eleanor Richardson and I will be the first 50's of 2004, this coming Tues. (6th). We were the first in our class to turn 18 when the legal drinking age had been lowered. I remember using that advantage right away, wonder if she did?

No resolutions from up here, I don't keep to them so I stopped making them a couple of years ago. Happy New Year Everyone!

Now I see the light. Audio Blogging could be used for karaoke! Why didn't they say so? It would be kind of like an opera if we all sang our messages. The only problem that I can see is learning Italian and I bet audio blogging isn't free.

Happy New Year to you all. Richard I will see what I can do about posting some sort of singing, I am sure Louie wouldn't mind like it was at the reunion. Just had Knee surgery done in Sept. I blew out the cardlidge on both side of the knee cap. Well, I can just add that to my other operations. The doctors tell me to make sure I wear my seatbelt since I am so accident prone. I got my Polar watch for xmas and so my resolution is to use it. But anyway just wanted to throw in a hi to all and Happy New Year to you all. For most of us it is a big 50 this year.

Yes, I think I'll adopt Karen's approach from now on. No resolutions!

We ended up having Avi's family over last night--no big party, just a toast at midnight. How are you all doing?

Yeah Lori, there really isn't any good way around consistently failing at resolutions. Just kidding! Karen's approach has virutue, though.

I also want to wish you all a Happy New Year! We'll probably just stay home, as usual. Avi's not really in the mood to go out with his mother still in the hospital. She's improving, I think, but she's still in intensive care, connected to oxygen. Haven't thought about my resolutions yet! They always seem to be the same, though--shows you how successful I am in keeping them!

HappY New Year to you all..........have been in the process of planning a "nifty to be fifty" party sometime in the summer of 2004.........everyone that is turning 50 in 2004 is invited, and also some "honary members". We need to pick a time and place, but already have some willing attendees. Hard to imagine that I am going to be 50, the time does seem to slip away, but I have enjoyed most of it. Good Luck to you all in 2004...

Roland, we will probably live in Alpharetta, the job is in Cumming. Have to consider schools as I have one still in school, a freshman. My senior got into Clemson which is only two hours but he is leaning toward U of Michigan. Will also have one at the U of Cincinnati, and my daughter may be with us or go back to KY. That is the hard part for me, scattered family, my own children and my parents, siblings, etc. Richard, no resolutions for me this year. Last year I vowed to clean up my potty mouth and the kids got a real kick out of how that DIDN'T work! Mom of the year here! Best Wishes to everyone for a good 2004!

Hey all, yeah, the moving thing is like traveling, gets old after too much of it but it sure does make life interesting and throws us into situations in which we are forced to learn. Plans for my "little" businesses" are off and running and I have only two weeks left of this silly road thing. I'm in Hilton Head probably for New Years unless I get enough done and then I'll be on the water in J'ville or at my favourite paino bar in Tallahassee. Resolutions........well, may not as much procrastination with things I really want to do. Always sounds good. Going to ATL Karen? Would love to see you. There isn't that much culture but lots of shops and some history but lots of activities. I live a little east of there what used to be country. I have 4 acres with woods protecting myself against the neighbours so I like it now. Its really convienient for travel to most all sections of the country in some mode of trancprtation. The climate is almost perfect. Not to warm, and not too cold but after almost 10 years now I get cold when it drops into the 40's and bitter when it occasionally goet into the 30's. Hope all of you have a grand New Year and maybe I'll get to see some of ya'll this year.

Any resolutions?? Last year John Laplant made a resolution to post a karaoke performance for us all to check out. Without any evidence to view, I can only assume that he sang the year away.

One of my resolutions for '04 is to do more woodworking, part-time. Hope the New Year brings goodness to us all!

Good luck, Karen. We've moved quite a lot, too, but not to as many different places as you--just back and forth between here and Israel. That was enough to kind of screw up the kids' education, but I can't say I have any regrets. There are always advantages and disadvantages. I think the experience gave them enough to make up for what they lost in school. When I was a kid, we also moved a lot, but mostly to different places in Vermont. The worst was a year at school in Hanover, N.H. I hated that place. Really snobby. I was always with the rejects there.

An "organ recital," Richard? I like that!

Geez Karen, you definately win the moving prize. That's way more than us!! We talked about it every few years but I held firm and so we didn't make the move as often as we might have. Luckily for Dave's position in the government it hasn't kept him back at all.

Atlanta is a beautiful city and I do love the warmer climates. The airport is certainly accessible for anywhere you'll want to visit. To come back to the coast for a summer visit, you may have to fly into Boston and drive up. Though Portland airport is opening itself up to more flights. Maybe sometime when you're in the state we can visit.

Richard, please do visit, I should be there by July. Our moves include, a year in Enfield, CT, 10 years in the Schenectady, NY area (three houses), 7 years in Pittsford, VT, 7 years in Lexington, KY and almost two in Grand Rapids, MI ........ does that add up to 26+ years of marriage? I am experienced but not energetic!!!! Thanks for commiserating Pat!

`Moving is hard Karen, we've done it more often than I like to think. This is the longest we've ever lived anywhere and Dave has been talking about moving for the last couple of years. He still talks about Bangor, which is only about (just under) 3 hours south and frankly that's not far enough south for me. The fact that he will retire in 5 years makes me wonder what the point of the move is. As a kid we moved every 3 years until my senior year when mom finally put her foot down and said no, but then we moved when I was a sophomore in college. I never really felt that I lived in the Milton house, just a summer and a couple of school vacations.

Our boys spent a rough 18 months when we moved from Rutland, to Essex, and then to Presque Isle. Now that they are both back living here I want to be close to where they are. I've dug in my heels I guess but I know that Dave doesn't want to be far from them either. It's his call to make.

It took him so long to assemble my new computer desk yesterday that I doubt I'll ever have to move again. He certainly won't want to repeat that experience!

Having a child in school will help though Karen. Our kids have always been our entre into society. And you've always got us here to talk to!