Happy halloween evryone! It's a slow night here in P.I. Not sure why. by now we'd should have seen nearly 100 kids but not even close. It's cold out ---30 ish but that's pretty typical. Oh well, I'll have to get Dave to take the extra candies to work and give them out there. If it's here I'll eat it.

That's okay, Patti. Take your time. At least we all have some contact on the blog!

Have a great time Burlington................Happy Halloween to you all. I still have to carve my pumpkins!!! But I DO want to get rid of all this candy..............I live on a busy street, so I guess it won't be long before it is all gone. Nancy

Burlington area, wow that should be quite a few of you! What fun, you'll have to fill the rest of us in on the details.

Lori I owe you a long letter. I'll get at it I promise. Lot's of crappy stuff ging onhere at home. I haven't sat down to spend enough time to really write back to you. but I talk to you in my mind all the time! Time for med nurse please!

Nice to see some new voices. Jane, how did you end up in Texas anyway? I'd still like to have a "Burlington area" reunion next time I'm in the area--no plans at the moment.

Super!

Richard,
I talked to Susan Ainsworth today. She says that Larry Kruse is suggesting a "Burlington area" class of '72 get together at his new house out in Underhill sometime in the near future...more details as they emerge. (A big "hey" to all of you living "away"!)

Richard, I found the picture on line. Hard to believe, I didn't even know there had been a big flood there, thanks for the info.

There was a picture of downtown Springfield taken looking across the raging Black River during the flood of 1927 in yesterday's New York Times. Maybe some of you saw it in other papers, it is circulating because of recent scientific discoveries about stormy weather.

I agree with Pat. I'm soooo far away in the opposite direction. But I'll always be a Vermonter no matter where life takes me!!!

It' great that you live where you can still be with "old" friends. I miss that way up here. I' ll always be from away.

I just had lunch with Robin Way. We had a great time!

I was seated at a table for 4! It was at least in a back corner and once the people at the surrounding tables stopped staring, I had a lovely meal. Of course I read my book between visits from the waitress. Hiding behind the pages of a paperback novel in the down time between salad and fetucini alfredo. Next time I'll look for the local guy/gal!

Thanks Richard!!! Should we take his advice, Patti?

You all sound like you are from "where the women are strong, the men are handsome, and all of the children are above average" (Lake Wobegone). Not that there is anything wrong with it. I think the dinner alone thing is hard regardless of who you are, and sometimes even worse depending on where you are. If you are going to be eating alone in an unfamiliar place, I learned (by chance) a great technique to end up in a good place. Find a local person that looks really interesting to you (for whatever reason) and ask them for a recommendation. They will probably send you to a place filled with people just like themselves. I tried this in Truckee, CA and ended up in a place with about 40 beautiful, young women and only one other man. The ambience was spectacular, the food was very good, and my behavior was more than acceptable for a man that definitely knows better. Shoot me for being honest, but I have learned something out there on the road.

Yes, Patti, I know what you mean about being able to do things at your own pace! It is nice sometimes. I don't like the eating alone part so much, but doing things TOTALLY my way? What's wrong with that?! Avi would go crazy at the pace I set for myself when I'm alone in Israel. I don't leave myself much time to rest cuz I want to see friends and family as much as possible when I'm there. Must have been exhausting for you driving for a few hours in the rain, though.

Good to "see" you here again, Jerry!

Hi everyone, nice to see so many recent "voices". I've been missing a couple of notes and just adjusted to show last 25 posts, that caught me up on at least one.

Got in last evening from a business trip to Augusta. Left TH from school, drove 4 hours south stopping for a 1/2 visit with Kevin, my 21 year old, in Old Town and finishing up in Augusta by 7ish. Beautiful colors and vistas. Fri was a day of technology workshops for educators. They were o.k. I was tired out by the end of the day and decided to take my migraine to the Hampton Inn in Bangor 1 1/2 hrs. north and spend the night. Had a nice supper at the Olive Garden. Single woman dining alone, a little weird for me, but o.k. Got a good nights sleep and watched The Moulin Rouge over breakfast. Did my bit for the local economy, and headed north. Home around 5. It was the first time I'd "traveled" completely alone in a number of years. I actually enjoyed the ability to come and go at my own pace. Very relaxing. No worries about a spouse bored, reading the newspaper in the annex. Tough rainy trip though. Amazing how traffic didn't seem to slow down in spite of diminished visibility and slippery roads on the highway. I set the ole cruise control and wandered homeward. Can't compare to a kayak trip up the coast but an adventure for me none the less. :-)

Hello, October. A note of interest on another high school's Class of '72 30th reunion happening tonight. The Nashua High School class takes over a ballroom at a hotel in town with about 200 coming. One of them is named Karen Ellis of New Smyrna Beach, FL. This adventurous type started in May in her 17-foot bright yellow Dagger Magellan kayak paddling up the coast. She made it to NYC where she came the rest of the way by car. After the reunion she will be returning to her kayak to finish the trip which will bring her to the Merrimack River at Newburyport, MA to come up past Lowell and Lawrence to Nashua. She retired at 40 after spending time in banking, real estate and appraising. Her grown daughter from her brief marriage in her 20's recently became a doctor in CA, earning a full scholarship to attend college. Wow! I lost my job of nearly 14 years late in the afternoon of September 10, right before 9/11. Got a severance package including outplacement services, so I'm exploring what the future has in store. Took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and I'm a people person to work in a team setting with those having high values. I'll keep you informed. Maybe I'll go work with the Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter! Bye. I'll see if this posts OK now.

I'm sure my mother would be proud of her little Dickie writing poems about geese. Work is a little wild. I am being considered for a new position in the company. The unusual thing is that it is a position that has not previously been considered as something the company ever thought that they needed. They may decide that they were right to begin with and that the new position is not something that is needed. If I can pull it off, it would be a total kick because it is doing business development using a recent invention of mine as fuel to start the fire. The invention is pretty good fuel. It breaks the lock that 175 year old technology has had on coaxial connectors.

On the topic of Route 1, I had a completely charming trip along the coast in 1981. I travelled with a friend of a friend and his 5 year old son, starting in San Francisco and finally being let off in Morro Bay. The view at Big Sur is enchanting, the drinks at Napente are a great reason to enjoy the view a little longer, and San Simeon took me beyond my comfort zone. I guess its dimensions that are beyond life as I am used to it sort of freaked me out. I have to say that you got the mental video tape rolling on that one. Waah!!!!

Hi everyone. I tried writing something yesterday, but something got screwed up and I couldn't post it. Hope it works this time. I've been busy the last few days with guests. My brother-in-law was visiting from Israel with a friend of his. First they were on a work trip, visiting ranches in different places, like Wisconsin and Arizona. They both work with the cows on their kibbutz, so they came to get ideas on how things are done in the U.S.--milking techniques,etc. They stayed on another 5 days after the work part of the trip so they could come visit us. They convinced me to take a trip up north with them to the Monterey/Carmel area and then to drive back on Route 1 along the Pacific Ocean. It's really beautiful. Have any of you been there? Avi had work to do, so he couldn't come with us--but it wasn't bad traveling with 2 men! We had fun. I took them to the airport on Monday and then I was at the airport again on Tuesday with my daughter. She left for a 2-week visit to Israel to see friends and family. Hope everything will be okay there.

Richard, how's work been going? What you wrote about the geese is practically a poem.

Patti and Karen, I looked up Gus/Bob Morin in the yearbook, and you're right--he is cute! How could I forget someone like that? Patti, did you find your word? I can't think what it could be. Sorry. Wish I could taste some of those fresh Maine potatoes!

Classes went back to the high school this a.m. the harvest is officially over. It closer to being over than I realized last week.

Put on your thinking caps. I am looking for a word: starts with the letter "e". meaning: associated with a name.

Pretty quiet out there.

Hi Richard, It's a chilly a.m. here. 22 degrees. I'm waiting for the weekly paper to be delivered - sometime around 6. It's been a week since I've gotten any local news so I'm pretty anxious!

The harvest goes on. there are two more weeks til classes at the high school go back. We've had an unfortunate rain fall these past couple of weeks and that is interferring. The harvesters sink right into the fields when it's wet so they (the farmers) are frustrated. But I think it wll be a good year all the same. I've seen worse, that is for sure. Really though, until you've actually eaten potatoes that are freshly picked you have know idea that there is a difference. There are hundred of varieties which I never knew til I moved here. there are wonderful little vegetable stands all over the roads with bags of fruits and vegetables for sale and all on the honor system! You just leave your money in the box and take your spuds with you. I love it! It'sa whole 'nother world up here. Can you picture that on the Williston Road?
The leaves are beautiful and the geese are flying here too. so fabulous to hear them honking and then watch them go across the horizon in the sun set. We have great views from our home and every evening it's a delight. Lightening storms across the valley below us are a sight to behold.

Hi Patty Pat Trish Patty Lou, I mean Mrs. Mahoney. I was a happy little Dick and I am still happy as Richard. To me, that is what matters. Has the Presque Isle potato harvest been completed yet? My wife and I went for a bike ride yesterday with my friend that I mentioned was a part of the P. I. harvest when he was 14 and 15 years old. There is a bike ferry that takes riders across the Winooski River for $1. The sky was a perfect blue with many geese flying south. The late afternoon sun on their bellies made them look like strings of Christmas lights. It is so completely amazing to think how far they will travel. They start out so fat that they can hardly get their tails up out of the water and finally arrive down south- fit and trim, styling at the beach I guess.

Lori - Gus/Bob was in the lingo of my students, a hotty. Look him up in your yearbook and you'll probably agree. He was pretty quiet and a real nice guy as I recall.

O.K. how many of us have changed our names? Either significantly like Gus to Bob or just like Dickey to Richard. Sorry Richard, I couldn't resist. I have over years endured a crisis of identity. I was still Patty but with an i in college, turned into Pat then Trish and back to Pat with subsequent moves around NE. When my Mom and my Grammy died there was no one left to call me Patty Lou. Now I pretty much answer to anyone who appears to be looking at me when they talk. During the day of course I am Mrs. Mahoney. Except that the Guidance ounselor is named Mrs. Mahone and so we are constantly mixed up. I live a very full life.

Gus and I were in homeroom together every year. I thought he was very cute but I think he just thought I was weird. He liked to get me flustered. I remember he told me that his real name is Robert Trigvie Morin. I can't remember whether I promised secrecy or threatened to tell the whole school. I never seemed to play my cards right.......... Oh well!

Hey Robin-Bob this is Richard-Bob. Gus-Bob is in Florida?

Lori, like some of the rest of us, Gus changed his name to his real name- Bob and/or Robert. He was a little quiet, but otherwise very visible. He played sports, took classes, and he had an old blue Ford Falcon (3-speed standard shift on the steering column) that was fun to drive (and he used to let me). We took countless trips to go swimming in that car. Once we saw Walter Cronkite's daughter at one of our favorite spots (she went to the Woodstock Country Day School) and we were pretty sure that this was cool, but had so little to base that opinion upon.

..I believe that Gus-Bob Morin is in Fla....

Who's Gus? My memory must be bad...

Speaking of Gus, where is he anyway?

Small world #432..my daughter Erin is wearing a Spfld Cosmos sweatshirt while walking across the campus at Syracuse last week...and is stopped by someone who turns out to be Gary Eastman's ('70) daughter . I note that the football team's record this year is "oh-fer". The more things change.....

Well I have to relate one of his stories, before the next mystery in my life arrives. Many of Richard's stories have names that make you wonder, like- maybe that was Gus Morin's great aunt or . . .

But the one that got to me was about the Twin Pusher. In the 1920's and 30's, some kids made airplanes with sleek bamboo frames, oil soaked paper, and rubberband powered- handcarved spruce propellers. The craftsmanship of Richard's Twin Pusher sounded like it was extensive, but he admitted that it never flew very well.

This is the second Twin Pusher that I have heard about. The first one that I heard about was built to fly in a state-wide rubberband powered airplane competition at Boston Garden during the 1920's. The boy who built it had advanced from a previous competition at a county fair where his plane had caught a thermal and never came back. This set a record for time aloft. Even a policeman riding on his motorcycle was unable to catch it. At the Boston Garden, The boy's newly constructed Twin Pusher flew straight up into one of the speakers above the Celtics' basketball court. Technically, he once again set a record for time aloft, but the judges did not agree.

Life had different dimensions then.

Oh, that Richard Whitcomb! Yes, I have met him because they live in P'ville where the Stover's live.

Yes, Doris is Tom's Mom, they used to live in Perkinsville at the end of Quarry Road. My Mom lives at the beginning in Baltimore.........have been there over 35 years...........time sure does fly. I remember Cherry, Halley's sister (I think). She was in my violin class. We used to meet at Park Street School on Saturday's. Our teacher came over from Claremont, wow that was a LONG time ago. Does anyone know Tom's whereabouts? There are quite a few well-known names in Springfield..........would be interesting to look into..............I wonder who founded Springfield? Any ideas, anyone? I'm a late comer to Springfield, and lived out of town............

Yes, it does seem pretty amazing that there are that many Richard Whitcombs! Maybe you're all related and you don't know it.

That was Deke Whitcomb that was married to the music teacher. Richard Whitcomb lived over the hill near Spencer Hollow and just below Fergie's Pits. His daughter is Ann Germaine who took over the farm with her husband for the last 30+ years. Richard Whitcomb's first wife died and he re-married. He is now married to Doris (?) Stapleton. Is that Tom Stapleton's mother (yes it must be)?

But hey, Richard Whitcomb Stover, just how many Richard Whitcomb's are there????

Hey Richard, My husband's name is Richard Whitcomb Stover but we didn't get any memoirs! How do you rate????? HA HA! He has his mother's maiden name. Is this the Richard Whitcomb whose wife was the music teacher in Spfld. forever? Halley's dad? Just wondering.......

I am a true believer that things happen for a reason,,,,,,we are the ones that choose the outcome of some of the circumstances. I hope things work out for you Richard. I think Mr. Whitcomb wanted you to have his memoirs for a reason, he must have felt that you would appreciate them for what they are.

I really don't know why he sent it to me. It is a great gift. My only interaction ever with Richard Whitcomb was being introduced to him on a cub scout visit to his farm. It was mentioned that my middle name was Whitcomb. (I'll diagram this for you) That makes me Richard Whitcomb Loveless. It seems a little obscure that this would be why I get his memoirs 38 years later. I don't feel a deep need to understand it, I will write a note to thank him, and I may even post "unusual facts" that I find here, as well.

Watch out for ghosts in the corners everbody out there!!

How did Mr. Whitcomb's memoirs happen to come to you? That's a great gift, the history of our hometown. It really is quite a place. The times of struggle that have passed through there and still the town survives. In no small part I'm sure due to The Tavern, Polidors and places like that. I remember the nightthe Adna Brown Hotel burned down. We were living on Chester Rd at the time I think. My mom and Dad and I sat in the coffee shop across the way and watched. What a weird event for a family outing.

Thanks, you are all perceptive. There may be a natural progression. I received an inquiry today from a company that has some tough engineering problems that thay want a consultant to help with. They requested my resume. I sent it, so now I will now see if my mother taught me anything about writing (enough to get the call).

On another topic, I just received the memoirs of Richard Whitcomb, signed and dated. He was a longtime farmer in Springfield who has written about everything from Lindberg's visit to Springfield, to the utility of safety pins. It seems that safety pins were the backbone of the town until zippers and velcro came along. And I thought it was The Tavern that held Springfield together. I can't believe he sent it to me because I only met him once in 1964. Did anyone else receive this book?

Richard, My prayer for you is peace, and clarity of mind. I know great things are in store for you, but it's not our time, so the time spent waiting is very nerve wracking and draining. Miracles happen everyday, I pray for peace for you to wait for it, and the clarity of mind to see it when it comes.

Richard, I'm sorry about your job situation. I am in the process of looking for a new job down here. I have the luxury of waiting until I can find one that I want, though. have you ever thought of being a independant consultant? It sounds like you need to be your own boss........I'm not sure what you do, but it seems like there might be a need for someone like you to go in and solve their design problems.......

Thanks, I love this website!

Richard, it doesn't sound like they deserve a miracle!

Hi Lori, First you need to know that I hate tech talk and especially acronyms. People that don't know the code always end up feeling uncomfortable and why should they? So, I had mentioned to you that the Chief Technology Officer from Switzerland was coming to review my design work. I picked him up at 8:00 AM and by 10:00 I thought I was dying- no give and take, tempo, joy. By 12:00 he realized that one of my inventions could double our sales revenue in North America. At 2:00 he came to the realization that my new design work was under a company process that the Swiss have designated as the B-2 process. Roughly translated, it means "the process that can double sales revenue really fast". He went on to say that the process I had been hired to do was the B-4 process which roughly translated means, "the process that you wish would double sales revenue, but it never does!" And one does not just change like this, it violates a proper sense of order.

All the protocol frustrates me. In my company's current position it truly is like re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. I was spiritually drained for two days.

Before leaving, he gave me a short list of miracles to attempt to complete before December when they will let me go. There was no indication if miracles would save my #@!? I think they have run out of process designators to describe me. I think that no process designator means no job. I am going to try smiling again tomorrow and start all over again.

Richard, what's B-2 and B-4? (in simple English!)

Same for me, maybe Blogger is under some construction.

Can anyone explain why the official web page postings only go to Sept.15th? Is it just my computer? Me?

Hi Eileen, Great to see you here. Come back often and soon. It was a shame you couldn't make it to the reunion, hope everythings o.k. now. When I look at our first communion photos who would have thought you'd have become a judge and not a nun? We were so so sweet back then.
Colin, our youngest (19) is moving away from home next weekend. He's still going to school and working in a local restaurant but he'll be renting a house with a couple of other hoodlums about 15 minutes away. So basically he won't be sleeping here any more. I'm trying to pretend that he's moving into the dorm and will be home on weekends and holidays. Boo Hoo. I'll be getting out the Chambourd to drown my sorrows Karen.
High School is out for a month on Harvest Break starting next Monday. Life in "The County" is different from any place else. There is really good money to be made working on a potato harvester though.

A little dull?!?! The flaming microwave takes the cake!

Hi guys, I am still here, just have been a bit busy with moving and kids. My 19 year old son left today to go back to the University of Cincinnati......and I cried, of course. We still have lots of boxes everywhere. My goal is to declutter and have a major unloading of "stuff". Didn't have time to do it when we left Lexington. Richard, so sorry to hear about the employment woes, hope things will look up soon. Can't believe I gave anyone a good idea.......I could use a few for myself. We just passed our 25th wedding anniversary this summer and were too busy to do anything to celebrate. My 16 year old just passed his license and wants a car, my 13 year old cut two fingers with an exacto knife last week and had stitches. My 21 year old daughter called from college last week and had to hang up on her father because she set her microwave on fire with bagel bites and the fire department responded to the alarm!! Other than that.........life is really dull here. Happy fall! Eileen, way to go......I am so impressed by the accomplishments of so many of you. I haven't decided what I want to be yet.....................

Jerry Bolio,
Dave Merrill here yes the Roth concert was a tad loud and Roth and his crew were asses. I don't think Roth will play the Burlington area again. Little louder than the Barber Shop Quartet I sing in. I preferred the Sammy Hagar portion.

Jerry Bolio,
Dave Merrill here yes the Roth concert was a tad loud and Roth and his crew were asses. I don't think Roth will play the Burlington area again. Little louder than the Barber Shop Quartet I sing in. I preferred the Sammy Hagar portion.

I would be wound too if I picked three juries, (I think). Did you pick all white juries? It is really great that you connected. I used to get some really great ideas here until Karen stopped being able to connect. That "go to a bed & breakfast" idea probably saved my marriage. OK, just kidding. But it was fun- my marriage is one of the things that seems like it is going OK.

I sat with a Swiss executive all day today, who drew the conclusion that I have been working in the B-4 process, but that I have been actually contributing in a B-2 process kind of way. So, was that before and now this is B-2? I love technology, not!

As a result of the re-invitation I joined. Now if someone will talk to me. I just finished picking three juries and I am wound so I decided to play on the computer. I;ll check in again.

Eileen Hongisto

I just sent a re-invite to everyone on the list who hasn't come on board yet, Keep your fingers crossed, maybe we'll get some new neighbors!

Good morning folks, I know it's early for some of us but let's try to put our heads together and help out with an editing issue. Karen (Millay) Stover has a new e-mail address and I'm trying to edit her profile per the instructions in the Blogger help menu which say : in the team section click on the name and then click on the edit/profile button. I can't find the edit profile button. It's probably right in front of me but I don't see it. We all have administrative access so if anyone figures it out please go for it! the new address is stoverMI@aol.com. Thanks for the help and have a nice day :-)

How come I don't see my note from Sept. 15 when I open the blog, but I do see it now as I'm writing this new note? Did it get posted or not? Technology, technology...can't they make it simpler---e-mail for dummies or something like that.

Thanks for the explanations, Patti and John! Still sounds scary to me--I don't like losing control! It's like these viruses have a life of their own.

It's still hot here, Patti, but not humid like in Maine. I've been swimming in our pool for exercise. When it gets cooler, I'll go back to my walking, but as long as it's hot, I prefer swimming. Sounds like you have a nice garden. The only edible thing we have in our garden is mint leaves that we put in tea or salad. Oh, and our neighbor's fig tree leans into our yard.