09

Happy Birthday today to Ellen Overton Weiss ('68) of VA!
Happy Birthday tomorrow to Frances Adams Smith ('57) AND Dustin Baker (Norview HS - '65) of MA!

3 - Morton Binder ('57);
5 - Donna Marie Vest Hagerman ('71) of VA AND

My #5 Son, Nathaniel Harty (Hillsboro HS, IL - '97) of IL;

8 - Carroll Elliot ('57) AND

Gary Fitzgerald ('61) of VA AND Patti Johnson Stowe ('62) of FL AND Cheryl Pless Ramsey ('64) of VA!

Y'all be sure to take a look at that page. How are we going to wish you a happy birthday (or in the case of my coo-coo brain, forget to wish you a happy birthday) if we don't know when it is?!? Thanks!

Hopefully, this will help address the problem in a number of ways. Just don't forget to click on it each time!

Carol-just read your update on Connie Bloxom Thompson. Bonnie Lee Rogers called me last night to tell me that Connie has just been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer.....

Oh, NO! I'm so very sorry to hear this, Jo Ann! Thank you for letting us know. Our prayers will intensify.....

Dale is doing a lot better, but extremely tired and he stays cold most of the time. I'm sure it's from the medicines to treat his blockages, that's keeping his blood pressure really low. The bottom figure stays in the 40s most of the time, but the doctor's office tells us as long as he has no symptoms, like dizziness, etc, not to worry about it. That's easier said than done, when your loved one was close to death a month ago. I've found out from our daughter-in-law recently that the cardiologist told Dale's son that he didn't think he'd make it until midnight the day he had his cardiac arrest. He's always been in such good health before this, I'm convinced that that had something to do with it. But most of all, I'm convinced the prayers we got from all over the country are the reason he's here today.....

The doctors have recommended he have cardiac rehab, to get his strength back to what it used to be. He's still having problems with short term memory, like not remembering where things are in the house, or how to work the microwave. He's forgotten things that happened right before the cardiac arrest, and has to be told about them. Hopefully, with time, all of this will improve and he'll start remembering.

CALLING ALL FORMER NNHS STUDENTS
We’re Going Back!!!!

The NNHS Class of 1963 invites all former NNHS students and their guests to join them
at an upcoming class reunion event:

A 60’s Sock Hop in the NNHS High School Gym!!!

What:  Sock Hop with DJ in the Newport News High School Gymnasium
When:  Friday night, October 17^{th, 2008}
Time:  7:00pm - 10:00pm
Cost:  $15 per person

Event Details

ADVANCED TICKET SALES ONLY

Capacity is Limited. Tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis. No sales at door.

Names of all members in your party must be provided with payment.

Send check or money order payable to: Barbara Barnes, 4891 Parthenon Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23462

TRANSPORTATION DEPARTS OMNI HOTEL

All participants must travel to/from NNHS via shuttle bus from Newport News Omni Hotel
and sign a release of liability form enroute to the event.

Shuttle bus will depart every half hour from The Newport News Omni Hotel, 1000 Omni Boulevard
(off Diligence/J. Clyde Morris Boulevard) starting at 6:30 PM.
Last bus will depart the school enroute to The Omni at 10:30 PM.

Hand stamps issued on shuttle bus will be required for entry.

SOCKS REQUIRED
Socks only, (no shoes of any kind or bare feet) will be permitted in the gymnasium.

Soft drinks & snacks will be sold at the event.
No alcoholic beverages allowed on the premises, (some things never change).

From Elizabeth Tedder Nunnally ('65 / '68) of VA - 08/31/08 - "1968 Reunion":

Please let all NNHS Typhoons know that all events of our class reunion are open to everyone. If info is needed, they can call me at (757) 874-1666 or e-mail me at enunnally@cox.net.

SUPER-DE-DUPER!!! Thanks so much, Elizabeth! Actually, I DO seem to need more details; all I have is dates - no times or places or list of missing classmates or list of those already registered! However am I to whet the crowds up into a stirring frenzy to attend?!?

From Jerry ('65) and Judy Phillips ('66) Allen of VA - 08/29/08 - "Fly overs":

WOWZERONI-RINI-ROONI!!! I don't care how many times I see one of those - and it doesn't seem to matter whether I see them live or on tape - I always get enormous chill bumps to match my flowing tears! Thank you so much, Sweetie-Pies! What a great way to begin this holiday!

Dear Carol,

Wishing you health and happiness on your birthday and always. May all your dreams be good, may all your wishes come true.

With love and appreciation,
Chris Starkman

Thanks so much, Janice - we do go back forty-eleven years or so, don't we?!? Ja, you know me; I'm always celebrating!

What beautiful images of your beautiful family! Thanks so much for sharing these with us, Cheryl! How redundant could "enjoy that precious baby boy" possibly be?!?

Here is another one to be added to the blog. Please thank your son for setting this up and ....to you...

HaPpY bIrThdAy!

Jim '66

There is a difference between fast and quick … at least in my mind there is. As a soccer coach, I used to explain to my players that a keeper had to be both. If he got caught outside of the box and the opposing team sent a long ball … he had to be fast enough to get back in the goal ahead of any attempted shot and then once there, quick enough to move feet, hands, body in the direction that the shot was going. A defensive back needed to be fast and quick -- fast enough to run down the striker and quick enough with the foot work to pick the ball away before the shot could be made. Fast and quick – soccer, basketball, baseball – yes - but in cross country track?

It was a meet against Warwick High School on their course in Mariners' Museum. I think it was one of the first meets of the season and we had a bunch of new, unproven, younger runners. The Warwick team had taken position to warm up by the end of the row of crepe myrtles lining the dirt road. We were warming up, stretching out closer to the gate coming off Warwick Boulevard.

We were in our usual pre-meet mode – Billy had the nervous whizzies, Al was in a cold sweet, I was making sure my hair was in place and my shirt was tucked in ( not one of Julie’s better runners)… and the new guy … Timberlake was dashing around like a half-back zig-zagging thru a defensive line of crepe myrtles.

“Billy, is that guy really any good --- is he all that fast?” I asked as we rubbed Kramer's Atomic Balm on our legs.

“Don’t know – but he’s quick- he looks like a beagle chasing rabbits” mumbled Billy. I think Billy had a James Dean complex and tried to be unheard.

About that time a rabbit actually ran into the area where we were warming up.

With that, Ronnie (Timberlake) took out after the little creature, zig-zagging back and forth thru the trees, across the open field and down the dirt road. They were hauling … we were laughing and Coach Conn was beginning to go into a slow rotation, pivoting on one foot with unlit cigar clamped between his teeth and his fist balled. And then it happened – Ronnie reached down, grabbed the rabbit by it’s hind feet and flipped it.

“He’s quick,” mumbled Billy --- “He’s a damn Doonie-Bird,” yelled Julie.

There it was --- “Doonie”. Just like in Cool Hand Luke --- Timberlake had earned his name – Doonie.

Not only did Ronnie earn his name that day, becoming a member of what Coach Conn periodically referred to as his “4 D’s” (Dorner, Douthat, Dossey and now Doonie), not only did he prove that he WAS quick … he also proved to everyone that he was fast – very fast coming in second on the heels of Warwick’s Tommy Morris – the #1 distant runner in the state.

Now if I can only remember how I came about earning my name. What was it Coach called me … “Dossey, you slow-ass-short-legged-good-for-nothing-son-of-a…” OH YEAH, now I remember.

Thanks so much, Jim! I posted this on the blog myself, but the whole purpose of this is so you can post items directly and avoid the middle man - namely me!

I must admit I was half-asleep while

Dale (Harty - Hillsboro HS, IL / American School, IL - '02 - of MA) was offering me instructions over the phone, but he said something like, "Go to the page - click on the post - leave a message - and you don't even necessarily have to create a user name!"

From Glenn Dye ('60) of TX - 08/31/08 - "Welcome to The Glenn Dye for President WebSite":

Written by Neil Diamond

Far
We’ve been traveling far
Without a home
But not without a star

Free
Only want to be free
We huddle close
Hang on to a dream

On the boats and on the planes
They’re coming to America
Never looking back again
They’re coming to America

Home, don’t it seem so far away
Oh, we’re traveling light today
In the eye of the storm
In the eye of the storm

Home, to a new and a shiny place
Make our bed, and we’ll say grace
Freedom’s light burning warm
Freedom’s light burning warm

Everywhere around the world
They’re coming to America
Every time that flag’s unfurled
They’re coming to America

Got a dream to take them there
They’re coming to America
Got a dream they’ve come to share
They’re coming to America

They’re coming to America
They’re coming to America
They’re coming to America
They’re coming to America
Today, today, today, today, today

My country ’tis of thee
(today)
Sweet land of liberty
(today)
Of thee I sing
(today)
Of thee I sing
(today)

Animated Tiny Birthday Cake clip art courtesy of Sarah Puckett Kressaty ('65) of VA - 08/31/05
Thanks, Sarah Sugah!

Marine Corps Seal clip art courtesy of Herbert Hice of MI - one of my Famous Marines who served in the South Pacific during WWII.
Thanks, Herbie!

Army Seal clip art courtesy of Al Farber ('64) of GA - 05/24/06
Thanks, Al!

Animated Yehaa Typhoon clip art also courtesy of Al Farber ('64) of GA - 08/18/05
Thanks again, Al!

Animated Laughter clip art courtesy of Janice McCain Rose ('65) of VA - 01/24/06
Thanks, Janice!

A Tennessee Farm WOW .. . . Read the caption to see how he did it WOWZERONI!!! Thanks, Joyce!
		Lawrenceburg, TN