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This message forum is an ongoing discussion about anything and just about everything ... within reason.  One thing our class was good at was having opinions.  Almost 70 years of life experience certainly qualifies us as experts on most everything!   Ask a question ... give an opinion ... share some insights ... it's our web site, it's our forum.  That said, it's probably not a good idea to get into arguments about politics, religion, and the like.  While we're experts on everything, we also have a wide range of values and beliefs. This site belongs to all of us ... the whole range ... and we are not here to isolate, alienate, or subjugate anybody.  Of course insults, humiliation, sophomoric barraggadocio, and demented humor is expected behavior among some of us less mature people.
 

Garry Sellers

John — looks like Nancy wasn't the only one having trouble uploading photos. Luckily, I uncovered this gem, which explains a lot about their… “warm” relationship.  Apparently, when Nancy says she’ll “help,” it’s best to stand well back and check your insurance coverage first.  Lesson learned: never hand Nancy anything that plugs in, lights up, or involves fire.  Good news — Karsten is out of the snowbank… just a touch more well-done than planned.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Well, Garry, I knew when I posted that you would somehow manage, in a perverted and malevolent way, to derive great joy from our misery. And you didn't disappoint.......

Jim, I thought you were joking about the flame thrower, until I checked the Amazon website. I think you're onto something.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Nancy - OMG!

Jim Cejka

Nancy,

Would I lie to you - - - and spoil such a beautiful friendship?

Ronald Imig

Nancy,  

Wouldn't mind helping you out with the snow and ice. It's been in the mid 90"s most of this past week in Simi Valley. Prior to this week had about 42 march days above 90 going back to 1915. Now Simi is up 47. Wonder what it's going to be like when the hot weather get's here this summer.

Jim Cejka

Here’s proof - history does repeat itself. I figured that the threat of ice and snow here is about over now, so I was out planting the spring flowers. To enjoy the experience even more, I turned on some music I had recorded on my iPhone. Good stuff from our time.

If you don’t remember, there were some good folk-type songs from the Kingston Trio and the Limelighters. Listen to the Kingston Trio’s “Merry Minuet,” recorded in 1959, and see if history doesn’t repeat itself, in our own lifetime. 

William Nelson

June, 1961 Graduate, Janet Farchione called to wish me a Happy Birthday, a few days ago. We were unable to get to the phone at the time. It was getting pretty late, so we put off calling back that evening. I forgot, they're at their home in Yuma for the winter and I think it's an hour earlier there. When she answered, she asked, "Back when we were 13 and in Junior High, did we ever consider what we'd be doing 70-years later?" Nope!

They're watching the weather reports for their prime residence near Wautoma. She said it's been so hot there that they're looking forward to the cooler weather, but not enough to shovel snow.

We've been into the 80's several times in the past few weeks, here in North Louisiana, but it's been so dry that it's not uncomfortable. We're 80% behind on rainfall so, officially, we're in a drought with outdoor burn bans everywhere in the area. We hope y'a'll are enjoying spring weathe rin good health wherever you're located. Our daughter is coming down to celebrate our birthdays together next week. She cancelled her airline reservations and will drive her little Fiat, after all the problems with air travel, the past couple of weeks. She's done it both ways before, so she knows what to expect.

Best wishes,

Bill and Mary

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Fun and games in Northern Michigan! Perhaps you've seen some of the news ( we actually made the NYT this morning - Cheboygan, just north of us, is watching their dam closely). Our lake has an outlet to Lake Huron and its water level is controlled by a weir - that is, it WAS controlled until the 20 inch thick lake ice began to melt. As we watched the huge floating chunks, the NW wind kicked up and brought increasing amounts of ice to the ege of our property, which is ( or rather, WAS) lined by rocks and boulders. The wind continued, and the ice kept coming - looked like there was an invisible bulldozer coming in our direction. And it kept on coming, closer and closer, bringing our rocks and boulders along with it - our own, private glacier. As of now, the lake is exactly level with our lawn, the water has reached our deck, and we have an impressive collection of debris at the edge of the lake ( which now is on about 20 feet of our lawn). A short drive on Sunday to check out the weir revealed a seriously overwhelmed and barely visible structure with torrents of our lakewater on its way to Lake Huron. We aren't looking forward to the cleanup, once the lawn reappears and dries out enough that we can walk on it. We could grumble and complain, but need to be grateful - our house is still dry, and no one died. Anyway, we need the exercise.

Tom Burger

 marriage. Nancy, while your yard is "on the rocks" rejoice that your marriage is not "on the rocks"!  Intact marriages are rare, you and Karsten did well and are blessed.  I can't say the same for my first marriage, which was "on the  rocks" early in the marriage. However, I am very blessed in my second marriage of just under 40 years. The difference for me was finding faith and understanding my purpose in life. 

In regard to your "challenge" of flooding (weather) which seems uncontrollable, allow me to relate my recent "weather experience".  I was driving home from work (yes I still work) last Tuesday night about 6:00pm. I was on a 2 lane rural road.  The weather was "threatening" but the sun was out, yet it had an errie green color. I noticed that I was the only vehicle (I have a minivan) on the road (should have been a clue).  In literally an instant it turns completely dark (as dark as midnight). Next it began to rain in torrents accompanied by wind and large hail. The wind brought debris and lots of tree branches. Everything outside was streaming by at rocket speed in a horizontal direction.  The most "unnerving" thing was the sound. Hail hitting the windshield and roof, rushing wind, tree branches crashing into the van and a persistent roar...all unlike anything that I have ever experienced. I slowed to about 15 or 20 mph. And now the van was starting to be pushed sideways on the  road

There  was no place to pull off, and it didn't seem to "make sense" to me to stop. I remembered the humorous (yet true)  phrase "if you are going through hell...don't stop, keep going!" I do have what I call a personal relationship with the Lord and prayed for His help and protection.  After driving for about 6 minutes, it suddenly stoped and/or I drove out it. I stopped, it was as dark as midnight, but when I inspected the van, it was perfect, no scratches, no dents. I heard the tornado sirens, got back into van and drove comfortably home. Later I saw on the news that a tornado had torn the roof off a church in the area that I had traveled. I believe the lord sent angels for my protection. Nothing is impossible for our God... we have not because we ask not. 

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Congratulations ahead of time for your 40th.

Regarding your weather experience, I have no explanation for that one. 

One of my mah jongg partners yesterday related that she also has part of her lawn under water. Apparently the water is quite deep, as she spotted a good-sized pike swimming around. She was tempted to grab her camera and position her husband with his fishing pole, out there among the trees and lawn ornaments. 

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Nancy and Tom – So glad you survived - and are surviving - your scary weather experiences! Garry, how did you survive the rare lightning and thunderstorm of yesterday in the Bay Area?  Down here in LA we are just getting a little rain this afternoon. Then the same boring sunshine.

Jim Cejka

Nancy, Tom - OMG, glad you guys came through all that ok. Funny you mentioned the green sky Tom. My daughter, who lives just east of Lake Winnebago, also saw the eerie green sky and called to tell us what she was seeing and how weird it was. No tornado though.

When I was on the sheriff's department in Waukesha we had 2 tornados come through. Interesting. 

And down here in swampy old Florida, we're having a very serious drought. Crazy.

With all the goofy weather around the country, don't you wonder how Bill Carlson, WTMJ, would have explained it with his one map and hand-drawn charts. 

Jim Cejka

Nancy,

You made the news. Just saw the Weather Channel showing a bit about the flooding in Cheboygan County,  and the ice floes on Black Lake. 

Garry Sellers

Kenneth Pallaske

This is Lu Ken Pallaske's wife. I am sorry to say that Ken lost his battle with cancer on May 10,2026. he was surrounded by his family in his home, I am missing him terribly.

Jim Cejka

Semper Fi Ken.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

So sorry to hear this, Lu. Hugs from California.Yesterday would have been my Jon's birthday, and still missing him, and focusing on the memories of happy times.

Jim Cejka

Great post for Memorial Day - Thanks Garry.

Jim Cejka

A sign of the times - I just saw a commercial - for only $9.95, you can buy a roll of pennies.

Jim Cejka

So, if you're not into the World Cup, I'm looking at the TV listiings for today under "Sports." We have a stone skipping contest, axe and knife games, cherry pit spitting contest, Catholics vs convicts something, air-guitar all-star contest, hot-dog eating, air-hockey championship, and speed chess. 

Don't know if you can split a TV screen into that many windows. Enjoy.

Garry Sellers

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Not to worry. Garry. We aren't so thin-skinned that we can't laugh at ourselves. Besides, your AI generated reconstructions of us look better than some of our old photos. Carry on!

Having a very lazy day here, after a couple of overly-busy and exhausting ones. Spent the last half hour watching a squirrel trying to get to the bird feeder. I think I've finally outsmarted him! Good thing - he was getting expensive. 

Resting up for another busy day tomorrow at the lightkeeper's house. Our grand daughter has been coming with me for volunteer shifts there, and after a few days she's feeling more confidant and really getting into it. She's a great help when we have a glut of visitors all at once, and she's learning not only some maritime history, but also about how varied and weird the public can be. Besides that, the experience will look good on her college applications in three years. Wow - getting into college certainly wasn't as difficult when we were at it!

Summer finally arrived here, after a cold and windy spring. So far, we haven't hit eighty degrees, but getting there. It's hard to imagine being in the triple digits, as it must be truly miserable. We hope everyone is enjoying summer, sunscreening and hydrating like mad.

Jim Cejka

Garry,

No problem with the AI pics, although, if you use Artificial Intelligence, does that mean that you have none of your own? (A HA). Besides, those pictures you post of me are better than the ones posted in the Post Offices. Maybe you could add a little more hair though. 

Nancy,

I'm jealous. I love lighthouses! Been trying to find something like model kits of lighthouses I could build and clutter up the house with. Which one do you work at so I can look it up? 

Marian Schopp (Bringe)

Where can I find the AI generated pictures?  I so rarely check in on my high school friends.  I hope to change that now that I am a widow.  I never really new my classmates but AI generated pictures sounds like fun to see.  

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Hi Jim,

We have two, and they're about a mile apart. The last keeper at the 1840's light was appointed by Lincoln, and became the first one at the new light. He had six children, and five of them were involved in lightkeeping. We had 74 years of "wickies" from that family in our area! 

I volunteer at the lightkeeper's home for the 1870, or the "New" lighthouse. It took volunteers six years to bring it into shape, and I play mah jongg with one of the original restorers. Several of them are already dead, sadly. Keeping it in shape and open for the public is a labor of love. Look up Presque Isle Township Museum Society. I'm no longer on the board, but still stay active, and it's a great group.