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Teddie Jordan

Jan, I'm just glad the kids got to go and whatever activities they participate in it will be a good lifetime memory for them.

An update on sister in law Linda Webster, she continues to make good progress after a liver transplant on December 18. On our visit to the doctors on Friday morning she was told that she is released for a month and could return to her home in Austin. The previous week he had told her that was a possibility and also released her to drive.

So Friday afternoon we went over to sister Judy's house, where Linda had been living  for a year awaiting the surgery, and loaded, and I do mean loaded, all of her clothes and belongings that she still had there. We then came back to our house, where she has been staying since the surgery, and loaded her things from here. Let's just say that Linda probably doesn't need any more clothes or bags for a while.

Yesterday morning, Saturday, we set out for Austin with Fran driving Linda's car and me driving my Excursion with Gus as my co-pilot, both pretty much fully loaded. It honestly felt similar to when we took each of our daughters off for their freshman year of college. Happy for them and the milestone, but a little apprehensive about them being OK on their own. In Linda's case we are thankful she has a host of friends, classmates, and family in the Austin area, and we know that she will be well watched over.

We continue to thank God for all of her friends and classmates who have prayed for her and encouraged her, and certainly for the doctors and nurses and medical technicians for their expertise and caring. And we thank God especially for the donor and for his family.

Linda is back with her PC capability in Austin and will also have her wireless capabilty there, which we never could get to work here, and should once more be able to receive your messages through this and the other class websites.

Thank you all and thanks to God.

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Teddie, thanks for the update on Linda.  Wow, the miracles of prayer and modern medicine.  Who would have believed that she'd be this far along so quickly and now back in her home.  We'll all continue our prayers for Linda's continued improvement, and now, I'll continue to pray for you and Francine to have some time of rest and decompression.  Y'all took on a whole lot of responsibility for Linda and nursed her through this recovery time.  But, I understand your concern, Teddie, about her being out from under your watchful care.  Just know we're all with you, Francine, Judy, Mrs. Webster and Linda's family in praying for her not to overdo and to continue to progress in her recovery.

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Such good news about Linda!  Thanks for the update, Teddie, and words well-written Jimmie Lee!  She and I have had a shopping trip planned in the Austin area since we moved here and we are really going to get to do it!  Sounds like I have chosen a great lady to go shopping with!

For a brief update on my mother - I moved her to a rehab facility in southwest Houston this past Tuesday.  After getting meds situated and a diet she could handle she seems to be doing pretty well.  She is in Solera of Northwest Houston and is getting excellent care.  I came home on Wednesday and they have been proactive in keeping me updated on her condition and any changes in her care.  Their main concern right now is edema in her legs and she has congestive heart failure.  She has been on a diuretic for years for edema/CHF, but they took her off of it while she was in the hospital with my objections, hence the problem returned.  The dr at Solera put her back on it on Thursday, so we are hoping we will have some positive results with leg swelling going down soon!  It worked before, so it should work again - right?  I'll be taking her to her surgeon on Wed. afternoon, then will be meeting with the social worker on Thurs. morning.  

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!  Please keep them coming!  I have had so many supportive comments from several of you via the Message Forum and my personal e-mail.  It is so true that it seems like every time I have a question or a concern someone who has been through this before me has an answer or a suggestion.  We are truly connected and it is a blessing!

Beau Wann, Jr.

Fine afternoon to ya...fixin to get on Pegasus and charge up the batteries, and probably be ggood for the bike too.  Just heard from my beloved that one of the members of our church, had his home vandalized yesterday or last night...details are sketchy...he is a Marine veteran of WWII, with battles under his belt like Guam and other exotic pacific Isles, receiving the PURPLE HEART, for shedding his blood on one or more of em...

The entire inside of his house, furniture and all was spray painted by a couple O fine teenagers, that of course were just excercising their artistic ability. They have since been caught! Wish I'd a caught em, I'd probably be the one in jail! I feel that a good lawyer (an oxymoron) should be able to get them a fair size monetary settlement from that mean ol marine, for making them WANT to do something like that, just because...plus, they're probably misunderstood, and their self esteem has been damaged by...whoknows what...

The marines name is Mr Woods, and he lives on Viking just shy of Mangum. I hear tell the news has been there, and even one of the radio personalities has interviewed him. Our pastor has been there, and I also hear tell that 40 ACTIVE DUTY Marines are on the way to his house to see if there is anything they can do. Got a call into my contractor son, Billy to see if he could ramrod a painting crew, and I'm on the way over there now, to see if they have any menial taskes an old deaf dumb and blind man can perform.

see yall later...your frien and brother Jabber Rocky...

Robert Derrick

Beau, I happen to catch most of that interview of Mr woods by Michael Barry on his radio show this morning. He is one of those far right wingnut conservatives trying to organize local support to help Mr. Woods repair all the damage to his home ,post haste. Why didn't he just call a local liberal TV station (any one) and they would have notified government officals and within a year or two, they would have gone out and asked him to file a claim for some kind of relief from one of their many entitlement programs. Just wondering............

Scotty Croom

saw on news ...marines have landed in western oak forest...wwiii vet will get help from corp....mattress mack sent him a new living roon suite...

Beau Wann, Jr.

Hey Robert, Berry aint no far right wing nut...I'M A FAR RIGHTWING NUT ANTI-OXIDENT HOOCHY KOOCHY DANCER LOVER...

"From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli..." Yup, the Marines have landed for sure...Rode Pegasus over there the few short blocks from the wanndarosa, and lo and behold, no help needed...went inside, and the house was full of marines and contractors and media types...3, countem, 3 news vans were outside, and cameras were everywhere, and even ran into Michael Berry inside...Saw Mr Woods in his chair, and a Marine officer, looked like with my bad eyesight, to be a Lt Col. Talked to a Chief Corpsman E-7, a Marines best friend, and he and I reminised about the Navy and old times. I was actually out of the Navy before he was born, but we wont go there! ! !

Anyway, that mean ol Michael Berry got the ball rolling and in a couple of hours folks had contributed 50,000 dollars U.S. American, and It's still coming in. There is a contractor, or 6, gonna redo his whole house, from studs out...gonna install a whole house generator with ajn automatic switch to fire up when he loses power...Mattress mac is donating a whole house of furniture, and that mean ol rightwingnut, Michael Berry has arranged with restaurants to supply food to all the workers whilst they are there. A limo driver has offered to take Mr Woods anywhere he wants to go for 6 months...free. And a retirement home is letting Mr Wood stay at their facilities until his home is complete. Yeah, I think the Marines have landed, with all four feet...

I dont know how many times I have passed that house since 1958, but musta been a million times. I think Mike, or James Powell, lived next door or across the street...my recollector is a mite fuzzy....The back of Mangum Super Valu was right across the street and RR tracks from Mr Wood. Diane says he has two sons and two Daughters! I they should be the age as...US...but did not see them in the yearbook...I guess they could be Catholic, and gone to St Pius...Dont know tho... 

Cooper has amased quite a following, judging by the votes he has received, though still not enough as Izzy the little puppy. Last I checked, Cooper had 32 today, and Izzy had 64...I think thats cheating, having a little puppy in a cute dog contest...WHO DOESNT THINK A PUPPY IS CUTE??? Thats dirty pool mon...I think they are all beautiful pets, and have voted for all of them everyday. Some of the folks didnt even bother to include the dogs name...WHATS UP WITH THAT???? Some of the pets hadnt received a single vote, so I voted for them...I even voted for the only fish entry. Fish need love too...although I prefer tartar sauce with my fish...

I guess Izzy has a larger following than most all the other pets combined. There is one cat there named ELLA, of course she was found on Ella Blvd, or followed her new owners for 8 blocks, so they couldnt refuse her offer of having a new loving heart around the house...the same family found another small kitten, named Tika, and adopted her too..both kats are doing just fine...I just love happy endings, dontchew???

Well I guess I be headin off to my trundle bed...step over a couple O dawgs, and shove a few cats aside and climb in.

Your frien and brother...JabberWrocky

Larry Reid '63

Larry Reid '63

Just wanted to let all of you know how much I have enjoy reading your posts to this Message Forum.  

My wife, Marcia, and I are enjoying our winter in League City. We spend our summers in beautiful Galena, Illinois. 

We were all very lucky to have attended Waltrip when we did, we really had some great teachers. After retiring, I had the pleasure of spending some quality time with Bert Roth before he died. Bert was an incredible person who gave so much of himself. I will never forget him and everything he did for me. 

Again, thank you all for posting what is going on in your world and I will try to be a more frequent poster and not just a reader.

Teddie Jordan

Larry, greetings and good to hear from you. We would love for you to join in more often and tell what's going on in your life. I sure would love to see someone in the class of '63 organize a website like this so we could catch up with more from that group. I had a lot of friends in there since I was a mid termer and in between ages.

You are absolutely right about how lucky we were to have gone to Waltrip when we did and for that matter to grow up when and where we did. And Mr Roth was a first class person and instructor and I think I even remember him having been at Black when we were there.

And I can remember how entertaining it was when you played in programs with the orchestra and band and even remember a little combo or smaller group you performed with at some school programs. What I remember most is how much you loved what you were doing and how you got into it with a lot of motion and emotion.

Wayne Lake

Remember Bert Roth’s Rice MOB (Marching Owl Band), what a hoot as they made a mockery of the ‘over the top’, disciplined South West Conference power house bands of the time such as UT and A&M. There was one football game at Rice field where the MOB made fun of the A&M mascot, Revelie and the Aggies took exception and surrounded the band building after the game threatening to wuup up on them.   

Like I said before, I have a story for every occasion and if not, I’ll make one up……………………….

About 1984, I was working for Amoco which had it’s head office/meca in Chicago and I was sent there for ‘diversity training’ or some such of what we engineers called the ‘soft side’ of the business. Well, the first day of class was an introduction and after the course instructors introduced themselves, each of us attendees did the same and we were supposed to say what we hoped to get out of the class other than free food and no real work. Larry Reid was one of the instructors and either he did not notice me or he pretended not to know me so when it came time for me to say who I was, I said I was wtl and Larry and I went to the same high school! As a matter of fact, I remember sitting in Larry’s white 62' Pontiac (2 door hard top Bonneville?) at the Chuck Wagon and drinking demon rum with him and Gordon Hammit about 50 years ago.

Well Larry, it’s a small world, we both have homes in League City, summer up North, you and my wife were both in Amoco HR, you and I both worked in Trinidad a lot over the years, I am now in Trinidad and as I passed through Mayaro the other day, I swear I saw some of your descendants!

Welcome to our world, maybe we can carpool to Fudds sometime.  

From d’island of rum n’fun, carnival, soca and d’spices n’vices,

 wtl                     

Beau Wann, Jr.

Great to hear from Larry ! ! ! In the video in my mind, I can still see him sitting behind the drums playing with tht Waltrip Dance Band. In my opinion, they were aas good as any band. Youre lucky WTL, meeting up with old acquaintances crossing the globe. Outside of Krogers on 43rd, I have never run across anyone I knew during my globe travels. And even at Krogers, I can go for years and never see anyone I know. Or, maybe they see me first and RUN DONT WALK, to the exits. Well, I will talk your arm off if given the opportunity.

The 2nd Air conditioning company just left, leaving bids blowing in the wind. Air conditioning folks just wear me out, especially if they send a, not so good at english speaking tech out. It's hard enough trying to understand really good english speaking people, let alone those from Mars and or other parts of the galaxy.  the tech wants to show me everything they are doing, and explain as they go along...AS IF I ACTUALLY KNEW ! ! ! Do they do this to mock us, knowing full well we dont know what they are talking about. If I knew what they were talking about, I'D FIX IT MYSELF ! ! ! ! ! ! !  This last one, wanted to replace the whole unit, and it isnt even 5 or 6 years old. It's just old enough to be out of warranty...at least none of them have mentioned a warranty.

I really need a friend in the AC bidness! ! ! If for nothing else, than to give me the name of AN HONEST businessman to help me with my problem. I dont like to profit from my friends, other than just being friends. But sometimes, a person is left with no choice...
 
Hey Dennis, you out there? HELP ! ! ! ! !

Is Jordan Air still run by good folks??? Gonna have to get it fixed before winter is over, if it isnt over with already.

Ok, time to go lay down. It just wears me out talking to people, let alone...people from other planets! !

your exasperated frien and weary brother...Jabberwrocky

Teddie Jordan

Damn Wayne it just doesn't seem right for you to be down in Trinidad having all that fun and be getting paid too. That is definitely more of a plum assignment than when you were up in Alaska freezing your buns off in the cold last year!

John Burgess Webb

its good to see the forum picking up again,in a most positive way.so many were friends even before the waltrip days and people scattered throughout the country and worldwide have come in contact through the years.mabe this legacy will lighten the load of those who suffer the malidies associated with our age with the understanding that we were never really alone,even during those competitive days when pressures were mounted by necessity,either in  personal relationships or professional drive.it all comes full circle;time has a way of its own.old memories and unspoken thanks,misunderstandings and the unfortunate supremacy of perception over reality separated many who should have been better friends through the years.the forum is here to voice things unspoken but never forgotten.support for those who are sick;the levity of 'inside jokes' shared so many years ago.its all made possible by the efforts of some we barely knew or didnt know at all.god bless them.

burge

Beau Wann, Jr.

"it's a quarter to three, no one in the place...just you and me...2 idiot dogs and 6 ungrateful cats..."

Something has sure stirred the critter community up this early morn. I guess I'm to blame. Been up since 2, tossin and turnin, worrying about the air conditioning, well, more about if there is an honest AC man out there, that speaks english, and of course, possesses a slight bit more knowledge about them than I do, assuming that I dont know diddly squat about them, other than if they blow cold, thats good, and if they blow warm, thats not so good.

Well, the above problem compounded with moving Coopers bed, has created a firestorm of...uneasiness throughout the house. Not only has Cooper taken a dislike if any of the other critters are on his bed, he also doesnt like his sheet wrinkled up and or askew. Now, he wants clean sheets everyday. And, woe be to the fool that moves his bed. I thought I was  doing him a favor, putting his bed in a most favorable location, at least it seemed that way to me.  Au contraire mon ami ! ! !

I tout Coopers seemingly uncommon ability to negotiate throughout the metaphysical whirld of the kids that he greets and reads with. I think that he just gravitates to someone as dumb as he is, and a first grader is probably right on his level of intelligence, if not a bit higher or lower, depending on if it's suppertime.

So, at three this morn, I put his bed back where it originally was, and moved the cat tree and jacks smaller bed I had put in it's place. Still not good enough. He just stood and stared, first in this direction, and then in the opposite direction. You cannot lead him unless he has his harness and leash on, and then if his mind, and once again, I'm assuming he has a mind, hasnt processed what is needed, he just sits down, and you aint movin him unless you got a forklift. Which brings me to the fact, with all the fetchin and totin I do round this joint, I sure could use a forklift.

It is now 5 and Cooper is finally in his bed, and alls right with the whirld, until the next occurence of whatever gets coopers mind stuck...and of course our airconditioning problem.

I was thinking, you reckon that Cooper is really, er uh, retarded? And I have asked our vet and other vets about that, and the vet community is split, one group says no, because they didnt study that at A&M, and the other group, deeper thinkers, suggest that there  might be more to that than meets the eye, or er brain... His behavior suggests that he is surely an anomaly of nature.

It got me to studying on that, and searching for the illusive OZ that Dorothy and Toto and the TM, SC, and CL were all searching for. Maybe they have a brain for Cooper. "Uh, Mr Oz, say, I'm looking for a brain for my dog Cooper" says I. "Well sir" the voice on the phone says, "youve dialed the right number". "and what kind of dog is yours" says Mr Oz.. "Well sir" says I, "he is a Great Pyrenees and Lab mix". which of course illicits silence from the other end of the line. "Hello? Mr OZ? You there?"  I ask . "Yes sir, I'm here, just looking in my data base, and of course I knew there was none, but just thought I'd check anyhow" says Mr OZ...

"Son, can I call you son? I'm afraid there is no such item in our inventory" says Mr OZ. "Oh shoot, and shucky darn" says I, " I was sure a hopin that you could hep me and my dog totocooper" I say. "Well, you can go online to our, er uh, discontinued and or damaged in shipment items" says Mr OZ. "Just type in www.ozbrainsheartsandcourage/dogs.com, and when the first screen comes up, click on GO TO BED...

Dont I wish ! ! ! It is now 5:33 and on my 3rd cup O joe, and of course, everyone else is sawing logs, but me....You know, I use to be against drugs, but now I'm sorta leaning towards em...Maybe if I lean far enough, I'll just fall over and conk my head and knock myself out and voila, I be asleep...Of course, there will probably be a big yellow dog leanin over me lickin my face with his foot and a half long tongue, keeping me just conscious enough to feel the pain...and not sleep! ! !

Hey WTL mon, can you bring me a cuban cigar? are you allowed to bring one in? I have never had a cuban cigar, and was wonderin if they are as good as touted! ! ! Or, maybe they are like the snails the french eat, and really an acquired taste...yuk, I dont cotton to eatin no stinkin snails...which gets me to wonderin, where are the snails? you know, the ones that climb up the outside of your windows all year long. I havent seen them in quite a spell now. Drought get em? I certainly hope so, cause they are a nusiance...

Ok, time to go...YEAAAAAA...I heard that ! ! !

Your frien and brother JabberWrocky

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Enjoying the forum -- lots of news and laughs and good memories!   Good to see you on it Larry!  Mr. Roth was the greatest!

BroBeau, I'm a little slow, but just voted for Coop today -- will continue each day.

Just a reminder - this weekend on January 27 between midnight and 5:00 a.m. website will be in MAINTENANCE or at least that is what I've been told by ClassCreator.  So if you try to access, it will give you a warning -- Under Maintenance!

Have a great and beautiful weekend.  This is what keeps me going!  Grandkids are the greatest!

Hugs,

J

Beau Wann, Jr.

Hey all, some serious business is at hand...We need a huge prayer chain going for Charles Brawner and Jimmie Lee and Family...Charles went in the hospital for a heart cathetor and they found heavy blockage. They tried to do a stint, but that didnt work, so they propped it open with a balloon, and had to do a double bypass.

He is heavily sedated because he is on a ventilator. They will remove that at some point, and began waking him. Probably 5 days more in the hospital, then rehab. Doctors said if they hadnt found it when they did, he might not have been around much longer. The worst part...NO GOLF FOR AT LEAST 2 MONTHS...and if that is the worst part, thank goodness, eh?

Keep offerin up those good prayers our class is known for...Isnt it great to have a network of friends we can share our troubles and treasures with...thats what life is about...thats what a caring community, Oak Forest, Garden Oaks is all about.  Whether you still live there or Arkansas, or Minnesota, or Trinidad, we are all still a part of our "Mayberry"!  The class of 64 ! ! !

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Hey all!  Just heard from Jimmie that Charles will have the ventilator removed this morning.  He had a really good night, just complained a few times about the ventilator via sign language.    She asks for prayers for Charles, her family, and, of course, for herself.  Thanks Beau for putting the information on the Forum - I was just getting ready to do the same!  We DO look out for each other!

Larry Reid '63

Wayne I remember the Chuck Wagon very well but to my knowledge I never owned a Pontiac back in those days. My first car was a '57 Chevy Custom. You are right about me not remembering you in Chicago but hell Wayne I'm a lot older than you and your IQ is so much higher than mine. Besides, Laura probably told you about me before you came up to Itasca. The seminar was only a half-day of Diversity Training but I guess folks like us consider all that kind of stuff diversity training.

Thanks for letting me know about seeing some of my relatives down in Mayaro, Trinidad. Did you stop and visit?

Sounds like you and I may need a little more diversity training.

Teddie thanks for the invitation to Fuddruckers but I try my best to avoid long trip across town with all the Houston traffic but I promise I will show up some day when it is least expected. Thanks for the kind comments about my drumming and you are right that was something I really enjoyed back in those days. Music really helped me a lot in a variety of different areas. I started my music studies with Bert back at Black.

Beau I have a nephew (Wesley Reid) in the A/C business out in Cypress. Just look for Reid Air Conditioning. He is a great guy true Texan too the bone. The only problem might be that he is always busy, busy, busy.

If anyone is interested in what I am doing today with a friend of mine from BP, check out our web site at www.redwhiteandbike.org

Larry Reid '63

One other thing! We really need to locate Combat Wounded Soldiers and spouces of soldiers KIA in either Iraq or Afghanistan who have children. We have awarded 56 TREK Bicycles so far and have money for a lot more. If you know of some "little heroes" complete the nomination form on our web site and send it in.

Thanks!

Larry Reid '63

Oops! The families have to be from Southeast Texas. We are not a nationwide group yet.

Beau Wann, Jr.

Thanks Larry for the AC tip. I decided to call Jordans, a company we've been using since I was young pup. Wish I had called them before now. What a great Field manager Ha is. I'd like to adopt him if I could. I've been thinking about getting a used school bus, and just go around and pick up classmates so they dont have to drive to fudds. If I'm driving the school bus, who would drive me?

Steve Puckett '65

Bert Roth was a character and we remained good friends up to his death about 10 or so years ago. He later was band director at Rice and was instrumental in forming the MOB (Marching Owl Band), famous for their satires. He and his wife came to visit us a couple of times in the Pacific Northwest. He had lots of funny stories, including the great one at the Rice-A&M game about satirizing the Aggie band, being chased by irate Aggies, escaping in food trucks, and getting death threats & 24/7 police protection for months. Script for that show: http://mob.rice.edu/history/scripts/197311170  More articles about that MOB episode: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~themob/history/1973.html

After Uncle Bert retired, he & I played in several music groups around town in the early 1980's. One interesting concert was when he & I were doing a duet (he on piccolo, me on bell chimes) to open the concert. At the concert they gave me a different chimes outfit than what we used for rehearsal, with broken dampening mechanism, with no chance of practicing. Bert knew I was freaking out but we went on with it and did a good job - I damped with a foot. One group we played in was the Montrose community band which was starting to morph from a good community band to being a LGBT activist organization, the latter being resisted by bandsters like us. One rehearsal the leaders told us we were to march in the upcoming Gay Pride parade, to wear cute peacock-blue outfits, and to shake our booty while marching/prancing. Bert & I gave each other That Look, then met after rehearsal. I told him that my train had come to the end of the track. He nodded his head, we said no more, and that was the last rehearsal for us with that band. The band went defunct in a few years.

I myself didn't see any of that MOB activity, just heard about it from Bert and some MOBsters. I did go to 5 or so Rice-A&M games in the late 1950's and early 1960's. There were usually some fights. One time the Rice band was leaving the field and took with them the 'B' from the large Aggie letters that formed BEAT RICE. The Aggies were offended and started fighting the owls. Soon hundreds were on the field fighting, swords waving, cops yelling, people shoving, ... A big mess.

Bert and his wife Ann were passionate about teaching. Even in the 1980's Bert astounded me with details about his high school students, many of which were not even band/orchestra students.  He just cared about them. Wow!

Larry Reid '63

Great story about the MOB. I was not aware of this incident over at Rice. What a HOOT!!! Thanks Steve!

Teddie Jordan

Has anyone heard an update from Jimmie Lee?

I know she's busy and will give us one when she can.