10

Hmmm. You all know, I'm sure, that I do not believe in coincidence. I simply do not. You may not know that I generally try to schedule songs and themes for the Newsletter several weeks in advance. I chose this song way back when for the title alone (which rang no bells in my mind whatsoever) to coincide with today's full harvest moon. I chose yesterday's song for an entirely different reason. Now I find that they were not only both based on Rachmaninoff compositions, but they were both popularized by Frank Sinatra. Now, that is just plain freaky. Oh, ja, sure, you knew that Frank Sinatra almost inexplicably (and practically against my will) became my favorite crooner about nine years ago, but did you know that at night when I dream that I'm a concert pianist (as I frequently do) just like my dear friend and idol, the incomparable Charis Bean Duke (Governor Thomas Johnson HS, MD - '85) of NC, I am invariably playing Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 - the very music upon which this song was based?!? Now that is just way, way beyond freaky - even for me.

"Oct. 4, 2:10 a.m. EDT -- Full Harvest Moon. Traditionally, this designation goes to the full moon that occurs closest to the Autumnal (fall) Equinox. The Harvest Moon usually comes in September, but sometimes it will fall in early October as is the case in 2009; the next time won't come until 2017. At the peak of the harvest, farmers can work into the night by the light of this moon. Usually the full moon rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice -- the chief Indian staples -- are now ready for gathering."

We now have our singing group The Tonesmen quartet web site up and running. Click here or enter this into your URL bar to bring up our site:
http://www.thetonesmen.com

Happy Birthday today to

My Former Brother-in-Law, Rennie Dick ('54) of VA AND Jimmy Mooney ('57) AND Brenda Eakes Insley ('66) of VA!

Happy Birthday tomorrow to George Pipkin ('57) AND

Butch Ragland ('63) of CO!

06 - Nancy McCormick Nicholson ('57) AND Renee Helterbran Benton ('59) of VA;

11 - Judy Phillips Allen ('66) of VA AND Carol Anne Comer Cutler ('70) of VA!

October 4, 1940 - Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini met in the Alps at Brenner Pass. Hitler was seeking help from Italy to fight the British.

October 4, 1944 - Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower distributed to his combat units a report by the U.S. Surgeon General that revealed the hazards of prolonged exposure to combat ("shell shock").

The 179th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be held in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday and Sunday, October 3-4, 2009. In addition to being broadcast into chapels and meetinghouses all over the world, it may be watched via satellite on BYU Television, or viewed online:

From My Sister, Eleanor Buckley Nowitzky ('59) of NC - 10/03/09, 10:45 PM - "Dukes for Dinner":

It was so much fun having the Dukes eat lunch with Dorinda and me. Charis (Bean Duke - Governor Thomas Johnson HS, MD - '85 - of NC) calls her sister Laura (Bean - of MD) "Bubba" and so do the children. Laura and Charis were both surprised that I remembered the "Larva" story. Charis used to sing the "Laura" song to Laura but substitute the name "Larva" to annoy her.

The dinner was meant to be. Last night I bought a larger roast than I had planned because I was prompted to do so. I cooked more potatoes and carrots with the roast and cooked two loaves of bread for the same reason. By this morning I knew David (Duke - of NC) and Charis were the reason. I talked with David about 15 minutes before the first session of conference ended and asked if they would like to eat with us in about 30 minutes. It was great that they came. You know how delightful they are. David cut the roast, and Charis sliced the bread. This was a gift for me to have them here.

This is such wonderful, happy news, Eleanor!

I'm so glad you were able to have a "Conference Crowd" with you! It's fun watching General Conference in bed, but not nearly as much fun as watching it with you each April and October! That was one of my favorite "Fayetteville Traditions"! And few people are more delightful to have gathered in your home than Dorinda and the Dukes! I miss them so!

I miss all of you terribly. Cheryl (White Wilson - John Marshall HS - '64 - of VA) and I need to see you soon. I still haven't called her. I have a bad case of Harty deprivation, and there is only one cure.

And we all miss you and Cheryl, too, Eleanor! It's been nearly nine whole months since we've seen you - and "dat ain't right"!

From Bill Lee (Warwick HS - '54) of NC - 10/02/09 - "Ferguson Park aerials":

Thanks to Norm Covert ('61 - of MD) for finding/scanning picture. Comparing it with the one

Dave Spriggs ('64 - of VA) submitted sometime ago that's on your Ferguson Apartments web page. Different angle, but apparently taken on the same 'photo-flight (probably not too many of such flights made in 1941).

No traffic circle, no Military Highway (originally two-lane), no Parkview School, no Camp Hill- or associated military facilities, few businesses on either side of the tracks...on and on. For the most part it was pretty open countryside back then (and, of course not part of NN, per se, but Warwick County).

The photos almost certainly were made in the Fall of 1941. Records indicate that's when Ferguson Park was completed, and completion of Parkview School dates to around the end of 1942 (exact date unknown, but I attended 1st grade at Morrison Elementary for about half of the 1942/1943 school year, and completed that grade at Parkview).

My parents had moved out of the shipyard apartments in late 1940/early 1941 and ventured 'far' into the countryside when they bought a small house at 701 Highland Court. It's still there, and largely unchanged - externally.

Thank you so very much for pulling this all together for us, Bill!

Your help is always invaluable for our understanding, and is greatly appreciated!

From Pat Beck Letzinger ('57) of VA - 10/03/09 - "

Your New Granddaughter / My New Great Granddaughter":

Hi Carol.

I just had to write and tell you "congratulations" on your newest grand-daughter. Her name is beautiful and fits her perfectly. A beautiful name for a beautiful baby.

Oh, what beautiful little doll babies! Y'all do nice work, Pat! Thanks so much for sharing these images with us!

I know you're going to really treasure that Christmastide visit!

I retired on September 3rd after almost 33 years in Federal Government. I tell you this because my e-mail address has changed and I just want my NNHS e-mail buddies to know they can reach me now at nmw64@aol.com. Some may still be trying to reach me at the old address. Thanks for posting this for me!

Oh, yeah, I changed this in my own records, but not on the site! Sorry, Sweet Nancy, I fixed it now - and congratulations once again on your retirement!

From George Helliesen ('61) of MI - 10/03/09 - "Will Rogers and getting old":

Just thought I'd send a few thought to you and your readers to help everyone get through the day. My brother-in-law from California sends some pretty serious quotes from time to time.

Also, regarding the old Patrick Henry airport and my high school days, I and some of my friends used to drive from the Shoney's on 39th Street out to the airport in our "hot" cars, so we thought, and race way out in the woods on nice cement roads or runways. No one was ever around to tell us not to. I don't think I ever won a race. This was in the fifties. Couldn't afford a fast car then and still cannot. One of my current rides can be seen on my Facebook page.

Gene Ellis ('61 - of FL) and I used to race on I-64 when it first opened. But that is another story for another day. You can see what kind of a kid I was and still am. Now my wife and I race each other out on I-75, me on the bike and she in our sports car. I'm telling too much so I'll stop.

Thanks, George!

They're good and I'm well. No wait, I'm good and they're well. No, no, they're good and well, and I only try to be good (sometimes). No, wait! Wait a minute!

Will Rogers, who died in a plane crash with Wylie Post in 1935, was probably the greatest political sage this country has ever known.
Enjoy the following:

1. Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.
2. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
3. There are 2 theories to arguing with a woman...neither works.
4. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
5. Always drink upstream from the herd.
6. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
7. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back in your pocket.
8. There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.
9. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
10. If you're riding' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.
11. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it back.
12. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral:
When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.

ABOUT GROWING OLDER...
First ~ Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.
Second ~ The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
Third ~ Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know "why" I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.
Fourth ~ When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.
Fifth ~ You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.
Sixth ~ I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.
Seventh ~ One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.
Eighth ~ One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.
Ninth ~ Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.
Tenth ~ Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today it's called golf
And finally ~ If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to laugh at when you are old.

From My Friend, Judy Bundy Bowermaster (Litchfield HS, IL - '59) of IL - 10/03/09 - "Doors":

This is really a very peaceful and soothing ride! Hope you enjoy it! Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!

From My Friend, Judy Bundy Bowermaster (Litchfield HS, IL - '59) of IL - 10/03/09 - "VATICAN HUMOR":

VATICAN HUMOR

After getting all of Pope Benedict's luggage loaded into the limo, (and he doesn't travel light), the driver notices the Pope is still standing on the curb.

'Excuse me, Your Holiness,' says the driver, 'Would you please take your seat so we can leave?'

'Well, to tell you the truth,' says the Pope, 'they never let me drive at the Vatican when I was a cardinal, and I'd really like to drive today.'

'I'm sorry, Your Holiness, but I cannot let you do that.. I'd lose my job! What if something should happen?' protests the driver, wishing he'd never gone to work that morning...

'Who's going to tell?' says the Pope with a smile.

Reluctantly, the driver gets in the back as the Pope climbs in behind the wheel. The driver quickly regrets his decision when, after exiting the airport, the Pontiff floors it, accelerating the limo to 205 kph.. (Remember, the Pope is German..)

'Please slow down, Your Holiness!' pleads the worried driver, but the Pope keeps the pedal to the metal until they hear sirens.

'Oh, dear God, I'm going to lose my license -- and my job!' moans the driver.

The Pope pulls over and rolls down the window as the cop approaches, but the cop takes one look at him, goes back to his motorcycle, and gets on the radio.

'I need to talk to the Chief,' he says to the dispatcher.

The Chief gets on the radio and the cop tells him that he's stopped a limo going 205 kph.

'So bust him,' says the Chief.

'I don't think we want to do that, he's really important,' said the cop.

The Chief exclaimed,' All the more reason!'

'No, I mean really important,' said the cop with a bit of persistence.

The Chief then asked, 'Who do you have there, the mayor?'

Cop: 'Bigger.'

Chief: ' A senator?'

Cop: 'Bigger.'

Chief: 'The Prime Minister?'

Cop: 'Bigger.'

'Well,' said the Chief, 'who is it?'

Cop: 'I think it's God!'

The Chief is even more puzzled and curious, 'What makes you think it's God?'

Cop: 'His chauffeur is the Pope!'

Give me a sense of humor, Lord,
Give me the grace to see a joke,
To get some humor out of life,
And pass it on to other folk.

From Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 07/02/09 - "NNHS 64/45 REUNION PAGE UPDATES":

From ArcaMax Jokes - 10/03/09:

Broken Engagement

Dear Marty,

I have been unable to sleep since I broke off your engagement to my daughter. Will you forgive and forget?

I was much too sensitive about your Mohawk, tattoo and pierced nose. I now realize motorcycles aren't really that dangerous, and I really should not have reacted that way to the fact that you have never held a job.

I am also very sure that some other very nice people live under the bridge in the park, too. Sure my daughter is only 18 and wants to marry you instead of going to Harvard on full scholarship. After all, you can't learn everything about life from books.

I sometimes forget how backward I can be. I was wrong. I was a fool. I have now come to my senses and you have my full blessing to marry my daughter.

Sincerely, Your future father-in-law.

P.S. Congratulations on winning the lottery!

Y'all take good care of each other! TYPHOONS FOREVER! We'll Always Have Buckroe!

To donate, click on the Donate Button on the left, or just mail it directly to my home (address available upon request). Thanks! nnhs65@gmail.com

Music based on Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2
(01 Apr 1873 – 28 Mar 1943)

Full moon and empty arms,
The moon is there for us to share,
But where are you?
A night like this could weave a memory,
And every kiss could start a dream for two.

Full moon and empty arms,
Tonight I'll use the magic moon to wish upon,
And next full moon,
If my one wish comes true,
My empty arms will be filled with you.

Full moon and empty arms,
Tonight I'll use the magic moon to wish upon,
And next full moon,
If my one wish comes true,
My empty arms will be filled with you.

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 the late Herbert Hice of MI - one of my Famous Marines who served in the South Pacific during WWII.
Thanks again, Herbie!!


	Fall 1941		Fall 1941
	Courtesy of Norm Covert ('61) of MD - 10/01/09		Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 05/04/08

		We grandmothers are really crazy about our grand babies and great grand babies. It amazes me how each new generation seems to come into this world so much smarter than the previous generation. My second great granddaughter Alyssa Joanne Homan was born on June 1, 2009. She lives in Tampa, Florida on Mc Dill AFB with her Mommy and Daddy and big sister Caitlin Mariah, age 2-1/2. These two little girls don't even look like they have the same parents. Caitlin looks exactly like Josh, her father, (blonde and fair) and Alyssa looks exactly like Christie, her mother (brunette and dark). I can hardly wait until Christmas, because they are coming to Virginia to spend 2 weeks with the family.
Monday, June 1, 2009 (or very shortly thereafter)	Friday, October 2, 2009
Caitlin visiting her sister Alyssa in the Hospital	Caitlin and Alyssa