The message forum is an ongoing dialogue between our classmates. There are no items, topics, subtopics, etc.

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Response" button to add your entry to the forum and then click "Submit".

Johnny Sheffield

teddie

funny you mentioned jerry faigle. jerry and i played football together at blinn college fall

of 1964 and 1965. a buddy of mind at waller isd stated to me one day that jerry

faigle son was doing the filming of all the waller football games. come to find

out that was jerrys son. i believe jerry went to aldine h.s. before blinn

small world.

johnny

Beau Wann, Jr.

Teddie,
Floyd worked the back door...Steve Oconnor (I think that was his last name) worked the courtesy booth...the lady checkers were Fay, and Flo, and now I forgot the  rest of them...Oh, I think there was a Mae also...Finest place  to work and learn from a lot of great folks...Clarence and Vernon were the "porters", but generally did the same work that all of us did, they were just a tad older and had families...I mention that they were "Porters", because they were black, and we were just leaving the 50's and segregation behind, and that was generally their job title...but as you know, they were not thought the less of for being porters, or black...they were part of the family, as much as and maybe more than the rest of us, because they had been there long before any of us got there...If I HAD to go back to any one point in time, "Groundhog Day", I would want it to be that stretch of 4 years I worked at the grocery store...

Marion was a rather large rotund guy...smoked, as did most guys back then, and seemed nervous...He married a girl in the neighborhood named Cynthia, and the last name escapes me...she had a sister or two...Jimmie Sue Might remember some of the people  in the neighborhood back then...I think she lived on DeLange...Jimmie Sue that is...

Hey Johnny, Jerry Faigle had an older brother, Charles...Charles had wavy black hair, and Jerry had a blonde burr cut, at least methinks that was the case...Jerry was very muscular and powerfully built, and seemed to be a football player, or coach...Charles seemed to me to be much more of a business man type person...at least that is how my mind catagorized folks back in them hey days, hey....But no matter which type folks were, they were all great people...at least thats how I remember them....Buddy Luke Woods was one of our co-workers, and was there before I showed up...one of the finest young men ever...I tried to emulate his working skills and habits...come to think of it, most everyone at that store was a hard and cheerful worker...

Gary Draper had 6 brothers and their family owned a Dairy Farm somewhere around Antoine and Little York...I remember the year I went to Aldine Jr high, 1958, we caught the bus at 6 AM, on Viking and Costa Rica...then we headed through the neighborhood, and then out on Antoine, and proceeded to pick up all the Farmers kids...When we got to the Draper Farm, I remember 7 brothers and maybe a sister or two lined up at the end of their driveway and all filed onto the bus...It's amazing how much different it looks today than it did back then...night and day...

That bus ride took 1 hour and some change, winding around the back country roads, picking up this farmers son, and that farmers daughter...then out on to highway 75 and then off again to let some of the kids off at the HS, then east again on somemore back roads, some of them dirt and or shale...of course the way I tell it to the kids, is "we walked to school, barefoot, 20 miles, uphill both ways, in a blizzard, after we slopped the hogs, fed the chickens, chopped the firewood, threw the morning paper, built a barn, repaired the fences, brought in the horses and milked the cows...and all before we went to school each morning...

I imagine some of those farmers sons and daughters, did most all of the above for real, except walk 20 miles to school, uphill both ways in a blizzard...barefoot...although I never looked at anyones feet, some may have just been bare footed...

Good memories all...I sure do miss the country store atmosphere that we enjoyed back then...

DOD

Paige Talley (Meek)

 Barefoot... as soon as school was out for the summer I only wore shoes to church on Sunday unless Daddy was taking us to the lumber yard on Saturday mornings or Mom was taking us to Foley's downtown. Mom probably made me wear shoes more than that, but I am sticking to my story! Don't get me wrong, I love shoes and have many a pair of the delightful foot gear. I did envy the girls that got to wear skinny sole loafers. Mom made sure that my feet would last until I was a least 65 and thus I got to wear Stride-Rite thick soled leather loafers. To her credit I am 65 and still have feet. It was my Daddy who finally took me to buy some skinny sole black suede loafers. He took pity on me since I was in High School and Mom was still putting me in kid's shoes! Buster Brown and his dog Ty didn't make it to Waltrip with me but I still sneaked a Saturday morning peak at "plunk your magic twanger Froggy".

When I got to the island in Belize I took my shoes off and only put them back on when piloting or going to the mainland. Today, I have summer sandals and winter sandals and bare feet. A couple of winters ago I dug out the hiking boots (well I went Big Hill climbing in Utah) and some high heel black boots. Since then I have added a couple of pair of those platform-3 inch high heels (for church  ya know)

Barefoot'n brings memories of tree climbing, running on the beach, just one more run of red-rover before Mom called us inside for dinner or mud between my toes and up to my ankles while catching crawfish with a string and bacon. I am pretty sure that I was barefoot when I rode behind Wayne Lake on that scooter ... I still have the scar from burning my leg on that muffler or tailpipe or something hot on that scotter.

Jerry Jeff Walker wrote a song down in Belize about packing up the bathing suits; getting out the cowboy boots... it must be time for headin' home. I suppose good times leave good memories and then it's time to come in for dinner...

"I'm coming, Mom"

Hugs, Paige

Beau Wann, Jr.

Barefoot Paige Honey!!!!!!  That was Wayne that was hot on that scooter that you burned your leg on...I use to like to go barefoot, that is before I had THA ACCIDENT ! ! ! I was about 8 or 7 or 9, somewheres around PP, (pre puberty), and I was running amok down where??? Down on DuBarry, where else!!! You know, how some of the houses back then, had a wooden fence built coming out the side of the house, made to look like it was part of the house????? Well, the house next door was like that. Me and Jeff, the kid next door, were playing cowboys and indians, or WWII or some such imagination driven scenario. We were running barefoot, hither and yon, to and fro, when we spotted the enemy across the street in the Morrows iron ore driveway. Jeff jumped the built on fence at his house to escape the bullets or arrows, so I followed suit...just like the cowboys or soldiers on one of the two TV channels we had, where they would put their hands on the object, and then swing both legs over and voila, your behind the fence, boulder, water trough etc...

Somehow, in the whole wide whirld, there was a splinter, just waiting to invade somewhere in my person...yup!!!! MY BIG TOE ! ! ! But, not just my toe, but under my big toenail all the way to the quick. I immediately suspected something was wrong...I was a semi-bright kid back in my injun fightin days...There was pain....yes, pain...not the crying type, but the kinda realization pain that makes you realize that tha REAL pain hadnt actually started...just the mind pain that comes with knowing in your mind that a visit to good ol Doc Gould was sure to follow, and that was never a good thing...

I tried to hide it later on, by wearing shoes, and maybe nobody would notice...that woulda worked, cept for the limp..."whasa matter with your foot boy", I heard someone say..."oh, nothing, just stubbed my toe", was my reply...

Dang, and my dad and I and the rest of the Wild Bunch were going to go target shooting down at some river or bayou....you could actually do that back then, and not get arrested or shot...seems there were'nt too many gun ranges cept the river banks back in them DuBarry days...Well, I tuffed it out and limped through the excursion into Samuel Colts whirld...
Got back to DuBarry, when my dad said, "you better let me look at your stumped toe"...how did parents know when something was serious and when something wasnt????

I dont know why I thought that the splinter would go away, and everything would be ok, but thats what I thought...remember now, I was a semi-bright kid...So my dad takes my shoes and socks off, and sees right away the offending "stumped toe"...you could actually see the splinter under my toenail, probably an inch or so long..."yup, you really did it this time" dad said...
Yup, apparently I did...seems I was always in the habit of "really doing it this time" so many times, even the "really bad things" got to be ho hum...

"Margaret", my dad hollared to my mom, "Gonna have to take ol tree stump here to Doc Goulds" he finished off...ANTICIPATION TEARS...oh man, I was snifflin and snortin and blurry eyed and doing some silent whining...my dad didnt allow outloud whining...so here we go, piled into the 51 ford headed for certain death for sure...that was one time I wished good ol doc goulds office was on the other side of the whirld...but noooooooo, only up to ella and 43rd, tucked away in the corner of the small shopping center just down from Fairchilds Mens shop, and next to Marks Jewelers....

We go inside, me limpin of course, and Frankie, good Ol Doc Goulds chief nurse, cook and bottle washer, noticed me limpin..."got a problem with your foot" she says....back then, I wasnt a smart alleck, like now, or I woulda uttered, "no, it's Saturday, and I allus limp on Saturdays", or some such REAL SEMI-BRIGHT remark..."howdy Harold" Frankie said to my dad, "yall sit down and Doctor Gould will be right with you" ...Man, I was hopin good ol Doc Gould would get called away on brain surgery, or some such emergency, then I would get a reprieve of sorts...funny how the mind of a "semi-bright" kid works aint it...

"Ok Mr Wann, yall go on back" I heard Frankie say...."WHINE WHINE WHINE" that is until I got "the look" from my dad..."the no whining look, or I'll give you something to whine about Look"
Good ol Doc Gould tells me to jump up on the table, or whatever it was called, and takes a look at the offending appendage..."boy, you really did it this time didnt you" says good Ol Doc Gould...  How many times I was gonna hear that phrase, was infinity times pi...and that didnt include the times I would actually say to my self, "boy, you really did it this time", like the time I stepped off the airplane in San Diego into the waiting arms of my new best friend and mother, MY DRILL INSTRUCTOR...but I digress...seems us "semi-bright"kids do that alot...

Any way, Good ol Doc Gould pulls out his barlow knife, bowie knife, machete, samuri sword etc, and just grins and chuckles, like I was to hear him do for 40 years of "boy you really did it this time" (great bedside manner)..."ok, we'll have this fixed up in no time" he says...I also noticed Frankie standing behind him looking over his shoulder with a 55 gallon drum of alcohol, ready to throw on me and kill me along with the germs she was so famous for killing...I wonder if she was kin to Lizzie Borden???? Well, anyway, ol Doc Gould commenced to cuttin and diggin and I was whinning and crying, outloud, and I didnt care about who noticed it, or about getting the "no whinning and crying allowed glare" from my dad or anyone else either eyether, neither neyether, also too...

He cut a V into my toenail, and there was the offending log...grabs his tweezers, and plucked, or pulled the giant sequoia red wood forest out from under my big toe...Then Frankie moves in and drowns me, big toe and all in a hunert gallons of alcohol...more pain and sufferin, will this day never end???? I didnt even get the courtesy of a "war wound bandage". Just a, "keep it from getting TOO DIRTY, or you'll be back for me to amputate your leg, up to your "semi-bright" blonde head"says good ol Doc Gould, joking and laughin with my dad...I didint even know what "amputate" meant, but I knew it didnt sound good...probably let Frankie stuff me in one of her many 55 gallon drums of alcohol, and just pickle for a while...I do that from the inside now, with Jack Daniels, my best friend...

I think it cost 2 dollars for an office visit back then, and that was a lot of money, that my dad wasnt gonna get back, because "I really did it this time" ...
Got home, and went immediately to my room, the back porch, and hid under the covers and fell asleep to the sounds of the sun setting, crickets cricketing, frogs froggin, dogs barking in the distance, and the sound of whatever TV show was on one of the two channels back in them good ol "Du Barrry, boy you really did it this time" days...

Me go barefoot???? I dont think so...I got real acquainted with steel toed boots real quick, and wear em to this day...OH, the one time I went barefoot, a couple a years back, yall may remember, I stumped my "this little piggy got none" toe on the same foot as the log under the toe nail, and broke "this little piggy got none" toe...now it's all bent and crooked, and I had such beautiful feet too...I could of been a foot model for sure...no more stone bruises looking for my foot...

Nope, it's steel toe boots for me...
Your frien and brother, the semi-bright "ya really done it this time" kid
Ol DOD...

Beau Wann, Jr.

Good Sunday Morrow to youse youtes...it's me again margaret!!! Coming to you from high atop the mountains in beautiful downtown Oak Forestville...why you ask??? Cant sleep!!!! Duh, there's a real shocker, eh!!!! Been trying to do some spring cleaning...worked on one ceiling fan, cleaning the glass doodads that house the bulbs...even cleaned the bulbs...then went out and bought new white frosted alabaster glass doodads that house the bulbs, and even bought new bulbs...bub...

Cant do as much as I'd like to, or what I use to do...work a little, rest a lot...work a little, rest somemore...Been trying to get the little woman to hire a maid, but then we'd have to clean the house before she got here...wouldnt want her to see a mess, now would we...and round and round she goes, where she stops, nobodys nose...welll, I suppose I knows my nose is where it goes when smelling a rose, and so it goes...

Already had a couple O cups O coffee this morn, and some Apple Carmel (although some spell it Caramel) Cake...got all the cats and dogs stirred up...been up since 1 am....fell asleep at 7 watching some football game....is it football season already???? man, how time flies when your having cake and eating it too...

Maybe I'll fall asleep here in a short while...but then I run the risk of missing church...maybe I can get church come to my house...maybe I could get the congregation to clean this mess up...I think they should, dont you??? It'd be the christian think to do...

Ok, getting sleepy...watching LSU beat Ole Miss...again two days in a row  too...Ole Archie Manning is rolling over in his luxury box...I allus liked him...wished he would do well...both sons have won super bowls, and the oldest son, Michael, I think thats his name, well, they say he was better at football than both Payton and Eli, but a career ending injury sidelined him for good...Probably lucky he doesnt play...I dont know if the money is worth all the pain and suffering they go through in the off season, and when their career is over with...very few come out unscathed...

Why, just look at me, I didnt even play, and I hurt...so, see there, how bad football is...

oh, you, you you...thats just udder nonsense...I wonder if we have anymilk that hasnt turned into sour cream....hmmmmm, lessee....maybe I'll make a chocolate malt, that should do the trick, make me sleepy...they say that milk and turkey helps you sleep...we have a frozen turkey in the fridge, maybe I'll just go bight a chunk out O it....probably fall asleep with the fridge door open...did that once....froze my toze...

say goodnight bub...GOODNIGHT BUB...er good morning bub...
your frien and night owl, (is there a day owl?) DOD
Attila the Hon ey...not barefoot eyether...

Wayne Lake

First of all, I would like to formerly apologize to Paige for the unfortunate scooter accident but I would also point out that I was just a ‘poor paper boy’ that lived on Sherwood Lane and my only means of affording parts was revenue from my route. Therefore, exhaust repair was a piece of flex pipe attached with hose clamps (from Hi-Lo) so that it really was not my fault, being a product of my impoverished environment (at least this is how it would be viewed at this time). Actually, I had conveniently forgotten about this painful accident as it evidently hurt Paige more than me.

 Secondly, I would like to say that I was NOT a 15 year old abuser/molester of little girls (that was primarily in later stages of my life).   And besides, I would never intentionally harm Paige as she was known as the ‘Bow n’Arrow Annie Oakly’ of our neighborhood.  A few more comments on this subject; when my little red 5 HP Cushman scooter failed which was often, I saddled up ol’Coalie and delivered my papers horseback on my S & R saddle, I usually rode the scooter barefoot and still have the scars to prove it. I think I only wore shoes during summer on Sat night when we visited my Grandmother in the Heights and on Sunday morning to Mangum Baptist Church Sunday School.  

Finally, Harold/Beau Wann, you either have a fantastic memory or most vivid imagination of anyone around or both. Please continue to keep us entertained.  

Finally/finally I wish all a safe and Happy Thanksgiving,

From League City, the largest city in Galveston County (go figure),

wtl 

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Just wanted to spread the word that another Waltripite has had a novel published.  Leonard Critcher's book, Drawing the Line, is available on Amazon.  If you'd like to get an autographed copy, go to his Facebook page and he's got instructions on his blog.  I read part of the first chapter on his website and it seems to be somewhat autobiographical - starts in 1964 in Louisiana.

Also, saw on Sheryl Knght's Facebook page that her daughter Kim's cancer has returned after having been in remission for quite some time.  She had ovarian cancer.

We also need to pray for Lindsey Apostolo.  Her cancer trials have led her into sooooo much pain of late, and because of bone fractures, she's using a walker and still battling hard.

John Burgess Webb

when i find myself bowing under the pain i suffer;news of others with insidious maladies such as kim and lindseys' makes me ashamed that i complain.as i still have belief;my thoughts and prayers are better suited for them.god is unending love and the things we never understand touch the heart of even someone like me who feels undeserving much of the time and accepts pain as a consequence of my own actions.lindsey and kim,keep fighting;many pray for your recovery.sheryl and skeeter;keep up the watch and comfort for your daughters.

burge

Paige Talley (Meek)

 Wayne, your heart felt (it was hear felt - right?) apology is accepted. I was so excited about getting to ride on a  "motorcycle" that the "war wound" was an honor to bare... kinda. 

Days in the estates were fun and funny most of the time. A creek (fancy ditch) meandered through our back yard and in front of the Beard's house; crossed under the road and on down to the bayou. Of course we had a rope swing from the high side. I could get a bare-foot hold as high up as possible without climbing on the Big Tree then jump onto the knot. Gravity did its thing and out I'd fly around to the bridge, push off and try to get back to the starting tree root.

Well as creeks are known to do during/after a Sunday morning downpour, the stream filled to + capacity. This would have been just fine for watching, but my cousins were up from Deer Park where the smell had just about killed all the trees and you wouldn't dare swim in the ditch in front of their house. We children were out runnin' and splashin'  when we decided it would be a great idea to swing across the rushing rapids of said + capacitated creek. Did I mention that my cousins did NOT bring play clothes and were still in their Sunday Go To Meeting garb !!! You guessed it... after several successful flights, the old rope gave way just a ways above the knot. Three kids in mid flight kerplunked right in the middle of the + capacitated creek. 

Parents back in the day didn't get to bothered to much about kids swimming in the creek, but the Sunday Bests was another story. We were all about the same give or take a size or two, so with borrowed clothes (why didn't they think of that in the first place) we were soon back outside - runnin' and splashin' now with string and bacon to entice the crawdads up. As I remember the crawdad race was fun until someone got pinched to blood and it was time for the cousins to start the long trip back to Deer Park.

That reminds me of the time my sister and I went down the + capacitated bayou in Alief in a number 2 washtub... 

As much as I am thankful for the memories of the fear and fun of our youth, I am so very blessed this Thanksgiving with Family, Richard, Friends and all the ones they love that have touched my life and made it better for the knowing of them. It is a privilege to be counted among those that are included in "the praying for" and "the prayed for" by those called Waltripians. May your days be blessed to + capacity.

Happy Thanksgiving

Barefoot Rain Player

Paige 

Robert Derrick

Beau. Teddie, Paige, Wayne, et al

How do you remember the names of your sackers at the grocery store???? I admire you. Best I can remember is Winston's Grocery at the end of Milwee at Hempstead Hwy. Most of you kids did not venture that far out of Oak Forest. Seemed like a long way back then. It was next to Turners Hardware which is still there today, owned and operated by our fellow classmate Clyde Pettit.

HuH guess I can still remember a little bit.

John Burgess Webb

enjoy and give thanks;we need both to show who we are,love and peace with a strong resolve.

burge

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Good evening all,

Well, hope all had a good Thanksgiving day!  For myself, went to a friend's house in Bedias, TX and we had 3 turkeys and all the trimmings....way too much for this girl!  Must have gained 5 lbs. again!  Been gone for a week and it is so nice to just get all the doggies home and to rest in clean sheets in my lil ole home!  Captain, the cat was sure glad to see me...gave him 3 frozen shrimp....he was happy!  Touched base with my sis and her guy, we all chilled out on the porch (which I've named Michael's porch in honor of the last time he rode all over it during construction last Xmas...couldn't get him off of it, as well as the big folks!) we all had a few beers, went down to the pond and saw the beavers are still residing,  and I'm calling it a night!   The week off has been very welcome....and back to work on Monday!   Will be watching the Texans on Sunday, of course....Aggies had a heart-breaker, although they tried, should have got those 2 points and they let Texas run the ball to the field goal line and viola they won! DRAT!

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Yea....Texans won today.....heard from my pastor over the weekend...I am so blessed to have wonderful christian people in my life...yes, Beau!  Need I go further?

Richard Meek '65

Good morning fellow Waltripians. Hope everyone had a great  Thanksgiving.. We had a nice trip to Ft. Worth to spend Turkey Day with family. It was great to good weather. Our two trips last year in Nov. and Feb. it was cold and windy. It snowed on the February trip. but this one was great. Came back to H town and took Miss Paige for a surprise dinner at the Lancaster Bistro and then went to The Nutcracker. She had never seen it live so we both enjoyed the evening. Even the weather cooperated. It was chilly and misty. It was a wintry feeling walking from the restaurant to Wortham Theater. A good evening that will bring good memories in the future. It was a great setup to get in the Christmas spirit.

Everyone have a really good week.

Rich LH

Keep on dancing

John Burgess Webb

good going rich;the nutcracker is a masterpiece,the coffee song is one of my favorites but everybody has thier own.hope you and paige enjoy the same things and and always enjoy each other.make master rich and the red headed pirate the talk of the town.when you get to the tango,let us know.

burge

Scotty Croom

lets remember johnny gregg this morning...he passed away in vietnam nov. 26,1968...hard to believe it has been 43 yrs...i was there at the same time...he just turned 21 that sept...will visit his grave this week...

Paige Talley (Meek)

Now from a girls point of view...

Several weeks ago when the Thanksgiving holiday was planned and a trip to Ft Worth was confirmed, Richard said we needed to be back on Friday to pickup the dog. UGH!!! Then he just happen to ask if I would like to go out on Saturday for a surprise and oh, by the way, I might want to dress-up. O'Boy did my attitude about getting "that dog" change abruptly to O'Boy, picking up Liz so the poor doggy wouldn't have to spend one more night in that stinkin' ole doggy hotel...  I was looking forward to the surprise all during Turkey and Dressing, forgot about it during pumpkin pie, apple pie and buttery something or other; got back on track when Uncle Marvin's western swing recordings of Bob Wills broadcast from the back porch. I know that some of you might wonder at the progression from Turkey to Pie to Bob Wills, but just consider the source.  Anyway the "Liz" was happy to be "there's no place like home's backyard" and Saturday was finally here. The mood for a Holiday Surprise was set with a slight wintery chill in the air as the carriage arrived to wisk us away to ??? the historic Lancaster Restaurant in the old RedLight district of Houston (you'll have to ask Richard about that bit of triva).

Dinner -- Wise Men -- OMGosh !!!

Tickets to the Ballet

Dr. Zhivago. Sonya Henie, Heidi, Princess Paige... each played their part as we walked the path through the snow just as the lamp lighter ... Ok, Ok but there was that chill in the air as we walked down the street past the Alley  Theater with its display of Christmas Trees, across the way, up to the Wortham and into the fantasy of...

The Nutcracker

I do hope that your Holiday Season is off to a wonderful beginning with ...

Thankfulness 

Family

Love

Abundance

Romance

&

Joy

Hugs, Paige

p.s. Thank you Richard...YLHRBBB

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Scotty, Johnny Gregg was a personal friend of mine and when learning of his death in Vietnam, it brought the hard sobering reality of war.  He was the cutest, nicest friend.  My hat is off to him for his courageousness in representing and unfortunately dying for our country. 

Thank you for the remembrance.

Hey Paige-girl, I think you and the Scotsman are gonna have a great time!  It certainly sounds as though you are on the path...Dorothy.....keep on dancin!

John Burgess Webb

kay,when i think of vietnam and those like johnny who were killed in that hellish war;i remember them as kids,just trying with all our might to be men.those of us that came home were old and sad before our time.i think about them every day.we laughed at death then as a coping mechanism;something was lost within us when one who we had known and fought with fell.be thankful every day that we have seen and felt so much.it was so many years ago yet most of us that came home from vietnam still remember it like it was just yesterday.thanks for remembering and thank scotty for reminding us.

semper fidelis

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Amen, Burge!!  We remember all who served and those that gave the greatest sacrifice - their lives.  However, we also pray for all that returned -- the scars (physically and mentally) will always be there (as you well know).

I faced Vietnam from the other side -- my husband (ex now), Don Reed, was in Vietnam 68-69 - longest year of my life!!   And only communication was snail mail - letters and recorded tapes that took what a week or 2 to receive.  I still have all his tapes, couldn't record over them.  I also have a scrap book with all the war news articles and calendar marking off the days!  It was an ugly war - I'm thankful he returned home - but a changed man.

And you've seen on my profile my son, Doug, served in the Marines as Force Recon and was the first group to go into Iraq in March 2003.  That was the hardest --- your child and no communication and the unknowing of what they would face - for months only news I had was through TV and the embedded reporters.  I thank God everyday that he returned home safely.

God Bless our veterans and military ---

Hugs,

J

Beau Wann, Jr.

It's me again margaret ! ! !  Hey Sister Jackie, the "Add Response" changed !!!! Is that good??? I hope so, I dont like change...I have a hard enough time with what I know, let alone, something new...Way to go Rich, make the restofus look bad...Paige, you lucky Lady...now my wife wants to go to see the nutcracker...can we see it from my bike???? Diane didnt think it was too funny when I asked her if she wanted to see the nutcracker, and then whip one out of the kitchen drawer... Whats next, Holliday on Ice????? It's a charlie brown christmas on ice???? Tha chipmunks on ice???? Maybe I can get the cement pond to freeze over this winter and we can have Ram 64 on Ice..already got lawnmower under water....In fact, I'm sorta on ice at tha moment...found ice to be better at alleviating pain...I'm typing this from the freezer now as I type...had to move the Colin Street Bakery FRUIT CAKES over...would you believe I still have about 3 of those bad boys left???? Methinks they be multiplying...

Gosh, aint nothing better than fruit cake and something on ice, hopefullly a little John Daniels Honey over ice...
Got some Ice Packs on my back and hips and knees and ankles, and shoulders and neck...generally I'm packed in hot rice bags...now it's Ice...NOBODY TOLD ME IT WAS GONNA BE THIS WAY...! ! ! ! Hot cold, hot cold, cant wait to get cornfused, and stuff one of these ice packs in the microwave...KABLEWIE...Well, whatever works eh what...

Happy birthday to all the November kids out there, and now all the December kids...Already December foist, in 2 and one half hours...where does the time go???

You know, I had a lot of jobs to do, to have a successful Thanksgiving dinner...most of em minor things, but any thing that I can complete with the least of problems, is a major victory for me...I mean it, if I can take 3 steps without stumbling, and or spilling my coffee, or dinner, or set out to find something, and find it, before I forget what the heck I'm looking for...small things to most folks, but MAJOR VICTORIES FOR ME... well, I carved the turkey just right, (I give turkey carving lessons) (3 turkeys Kay????)  I made the tea, and enough coffee to last the entire day, did the cleaning, and shopping etc, and all with relative ease and success...man I was on a roll...even made biscuits...

But my MAINEST JOB, was to say GRACE before dinner...yup, that was my mainest job...when It's my job to say grace, if I know in advance, like this thanksgiving, and the previous thanksgivings for 30 years, I start practicing in my head on just what I'm gonna pray about, oh sometime a few weeks prior to the big event...we all know to give thanks for our many blessings, thats a no brainer...give thanks for good health, and for Gods Healing Grace for those that are a ailing...you know, the usual prayer, bless all those present, and those absent, we hope to return, and those that have made that final journey to sit at the table of Christ...yes sir, I summoned all the "speech" skills from Mrs Kahlas' speech class...and proper speaking etiquette from Mrs Simpson...you'd think I'd get it right, with two of the finest teachers this side of Heaven...BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...not me, ol numbskull...I LET EM DOWN, AND YOU OUGHTEN TO LET MRS SIMPSON OR MRS KAHLA DOWN, EVER...but I did...

Yup, the big moment arrives, I am standing at the head of the table, all join hands..."ahem" I says..."Heavenly Father..." and thats when it went to DuBarry in a handbasket...I mean, my mind went blank, and I sounded like Ppppppporky Pppppppig in a covered wagon going full speed down a bumpy road....I got out a couple of thank you Lords for something, and  bless this and that, and none of it made sense...I WAS HORRIFIED...I dont know if the Lord was just messin with me for fun, or if the Devil had reared his ugly self...I was pretty much inefective as THE GRACE SAYER...

The above, is the Gospel truth, as I live and breathe...I have never had that much trouble in my life speaking, let alone saying a prayer...well, there was that one time  in a native village, somewhere in the Pacific far west, but the right reverand allowed that the communion wine was a tad strong for that particular Sunday, due to the late harvest of grapes...that day...

With the exception of the pppppppporky ppppppppig ppppppprayer, we got through dinner ok...nobody choked on anything, except my "offerin" ...one year, my brother in law got a piece of turkey lodged in his gullet, and I had to perform cpr...he was a rather big, uh, man...could hardly get my arms locked around his middle...but all ended well...

I think this year will be our last year to hold Thanksgiving at our house...Nobody else in the family is interested in having it either...sad, it's my favorite holliday too...no one to pass it on to...looks like it's Lubys for us from now on..It's just too hard on us to have it here...not to mention my stupid brain messin up "Grace"...I still cant believe it...Oh well, I could be a lawnmower at the bottom of the cement pond, so there are worser things...

Your frien and Brother,
The right reverand DOD...speaker extrodinaire ly inept

Teddie Jordan

Hey Beau, don't feel bad, I've done the same thing several times in the past when offering the before meal blessing at family gatherings at our house. In my case I almost always blew it when I got to the remembering of family who had passed on and were with us that day in spirit. I would quickly become overwhelmed with emotion and start babbling and bawling like an idiot. Since then I started asking my son-in-law or one of my daughters and now even one of the grandkids to offer the blessing, and they do a much better job.

Richard Meek '65

Howdy Waltripians. I hope your week is going well. Beau you better be careful about that little trick of asking DW if she wants to see the Nutcracker. She's likely to use that little gizmo on you. Now come on guys you need to take those fine ladies you keep company with on at least one romantic outing during the holidays. For example Paige got to go to the Lancaster Bistro and The Nutcracker last weekend. This weekend she gets to go to the UH game at Robertson Stadium and have pizza and  beer. I mean how much better can it get, right? All that red and white out there. . .it's really festive!

Now about Paige's comment that we were in the former redlight district. According to a little historical display at the Lancaster Hotel, that section of town around the mid to late 1800s was called The Hollow (because there was a large gully than ran into Buffalo Bayou). There were several wooden "Boarding Houses for Women" where The Lancaster Hotel, The Alley Theatre and Wortham Center now sit. According to the U.S. Census most of the residents occupations were listed as "prostitute". I think around the end of the century (19th that is) the city fathers decided that they should clean up down business district. So the Red light district was moved west to what would later be the location of Allen Parkway Village (Houston's fist public housing project). It was called "The Reserve". So there is a little Houston History for you.

Keep on dancing,

Rich LH

Dance Like No One Is Watching

Robert Derrick

Beau and Teddie,

Thanks for sharing those inter most secrets.  I thought I was the only person to mess up a Thanksgiving blessing.

Beau Wann, Jr.

WELL GLORY BE ! ! ! ! !  YOU MEAN I HAINT THE ONLIEST ONE TO MESS UP???? Gee, I thought I had the bottom O the barrel sewed up as far as messin up...Man, and I'm in great company too, Teddie and Robert...wow...I dont feel so bad now, thanks guys for "manin up", and heppin a brother out...Like you, Teddie, I forget names, unless it's grandpa and grandma, and aunt and uncle so and so... saying those  titles, generally covers lots O people...yeah, I get a little blubbery too sometimes...wear my emotions on my apron...I can generally have the whole dinner party sheddin crocodile tears...but, I think it's just from hunger pains...sometimes I do go on...dont I???? Nah, my posts are all short and to the point...Yeah, and so was the novel WAR AND PEACE...

Hey Rich the LH, just this past weekend I took the little woman out...we went to Angies for lunch, and then went to BASS PRO SHOP, and she got to see the fish in the aquarium there, and shop to her hearts content...I know she enjoyed that...got her some great looking camo ear rings and necklace...onliest thing is, I dropped em in the grass and now cant find em...did find a grass snake, but she said she really didnt want it when I tried to hand it to her...It was hard to hear what she was saying on the other side of the parking lot, but me being the semi-sharp prodigy from DuBarry, I sorta figured it out....she gives great hand signals...but not to worry...there's other things...got her some ammo for one of her bazookas, and other great "girlie" things...HA, and you thought I didnt do the same for DW as you do with Paige...and, there's a gun show this weekend...the frivolity just never ends at our house...

I reported that I did cpr on my brother in law a couple O thanksgivings ago, but it was the heimlich maneuver...and it wasnt me, though I assisted...it was my father in law who performed it on my brother in law...I knew it was some maneuver....who was ol Heimlich anyhow????

My back felt like it had an arrow stuck in it all day...sat in the icemaker for awhile...why is it that cold weather makes me hurt, but ice on the hurts, makes em not hurt???? Lorda mighty, that kinda thinkin just burns a hole in my thinking cap...remember that???? " yall put on yalls thinkin caps" yall hear"...or woids to that defect...

Got the ol Christmas tree up and partially decorated...DW says it's leanin a touch....so I offered that "trees dont grow straight in the forest, now do they?"...I got the teacher look, and a directive to "straighten it"!!!!! Oh great, now I gotta play lumberjack... I break out the chainsaw and  transit and level and plumb bob...bob, and try to straighten er up...I stuck one of the smaller ornaments under one of the legs, and it worked too, till DW, as luck would have it, started lookin for that very ornament..."here it is, under one of the legs", she exclaimed with pure joy..."how did it get there I wonder", she said, I just shrugged my shoulders, and shook my head, and said, "gee, I wonder too"...she took it out from under the leg, and the tree was leaning again..."hey" I said, "did you feel that"? "Felt like an earthquake to me. Now look, that dang tree is leanin again" says I.  Boy howdy, did I get the teacher look...

Well, I'm still tryin to plumb that tree up to snuff...guess I'll probably succeed somewheres around New Years...maybe I'll just chunk er in the cement pond..."WHAT??? HOWD THAT THANG GET THAR" I'll exclaim...and then probably wind up having to stay at someone else's house till Easter....I'm just glad they dont have Easter Trees, or else I'd be plumbin that one up too...I dont think God has that much trouble gettin a tree to grow straight...well of course not idgit, he's GOD...

I dont know how my beloved knows which ornament is missing and which ones arent..."Oh, remember this ornament? It's the very first one we bought together." she says... I remind her that I cant remember if I ate breakfast this morning, let alone remember some obscure dippy dopy ornament some 30 years ago...Perhaps "obscure and dippy dopy,", woulda been better left out of that sentence I spoke at her...In hindsight, now I can see that to be the case...but she understands about my "obscure and dippy dopy" brain...I tell her I use to be a Roads Scholar... (yes I know, it's spelled wrong...but for me, NO) the Roads was DuBarry and Oak Forest...

Well, guess I'll sing off for now "BADIA BADIA BADIA, THATS ALL FOLKS"

your frien and brother and partime lumberjack and engineer,
the right reverand DOD