I just love these Monday updates
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Monday Update February 2, 2009 The Monday Update is published and edited by Harry Diavatis, who is solely responsible for its content. Please send any correspondence, photographs or archival information to vhsmondayupdate@comcast.net The Monday Update is e-mailed every Monday and over a year and a half of back issues are available on: www.wdstrong.net Hello Classmates: In this edition: Howard and Judy Belway-Madison ‟60, Anita Broberg-McKee ‟61, Binky Castleberry „56, Linda Etheridge-Rich, Everett Flowers ‟63, Cheryl Gann, Sharon Kent-Harris, Stan Kirchgessner SV69, Al Lehman ‟61, Cisco Lopez ‟64, Art ‟61 & Lillian Morgan-Rust HH64, Paul Newton ‟64, Carmela Piccolo-Coakley „58, Charlotte Saunders, Carol Schneider-Bourgerie „61, Charlie Spooner ‟60, and Paul Wright ‟61. Featured Columnists: The Apache Review of Arts ................................................... John Parks Sal at the Cinema ...................................... Sal Hisola This „n‟ that: I don‟t know about anyone else but it‟s been a very busy week in the Diavatis household and, in some ways, a difficult one. On Saturday Sally had to be hospitalized with pneumonia and some other complications which were particularly perilous to her because she is a heart transplant recipient. As I write this on Sunday night she is greatly improved but will probably remain at Vallejo‟s Kaiser Hospital until at least Tuesday. Many of you who have ...
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Monday Update
February 2, 2009 The Monday Update is published and edited by Harry Diavatis, who is solely responsible for its content. Please send any correspondence, photographs or archival information to vhsmondayupdate@comcast.net The Monday Update is e-mailed every Monday and over a year and a half of back issues are available on: www.wdstrong.net
Hello Classmates: In this edition: Howard and Judy Belway-Madison‟60,Anita Broberg-McKee ‟61,Binky Castleberry„56, Linda Etheridge-Rich,Everett Flowers ‟63,Cheryl Gann, Sharon Kent-Harris, Stan Kirchgessner SV69,Al Lehman ‟61, Cisco Lopez ‟64,Art‟61 & Lillian Morgan-Rust HH64, Paul Newton ‟64,Carmela Piccolo-Coakley „58,Charlotte Saunders, Carol Schneider-Bourgerie„61, Charlie Spooner‟60, and Paul Wright‟61. Featured Columnists: The Apache Review of Arts ................................................... John Parks Sal at the Cinema...................................................................... Sal Hisola This „n‟ that: I don‟t know about anyone else but it‟s been a very busy week in the Diavatis household and, in some ways, a difficult one. On Saturday Sally had to be hospitalized with pneumonia and some other complications which were particularly perilous to her because she is a heart transplant recipient. As I write this on Sunday night she is greatly improved but will probably remain at Vallejo‟s Kaiser Hospital until at least Tuesday. Many of you who have already been alerted have sent your love and prayers. Thank you all. We appreciate it. . . .
If any of you are looking for a real good reason not to own a pet here‟s one for starters. Our puppy Shadow has an ongoing ear problem. I went to the vet and got Shadow some antibiotics. $165 for a handful of pills! What a racket! . . . Well, The Gingerbread Lady has been cast. Did I mention I dislike auditions both as an actor and also as a director. It‟s very difficult, when you have a lot of talent available to chose from and you know that the people not chosen will be disappointed. But… it has to be done, so that‟s what I did. Most of the cast is from Napa with the exception of the female lead who is from Sonoma. This week we‟ll have a couple of read throughs with the cast before we settle down into the business of rehearsals. . . . I began the week by going to the first official day of the Good Day Café last Monday. It was sure good to see lots of the regular customers. Business this past week for the Café has been very brisk and if that keeps up they should do just fine in their new location. I‟ve run into quite a few of our classmatesand MU readers there, as well. On Wednesday a few of us got together at the Good Dayfor a little “farewell” luncheon for Joanne and Norm Anderson as they depart Vallejo for their retirement cabin (Norm says it‟s a “home” not a “cabin.”)in Idaho. In attendance were Tom„60& Judy Cloud-Metcalf, Linda Tholmer, Mike „61 and Annette LaRosa-Gaul SV62, Charlotte Saunders and Earl Bowen „61 Parker. Crag kinda-sorta showed up. L-R: Tom Metcalf, Judy Cloud-Metcalf, Joanne Anderson, Norm Anderson, Linda Tholmer-Anderson, Charlotte Saunders, Earl Bown and Annette LaRosa-Gaul.
Annette, & Tom
L-R: Norm, Linda, Char, Earl
Parker drops by for a minute to say goodbye to his ol‟ buddy.
Mike Gaul, Joanne & Annette Norm and Joanne will be missed but I‟m sure they‟ll make their way back for a visit every once in a while. . . .
I finally finished the pruning but still haven‟t sprayed the trees as a result of all the crazy things happening around her. Hopefully this week because some of the trees are already budding. Hope I‟m not too late. . . .
From: Carol Schneider Bourgerie„61 -Hi Harry. Does Joe Rapisarda receive the MU? The reason that I am asking is that I want to be sure he gets the information regarding the passing of Brian Tyler '60. I just sent the MU a copy of the e-mail I received notifying me of Brian's death. Brian had finally re-established contact with Joe not too long ago. Back in high school, Brian and I and Joe and his then girlfriend, use to go to dinner at Treasure Island with Joe's and Brian's parents. Boy, were those some great meals! If Joe is not on the MU list, I will stop by his office next week. I realized that I had not received any IM's or E-mails from Brian, for several months. He used to always "talk" to me whenever he saw me on-line. I just sent an e-mail to both his home and work e-mail addresses. I immediately got an error message from the home e-mail address. Then I got the attached e-mail from the work address, which was the Commissary at Ft. Lewis, WA. “Dear Carol, My name is Baerbel (or just B.K.) and I am working for CSS in Ft. Lewis. This is our administrative e-mail address, that's why I am responding to your e-mail. I am so sorry to let you know that our beloved friend and my boss, Brian Tyler, passed away last November. After months of not feeling well, he was finally diagnosed with stomach cancer, which had already spread in his body. After spending several weeks in the hospital, his heart gave in and he passed after being moved to a care facility. Again, I am very sorry to tell you these sad news. God Bless, BK” Carol, yes, Joe does receive and read the MU. Of course with tax season now underway, Joe will probably be pressed for time so I forwarded your email to him. . . .
From: Charlie Spooner„60 Hi, Harry -Check out my blog at the link provided below. The latest posting is a very short story about a venerable Vallejo landmark -- The Old Destroyer. Did you ever fish there when you were a kid? My pals and I did. I'm betting that someone among your loyal readership knows the true story of The Old Destroyer. No? If you go into the archive and check the very first posting (Nov 29), there is an explanation of what my blog is all about. Thanks, Harry. What you do every week with the MU is amazing. Charlie (Chuck) Spooner http://chucksrwj.blogspot.com/
Thursday, January 29, 2009 Tell me a story... This is one of my favorite short-shorts fromChildren of Vallejo,narrated by my alter ego, Nicholas "Nick" Shane. Nobody else ever liked it, except for my friend Tom. . Ghost Ship There were lots of places to fish along the shoreline that wrapped around Vallejo, but the Old Destroyerwas by far the most fun. We‟d study our tide tables and look for an ebb tide between 8:00 and 9:00 in the morning. The plan was to fish a couple hours either side of high tide. We'd stop off at the Vallejo Fish Market down on lower Georgia Street and buy several pounds of fresh sardines for bait, then get dropped off on the western edge of a subdivision called Minahan Meadows, and then we‟d hike west onthe levee that bordered the salt marsh, all the way out to the bank of the Napa River. Sometimes the fog would be so thick you could barely see where you were going. We‟d find our favorite spot on the riverbank and go to work, rigging up our poles, cutting bait, getting ready to cast into the brown, brackish water. Then the sun would start to take charge and the fog would begin to lift and slowly, about a hundred yards to the north, the Old Destroyer would appear like a vision. No one ever explained how she got there, a World War I Navy ship lodged against the bank. She was just there. There was a plank that ran from the bank to the deck of the ship so if the fishing got slow, we could go aboard and explore. There wasn‟t much to see. The superstructure wasgone and only the hull remained; the hatches were all sealed so there was no way to go below deck.
Fishing was always great at the Old Destroyer. It was nothing to catch twenty fish in a day, mostly undersized striped bass. The size limit in those days was twelve inches and we‟d usually catch three or four keepers to bring home and show our parents. The fun part was a running contest to see who could catch and release the most fish. If the bite slowed down and there was no action, you‟d sit and look at the old ship and wonder. Of course, you could make up your own version of her history... She was the USS Shane, a proud veteran of World War I, having served in the North Atlantic protecting convoys of merchant vessels heading for North Sea ports, fighting off the German subs that preyed on merchant shipping like a pack of hungry wolves. The Shane had six confirmed kills and survived many a battle with the Germans. At the close of the war, she was reassigned to the Pacific Fleet and sailed through the Panama Canal and up the coast, all the way to Mare Island for a complete overhaul. With the work completed, the Shane was scheduled for a shakedown cruise, out into San Pablo Bay, then about-face and back up the Mare Island Strait and the Napa River channel, then back to the dock at the shipyard. On the way up river, a cold front moved in and the temperature hit the dew point and the fog bloomed so thick that visibility dropped to zero. The crew missed a bend in the river and steamed onto the mud flats, hard up against the riverbank. All efforts to free her failed, so the Navy stripped her down, sealed her up and left her there, a proud warrior with no war to fight, an old sailor dumped on the shore for the last time. No doubt there were gaping holes in that story–a little truth, a little fiction, a little scrimshaw carved to fit the occasion–but in a Navy town like Vallejo, there were a thousand stories just like it. Good stuff, Charlie. As far as those undersized striped bass, they‟re actually excellent pan fried. (shhhhhhhhh…) When I have a little more time I plan on reading more of your stories. Feel free to submit them to the MU any ol‟time. I do have one correction for you, however. I doubt that you were dropped off at Minahan Meadows which was clear across town near I-80. I think you meant California Meadows which was out on the Napa/Vallejo Highway. That makes more sense to me. . . . From: Cheryl Gann Hey Harry! I checked out your Monday Update,I love it… it‟s so easy to use. It was great seeing you at the Good Day Café Monday and also all the others, kind of like going back in time. Love Ya! Cheryl
There was a time when 5 of us from VHS worked at CMA at the same time: Cheryl, Candy Woods-Lillard, Doug Thomas, Dave Castleberry and I. . . . From: Al Lehman„61 Harry, the store across from Good Day Cafe was LEVEES, not LEVIS.(Yeah, yeah…. Big deal. They sold “Levi Jeans” didn‟t they? Sure they did. I worked in the Men‟s Dept. with Bill Wilson and Harry Gray so I should know. Besides, Chip Carter already pointed out my “honest mistake” earlier today so you‟re second.) We leave for Florida Saturday, returning March 1... We have been going to the Daytona 500 for several years, and this time we also get to see a shuttle launch on the 12th. And no, we are not on the Harley this year, we are flying. Al Take lots of pictures and send them in, Al. Have fun and be safe. . . . From:Anita Broberg-McKee „61 Hi Harry, I noticed in the MU that someone mentioned that Dianne Turnbull Gover (I think that is her last name) wanted to be included on the MU. Would you please send her my email address? She and I and Janice Becker lived in a big old house on the top of Virginia Street, (or maybe it was Florida Street,) anyway, for about a year or so. It was a busy place, always had "extra" people there. I have not seen or heard from Dianne since 1964 when I left to get married. I would love to hear how her life has been. I am in touch with Janice Becker-King also so we could have an email reunion!!! Thanks Harry, for all your good work. I forwarded your email to Dianne. Thanks, Harry, you da man!!!! (Ugh! I can't believe I said that!!!) Hey, you wrote about pruning your roses. It is 20 degrees here and my roses are shivering in frozen ground. forgot to prune off some old blooms and one yellow bloom is hanging by it's last thread, begging to be put out of it's mercy!!! Hopefully, maybe the middle of March, we will be ready to prune the roses. We can't do it too early as a late freeze could freeze the shoots back again. How different just 1000 miles makes. We live in an agricultural area, "Wenatchee, the apple capital of the world" and we also have cherries, pears, peaches, apricots and now wine grapes. I still can't believe they can grow wine grapes here, where it gets sooooo cold and also grow them in the Napa valley, but it seems to work. One thing they do here is make "Ice Wine" and this last winter was a perfect winter for that. The grapes have to be ripe and then we have to have a really hard freeze, the grapes freeze on the vine and are then picked and processed. Not every winter works out well, so Ice Wine is not always available.
Anyway, back to the apples and pear trees. The orchardists here prune all winter long so at least you aren't out on a 15 foot ladder at 15 degrees with a foot of snow on the ground. But, we do grow great fruit!!! Thanks again for your good work, have a great week. Anita Hmmm… great fruit means great jam… Let me ask you, Anita my dear, do you put up jam? If so would you like to hire a taster… I‟m very reasonable… just for the cost of a few jars of jam I‟ll tell you if they‟re have this sameany good. I arrangement with a few other folks… works out just dandy (for me.) Never heard of “Ice Wine.” Sounds interesting. Can it give you a “brain freeze?” . . . From: Linda Etheridge-Rich I remember a while back you were soliciting gift suggestions for Sally for some occasion or other.While that particular one has no doubt already passed, here‟s one for next time around: a digital picture frame. Better yet, one that you have preloaded with an assortment of pictures, especially if it also has a calendar feature and a remote control. They don‟t cost a whole lot, and mine, a Christmas gift from hubby, has already given me many hours of enjoyment. It sits on an out-of-the-way corner of my desk, and it‟s very relaxing– especially when I don‟t have time to go out to lunch and I‟m grabbing a bite at my desk. There are snapshots from vacations, family occasions, pets, flowers, birds and other wildlife, etc. Just a thought…it might also make a nice present for a parent or friend who‟s housebound. Love to you, Sally & household. You might not believe this, Linda, but that‟s exactly one of the things I bought Sally for Christmas. It‟s called aKodak Easy Share. Of course there was a SNAFU. I wanted to do exactly what you had suggested above: load it with pictures, a video of the grandkids and of Nikki playing the piano. So I opened it to look at the manual and the included software, and they were from some other device. So I had to take it back after Christmas and exchange it and its still sitting here right at my feet waiting for me to do something with it. The moment has passed. . . . Jerry Conley began his chemo treatments a week ago so I contacted Jo Anne to see how he was doing. From: Jo Anne Richardson-Conley „61 I wanted to let everyone know who has especially emailed me, that sometimes I'm not able to return all your thoughts and prayers you have given right away, but I will respond somehow. I want to thank everyone who has kept Jerry and I in their prayers, it is very much appreciated. Jerry started his chemo last Monday and has had 2 treatments so
far and seems to be handling it pretty good - little weaker and a little pain. He hasn't had the side effects of being sick or losing his hair, and the doctor said he probably won't lose the hair, but not sure if sickness won't happen. Otherwise he is in good spirits. I try and take him out and visit as much as possible. Bless everyone especially those who are fighting this horrible disease. Visited the Good Day Cafe on opening day and had a great meal with HD and Sally. The food was very good and plan on returning real soon. Meet up with many I knew and was good to see them again. So keep me posted Harry on the happenings. To: Linda Tholmer-Anderson and Chip Carter '67 I want to thank you so much for being so thoughtful to our wonderful Foster Children, through Foster-A-Dream. I am a foster mom who has fostered many children who has been at the receiving end of your contribution. Foster-A-Dream is the most wonderful thing that has happened for these children. One of my daughters when to school with Lori, the founder of Foster-A-Dream who was a foster child herself and her dream was for someday that every foster child would have their own pillow and blanket and a teddy bear. This dream has come true for her and has grown into such a big wonderful thing. Also a big thanks to Chip Carter for his bikes that he has donated. I would like for everyone to know about Foster-A-Dream and how they have given to the foster child, not only at Christmas, but also for scholarships, graduating seniors who would of not had their senior pictures or prom dresses and suits, and help for so many more things. Dreams for these children can come true. Donations to Foster-A-Dream is always welcome, you can visit the web site atwww.fosteradream.org . . . From: Everett Flowers „63 I still have leukemia and the doctors at Stanford and at John Muir are doing their best. I have had this illness since April 15, 1995, that was the official date from a bone marrow test. But I could have had it for a year before the bone biopsy. I was in great condition from running every day and playing basketball. I was in shock for the first month and I just became a Christian for about a year. I was thinking what was this all about, coming back to be a Christian. I had a lot of thinking to do. I thought everything was going to go my way, but who knows the mind of God. My friends were telling that I didn't get sick and then become a Christian. But the old Vallejo man in me, just said "I don't care how you come to Christ, just come . " Then I got a pre-bid to PPP and then they sold the Power Plant. It has been a big battle I had my spleen out in August. There were some problems but I had a great team of doctors. My doctor is the same one Bill Walsh had. Bill and I have the same type of leukemia. His was more aggressive than mine. You don't know when it will get aggressive, but it will. But, as I read your blog, I see sickness does not discriminate, it is how you handle it. I have seen a lot of my friends go, and you just have to keep on going. I have great friends and a great church, and I have great faith.
Ithink you had some hand it this… when I have bad days, I just think back to the days I had to go up against you in football when I joined the JV's when I was a sophomore.:) You know the one-on-one drills and I had to go up against the mad Greek. Everett, Class of 1963 (but my heart was with the Class of 1962) What are you trying to do Ev, make me cry? I wish I had your abilities in football… your speed, your strength, your toughness. I have faith, Ev, that you will keep your faith and keep your spirit working for you. You have always been a tough competitor… no point in changing now, is there? . . . From: Art„61 & Lillian Morgan-Rust HH64 Harry, it has been awhile since we wrote. All is well with us. We have been at our daughter's in Virginia since mid December. Kind of cold, but nothing compared to the reports in the Monday Update. We will be heading back to Georgia mid February. Should be warmer there. A friend of ours from the class of„60, Bill Cruz, would like to be added to the list that receive the Update. He lives in Allendale north of Vacaville and likes old cars, like us and many of the readers. Enclosed is a picture of a couple he has. He also has a Model A Ford Roadster. Thanks for adding him. Glad you have brought back "Psycho" Mel Brooks. It wasn't the same without him. Art, or Lillian as the case may be. The pictures of Bill‟s cars didn‟t come through. And as far as“Psycho”is concerned, I sure wish you hadn‟t said that…the last thing on his body that needs massaging is his considerable ego. . . . From: Paul Wright„61 Harry, What a crazy start to the New Year. I went to spend the holidays with my grandson and granddaughter and their families in Fort Lewis Washington. We left on Sunday, Dec. 21st, the day the storm hit the northwest, at 4:00 a.m. We did real well until we reached a point some 58 miles south of Portland, at which time we encountered a overhead sign that stated, “ALL VEHICLES IN THE PORTLAND METROPOLITIAN AREA, REQUIRE CHAINS”. Well no problem, I have them in the back of the truck. I had already planned on this, I had scanned the directions on the box, printed them out, and placed the printed version into a “Document Protector”. At this point there was a real wide shoulder where many 18 wheelers were busy putting on their chains, so I pulled over and got outmy “Safety-n-a-Box Chains” Of course when you add freezing weather, cold hands, and a little snow, the directions don‟t seem to make sense,Well I got them installed, off down, or should I say, “UP” I-5 I go. Now the other thing the directions said was to stop after ¼ mile to check the installation.
Hey, I‟m doing good, everything sounds good, so I drive about 5 miles before I decide to follow the directions, now we all know that is not a “MANNLY” thing to do, but I did it anyway. Up ahead I see a overpass, no point in getting snowed on, so I pull under the overpass and get out in my sneaky little tennis shoes, drivers side looks good, as I started around the back to the passenger‟s side, “BAM” I‟m on the ground, not even sure how I got there. My daughter heard me hit the ground, probably about a 7.0 on the Richter Scale, she jumps out, I have blood on my forehead, my hip and shoulder are killing me, but like the U. S. Postal Service, on we go. Anyway we made it to Lacey, then I started my rehabilitation. One day when getting out of the shower, I happen to look in the mirror, I had a bruise on my left cheek, and not my face, that was the size of a football. When I got back, I went to the chiropractor, he started treating me for my back, and shoulder. One of his suggestions was to do about a hundred jumping jacks to increase the range of motion of my rotor cuff. So Monday morning while I was at the club, after finishing my 4 mile walk on the treadmill, I went back and started doing jumping jacks. About the time I reached 44, something in my knee popped, now he is treating me for my sore knee. You know when your reach these later years, you fix one thing and break two others while doing it. Anyway I am slowly getting better. Yesterday, Saturday, was Funeral Day, had a friend from my days at Mare Island that passed away, then in the afternoon it was Steve Perry‟s Memorial Service. It was very nice ceremony. That‟s enough for now. You old folks need to learn to take it slow and easy, Paul. What kind of a lunatic would tell you to do a hundred jumping jacks at your age. Fire him and get a different“bone cracker.” . . . From: Stan Kirchgessner SV69 I see the MU list of yearbooks on CD is still growing. I still have three (3) yearbooks I would like to have put on a CD. They are Hogan High 1969 and„70 and a Hogan Junior High„ will cover whatever Is62 Totempole. I it possible to get Bill Strong to do this? costs that are necessary. Thanks again for your and Bill's efforts to make MU a reality. I‟m sure Bill would be delighted to add those books to the growing library… . . . In the last MU I mentioned to Figgy that I heard that David Castleberry and he were involved in a “close shave” dur Hereing his Bachelor Party, back in the day. is his response. From: Paul “Fig” Newton „64 The only thing I say about that night is don't play a game called Thumper and drink the green death Rainier Ale. LOL.
