My nephew from Israel has been staying with us for a month, but today he left for Chile. He's planning to tour around South America for maybe 6 months and then come
back here for a while before returning to Israel. We got used to having him around, and I already miss him--even though it's a long time to have a guest. He got along well with my kids and their friends. He was an easy guest. Just went along with whatever we did. Now I'm waiting for my sister, Amy. She's coming Jan. 29 for a 2 week visit. My brother will come from Vermont for a long weekend while she's here. I'm looking forward to that.

Hey- Happy Birthday!!! What is the snow cover like in Presque Isle? X-country skiing is OK here, but downhill and snowboarding are like bouncing off the tops of icy VWs. The last big dump (Saturday- 2 feet) was good during the storm but not still wonderful. The VWs are back. Getting out in the mountain air is wonderful though.

Hope you had a happy one, Pat. I am not far behind you.....amazing to realize that I am going to be 49 soon.......and in another year, 50. I can't feel that old yet........guess you are as young as you feel. Hope we all are feeling young.

Happy Birthday, Patti! Best wishes always. Have fun!

On the occasion of my 49th birthday (and Eleanor Richardson's too) I say hello to everyone and wish you all a Happy New Year!

Hi y'all

Got a note from Roland today, he's off the site for about a week so may not know that his posts made it. Life many of us he got an error messge so he said he'd check back later.

thanks for all the support. I appreciate it. Going out x-country skiing in a little bit so I need to go find my long johns!!

Pat, I am so sorry about your son. I can only guess what you are feeling, I have had friends, boy friends, and family members go through this, but it's been a long time, and when it's your child, you can't imagine what it's like, unless you have been there. You and your family are in my prayers. You have had a lot dumped on you in a short period of time, I admire your strength.

Welcome Roland, glad you found us, nice to see you.

Heu Patti, I too was sorry to hear about your son. I lost a brother to drugs and alcohol. It does terrible things. In moderation its ok but each individual needs to find their own path and it is usually most difficult for those around them as they are literally rendered helpless. Luckily I've seen too much and have a respect for those things. He must actually be quite bright. Most people that use drugs or alcohol use them to slow their brains down as they usually won't shut down. The best medicine is to keep busy physically and mentally. Most true atrists or inventors had problems but back then life was slower and fewer obstacles to endanger them physically. My prayers are with you and your family. Please remember, you can lead the horses to water but they will not drink until they are ready.

Lori, thanks for the welcome. Its nice to be back if only in cyberapace. Yes those viruses are certainly annoying but there are more and more antivirus software arriving on the scene. I try to review as much as I can and install only the best. I'm not a great cyber techno but use it mainly for communications and use the excell programs for company plots etc. Happy New Year to you and yours. Roland

Hi Nancy, great to see you still communicating.

Hi Roland, Happy New Year all...............sorry to hear about your son, Pat, hope he is doing better. I admire all of you raising children in this day in age...........there is so much out there and you only want the best for them and for them to be safe and happy. I guess that is the same our parents went through with us.....I know mine did with us.........my sister was the oldest and the trail blazer for our family. Hope you can get the help with Alanon, there are so many more organizations that are available now, not sure what is up your way. Hang in there!!

Welcome to the blog, Roland!

Patti, I admire your courage. I do think a lot of kids go through a drinking phase, and then, hopefully, most of them grow up and find other interests. My son, Omer, had to do 10 weeks of a drug/alcohol course after he got picked up for driving under the influence of marijuana. I'm glad he had to do that course. I think he learned a lot there, and it seems like it helped. We also went for some family therapy at that time, which also helped a lot. Not everyone likes that kind of thing, but if you do, it's worth it.

Hey everyone. Patti sent me this invite. I found the site via Classmates.Com. Its great to get back in touch. I travel alot and live in the Metro Atlanta area. I love the climate and the thing about southern hospitality really is true. After my parents divorce I decided to take my moms name and also get rid of my first name (which I always detested) and use my middle name of Roland, thus I've been Roland McCarthy for some time. (formerly Bill Guertin) Dad lives in AZ and mom moved back to CT and travels back and forth to see my cousins in Ireland. I currently work as a public relations liaison for a growing company combining my lifes experiences into one useful and productive act. This is a new opportunity I took on in the later part of 02 and love it. We're having our company convention next week in Vegas. I'm not much of a gambler but like the food and shows. I have a cousin that lives there also. My laptops down so I only get on when home on the big ol Compac. All for now. Good to see everyones doing well and such a varied bunch we still are!! Happy New Year!! Roland "Bill"

I am a great believer in a mother's love. I have one boy that would be the last to admit it and two boys that would be lost without it.

I don't really like the saxaphone Richard but I like piano. :) Colin isn't living at home with us these days and so taking on a family challenge while sounds like wonderful idea isn't very do-able. I have discovered that my husband doesn't want to talk about it and thinks this sort of thing while certainly over the top is common place and boys will be boys. He drank a lot when he was this age and like most others Colin will grow out of it. So Alanon may be an outlet for my frustrations and concerns just now. As both his parents are alcoholics I think the fear that this is where our son is simply overwhelms him.

We'll get through this with time and patience and love. Thanks for caring, friends.

Patti, I would have been very scared throughout this and I'm sure it scared your son, but I also get why you say, "fat chance". The challenge with ending an alcohol problem was once described to me as having to find a new area of competence; that in effect drinking is an area of competence where a person gets very good at it. Escaping it as an area of personal excellence requires developing a new area of competence. There are people that become spiritual or connected with social groups that support each other, and I think this works for some- it's what they have chosen to get good at. However, I think underlying success in overcoming personal destruction comes from finding a new or renewed area of personal growth where energy can really be devoted. Maybe that is something your whole family could embrace with Colin, setting expectations for each other to take the time to learn and get better at something you love. Have you ever considered learning the saxophone or rock climbing together (I'm serious- something that would be fun, but also requires the long-term commitment to developing competence). I'm also sure your love is the right place to start and that he's very lucky to have you. He probably knows that too, now.

Patti, sorry to hear about your son. Thank God he's okay now, but it must have been really scary to go through that. Maybe it will be enough to scare him from drinking or at least to cut down on the amount of alcohol. Good luck with your other son if he does need surgery. Avi and I stayed home on New Year's, but our kids all went out, and we're always kind of glad when it's over and everyone's home safe. My 2 oldest ones both had gigs--my son's band played in Santa Monica, and my daughter's band played in West Hollywood. The youngest went with friends to celebrate in Las Vegas. We had a quiet drink at home!

Happy New Year everyone! It's bee a tough few days and we're not out of the woods yet. Colin, our youngest (20 in a couple months), that number means nothing to me in the scheme of momness; drank himself into a coma a couple of nights ago. I spent 10 hours watching and waiting, talking with his friends telling them to smarten up and take better care of each other and themselves. When he woke up enough to be taken off life support he was still so incredibly drunk. He has started out with 6x the legal limit of alcohol in his 131 pound body. 486 was the number they gave me at 5:30 in the morning in the ER. Even in my heavy drinking days I never put away that much. I don't think I know anyone who has. I was told 4 different ways he should be dead. He did aspirate some of his vomit at the hospital and has pnumonia because of it. He was still hung over yesterday morning here at the house. They say he'll be fine but he should never drink again. Fat chance. Then last night Kevin our other son called to say he'd been to the ER in Belfast and has a hernia which may require surgery. The fact that he is 4 1/2 hours away will make it tough to sit by his bedside if he does have the surgery. I'll need to take time off from school. So anyway, what are my New Years' Resolutions? Don't be so critical of others, stay away from gossip, Love the hell out of my boys while I still have them around to love.

That doesn't sound too difficult!

Have Brian over for dinner.

Happy New Year everyone! Good New Year's resolution, John! Anyone else have resolutions?!

I hope everyone has a great New Year's........I plan on ringing it in in Hartford here at the Frist Night celebration..........then over to my neighbors for a after New Year's Eve get together.........take care everyone and have a great time.

Can you believe it. I am still alive. heeeee heeeeee
Good deal Richard on your job. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to ALL.......
I bought some more Karaokee CD's or something like that for the New Year to sing my life away.
Yup should be fun. Maybe I should do something and put it on my Server and you all can view it.
Hmmmmm does man have that kind of time anymore? Well that's what is wrong. We don't make time anymore.
Okay New Year resolution. Make time so I can have some time to do what I gotta do. Sounds good don't it.
Hey chat with you all later. Have a Great New Year and be safe and careful.

Dave and I drove Kevin back to Belfast yesterday afternoon. The storm was already there when we arrived around 6:15. We drove back in some rough weather. Real slow going from Belfast to Bangor. Visibility was nil. 30 north of Bangor - clear sailing but we'd lost a lot of time and so didn't make it back til almost 11:30. Should have been 3 1/2 hours both ways. ah well. Home safe and sound. Well worth it to have the four of us together for Christmas!

I was in VT for my gettogether with family on Sunday and Monday. Sang with my church's choir on Christmas Eve and spent time with my friend Joy after that. Traveled just to Derry, NH in the middle part of the day yesterday to spend time with my late wife's family then scooted home to ride out the storm which dumped a foot of the "white gold" here in the afternoon and night. Sunny with a strong NW wind today and the post-storm cleanup outside is in pretty good shape. We had lost most all of the snowcover here Friday with the heavy rain that fell, but Springfield still had snow on the ground. A hearty HI to all.

Don't tell me .....everyone's out taking advantage of those fab after Christmas sales!

Happy Holidays all, I'm just taking a break from the post wrapping paper mess to send an invite to Roland. Something went awry with his first invite so he's asked for another. Guess that means we'll be seeing him here soon!

Richard, congratulations on your new position. that's a great way to start the new year.

Merry Christmas all....

Sounds good, Richard!

Hi Gang, That is great to hear that you are doing well and am employed Richard. Hard to imagine that it is Christmas in a few days.....hope everyone has a happy holiday.

Lori, I'm glad you are safe. They Were showing mud slides and things like that, looked very nasty.

Richard, I'm so glad your work situation has worked out so well.

Hi- Happy everything to all- or at least have a happy something! Today is my first day in a new position at the same company. My engineering group is gone and our work was moved back to headquarters in Switzerland. Friday would have been my last day, but they took my advice for a new position and gave me the job. It took the professional resolve of Eliot Ness (the G-Man that got Al Capone) to pull it off, but my new job is great. I am the Business Development Manager with no people reporting to me- yahoo!!!!. I get to go to customers, find out what their most important problems are, scratch my head, and broker solutions. I'm sort of a front man for the R&D group in Switzerland. Hope all is OK out there in your real worlds, too!!!

Yes, Nancy, we have been getting a lot of rain lately, but right now I'm looking out the window and it's sunny again. I like living in a sunny place, but it is nice when it rains here cuz it seems more special. Happy holidays everyone! By the way, Richard, how's work going? Are you staying at that job? Hope it worked out for the best.

They are talking about a white Christmas here (maybe) but it will be sleet and frezing rain, other wise just cold and rainy. If the weather is like I saw on the news last night it is going to be icy in Arkansas and Tennessee the day after Christmas and my father in law and brother in law will be driving through it. Let's hope the weather man is wrong, Gee what are the chances of that happening, LOL.
Merry Christmas everyone! Have a safe and happy holiday.


Hey Lori, speaking of weather, I have seen California is getting hit real hard, are you effected by that? Hope you are safe and dry.

Hi there folks, We get out ouf school tomorrow at 1:30 for the Christmas Holiday. Back in on the 2nd of Jan. tomorrow we have an ornament marathan for the 7th graders. A busy, loud, and exciting morning is planned. Then I'll slow down and see what it's like to be out of work for a while.


It's definately White Christmas time here in Presque Isle! though we have rain and freezing rain which has already started and will continue through tomorrow.

Yes, we have had rain, I was a bit excited about using it for the first time yesterday, but it rained instead. Sounds like you have fun, Richard. I shoveled my drive already and am responsible for the sidewalk in front of my house as well. I bought mine to do my neighbor's drive as well......he has been kine enough to mow my grass in the front all season, he would do the back as well, but can't fit the mower through the gate...............so I am doing my part...Sounds like you are gearing up for the holiday season, Pat. Lori, we have been having rain here for the past week, all the snow that we had is now gone.....not looking like a white Christmas so far.

Mornin' all, We even got a new member this week onthe list. The former Pauline Smolnik. Don't know anything about her "adulthood" but I got a note from her telling me I could put her on the list. Nobody new here though that I can see.

These days I'm surrounded by school plays, and musical performances, and my how things have changed: Power Point Presentations! That one sort falls into my lap. I teach that part. Tomorrow there will be a Christmas Bazaar at school to which parents and friends have been invited to learn about Christmas Around the World. This is produced by a 7th grade reading class, through ppt on laptop computers. I think that kind of goes along with the concept of snowblowing that which could be swept! Know what I mean?

Off to bake brownies.

And, yes, Patti, Nancy's right, we do appreciate all you've done to keep this classmate thing alive!

No snowblowers for us--but we had rain all day today. It's a treat when it rains in L.A. cuz it's usually sunny.

Nancy, so glad to hear you have a new snowblower. I live on a street where the National Men's Senior Snowblower Team all live and practice daily. They are mentally prepared, respirator equipped, oxygen supported, and watch the hell out when solid water is floating in the air. They have machines that will suck it down onto the ground for a 10 count pin before being thrown off their driveways and out of their lives forever. Then, with engines idling at about 6,000 rpms, they remain and wait for the next snowflake victim. Sometimes it will be hours, but there they stand- ready. In the off season they train with twig shredders, leaf blowers, and one even vacuums his driveway. Hello!?!?!?! My technique is to use a broom, because most times a shovel would just be a little too much and I no longer seek the thrill and smell that the other men on my street think of as home.

Hi Pat, of course the list is a good thing............you should know that and we appreciate you keeping in touch with everyone and on top of things..........we may never tell you, but we do appreciate it. Christmas is the time of year most people try and get in touch. So you are doing us all a great favor. I have been shopping for the holidays, and am almost done..............which is a feat in itself. Hope everyone is in good health, with the strange weather, it is hard. We had rain most of the weekend, so all the snow that we did have is gone. I bought a new snowblower only to have it sit in the garage. Oh well.....I'm sure I will use it some this winter. Take care everyone.

Hi everyone, Heard from Brian Davis yesterday. He couldn't open my attached list but wanted Roland's address as they were buddis back in the day and he wanted to get in touch. so the list is a good thing. I'm pleased.

Guess everyone must be out shopping!

I was just on ebay and thought someone might like to know that if you go to Springfield Vermont you can find reproduced old maps and some postcards that would make good gifts to mat and frame for a bit of memorabilia. One map is from the 1860's and has a key of family names. Just thought I would mention it because some of you might be in the same boat with parents who don't need a thing and don't care about the latest electronics, etc. Its also fun to go to your last name and see what items were manufactured with companies who had that name. I just bought a cast iron old waffle iron with the Stover manuf. company name in big letters on the bottom and top.....will be fun to have at the family camp.

I miss John. Where is he? Other than that, It's a wonderful world!

Good morning everyone,

I received a nice letter through Classmates.com a couple of days ago and then again last night. They were from the former Bill Guertin, who now goes by the name Roland McCarthy. Roland has asked to join the Blogger site and I've him sent an invite this a.m. I know you'll all make him feel welcome.
I was reading something in a Holdiday cookbook last night that expressed the thought that in the midst of all the Holiday hub bub we somehow get the urge to play host/hostess. As I ask you to make Roland welcome, I guess it's true. Cookies anyone?

I didn't know they had them in Vermont! I never saw one when I lived there. Here we see them creeping along the wall between us and our neighbors.

Possums are strange! Whenever wildlife get a shot at my trash, there is an impromtu block party. A possum showed up for the last trash rave on my back steps (taking the trash 10 more feet into the garage to the secure trashcan located there was too far, too difficult, too not what my teenager wanted to do right then- and there the bag sat until midnight). My eyes just about popped when I saw the possum because it was the first one that I have ever seen. I understand that the tapered tail is the possum's super power, but it is also a large contributor to its "pretty ugly" look.

I forgot--we have possums, if that counts for anything! They're pretty ugly.

Hi all, we've got a bit of snow up here prestty cold. Low 20's. About like the rest of New England, I suppose. Wild Life in the back yard. We get moose now and then. That's pretty cool.

Wow, deer in the backyard! All we have are squirrels. And snow? It's still practically summer here--though Omer, my youngest, goes snowboarding at Mountain High, about an hour an a half from here.

Been there, done that, several times (got a lot of kids). You will enjoy it. It will be WARM, that would be enough for me! Grand Rapids hit zero on Tuesday morning. We feed the deer and right now they are eating a 40 pound bag of feed in two days. Kellan, my youngest, counted 10 deer the other day. Our feeder is only about 30 feet from the back deck......very cool! We also have wild turkeys. Happy Trails Jerry!

Great to hear from everyone..........hope the holiday season is going well for all........we just got another 7 inches..........talk ablut being dumped on........good for the ski areas here in CT. though. The last was really nice powdery snow.............real light. Take care and have a safe trip, Jerry...........I was there many many moons ago.........(72?) and alot has changed. I hear it is even more fun for the adults than the kids..........

Nice to see you here again, Jerry. Have fun in DisneyWorld. I've only been to Disney Land. My favorite "ride" is Pirates of the Carribean. Not a scary ride, but really imaginative. I don't like the scary ones anymore!

Hello to all. It's been a while. I spent a good part of Thanksgiving Day in Georgia, VT with family. A good meal and good sharing. Was in Montreal the following Saturday night at the Bell Centre to watch the Flyers/Canadiens hockey game taken by Philadelphia with just 6.3 seconds left in overtime. John LeClair from St. Albans had just injured his shoulder badly the night before Thanksgiving in the Flyers game at Pittsburgh so we missed seeing him in action. I enjoyed getting up above the border, actually the second time this year after seeing an Expos baseball game in June before our reunion. On the front page of my newspaper this morning is the notice of the passing of Michael Valuk who had been town manager in Springfield for six years into the early 1980's. Does anybody remember him? He was 52 and had developed pneumonia from a rare blood disease, dying in Boston. After leaving Springfield, he'd been town manager of Salem, NH, then became president of the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce for 17 years. Next Tuesday I'll be heading down to DisneyWorld for four days with the other two youth leaders from church. I've never been, they have. Hope all is well with everyone.

I am in love (again) and it was just as good as the first time! Would it be shallow to simply say, "Thank-you", after six hours of unrestrained passion? All I can say is that every muscle in my body is a little sore today. It started with a run down a steep trail in powder that was up over my boots. I took one digger, but I didn't end up as a yard sale. Lots more runs all day on perfect mid-winter snow conditions. It was really cold, but no one was there because of that, I guess.

Time to wax your board(s) bloggers!

Yes, I agree. I think it's my favorite holiday. We had 23 people here--family and friends--but Avi's sister helped with the cooking, so it was much easier than our usual Friday night meals with Avi's family.

Happy Thanksgiving, all you non-native americans!
What a great holiday! Loads of easy to make food, with the focus on family and friends.
And don't forget to get a little hammered, it clears out the carburators!
I'll be thinking of you all, so be happy!

Gobble, gobble!

Good morning all,

I've removed Janice from the team (old address) and re-invited her under her new e-mail address. Perhaps this time she'll come on board. Let's hope.

Hope everyone has a good Thanksgiving and can relax with relatives and friends for a bit.......not being able to be near my family for 20+ years has made me value it even more now. Take care and if anyone is traveling, please be careful!! Congrats Richard, it is good to read good news