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Beau Wann, Jr.

Richard Meek '65

Robert Derrick

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Scotty Croom

wish we could find oldies band.....l

Beau Wann, Jr.

hello??? typed a whole bunch of stuff, but it said it wasnt allowed because of java script???

dont know what that means! I am typing again! Dont know an oldies band, but do know a band of oldies...us. Knees and back hurtin, so been down and on drugs!  now I forgot what I typed on the last entry! oh well...

I think the computer folks called me Bruce Wayne, and not Boo Wang!!! Yeah, thats the ticket, I'm Bruce Wayne aka BATMAN!!!!  Or BATTY one or the other is fine!

Ithink they gonna postpone the talentless show till the year 2525!

gotta go to the store so be back later!!!

your ol pal

sweet tater Bruce Wayne

Beau Wann, Jr.

Good eefening mine waltripians,

    Gonna try to make an entry! The forum is acting wierd! It now has a heading like in MS WORD. Did you do that jackie??? Or did my computer do that??? Last long entry I made, just disappeared! So I will try again! I do notice it has word wrap! It also double spaced at the top, as you can see. I further noticed, that mine was the last entry! Smatter, cant get in, too busy? Yeah, I know how it is, full dance card.    Played at the church talent show on Sunday! Almost all of our classmates were there, those that werent know who they are! But it was a great turnout, about two or three hundred thousand! Everyone agreed that "I was great"! DougR was there, and those of you that were there, know he was there! Anyway he has agreed to be my agent! He said the Country Music Awards people called his people and wanted us there, but scheduling was just too tight! Told em I'd make it next year, maybe!

My left knee has been hurting all to heck and gone! Right knee aint a whole lot better! Been switching between ice and hot rice bags! Doesnt hurt so bad when I stay off of it for a while, and keep heat on it, and elevated, but who the heck can stay off their feet??? I got entirely too much to do!!! Took Coop and Jack on a much needed limp (patrol) this morn! Alls quiet on the western front! Cole crick runnin smooth again after the rain! Got all the stagnant water flowing into the White Oak!!! Saw a couple of those fishing birds, you know, the ones with the long skinny legs and long sharp beak!  Ever now and again, I see one of em spear a crawdad or a minner. Honey suckle in full regallia! Can there be any sweeter smell from our yout than honeysuckle??? I bemember we use to pull the little flawrs off and suck on them. The juice was sweet! Tried one today, and bleah, no taste at all! Ol Coop was gonna lift a leg on em, but I moved him to the nearest pine tree. that woulda been pure sacrilege havin a ol dawg peein on the honeysuckle!

Got a sawbones appt with Dr Lykover on Tuesday! He's also my back doctor, and apparently everyone elses! Hope he can fix my bum knees! Maybe do an MRI on em! What if I have to have an operation, and get me one or two of those digical bionical metal knees????? I wonder if I will be able to pick up radio or TV or satellite on em. If people could pick up radio stations on the punny little ol fillings in their teeth, why not satellite on a metal leg???

I remember getting my first filling back in my DuBarry days. Methinks I was 10 or so, give or take, when I got my first filling. Hurt like hell too!!! Anyway, I heard about people receiving radio signals on the fillings in their teeth, so why not me??? I started off in my room, or the back porch, if you prefer, and wasnt getting doodly squat for reception, so I opened my mouth pointing in every direction! Nope, no radio signal!!! So, I went outside, at first on the carport, still no ball game, or nothing! I thought, "aha, maybe I need an antennae"! So I go back inside the house and find a coat hanger! Shucks that ought to conjure up some type signal!!!

Went back outside and held it up in the air and rotated it and myself all around, and still no luck. So I reshaped the coat hanger to look like one of those circle ones that was always in "Flash Gordon" movies. "Surely that ought to do the trick" I said to no one in particular. So I held up my "Flash Gordon" antennae and moved out into the driveway, away from the house! I thought, "man there's too much iron ore in the driveway, so I'll just move out in the front yard". So now, I'm standing in the front yard, holding a bent up coat hanger in the air, with my mouth open, just hopin fo one o them stray signals to pop into my punkin haid.

Up drives my dad! This might not go to well with him around!!! I'm kinda rotating clockwise at first, making a 360 degree sweep, and then counterclockwise, and I also am twirling the bent up coat hanger in the air, and with my mouth open. Dad hollars at me, "BOY, WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU DOING"??? I really didnt want to answer and risk disturbin any of them good ol radio signals that were looking for a good filling, but if I didnt answer, I knew my backside would be getting a different kind of signal. I start to answer, when he hollars, "NO, JUST SHUT UP, IDONT WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOURE DOING", and he goes into the house! I hear him bellow at my mom, "WHAT IN THE HELL IS YOU IDIOT SON UP TOO NOW"??? I hear her say, "well he's your son too"!!! "NAW, CANT BE MINE, MUST A BEEN A MIX UP AT THE HOSPITAL, YOU SURE YOU PICKED UP THE RIGHT BABY" he says!!! "Calm down" my mom says, "he's trying to pick up a radio signal from the new filling he just got"!!!

"WHAT" , my dad asks incredulously???? "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME" he exclaims! "THE IDIOT HAS A CRYSTAL RADIO AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER RADIOS AND HE HAS TO STAND IN OUR FRONT YARD WAVING A BENT COAT HANGER IN THE AIR, WITH HIS MOUTH OPEN TO RECEIVE A SIGNAL"????? He hollars out the window, "HEY MORCONI, GO STAND IN SOMEONE ELSES YARD, WILL YA, I DONT WANT THE NEIGHBORS TO KNOW YOU LIVE HERE". As if they didnt already know the "Duke of DuBarry" lived here!!! My mom says, "we're about to eat supper, so dont go too far"!!! I could hear my dad, "NO, GO AS FAR AS YOU LIKE, MAYBE WE CAN GET THE DOG TO BRING YOU SUPPER, IF HE AINT TOO ASHAMED TO BE SEEN WITH YOU"!!!! Cool, me and Lucky was gonna have a picnic and listen to radio at the same time!!! Things were looking up!!!

"MARGARET, IF THAT BOY COMES IN TO THIS HOUSE WITH ANY OF THEM SPACE ALIENS FROM ROSWELL, BECAUSE OF HIS TOOTH, I'M GONNA HAVE TO SHOOT HIM" my dad further exclaimed! "You'ld shoot your own son" my mom said aghast! "NO, NOT THE MORON, THE SPACE ALIEN. NOW I SEE WHERE HE GETS HIS BRAINS, YOUR SIDE OF THE FAMILY" my dad said! My mom said, "Now Harold, dont go shooting any space aliens, cause you dont want to start a space war". My Dad said, "UNBELIEVABLE, HE'S GOT YOU THINKING THERE IS SUCH A THING AS SPACE ALIENS AND RADIOS IN HIS MOUTH, GET ME TO HELL A BEER, AND WHEN TO HELL IS SUPPER"??? See, my dad didnt believe in ghosts or aliens or anything that didnt make any sense to him, but I BELIEVED IN EVERYTHING!!!!!

It was getting dark out, and the lightening bugs were flashing their code, which I have never been able to break, and I thought I heard a werewolf howl, so in the house I go, disappointed that I didnt get one signal! Well, I did get a signal from my dad, that I was "techted in the head", but then I already got that signal long time before this!!! Ah, just in time for supper! I sit down at the table and promptly get, "get rid of that stupid coat hanger and wash your hands" from my dad! So I do, get rid of the coat hanger, actually I stuffed it under my bed, where I hid all my other treasures, rocks and sticks and army men and tanks and trucks and stuff! Oh, and I wash my hands, careful not to get too much soap on them, lest I wash what good I had on me, off!!!So, I sit down to some good ol chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, lima beans, and a tripple treat, fried okra and fried green tomatoes and blackberry cobbler and vanilla ice cream!!! YUUUUM!!! The day wasnt a total waste after all!!!

"you sure you want to eat boy", my dad asked, "you might mess up  the reception in your radio mouth" he chuckled. My two sisty uglers, were on me like a duck on a junebug! Of course to them I was "stupid, dummy, idjit and moron"! My mom tried to stick up for me, but even she found my new escapade comical!!! But she did say that I probably got the idea from the TV show "You Asked For it", which I did, that and that woman that kissed a cobra with out getting bit! Now not even I would do something that stupid!!! I wouldnt even want to shake hands with one, let alone kiss one!!!

You know, to this day I never picked up one stinkin radio signal on my teeth! What a disappointment!  I'll have to ask my sons if they get any signals on the metal in their legs! Billy "Quick draw magraw" has a stainless steel rod for a femur and Kevin "Krash" Michael has titanium for a lower right leg. Shucks with that much metal, they ought to be able to pick up satellite signals!!!

Guess I will sign off for now...Oh, speaking of radio signals, my young son, Kevin "krash" michael, has a radio station or talk show on the internet. I listened to it for a few minutes. He even has people call in, so they both can go "uh uh uh" countless times! Dont ask me how he got his own radio show, I guess through the fillings in his teeth or his titanium leg! I wonder if he has to leave his mouth open and stick on leg in the air for good transmitting and receiving??? Now that's a mental picture for you!

If anyone out there has picked up KILT or KNUZ on thier teeth, let me know, ok???

Keep the sun at your 6 and your mouth open and hold a bent coat hanger up

your friend and sweet tater, beauregard cephus

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Somethings happened to the message forum, Beau!  We can now select bold italics and under line!  How exciting!

Can someone tell me.....where are the "good ole days"??  I "wish I could have been there  (song) to watch Beau entertain musically as he does here, and wish I could have hopped to Fudds, but I've been extremely busy, outsourced, overwhelmed, etc.  Both the grandsons are seeking a geographic cure from Houston and came to stay with me, here in the country.  Let's see how long....one has a wild child of almost two, who I've had to ban from staying all week long with his Dad...one can only stress out so much, watching the tornado reach for everything, breaking and cry-control tactics.....Oh Lord, they were never that bad, or were they?I suppose he will get better, after my explosive suggestions to Mom and Dad, like get jobs and rush him to the Lutheran pre-school, LOL.  Of course, I have been used to living with myself and my quiet controlled pets and mansion stuffed with every imaginable antique, collectible, sentimental odds and ends, etc.  (This too shall pass).  

My sympathies, Beau, on the knee pain and all.  But I've once again enjoyed your visual tale of yesteryear!  Anyway, wrapping things up at school, know you teachers know what I mean, it will be heavy here too.

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Hey Beau,

This ought to bring a smile!!!  This picture is so awesome of Coop!  See you can even add pictures to message forum ---- and smiley faces --- and color.  And larger text.  Just some new updated features for the group! 

Hope your knee is better -- and sorry I missed your talent show.  I really had good intentions of showing but got sidetracked with my son's wedding that is this weekend.  Did anyone make a video - sure hope so! 

As always - love your stories!

Take care,

SisJ

Beau Wann, Jr.

Hey Jackie, thanks for the new updates on the forum! Thats one thing for sure, we can always count on you! The picture is cool too. In case anyone was wondering, that is me and Coop up at buccees in Madisonville, Tx! Coop is the handsome man on the left, and I am the handsome bear on the right1 This was before lunch, and I was very hungry! I allus turn into a bear when I'm hungry. Good luck on your sons wedding! I'd be happy to sing and play for it, but I have a prior engagement! I will be accepting the pulitzer prize and the nobel peace prize for my contributions to literature and to radio wave exploration!!!

Hey Kay, man, I think Id rather have a bum knee than a 2 year old brat running around my house!!! Had one of those once, the meanest little monster I had ever seen! Could not wait till they left!!! Only stayed a few hours, but seemed like days!!! Now if anyone is coming over with brats, I put out some of my armament! I warn the parents that my guns will be out in plain view and child accesible, and loaded, so they need to watch them very closely! If they show up, they watch them very closely! needless to say, we dont get many visits from unruly brats!!! Yeah, I know, I'm just mean!!!But not as mean as my dad! We had an unruly brat hellion devil monster visit us when we lived on DeMilo! This monster was into everything and just destroying what ever it could get it's hands on! IT went outside, and my dad followed and as IT was pulling up plants my dad had planted, that was too much! My dad, true to form, grabbed the garden hose and squirted the little @#%$$&^&! I mean, my dad soaked him thoroughly! When the parents got mad, my dad told them to take the monster home, so they did!!! I loved it!!! My dad was still holding the spray nozzle as they left! I looked at him, he put the nozzle up to his mouth and blew across it like he was blowing smoke from the barrel of a gun, then twiriled it by his side, looked at me and smiled and winked! One of the rare times I got to see him smile!!!

Got back from Dr Sawbones Likover! Worse than I thought!!! I have a BRAIN CLOUD ON THE KNEE!!!! Gonna have an MRI tomorrow morn! Guess this means I have to jump into the iceland volcano now, eh what???  I did notice something peculiar at the Docs office!!! Everyone that comes in and leaves, LIMPS!!! Most have a walker or cane!!! What do you make of that??? wonder whats going on!!! Must be something in the water! As we were leaving the office of the scheduler of appts, the lady got up and started out the door and down the hall, and said, "walk this way"!!! You dont know how long I have been waiting for someone to say that to me! Of course as I limped down the hall, my retort was..."if I could walk that way, I wouldnt be here"!!!

Guess I will sign off for now! Got to get up early for my BRAIN CLOUD MRI!

Had some sweet taters for supper today! I also found in the fridge, TURNIPS!!! Why are they there??? My bride has never cooked turnips as far as I know! Oh God, she has found some receipe she wants to try on me! Turnips Au Gratin...Frickacee of Turnips...Turnips rockefeller etc etc... My mom use to cook turnips for us all the time! She added a sprinkling of sugar, as turnips are kind of bitter methinks! Oh well, I will keep you posted! Maybe I will bring the turnips or whatever she makes with them, to Fudds! What a treat for youse youts, eh what!!!

See ya

Tha Duke of DuBarry

Richard Meek '65

Okay today is the 21st of April. For you youtes that don't remember, today is SAN JACINTO DAY!

It would be a good idea to think a little bit about the day that is probably the most important day in Texas history. Remind some other people about it. We need to remember our history. Those of you that have grand kids, drill it into their little heads. It seems to me that most kids today don't have much pride or knowledge about Texas. So take them to  the San Jacinto Battle ground. it's a great outing and everyone might learn something.

Paige Talley (Meek)

I remember San Jancito Day... Not the real one, but the field trips to the monument with a sack lunch that you brought from home! Picnic'in near by where there was sure to be cannon balls in the dirt.  Remember how small the uniforms for those soldiers were (are). Were people really that little? Can one still ride to the top?
I have taken my kids and grandkids out there.  It was still fun running up and down the steps! The Battleship Texas, too. I was there once when the Airforce did a fly over... Fine!!!

Does anyone remember the train trips to Austin and San Antonio? It was in elementary school. We took day trips to each city to see the Capito and Alamo respectively. Ye ol' "sack lunch" was along for the ride, too. We also went to the symphony at the Music Hall. The first opera I saw was "Carmen" ... all in elementary school. I loved it.

I miss ya'll..

College Station is closin' in around me.

Is this Spring Fever? I need out of this place!

I recently downloaded Skype. (I am prissypiratepaige) Now everyone's phone number in my computer online or not is in skype format - amazing! It is fun to talk to folks and see them on the big screen. I have gotten to actually see what the kids in Utah look like... my they are all grown up and talk like grown-ups. Not to worry though, I am sure they will get over it... We all did!

Prissy Pirate Paige

p.s. formatting is cool... thanks Jackie

Beau Wann, Jr.

Howdy Pretty prissy pirate paige! You having cabin fever methinks! Me too! Knees hurt so bad, it would kill an ordinary man!  Had my MRI today! Doc told me to be perfectly still for thirty minutes whenever the jackhammers were werkin! I have never been perfectly still for 30 minutes in my life! I gotta move or scratch or cough etc! Especially if you tell me I gotta be still! Maybe if he had said, you MUST NOT BE STILL, i WOULDA been still...NAH!!!! I did try very hard though! Had a coughing fit and had to start over! Finally got through it, and machine didnt break! thats always a good thing!!! I doubt obummer care covers a broke MRI! Let em try to collect!

Prolly gonna have to have scourgery at some point in time, preferably soonest! Like to get that behind me! Rat now, I am struggling with all the werk that needs to be done! Hard to get around, but  As a good person once said, "It's always something"!  So, I shall endeavor to perservere!!!

Me and The Coop of Earl are back from class! Went in 30 minutes early at instructors request! She said she wanted to work extra with Coop! HA, cant fool me, she just wants me...deaf dumb and blind kid...I never was good at pinball, ever!!! Well, ol coop did ok in school, and got extra credik for coming in early, but just like me, he aint no good at algebra! Heavy sigh!!!!! But he is tops in his class though...of course, he is the onliest one in his class!!! I even got down on the floor with him! Of course, I had to have help getting up, but I made it! Hugging on him and brushing him, has gotten me so furred up, looks like I'm wearing mohair jeans and shirt!!! Man, that boy sheds buckets o fur!!!!

I give him cut up boiled oscar mayer weiners as a treat! He sure does like oscar mayer, me too! I even gave myself one for doing well in class! Ok mine fine waltripian FRIENDS, gonna go pack myself in hot rice packs and snuggle up to, hopefully  my beloved, but probbabbbbly with coop or jack or a cat, but I am hopeful!!!

your friend and brother  sweet tater Beauregard the Duke of DuBarry

Richard Meek '65

Beau, I hope your problems with your knee get resolved soon.  You are correct though, "it's always something". I believe Gilda Radner used that for one of her characters (Leticia. . .?) on SNL.

A little addendum to my San Jacinto post yesterday. A friend, who is a Mason, sent me an email in response to mine. Apparently, the Texans were about to hang Gen. Santa Anna after the battle when he gives the Masonic distress signal. For those of you who don't know the Masons have all sorts of signals and special hand shakes that are known only to them.  Anyway the general was a Mason and so was Sam Houston. So trying to honor his vows as a Mason he struck a deal with Santa Anna. The Texans would spare his life if he would agree to never attack the Republic of Texas again. Since he didn't have a high opinion of Texas anyway Santa Anna didn't figure he was giving up much to save his life so he agreed and he kept his word.

Another friend responded that April 21st is the day for the annual Aggie Muster. he tells me that you can get more information about it on the Internet. Or you can ask an Aggie, they're everywhere you know!

Another little historical tidbit I picked up out of the book I'm reading about the Civil War (400 pages down, 400 to go).  Of the men wounded in the fighting, 14% of the North's wounded susequently died and 18% of the South's. To give you some idea of how the work of Pasteur & Lister (which occurred after the Civil War) effected medical science during WWII, 1 in 50 wounded died of their wounds. In the Viet Nam War 1 in 400 died from their wounds. There is another statistic that kind of blows you away. We've all read how costly the Civil War was in lives right? It seems that disease was a bigger problem than the enemy. During the Civil War twice as many men died from disease as died in combat!

On a lighter note, I read in the Leader (you remember the Oak Forest neighborhood paper) that

Charles Stephens the band director at Waltrip was named as a recipient of the Mr. Holland's Opus Award. It is a national award named after the excellent Richard Dreyfus movie of the same name. I thought it was indicative of his character that he was worrying about how much time it was going to take to go to the award ceremony. The reason he was concerned was because he's trying to get his students ready for UIL competition.

Keep on dancing,

Rich

Beau Wann, Jr.

Good morrow mine waltripians...

another sleepless night, and I even broke down and took a pain pill! OOPS, guess it didnt work...Hmm, I wonder if those 5 cups O Joe coulda had anything to do with my sleeplessness???? YOU THINK???? Got a lot done today, lame and all!!! did get to sit on the swing with John Boy! That boy just loves to sit in the swing! The beautiful choir of birds was just heavenly! There is so much activity around the 14 room bird house I put up a couple o years ago!!! Just love watching them and hearing them sing and chatter! They have to be loud, to overide the already birds in my head! Saw a hawk or it could a been an eagle, dont think it was a buzzard, soaring on the thermals about a thousand feet up! WOW he was just zooming about a hundred miles an hour, first from east to west then back again! He would turn north or south to turn around! 

Made the limping dawn patrol this morn! Alls quiet on the western front, or the cole crick front! Anyone been watching the NASA channel lately??? Luckily I had it on when the shuttle was coming back! Man, what a sight! Cameras from every angle! Of course I had to help them land! "YOUR COMING IN TOO STEEP, PULL IT UP PULL IT UP MAN"!  "OK, GEAR DOWN? GEAR DOWN GEAR DOWN! COME ON, COME ON,  FULL FLAPS. OK, NOW SET THE NOSE DOWN GENTLY GENTLY, I SAID GENTLY! OK, POP THE DRAG SHUTE..." Well, you know how it is! I get caught up in whatever is going on! What beautiful photography!!! I like the NASA channel, because they say little and show lots! 

Trying to get the details ironed out for my WORLD REUNION COMEBACK TOUR! Maybe I can talk Robbie B into putting things on hold and joining me!!! Probably gonna need a few dozen "Roadies" to tote stuff, like peanut butter and banana sandwiches, coffee pot and coffee, tons of that, and tons of Dark Chocolate. Oh, and breakfast makins! Wont have time to perform, gotta cook breakfast!!!

All kidding aside, I sure am glad I wasnt very good at "entertaining" on the guitar and singing, cause I would just hate life on the road! I like a home base, at least 23 hours out of the day! Plus, I wouldnt have been able to have my menagerie with me! Wouldnt have minded the money, but I do love my anonimity!!!  

Hey Richard, my friend in Bellville has been trying to get me to read a book, the title escapes me now, but it is about Sam Houstons son! He says it Gen Sams son was a very interesting man! I will get that title and see if the library has it! Let you know what I think on it! 

I had lots to say, but now, not so much! Tired, but just not sleepy! Ol coop completely ignores everything he learns in school when we get home! Cant get him to do a blessed thing on any command! Did find my "Mickey Mouse" voice! Not one I'd like others to hear though! Cant tell that it makes any difference to Coop which voice I use! He has the same dumb grin all the time!    

So far, there are 164 bikers signed up for the "Wounded Warrior Ride" down to port Oconnor on May 21! And I think about 10 cars also, plus 27 law enforcement agencies! Should be quite a sight and sound! Maybe the obummer news media will cover it so that other wounded vets out there will see how much they are thought of! But, probably not! Seems the average person out in TV land would rather watch unreality tv! Like, "Punkin Chunkin" world finals! I watched, and cant believe that I almost missed seeing it!  Havent seen the Noodling finals yet, I guess they should be about to commence! Or how about Jessica Simpson...doing nothing but looking stupid...Oh heres a good one, Kendra and her new hubby were discussing Kendra getting a job when he has to quit curling, or whatever he does! I would imagine he makes millions, and she probably gets millions for being an airhead, so...maybe they ought to invest and save???? Ya think??? I know, I know, I probably stepped on someones toes, Sorry! I've just grown so cynical in my old curmudgeon days! I guess whatever one watches, if one enjoys it, then it is a good show!!! 

Hmm, what time is it??? 2 am??? Ok I need to try to get some sleep! Got to keep up my strength so I can take naps!!! 

Lots o folks that use to get on the forum, no longer join in!!! Anyone heard from Bernd since the big blizzard??? I guess I am pretty boring! Was gonna go up to ye olde place in the country tomorrow, but it is supposed to rain and saturday too! Maybe next week!  Hey Burge you ok? I sincerely hope everyone is fairing well! So I will sign off for now!

your friend and brother sweet tater beauregard the duke of DuBarry  

Paige Talley (Meek)

Beau, you are NEVER boring. In fact, that word should be removed from our vocabulary. We are NOT boring. Remember if you said you were bored your Mom or Dad would instantly think of a zillion things (chores) for you to do!!! I could usually think of something to keep me from being "bored" even when I was "less than occupied in productive activity".

Now for something completely different...

The past few days several random "mentions"  reminded of downtown Houston back then...

Sakowitz was a chain of family-owned department stores based in Houston, Texas, United States. The store was founded by two brothers, Tobias and Simon Sakowitz, in Galveston, Texas in 1902. Other family members were working in the cotton mills in Galveston. The two brothers, Simon and Tobias, began a peddler business, taking orders and delivering clothes on a bicycle to the many merchant seamen in Galveston at that time.Eventually, the chain expanded to thirteen locations, of which ten were in Texas. (Wikipedia)

Of course I came along a little after 1902, but I loved to "shop" in the store. We were never allowed to buy anything in Sakowitz, but the clerks always treated us with respect and just like we could buy something if we wanted to. My favorite was the toy department and of course Christmas time. Sakowitz had huge (really huge) stuffed animals. My Aunt Jeannine bought shoes there at the once a year shoe sale. She would hide the boxes of shoes in the trunk of her car, bringing them out one box at a time during the year. She would say "These aren't new, I bought them months ago." I think her husband really knew... it was just their way.

Foley's was our store. Christmas windows full of dreams and those mechanical scenes. The excitement of going "downtown" for school clothes. Stride Right loafers! Now I can thank Mom for taking really good care of my feet, but I wanted the skinny soled black suede loafers like all the other girls... but NOOOOOOO!!! I finally saved my babysitting money and bought my own. I thought Mom was going to take them back... she didn't.

Elevators with the lady operator. My great-grandmother refusing to get on the escalator... (Granny on the Beverly Hillbillies had nothing on Grandma Martin)

Majestic, Lowes, Metropolitian Movie Theaters... getting dressed up to go to the movies.

All this because someone said "I'm at Lowes. The lumber department not the movie theater".

Paige

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Good morning Beau (probably sawing logs by now) and All,

I have to admit I skip the NASA channel, not knowing why they put it on there, thought it was just to fill the time slot (O.K. all of us are not bent in the same direction, pardon my ignorance). Don't like things, events that cause human death out of accident - spaceship, A&M bonfire, etc.

However, I watched the PBS special on Earth Day regarding how man has been destroying Earth since the seventies (and yes, way before)  it documented where each President called for awareness and tried to get Americans, Congress, etc. to do something reactive in curbing the destruction, but money and greed, ignorance and plain do not believe or care has won out and we are way past the time we can do anything about it.  I am horrified and I'm going to become more active on positive preservation.  I hope everyone can watch this Special and they should teach this in all schools.  In fact, I'm going to walk down the hall and talk to Mr. Brown, about showing this special to his students.  It is not a figment of imagination, nor a Democratic liberal lie, it documented where Pres. Jimmy Carter was most instrumental about it and Pres. Ronald Reagan abandoned the cause and dismantled the energy source on the White House roof.  Again, I am not surprised.

One may like the sound and peace of listening and viewing the birds, etc.  but there may come a time when our great grandchildren only hear the stories of them and never be able to view them in flight. Kay, (off the soapbox).

Actually I think we started out pretty positive in the Flower Power '60's and should have persisted, but think of this, we still have a chance to go back to that as Senior Citizen Babyboomers.  Imagine all of us getting out and making a difference as only our huge generation can.  We have a chance to change the world before we hit the Nursing Home.

Teddie Jordan

Since we reached 100 pages on the Forum I've been going back and reading some of the past pages, starting with 1-10.. What I find that I have enjoyed the most is stories and memories of the old neighborhood, people whose names I had forgotten,  the old stores and businesses, and various stories about the good old days. Just like Paige's memories of Sakowitz. Thanks to everyone who has contributed and keep those good ol' memories coming. Have a nice weekend and take care.

Beau Wann, Jr.

I feel like teddy, I love the old stories and memories! Sakowitz!! Yea!!! I worked down town in the spring and summer of 65, after I left my one semester at SAM! Seems I knew more than they did about things, so I left!!! I worked at Houston National Bank in the Tenneco building, as a runner or mail boy or whatever you call it! Had fun and made a few bucks too!!!

Robbie B worked in the Sakowitz shoe dept! AT least i think he worked at sakowitz! I know he sold shoes! I use to visit him on my lunch hour! We would go to woolworths for lunch, or sometimes up to the top floor of Sakowitz, to their restaurant! We would also go to H & H Music company and play on some of their guitars, and talk to Red Novak, a mainstay and music icon for us wannabes!

I dont think there were any street vendors, or were there??? Nocona boots had a booth of sorts down on texas? or some street that ran east and west! I remember them, cause I bought a pair of rough out boots there! I also saw a man get hit by a car at that corner right in front of me! Broke one of his hips and then some! Scared the bejeebers out of me! One second sooner, and it woulda been me! Timing and luck is EVERYTHING!!!

Foleys windows downtown at christmas, nothing ever compared to that! 9 floors of merchandise! Sears toy dept, second to none! It was even better than the Toys R Us today, methinks!

And for the scouts to have their own dept, was just as special as you can get! Does anyone even sell scout stuff anymore???? I guess they must, but who??? I love the scouts, girls, boys, cubs...I buy cases of cookies everyyear and then take them along when we visit family or friends! Bought a coupon book from an eagle scout for 10 dollars! It has already paid for itself! Wish all kids could be scouts! What a whirld of good it does! 

ok, gonna stop for lunch and hug jack and coop and any cat not asleep!

me 

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Never let it be said that you could hurt my feelings....but you have to watch the special to see the angle I am coming from or the commentary was coming from. Who knows, what I do know is it is time for me to leave and enjoy the 'old weekend.

Have a good one all.

Scotty Croom

in my internet wanderings, i found out another classmate has passed away...frank roffall died april,11th(his birthday) of pancreatic cancer...vietnam usmc vet..lived in dallas area...check smith family funeral home , sacshe for obit....

John Burgess Webb

hey,its good to be back reading the forum again from my own desk,the pc i got is a little slower than my old one but im a little slower myself so it will all work out.i have a problem with not being able to do what i used to but that will all work out too.so will all the problems of the earth.its been around a long time and thrown off the civilized as well as barbarian,so i dont worry too much about it,if some want to "eat the rich",thats ok too,they will still be hungry and eat each other up in time.like the bumper sticker that said "kill em all and let god sort em out",thats what the hsiung-nu (huns) did until they were overcome.attila would stack thier heads up in three piles;one for men,one for women and the third for children so no one could play dead;there have been worse times.when i hear beau compare himself to attila i think, 'NOT'!go ask the romans and the greeks.we live in exiting times for sure but it could be a whole lot worse.

burge

Beau Wann, Jr.

Burge, welcome back! Oh, I dont really compare me to Attila, I just poke fun at everything! Folks have just got to be able to laugh at themselves, to survive! You take yourself to serious? Gonna bite you everytime, plus its no fun!

WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUSLY BEAUTIFUL DAY, PAIN AND ALL!!!!! My beloved had a luncheon with the Beta Eta professional teachers organization, both boys and both grand children all had something to do! couldnt find a soul to hang out with, except my dogs and cats, but I figured they could use a break from me! Soooooo I got on Pegasus and rode rode rode! The weather was perfect!

Went to Hempstead and surounding area! Feed store Steinhausers was having an event, complete with 4H club folks and hotdogs and chips and drinks etc! All for any donation! Good hotdogs. Steinhausers moved from the middle of Hempstead, to next door to Lawrence Marshall chevy at the 290 hwy 6 junction! Met a young lady that has a ranch, horses etc! She had on exhibit a young longhorn, a miniature horse, a scaredy goat, a chicken, a rabbit, and an ALPACA! What a cool critter an alpaca is! So soft and furry, and cute too! Actually a beautiful face and eyes! The lady has other alpacas and they shear them and sell the fur! A renuable resourse! If you have never seen one, they look like a llama, but not as tall, pluse they have two claws for each feet! 

Went to the middle of town, and visited the Six Shooter Boutique! Met the owner, Dana, and she has a great place for you gals to shop for western chic, and guys can shop there for their beloveds! Really quaint little shop! it is almost next door to the Dairy Queen! After I talked to Dana I went next door to the DQ, and got a chocolate dipped cone! Hadnt had one of those in years! Too good to pass up!!!

Back in 89 or 90, when DW had a red Corvette, we prowled the countryside with the top off lots of weekends! One particular week, we found ourselves in Fredricksburg! Visited the Nimitz museum and surrounding sights! Decided to stop at the DQ in town! We ordered a Banana Split! We were both watching the girl make it, putting the ice cream in and all the trimmings, and marveled that she forgot the banana! She shoved it across the counter towards us, and both of us looked at each other, and I said, "uh, where is the banana"??? The girl said, "Banana"??? "What"??? " I dont think one goes in there", she stated! Now, they had a stalk of bananas hanging close by, so I said, "Darlin, the name of the dish, is B-A-N-A-N-A SPLIT, it is supposed to have a banana in it"!!!!!!!!!!  "Nuh uh" says she!!! Then she turns and shouts at the manager, "hey Mel, is a banana split supposed to have a banana in it"??? I kid you not! I looked back at Mel, looking for a lightbulb to go off, but I have to tell you, he looked perplexed!!! He scratched his head, and said, "I'm not sure, but go ahead and put one in if they want one"!!! Heavy Sigh!!!  Both DW and I looked at one another with absolute puzzelment! I would imagine that the IQ in that particular DQ equaled the number of holes in a 9 hole golf course, or less! DW and I still recollect that from time to time!

So, after I left the DQ in Hempstead about noonish, headed back to Mancusos at the Crossroads, hwy 6 and 290! They were also having a whing ding! Music, cigars, mudbugs, corn on the cobb, potatos, hamburgers, raffling off prizes etc, and lots and lots of bikes, oh and music! So, I parked pegasus and had some of the above delicacys! Made a lot of new friends, and saw some old ones to boot! What fun! Oh, stopped in at Gander Mountain and found two belts, real leather with an eagle on the back, for 5 dollars! So I bought them both! I mean, 5 bucks for anything, is a bargain, and I needed a couple o new belts anyhow!!!

Sooo, heard from DW and we met at the house, and took a nap. Fed all the critters, and hopped on pegasus and visited Pappas BBQ and had stuff, and went to her mom and dads and played dominos! I love dominos and cards! Usually good conversation abounds. 

Left their house about 9, and it's a good thing we live close, cause I dont like driving pegasus at night, and DW was on the back, an extra care! But we made it home just fine, only a mile! DW quickly fell asleep in a chair, and me and Jack fell asleep on the swing outside! What a beautiful night it is! Almost full moon, lots of stars and cool! Riding today, the smell of wax leaf lagustrum, and honey suckle hung in the air, thick as honey and molasses, and twice as sweet! OH MY!!! Plus driving though populated areas, the smell of BBQ and chicken fried steak, and bacon and onion rings etc was just mouthwatering!

Rode on the old 290, about 15 or 20 miles from the now gone town of Hockley to hempstead and back! Not many cars on it, which suits me just fine!!! Not sleepy now, so I guess I will stay up and do stuff! Wanna move some chairs around and stuff! Well, nuff on a boring day in the life of boring me! Man, if I didnt have my bike, I dont know what and where I'd be! A lot less satisfied thats for sure! Knees hurt, but didnt notice them much whilst I was riding!!!  YAAAAAWWWWNNNN!!! Maybe I am getting sleepy, might just get some sleep after all!

Keep the sun at your 6 and ride boldly ride and G'night yall

your friend and sweet tater Beauregard the duke of DuBarry

John Burgess Webb

hey beau,i know you were just kidding about attila the hun;i just wanted to point out that we dont have it so bad in spite of the savages we have in our society.when the mongol hoardes came off the steppes it was to raid and plunder,they had no use for civilization until a chinese advisor tought ghingis khan that he cound tax the people instead of destroying them and thier fields.they had no use for grain except for the horses and took thier taxes in silver and silk.we have come a long way since then but we still get taxed;make no mistake,they will never go away.

hey teddie,hows it going?got your e-mails,no i can answer.it seems that i really do need this computer,thought i could do without it for awhile but unlike the t.v. i missed it .its good to hear from everyone who keeps in touch on this forum.we all have one thing in common(besides the pain of advancing age)and that it priceless these days.when you look out at our society today it seems so different than it a in 1964;there are a lot of reasons for that and i think we could all express one or two that have touched our lives in a very special and personal way.we could start with the viet nam era and check them all off one by one.rebellion opened the door for a flood of bad influences.it makes you wonder what it was that made this country so great at the time we were growing up.i find myself wishing that i coulld go back to garden oaks pharmacy and have a rootbeer float while waiting for a movie next door.id trade all the highs and lows for that moment.what a trip its been.id probably still join the marine corps but there a million things i would do differently,for sure.i dont know that i would have seen what i have seen or learned what i have learned what i have learned but would probably be happier.not to say that i dont have joy;its just a little muted.like soloman said,"he that increaceth in knowledge,increaceth in pain".we breathe cleaner air and drink cleaner water than in 1970 but we still have a long way to go.i hope we can leave our grandchildren something better than a trillion dollar debt and an ecology on the brink.we aint dead yet.

burge

Richard Meek '65

Good morning all. I spent the weekend at Canyon Lake. What a beautiful place and what a beautiful weekend. Some friends invited some other friends (me included) to see their new house they had built. They had had a rustic cabin for years but now that they have grand kids visiting, they were getting tired of having only one bathroom. I think the main thing was you had to go through the one bedroom (theirs) to get to the bathrroom so they had people trouping through there all night. We were also celebrating one of the other friends birthday in addition to seeing the new house that repalced the cabin.. She is turning 60. What a great way to spend a weekend out of the city!

I think several of you are on the right track about things in general. I think things are better than in the 70's. The air and water are definitely cleaner. There is actually marine life in the Houston Ship Channel. But, there are still plenty of things to improve. Most of us can't make any grand changes but just do somehing everyday to make things better whether anyone else knows you've done it or not.

While he was still running the Sakowitz operations I had the good fortune to meet Bernard Sakowitz. What a nice gentleman he was. He was cut from a different bolt of cloth than his son Robert. Sakowitz, Foley's, Battlestein's, Kaplan's were all very pleasant shopping experiences. I still think the original James Coney Island on Walker was the best. But things change. Just stay focused on all the things that are a blessing in your life. Sometimes easier than others.  I think that folks who advise us to focusing on what we have instead of what we don't have will make us happier are giving good advice.  Think about our presidents for a minute. I'm no fan of Richard Nixon or Bill Clinton but can you think of a harder job? Would you want to do it? I don't think I would. Some are better than others but no human being can get it all right. It's great to be able to chat with folks that are friends going back 45 years. As a matter of fact I think I'll go have a burger tonight at Roznosky's on 34th & Jester. Some of you may not know that the owner, Ron Roznosky is Waltrip Alum. A good guy that serve great burgers.

Thinking about being president though. . . I might appoint Beau as Sec. of Transportation. . .of course it would be good to own Harley Davidson stock. It would also be good to have an interest in  roadside establishments that serve excellent coffee and peanutbutter and banana sandwiches and banana splits with bananas in them. Well time to return to income producing activity.  All you fellow Waltripians take care and keep on dancing.

Richard