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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.
 

Jim Cejka

So, as I am working on what I am sure will one day be priceless family heirlooms, I was wondering - has wood shop in today's schools devolved to a 4 hour class on Sauder or Ikea assembly.

Jim Cejka

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

THE BREWERS!!

Garry Sellers

Isn't this weather terrible?  High pressure parked off the coast. Temperatures in the mid to upper 70's for weeks on end. No rain in sight. I wonder how things are back in Wisconsin and the East. 

Lauren Dieterich

With the exception of a couple of days about 3 weeks ago, when it was in the mid 70's, here in Bullhead City, AZ, it's been in the mid 80's. Now, if someone could turn off the wind. I haven't been able to fly my flag in almost a month. If I had a flag pole, I'd leave it up; but, I have one of those flag holders that screw into , in my case a sheet metal post in out car port. When it gets windy, I'm afraid that it may break off.

Looking at the pictures of the birthday party, I really wish that I could have been there. But, it was too close to my sons Celebration of Life. I  just wasn't in the mood for it. He was an accidental drowning in Maine. This was 3 weeks later; and, they hadn't found him, yet. His body was found a week later, 6 miles upstream from where he fell in. Could someone explain the upstream. He was found on his birthday. One problem with a Celebration of Life without a body, is that you don't have a chance to say goodby. Sorry for the sad post; but, after 7 months, I can talk about it, at least in writing

Jim Cejka

It was refreshing to see it snowing tonight at the Packers game. That's more like Packer football. Of course, winning was a bit of refreshment too.

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

Jim,

I think the snow was a boon for the Packers on that final play.

Jim Cejka

Garry,

The only thing it snows in them valleys out there in CA is ashes. But, maybe you should paint the field at that Levi stadium (named after a pair of pants) white. Make the Packers feel at home and remind the G-man that some teams can play in any conditions, not just perfect artificial grass. 

Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the game here where the hills and trees are still green, with a tinge of fall color, the lakes and rivers are full of water, the worst traffic we face are the 10-15 cars we meet on the way to pizza. Oh, and our electricity works. 

Garry Sellers

  And now they have Vick's patches.  Wasn't your Mom rubbing it on your chest half of the medicinal value?

Lauren Dieterich

My Mother would rub it on our chests, a little under our noses and occasionally have us swallow a pea size bit.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

I truly still enjoy actually  "vaping" — with a Vicks inhaler. Little tube about the size of a Chap Stick I can carry with me. Very soothing!

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

We've been gone for a while, so just catching up with the forum and the great get-together photos (wow - everyone looks so young!)

We all have our memories about Vicks. Mine may give away a humble background: when I was a kid, I would get not only a Vicks rubdown on the throat and chest, but then a large towel would be secured around my neck with a safety pin. This towel was then, officially, a "Sally rag". Don't know where that came from - rural central Wisconsin (Dad's family), or my first 3 years in Texas. Anyone else cured by a Sally rag so long ago?

Jim Cejka

Nancy - we didn't call it a "Sally Rag" but my grandmother (we lived with the grandparents) made something similar. She didn't use Vicks though, she made her own from, probably an old German recipe, from lard and camphor. Kept the stuff in the fridge, slathered it on a diaper or dish towel, and tied it around your chest or neck. It did clear the sinuses, but I think it's main value was preventative, not theraputic. Once you had her "cure" - ice-cold lard glomped on your chest - you would never ever admit to having a cold again. That was for when we were young. When you got older, she'd give you a hot toddy, usually a warm brandy and lemonade drink. It was worth catching a cold for that.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Oh Nancy, I do remember the Vicks rubbed into the chest, back and neck and then covered with a towel/safety pin. I have still done that to soothe a congested throat & chest! I think it helps. Jim, I can relate to the German home remedies. My mom used to make "onion juice" as cough syrup. She would slice an onion into a bowl,  cover it with sugar, and  put a plate over it overnight. She would spoon out the "juice" as needed. It actually tasted good, and we were known to sneakily put our own spoons into the the bowl. I can only wonder if we knocked anyone over with our breath afterward?

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

We enlist any and all coping mechanisms to manage the continuous onslaught of reprehensible and unwarranted attacks on our stellar reputations appearing periodically in this forum. We remain steadfast in our unflagging determination to resist valiantly with an unending variety of indulgences.

Carry on, Garry!

Jim Cejka

Or, as we said in the military, "Smoke'm if ya got'em."

Lauren Dieterich

Jim,  When I was in Basic Training it was "light 'em if you got 'em. If you don't, bum one from your neighbor" You barely got it lit and you heard " butt em "

Jim Cejka

Apparently, one can get used to Wisconsin winters - 

"When I go back to California, I laugh at all the Californians wearing long sleeves and coats in 60-degree weather. I'm thinking, 'Man, this is short weather, short sleeves. Get the speedo out or something.' "   (Quote from Aaron Rogers)

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Reminds me of my first trip to South America. It was January or February, and I needed some summer clothes. We had a long layover in Florida, so I thought it would be a good time to pick up a few things. Ha! Everyone was all bundled up, and the stores were stocked with jackets and sweaters. Not a pair of shorts to be had! "Winter" and "cold" are decidedly relative concepts. 

Jim Cejka

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The way the Rose Bowl was meant to be.

Kenneth Pallaske

                      Merry Christmas to all my Custer classmates and families.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Just finished filling the serving trays and preparing to set out all the goodies so that Karsten can adequately fortify himself to weather the next round of insults and insinuations most likely on the way from California. Born on Jesus' birthday, he somehow brings out the worst in some people (i.e., those who hint at cannabis-treat gifts, but then just don't produce the goods). Merry Christmas to all (even Garry).

William Nelson

Merry Christmas to all!

I believe the last time Wisconsin played Oregon in the Rose Bowl, Oregon won. That was several years ago, but the thing I remember most was my cousin receiving the trophy for Oregon. She was raised on a farm near Chetek with 7 siblings (6 girls!), got a master's degree from UW in math and physical education. Her best offer came from Oregon and she moved to Eugene. She retired several years ago as Provost when her husband retired. The athletic department was outstanding and, as you know, had an outstanding football program. Unfortunately, the head coach and Athletic Director both were censured by NCAA and fired by the university for illegal recruiting activities. Lorraine's entire family was atop one of the highest mountain peaks in the area, celebrating their son's wedding. She didn't know until she got home that she'd been recruited to be the first female A.D. in the school's history. The president was convinced she was best qualified to straighten out the mess. She retired again when she'd accomplished that task. Then the president contracted cancer and she was called on again to become acting president until they could recruit another. That's how she wound up accepting the trophy for the Rose Bowl win. She's retired again; this time, she hopes, for good.

I asked her and the four sisters who now live in that area who they were going to root for. She responded first with, "That's easy! The one who's been signing my paychecks for 46-years."

Now, we're hoping LSU can pull off two more wins against two of the best teams in the country. We're also wondering if the Saints and Packers will play each other again in the near future. It's hard for us to choose on that one, but guess we'll go with the Saints and still love the Packers.

We'll be celebrating Christmas when our younger two kids' families arrive; probably on the 27th.

Best wishes for a better 2020. It's likely I'll be having eye surgery soon to achieve 2020.

Bill and Mary

Jim Cejka

“God Jul”  -  y’all.  Have to get used to saying Merry Christmas in Norwegian now. One of my sons recently married a Norwegian girl and moved to Oslo. Now he’s sending me pictures of his “traditional” Norwegian Christmas – four day of a meat feast. Apparently calories and cholesterol are not indigenous to Norway.

Bill – At least this Rose Bowl is as it should be, Big 10 vs Pack 12. Remember when we were young; if you were in the Big 10 or Pac (at that time) 10, going to the Rose Bowl was the only thing that counted. Down south, it was the Orange Bowl, or if you were an oater, the Cotton Bowl. Win that, you didn’t care about anything else. Bragging rights for life. None of this fictional CFP, FBS, alphabet soup that never seems to come out right. And, no wowzers like the Big Boys Mower Gasparilla Bowls either. 

Nancy – I can side with Karsten. My wife bakes Christmas cookies by the buckets full, literally. Today we delivered them to the one relative we have in the area, my daughter’s work, all the neighbors, and the local fire station, and still have enough here to give this old man an epic sugar buzz.  And, you haven’t received any noteworthy Christmas “greetings” from the California spokesperson until you’ve moved from that beloved place to greener pastures on the other side of the country. 

Ken – Nice snow job. Yes, snow like that equals memories, but I can’t say that the good ones outweigh the bad. I will relax here on my porch and imagine that the 2.5 inches of rain we got last night would have equaled 25 inches of snow, and be satisfied that that will be my snow experience for this year. 

I hope you all have another great and Merry Christmas.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Wishing all my Custer classmates a very merry Christmas, and wiping away copious happy tears from Patricia's video on the home page (I highly recommend viewing it if you haven't yet). This Christmas I am feeling blessed to be with our son & daughter-in-law and awaiting the birth of our first grandchild in February. Blessed to have lots of rain, perfectly spaced to avoid flooding (so far, fingers crossed). Blessed to be able to contact those far away via this website, Facebook, Facetime, and all the other tech marvels we never dreamed would exist back then. Blessed to have new friends and friendly neighbors here in Los Angeles - which I had thought did not exist here, as a dyed-in-the wool Northern Californian and Wisconsinite. I loved your photos of Christmases past; tried to contribute, but after a long search mine still remain buried in the garage somewhere. Can we do it again next year? May you have all the best in 2020. Doesn't that year have a nice ring to it?