Karen, I checked out that link about the kayaking story. I see it was near Santa Barbara. That's really sad. How's your son doing?

Nice pictures of snow, but I can't say I miss living in a cold place!

Imagine January is almost over! The sun is getting higher in the sky and sends warmer rays....It is cold this morning 5 degrees and there are dozens of birds flocking to the bird feeders. I am planning on a day out with one of my friends, we are going to Keene shopping...just love that Michaels store. Karen, enjoy your 'date' with your husband and son, hope your team wins. Wonder if the groundhog will see his shadow on Monday.....???? Six more weeks of winter????? Or just six more weeks until Spring????
That is the question!
Happy Thoughts.............

After....................

Before

That's terrific Kathi I'll try to get some snow shots today. It's too early and cold to go out now. Dave got us cleared out there's not much you can do about freezing rain except avoid driving in. so of course we did just the opposite. Dave has been sick for quite a while with sinus infections and developed an allergy to his amoxicillan. We ended up at the emergency room because his leg and arm were hurting badly and his throat was closing up. Long story short, he's fine and no more amoxicillan for him!

There have been so many fires lately with the use of space heaters and other things. The storms are keeping fire fighters from being able to help in these remote areas. It's tragic.

I don't think shoveling a foot and a half of snow is fun! But here is one picture.

Karen, that's awful about your son's friend. Any more news on that? Were they rafting in California?

Snow storm expected here also, though it hasn't started yet. Stated down in Portland around 8:30 A.M. so here anytime now. The after school activities are canceled but schools are in. About 9-2 inches but the sleet and freezing rain coming after are the big issue.

Snow Day in Springfield today! What to do, what to do!

Another snow storm heading our way!!! They are predicting up to 14 inches...so we'll see! Good thing is, my husband is home tomorrow, so he can shovel!!! I'll let you know how much we get.
Sorry about your son's friend, Karen. Its hard when reality hits you smack in the face, something they all have to go through. You are doing all a parent can do, you are listening. Sometimes thats all you can do.

-24 here this a.m. But the strength of sun made quite a difference by mid morning even though the thermometer struggled.

My friend Elaine is coming down for an overnight this Th. She is attending a workshop at the Challenger Space Center in Bangor so we'll get to have a visit.

Poor Dave was suffering from a sinus infection and although that is much better he has now developed an allergy to Amoxicilllan. He is covered in terribly itchy hives. Back to the Dr. for a round of new meds.

I finish knitting one of my socks by it is too big so I have to start over. but its wicked cute..................

Now I think we all know how to use Facebook and this blog...and if we copy to both we'll be on both and everyone will see!
It is Monday again! It is -4 degrees here again...It is one of those morning where even I could stay snuggled in bed...up I am to get ready for a day in Kindergarten. I am sure most of the kids stayed inside playing video games this weekend so will be wild and crazy! Last week of January, can you believe that!
Have a good day.........Happy Thoughts.

If I have this correct finally, wall-to-wall means it's shown in both places; the writer and the recipient. The recipient's wall means it's shown on the recipient's wall and a note that you wrote there shows on your wall (the writer). Anyone interested can choose to go to the other persons wall and see what you wrote.

If you click on the link"send a message"; found on the recipients wall under the photo then your message is privately sent to that person

The lower right corner of your screen will show online friends with a number indicating how many of them are in fact on line at that time. Clicking on that link will show who it is and you can then open a chat box with whomever you choose by clicking on their name. There is no way available to do a group chat that I have found so far.

Certainly it's more complicated than this but it's another option. there are a number of persons you can talk with that are not affiliated with our class and that makes it more interesting. I have been chatting with my cousins.

So we have our individual Wall and the class Wall where posting can be done.

Please correct me if its needed as I'd like this to be helpful, not more confusing.

If your friends are online, you can chat with them...provided they know you are there!!
Its actually fun talking instead of just posting a comment...so just check at the bottom of your facebook page to see if any friends are online....then click and chat.
Quite easy...
The temperature has gone down over 30 degrees since 5:30 this morning....it is definitely a snuggle night! Two more months until official Spring....can't wait!!
Happy Thoughts..............and sunshine............and warmth............

Hi Lori, I don't think there has been a communal site used the way we do here. If we go to the SHS site that's the place aparently, but I don't see that folks are using it. karen posts there quite often and Sue Rock did recently. I think it will take time to catch particularly as folks are used to doing wall-to-wall conversations.

Thanks, Kathi. I'm finally starting to catch on. First I thought you had special powers! I found the individual walls, but where's the communal wall where everyone writes?

Lori, it was me trying to talk to you on facebook. When you have your page up look down in the right hand corner for Online Friends....click on it and it will tell you which of your friends are on. You can then click on their name (it might be double click) but anyways a box will come up...click onto the bottom of the box and type away, then click on enter for them to get the message.

2009 S.H.S. ALUMNI WEEKEND

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, June 26, 2008

12:30pm 5th Annual Alumni Golf Tournament

Crown Point Country Club, Springfield, Vermont (luncheon to follow)

Contact Bill Flore at 802-885-2507 or bflore@msn.com for more information.

S.H.S.A.A. Annual Banquet

June 26, 2009

Elks Club - Park Street

6:00p.m. Social Hour

7:00p.m. Dinner

~Crowning of the King & Queen

~Recognition of scholarship recipients

~Recognition of our Honored Guest

~Presentation of the President's Award

Contact: Mary MacMahan 802-885-3170 or Brenda Markwell 802-885-8085

Saturday, June 27, 2009

10:30a.m. 54th Annual Alumni Day Parade

Clinton Street to Riverside Middle School

Contact: Keith Ferguson at 885-3273 or gkferguson@vermontel.net

2:00p.m. S.H.S.A.A. Annual Meeting

Held at Riverside Middle School Auditorium

~Association Business Meeting

~ Presentation of Parade Awards

Contact: Keith Ferguson at 802-885-3273

WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US!

SHSalumni.com is still the official school affiliated web site

That's what bothers me, too. Patti--I feel really exposed when I write on facebook. I don't think I know where that "wall" is. The blog feels more private, and that suits my personality better. I keep checking out facebook, though. I'm not giving up yet! As for Sacramento, it's in northern California, so it's pretty far away from L.A. Maybe 7 hours by car? Not sure.

Karen, I think there's a lot I don't yet know about using Facebook. Everything I write to someone shows up on my page. I need to look into it further obviously. Especially I need to find the send some specific button. Where does it go then? Onto their wall? I'll keep working with it, thanks for the help.

Krishna wrote back yesterday and said she'd check out the school site in Facebook. She recognized a lot of the names in my friends section she said.

That way she can do what she wants as far as having contact I have to say I think Facebook is strangely too public. You think you're writing an email but in fact you're posting your note for all to see. Somehow here I've always felt a little more conversational and private. Certainly i have had "conversations" I would not have posted in Facebook. Here, I feel that i am speaking to a handful of close friends.

Don't ask me why, as I've said before it may just be that it's what I'm used to. I know that over the years there have been many people who read this but do not comment. I've sort of learned to ignore that. I certainly do like the ease of instant messaging in Facebook. I've had some fun with that the last couple of days.

Lori, Krishna lives in Sacramento I think. Is that at all near you?

Facebook is turning out to be pretty amazing. I'm finding my cousins and they are finding me!

That's remarkable Karen. Krishna contacted me last evening and I wrote back this morning. She asked me how I had found her since she had only joined recently. I told her it was you. I've also asked her if she wants me to invite others to join her. So I'll let you know. Her photo looks just like the Joanna I remember. It's amazing. I have found that pictures I've seen of everyone of the females particularly match my memories. Richard is the same as well. The guys I didn't know as well certainly didn't spend much time with and so their faces don't resound with me.

How did you happen to do that?

Well, I'm adjusting from the point of acceptance but I'm alone and lonely most of the time. I dont know where to start for organizing the rest of our stuff but i know I need to. I'm not working and don't plan to. I spend most days alone here a home. I enjoy the women who knit up in Orono but it is 20 minutes or more to get there. they all live in different towns and I don't get the feeling that I will ever be close to any of them.

I'm on a very strict elimination diet. Mostly I'm allowed to eat only things I wouldn't normally eat. It's hard to manage. that's for 7 days and then one item at a time for 48 hours each I can add things back in to find out what if anything I'm allergic to. Not an experience I'm enjoying.

My friend Elaine is coming to spend an overnight next TH as she has a workshop in Bangor on Friday. I'm looking forward to having her here.

If the radiant heating guy is going to do his thing next week I have so very much to do. We have to completely move all the things we've put into the family room downstairs. It's a tremendous amount of lifting and carrying. I'm not happy about it. I've called the boys but with their work schedules I'm holding out a lot of hope.

Sounds like you've adjusted really well and quickly to living in a new place, Patti. Are you working there?

Kathi, if you can have surgery and not have to live with that pain anymore, that definitely sounds worth it.

I had carpal tunnel many years ago when we were working in Burlington. I'm glad I got it fixed that's for sure. I don't remember the recover period. Kathi i hope the Dr. schedules you right away. Too bad you have to wait until 2/11 for that appointment.

I recorded the entire day yesterday and Dave and I watched it all together when he came home from work. it was very exciting. We both have a feeling of optimism and hope for the future. At long last.

I spent most of yesterday in Orono knitting at Fiberphilia. It's a terrific store that has all the materials you need and excellent staff that will sit and help whenever you ge stuck. women come everyday to just hang out and visit while working on their projects.

I have had chronic tendionitis for 3 years...and carpel tunnel..so, it is very annoying and painful at times...like trying to grasp onto things, or holding a pen/writing, doing my hair..any twisting motion...so its time to make it better...I am finding that I don't do a lot of activity if I know its going to hurt, so,I really need it fixed so I can do the things I want to do!! Neil is pretty good at doing things, I don't think he'd make a fancy pie but we won't starve. Just not sure how good he'll be with a blowdryer and brush! Glad your mom is doing better, Lori.
I wonder why they didn't have heaters in the observation deck for the parade....pretty sad for all these bands who have waited for hours are going by a almost empty bandstand. They were suppose to have over 5,000 portapotties. I don't know where they all were but I would be in big trouble out in the cold!

What's wrong with your elbow, Kathi? Good luck with the surgery. My mother broke her upper right arm a few weeks ago, so she's been dealing with the kind of things you're talking about, like not being able to comb your hair. Her arm is finally starting to heal and feel a little less painful, but she's needed a lot of help from my father. He actually made a lemon meringue pie and a sweet potato casserole under her close supervision. That struck me funny cuz he's never made anything. He started washing the dishes when they moved to Israel, but this is the first time he has even fried an egg!

We've been watching the inauguration activities. Really exciting! I think most people do feel a sense of hope and optimism. I know this is stupid, but I couldn't help wondering what all those millions of people did if they had to go to the bathroom. I guess there were mobile toilets there, but I didn't see them, and the lines must have been HUGE. Excuse my obsession with trivia!

I really want it all better by summertime!!! I have another appointment on 2/11 and it will be scheduled then...Of all the things that I worry about its how I'm going to do my hair that is worrying me the most!! Gee, wonder who will cook and clean...

Watching the Presidential parade on tv is unbelieveable. So many many people...makes you hope for good things for all of us.

Happy Thoughts..............

Because I am going to have surgery on my right elbow sometime after the 11th of February, I decided to start making my school Valentines. I love making Valentines and thought if I started early I wouldn't have to rush to get them done. I am usually doing them at the last minute because I can't decide on my "design"...pathetic, huh. Anyways, I finally made up my mind and have been working on them for a while...now its take a break time....
Is everybody watching the Washington activities tomorrow? We are suppose to watch the swearing in as a school...so should be interesting. Do you think this is the start of something wonderful for our country?

I hear you Karen, I forget to look at the group page, I always go straight to my own page.

All I did was highlight the writing; right click, choose copy. Went over to the facebook page and hit paste on the wall. Tadaaa. It's certainly something easy enough to do I'm just not sure it's something we'll all want to do.

Ok if you check the spfld site in facebook, you see that I took Karen at her word. Check it out.

Karen, I don't know how to cut and paste (pathetic, I know), but I'll take a look at Facebook later and try to be a little more open-minded! Right now I'm going hiking with my friend.....

It is only -13 this morning at 8:09....but, The SUN is shinning....Looks very peaceful. Of course, I am snuggled still in my fleece...

Does the word Hibernate have any meaning here???? That is exactly what I wanted to do today....but no, I bundled up (no late school for us)...it was only -20...subbed for the day...17 darling 5/6 year olds in the lovely trailer until 3:20..and then took them out to get on the bus for a delicious 3 day weekend. Needless to say, I thought the day would never end...I think we should all go to Lori's house!!! I am off to hibernate under my down comforter....only another 2 1/2 months...we can do it!

Global warming is here in L.A. Temperatures in the 80's! I'm back to hiking with my friend Levana (she was in Israel for 7 months, but got back in November), and by the end of the hike--or even after the first uphill--we're sweating even in shirt-sleeve shirts. You probably all want to kill me now!

37 would mean dancing in the streets in shorts and tank tops! It's 28 below in Bangor though our house thermometer says -18. School buses wouldn't start so school is delayed -38 in Presque Isle. that's the temperature not including wind chill.
Our new house is not properly heated on one end. the kitchen living room end. so we don't heat up quickly and efficiently. We haven't had the work done yet to fix it and now we're sorry. I'm hanging out down by the bedroom end for now.

We are in the middle of the coldest weather in years....tomorrow suppose to be the coldest yet....another inside day with 17 Kindergarteners.....think about it!!!
Amazing about the US Airways flight landing safely in the water and all surviving...
Thank God...scary.

hi karen, what a sweetie. the first name that came to my mind is "bijou." it means a small jewel and is a word with interesting roots. "mon petit bijou" is an affectionate expression. here is a link that tells lots about bijou- http://www.answers.com/topic/bijou . it is fun to think about names and research what is known. good luck. i am sure you will find a name that is just right. i am also sure that this is one lucky dog. by the way, i do tricks and i am house broken. i was not kidding when i said that i would be happy to move in with you and rich.

hi. my dining club has about ten of us and has been going monthly for almost twenty years. we pick a different country and house to meet at each time. last night was brazil, although we stretched the country border far enough to allow for some delicious cuban mojitos. the food was very meat-centric as you might imagine. the host does the entree, so that was me. i made a chicken, shrimp and peanut stew. all of the food was good, conversation was fun, and i had the dishwasher started before midnight. i can tell you that after 20 years we know each other pretty well and our relationships with each other are all very much respected and valued. next month is indonesian. any suggestions for an appetizer, soup, side, or dessert? it is still early enough for me to grab any one of them.

Little kids can't reach high things but all their "stuff" is on their level so it amounts to the same thing...how about if your son cleans? Do you wear your apron when cleaning...I would have to clean before the cleaning lady came...What is on your menu tonight? Have fun!
We have at least 8 inches of fresh new fluffy snow. It didn't start until after 8 here last night. I like it when it falls during the night and stops by morning!
The temperatures are suppose to get brutal by the end of the week...in the minus' for Wednesday on....send some warmth this way!!

i learned from one of my friends emails that the female yak is called a nak. i will ask his wife at dinner tonight about his yak tastings. i think that heat, oxygen, and good food are all in short supply when you are hanging out in villages at 14,000 feet elevation in nepal (or anywhere for that matter). i also fear that nepal may become a choice for my international dining club. coincidentally, my int'l dining group will be here tonight. of course, it will be taking place without our international ice climber. he will be missed. he has brought food back from other trips, including caribou sausage from out west and dove meat balls from nicauragua. i have been cleaning my house to get ready for two days, cuz of my youngest being home. the thing i like about small kids is that they can't reach anything. college kids on the other hand? woochie mama!!

Lori, you can do facebook, too. Its just another avenue...you can also "talk" to another friend...like instant messaging...its fun. I do this blog also..not just one.
My kids will "talk" to me on facebook...so its just another way of branching out.
Don't be afraid!! Its really easy!
I have been wondering about your family also...I don't understand people and talking and peace either...
Happy Thoughts to all............

If all of you end up switching to facebook, I'll have to switch, too, but I'm kind of set in my ways and like the blog. I tried facebook after the reunion and couldn't really get used to it--maybe because I'm too attached to this thing we have going on the blog. I still think it's amazing that we've kept it going for so long. It's my morning routine--before I drink my coffee, I check my emails and the blog. It's like an addiction. Well, maybe that's going a little too far....

Karen, my friends in Israel all live in the central area, so none of them are in danger right now, but I'll keep you all informed.

I've been talking with 3 or 4 different people in facebook . The 2 people who were recently invited to join the blog have not done so for whatever reasons. I like that when we are here we are talking with each other en masse. In my facebook pages it's very individualized. I think that's have folks want it. More personal perhaps? I like "thinking" we are all hanging out here together.

Lori, I think AARP eligibility begins at age 50.

I didn't even realize AARP was for our age. Every time something comes in the mail, I get mad that they think I'm that old and throw it in the garbage. Guess I'm not too well informed. What age does it start at?

Karen, the Israeli/Gaza situation is really complex. On the one hand, most Israelis felt Israel had to do something to protect its citizens from the constant threat of those missiles being fired from Gaza, especially after Hamas started firing way more missiles after the 6-month ceasefire ended. On the other hand, war never seems to help, in my opinion at least. It just makes the other side more fanatic and more determined to do something back that's worse than what they were doing before. I think there are moderates on both sides who have been trying to work out a political solution, but the fanatics on both sides ruin it for everyone. I do think we have to have a 2-state solution and that both sides have to make compromises--but how do you compromise when they don't even recognize Israel's existence and when they have such a culture of death (sending their young people on suicide missions and believing they'll go to heaven and get their 72 virgins up there). I don't have an answer. I just can't comprehend why it's SO hard for people to talk to each other and compromise. As for my family, my parents and Amy and her family live on a kibbutz in the southern part of the country. The kibbutz is just outside the range of the missiles, so they're not in any danger there. But Amy's youngest daughter goes to high school in Beer Sheva, and her oldest son goes to university there--and Beer Sheva IS in the range of the missiles. School there is cancelled now, and no one knows how long that will go on. Of course, kids never have a problem with school being cancelled--until summer comes and they have to make up the time they missed. My father works in Beer Sheva twice a week and said the number of patients coming in to see him has gone down a lot. Amy's other son got called for reserve duty, but only in February, so hopefully things will be better by then. It's a mess. I hope they'll figure out some way of coming to a compromise and ceasefire. Sometimes I have this grandiose notion that if I were the prime minister, I'd know how to make peace! (because one thing I know I'm good at is listening to the other person's point of view). But I'm not the prime minister and don't want to be!

Karen, it can be hard to recognize someone who has the distraction of being well hung like that skier- but, it ain't me. Being on the gondola at Whisler 72 hours before it collapsed is as close as I hope to come to this problem.

Speaking of mountains, I have a friend who is ice climbing in Nepal right now. Here is what he says. Please compare your world to the 98 pound sherpani chicks and the evening meals that he describes.

"People are quite friendly here in the Kumbo but certainly lead a hard life. I have seen 90lb. Sherpani women carrying loads of over 100 lbs. on their backs on only a tumpline across their foreheads! It is time to head up to the dining room for dinner, it is the only heated room with a wood / yak dung stove. We have been eating rice, noodles, eggs, lentils, potatoes, and chappatti (a bread like Indian Naan). Yak is on the menu but I haven't tried it yet."

On the points about healthcare, I can only say that I see it as a three fold issue that begins with the type of care that can be accessed, your ability to sue for malpractice and negligence, and it also includes the preferred treatment methods that you will be led to where the doctors make the most money (ie. get a colonoscopy during your 30 minutes spent on GI health, not, get a lecture on the benefits of eating kale, cuz the former nets a whole lot more money). Peace, Richard

I don't know anything about the group you mentioned Karen, but I know that the AARP folks are in favor of universal health care and that is a very good thing. I also think they have made some serious mistakes along the way but as a whole, I'm in favor of their organization.

The AARP is in favor of universal health care for seniors so I think they're trying to do something positive in that regard.

I wish you a very happy birthday, Patti! Sounds like you'll have to celebrate it another day, when Dave's not sick! Let us know how it goes at the women's clinic. If you learn anything that can help the rest of us, please pass it on! Karen, I agree with what you said--that it's how we handle things that counts, not what actually happens. Avi's always quoting one of those self-help books that says, "Attitude is more important than fact." He had it on our computer screen at one time until one of my son's friends changed it to "Attitude is more important than fart."

Thanks for the well wishes everyone and Happy double nickels to Eleanor Richardson as well. I am already a member of AARP aren't you? You get good discounts here and there but a lot of junk mail advertising.

I spent several hours at the library working on our up coming book sale, will have a chiropractic adjustment around 2 and other than that I don't have much planned. Dave is home sick today poor dear and I am avoiding him like the plague. He gave me the entire set that's 7 years of DVD of the West Wing. I may never come out of my room again. Bring on the cold of winter I'll be just fine.

Happy Birthday to Patti!
The first of us to reach
the magic 55!
Congratulations on your
special Day!!

I am going to have a wonderful (I hope) experience next Tuesday. Years ago I was watching MPBN and the program was a Dr. Christiane Northrup on the topic of WOMEN. She was wonderfully informative but quite funny as well. She has written several books; "Mother-Daughter Wisdom"," Women's Bodies", "Women's Wisdom", "The Wisdom of Menopause". Among others. I highly recommend them to all of you. Even you guys, you would be surprised at what you might learn! so anyway, she was a Dr. in a clinic in Yarmouth ME that she had started with a friend. the Women to Women Clinic. I thought boy, it would be great to have such a place available. Well, having moved south; I've decided that 2.5 hours is close enough and I have an appointment there this coming Tues. Dr. Northrup is no longer there as she has so many speaking engagements but her former partner still is and I am really looking forward to this. the initial visit is at least 2 hours. Delicious, some to talk to who will really listen and I have no doubt will have advice and recommendations that will be very beneficial.

Regarding Facebook, I was there last night with my updating moments. I still am trying to get my new email up and running so I can receive or be logging into sites I did before the move. anyway. ...there was a current message from Kathi, and I asked her how she had been in contact with Jane. So I invited Jane to be on my friends list. Then today when I was checking out Janes' section I saw that she was friends with Gayle Oberg. So I asked her to join me too. It was easy to do but I haven't heard back from them yet. I just don't understand why it's been so hard to get into the blog site. But it seems to be.

I don't know which I prefer but certainly I like this. Maybe best. But I want us to have as many peole as we can get together! It's a great way to break up a clique....yes?

I sent an invite to Joanne Gordan thanks to an email from Debi too. Maybe we'll start seeing some new "voices" here. Wouldn't that be nice.

Don't worry too much Lori I'm not really scared. Actually I don't have the chutzpah to look at the egg myself...........

I found where you send invites, so I sent an invite to Jane.