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From My Cousin, Jim Atkinson (John Randolph Tucker HS - '77) of AZ - 02/23/08, 1:01 PM - "Productive Soil of Arizona":

Hey Cuzz,

You amuse me with the "sacred soil of Virginia" thing. It's a nice place to be (during some seasons) like anyplace else and it can be a miserable existence at times (like anyplace else). One of my former classmates with whom I once shared a rental house (and who shares my passion for western travel) once quipped that Virginia was a nice state to be from and to revisit from time to time. With each passing year, I agree with that sentiment to a greater degree.

Here's another revelation associated with moving to Arizona from Virginia. Little did I know how deeply Virginia had its hands in my wallet until I moved here. If everything else had remained equal (income there vs. income here), I would still have realized a substantial raise moving from a high taxation state (Virginia) to a low taxation state (Arizona). In fact the difference is so great (income, vehicle and real estate) that it continues to amaze and amuse me.

We got whacked on the other end too when we moved to Virginia from Washington back in 1992. Washington had no state income tax. Oregon (which we lived near) had no sales tax. The raise that we got when we moved to Virginia was immediately and entirely absorbed in taxes. I miss some of the people and times there but good riddance to the high costs associated with being a resident in that state.

Guess I've always been more into the "here and now" and the opportunities of tomorrow than I am into what happened yesterday. Reptiles Rock!!! Can't wait to sample some of the native critters that will start to emerge any day now.

Ajo is an interesting place of its own too. Not really a town since it has no mayor, town council, etc. Ajo is officially known as a "colonia" of Pima County. The signs along the highway approaches simply read "Entering Ajo"

See you again someday...

Jim Atkinson

Were it not for the high cost of living in Virginia today, I think I'd already be there - where my heart ever resides. Yet I must admit, I've always loved everyplace I've lived - Virginia, Utah, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina - even Illinois. Each has its own wonderful characteristics and benefits. More than likely it's a long-departed romantic notion for which I yearn. I dream of things which cannot be and mourn for things which are gone.....
Your approach to life is far more realistic than mine; I've always considered reality to be highly overrated,

And though you find joy in snakes and reptiles and the Great Outdoors, while I would rather stay inside by my computer (or scrapbooking or crochet or cross-stitching or television or books or anything!), I think there's little question that I am far, far weirder than you!

I'm so glad you're happy in your new home, Jim! Thanks for the fun - and please give my love to Jody and the boys!

Well, no, the "stable, better place" didn't quite turn out as I'd planned..... Maybe I should have called today's Newsletter, "The Neverending Story." Actually, the problem is that our monthly net income falls short of our main monthly expenses by $586.00 or so - and that doesn't include any wild extravagances such as paper towels. milk, juice, fabric softeners, vitamins, hand lotion, etc.

At the moment we're seriously considering a couple of solutions which are less than thrilling. One is for me to get some sort of job - which raises problems such as transportation (not easily available in this area of Cumberland County). Considering that my health took a sharp downward curve exactly one month ago, this idea rather terrifies me. It would also severely restrict the time I devote to the Newsletters, which is now a minimum of eight hours a day, and usually more. The idea of losing that fills me with deep sadness.

Another possibility is to give up living independently and move in with someone else. As you might imagine, this is not a happy thought to anyone.

I keep thinking if I could just simply turn this over to the Lord, all would be well, but I must confess this is the one weak area of my faith. I quote scriptures to myself on a regular (generally of the "Fear is the absence of faith" variety), but fear and I are old if reluctant acquaintances. I learned to cower in the corner at a very early age, and it's often difficult for me to extract myself from it.

But other than all that, Eric, yes, all is well! I'm teaching a Sunday School class of delightful older teenagers, and singing in a large choir at the moment - and even been given a small solo part in the Easter Cantata!

I hope you're well and happy now, too, Sweetie! Thank you so much for your love and concern!

Hi Carol, just a quick note to say that our son, Phil, and his unit are back from Iraq. We're very thankful they all returned safely.

What fabulous news! Thanks so much for letting us know, Cousin Henry! Please give our thanks to Phil and our love to your entire newly-reunited family!

Receiving this email this morning I felt our Essex Members should be able to read it. I checked this on Urban Legends and found it is true.

Here's a 'today' Yule story that occurred several weeks ago ~ AND NOW, after the holidays, I bring you the best Christmas story you never heard.

It started last Christmas, when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while listening to radio reports of injured American troops. "We have to let them know we care," Vivian told Bennett. So they organized a trip to bring soldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in Philly, on Dec. 3.

The cool part is, they created their own train line to do it. Yes, there are people in this country who actually own real trains. Bennett Levin - native Philly guy, self-made millionaire and irascible former L&I commish - is one of them.

He has three luxury rail cars. Think mahogany paneling, plush seating and white-linen dining areas. He also has two locomotives, which he stores at his Juniata Park train yard. One car, the elegant Pennsylvania, carried John F. Kennedy to the Army-Navy game in 1961 and '62. Later, it carried his brother Bobby's body to D. C. for burial. "That's a lot of history for one car," says Bennett.

He and Vivian wanted to revive a tradition that endured from 1936 to 1975, during which trains carried Army-Navy spectators from around the country directly to the stadium where the annual game is played. The Levins could think of no better passengers to reinstate the ceremonial ride than the wounded men and women recovering at Walter Reed in D. C. and Bethesda, in Maryland. "We wanted to give them a first-class experience," says Bennett. "Gourmet meals on board, private transportation from the train to the stadium, perfect seats - real hero treatment."

Through the Army War College Foundation, of which he is a trustee, Bennett met with Walter Reed's commanding general, who loved the idea. But Bennett had some ground rules first, all designed to keep the focus on the troops alone:

No press on the trip, lest the soldiers' day of pampering devolve into a media circus.

No politicians either, because, says Bennett, "I didn't want some idiot making this trip into a campaign photo op"

And no Pentagon suits on board, otherwise the soldiers would be too busy saluting superiors to relax.

The general agreed to the conditions, and Bennett realized he had a problem on his hands. "I had to actually make this thing happen," he laughs.

Over the next months, he recruited owners of 15 other sumptuous rail cars from around the country - these people tend to know each other - into lending their vehicles for the day. The name of their temporary train? The Liberty Limited.

Amtrak volunteered to transport the cars to D. C. - where they'd be coupled together for the round-trip ride to Philly - then back to their owners later.

Conrail offered to service the Liberty while it was in Philly. And SEPTA drivers would bus the disabled soldiers 200 yards from the train to Lincoln Financial Field, for the game.

A benefactor from the War College ponied up 100 seats to the game - on the 50-yard line - and lunch in a hospitality suite.

And corporate donors filled, for free and without asking for publicity, goodie bags for attendees:

From Woolrich, stadium blankets. From Wal-Mart, digital cameras. From Nikon, field glasses. From GEAR, down jackets.

There was booty not just for the soldiers, but for their guests, too, since each was allowed to bring a friend or family member.

The Marines, though, declined the offer. "They voted not to take guests with them, so they could take more Marines," says Levin, choking up at the memory.

Bennett's an emotional guy, so he was worried about how he'd react to meeting the 88 troops and guests at D. C.'s Union Station, where the trip originated. Some GIs were missing limbs. Others were wheelchair-bound or accompanied by medical personnel for the day. "They made it easy to be with them," he says. "They were all smiles on the ride to Philly. Not an ounce of self-pity from any of them. They're so full of life and determination."

At the stadium, the troops reveled in the game, recalls Bennett. Not even Army's lopsided loss to Navy could deflate the group's rollicking mood.

Afterward, it was back to the train and yet another gourmet meal - heroes get hungry, says Levin - before returning to Walter Reed and Bethesda. "The day was spectacular," says Levin. "It was all about these kids. It was awesome to be part of it."

The most poignant moment for the Levins was when 11 Marines hugged them goodbye, then sang them the Marine Hymn on the platform at Union Station.

"One of the guys was blind, but he said, 'I can't see you, but man, you must be f---ing beautiful!' " says Bennett. "I got a lump so big in my throat, I couldn't even answer him."

It's been three weeks, but the Levins and their guests are still feeling the day's love. "My Christmas came early," says Levin, who is Jewish and who loves the Christmas season. "I can't describe the feeling in the air." Maybe it was hope.

As one guest wrote in a thank-you note to Bennett and Vivian, "The fond memories generated last Saturday will sustain us all - whatever the future may bring."

God bless the Levins.

And bless the troops, every one.

From Carol Anne Comer Cutler ('70) of VA - 02/23/08, 3:44 PM - "NNHS Class of 1970":

One of the very first links I placed on the website seven years ago was this one, which contains five such sites:

This resource will probably be more fun and productive, and it's certainly free:

From Judy Phillips Allen ('66) of VA - 02/23/08, 4:33 PM - " Jerry Allen ('65)":

Sigh - I'm so very sorry your sweet husband has been so ill, Judy! Please give Jerry our best wishes; you both already have our love and prayers.

Set aside a few minutes of quiet time to watch this video. You won't regret it.

Judy Dear, I don't know what I was expecting before I watched this, but it certainly wasn't this extraordinary presentation which I found! Thank you - so very much!

I'm cleaning out my mail now that my new email will be
enowitzky@gmail.com

Eleanor

Thanks, Lady! I'm sorry I'm not able to attach that cool powerpoint slide show, but I've already changed your email addy everywhere I could think to do so:

1. Jerry Allen ('65) of VA - begins radiation for cancer soon; it was delayed when he was diagnosed with pneumonia on 02/20/08

5. Me ('65) of NC - recent escalation of shortness of breath, heart and blood pressure problems plus the usual .....

6. Emily (daughter of My Niece Shari) of VA - continuing problems with advancing scoliosis; surgery 03/11/08

Herb Hice of MI - triple bypass surgery plus carotid artery cleanup - @ 01/25/08

8. Patsy Lewis Hancock ('57) of VA - suffered second massive heart attack - 01/31/08

John London (Warwick HS - '57) of VA - lumbar surgery to fix a spinal stenosis [ laminectomy]; will also involve fusion of vertebrae - 02/05/08

10. Pam Pennington Cherry ('58) of VA - congestive heart failure; cardiac ablation procedure - 02/06/08


Friday, March 29, 1963	Friday, March 29, 1963	Friday, March 29, 1963	Friday, March 29, 1963
Senior Spotlight - Forrest Powell and Sharon Lamberth (both '63)	Spring Fashions Come on Scene	Science Fiction Play Chosen by Miss Crane	Top Tunes Relate Ideas AND Can You Imagine?!

		As for the winter climate here, check out the attached photo from last weekend (Feb 17)... As for Arizona summers, I hear that they're not for hot weather weenies. I'll find out soon enough... The history here is interesting too. The state will celebrate its centennial in 2012, we get our "state quarter" this year, and Arizona has the OK Corral (Wyatt Earp) and the Chiricahua Apache (Geronimo). Also many sites associated with the Coronado expedition (1540s) among other events associated with the "not so old" west.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Jim and Jody Carpol Atkinson of AZ

		Old American Gas Stations from all around the country Some are abandoned, some are restored and many are still in use.