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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.
 

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Yes, Barb, we also get some chatter about our Michigan weather in winter. But, nothing an extra log on the fire and a good down parka can't handle. Biggest danger is ice underfoot; following the rule of good footwear and "keep your backside over your feet" usually prevents catastrophe. And here we are, happily enjoying high seventies and low to mid eighties warming up the lakewater. Kids are swimming, kayaking, sailing, water skiing, pontooning, board sailing, and generally "messing around" - doesn't get better than this. They start up the firepit for s'mores about the same time we turn in for the night. Happily we've had recent rain, so hopefully no forest fires. A few days of bad air from Canada, but the winds shifted and blew it away. We need to enjoy every single minute of summer, as it all ends quickly up here. 

Lauren Dieterich

We were snowbirds for 6 years, Portland, MI to Bulhead City, Az; and, 5 years full time in Buillhead City, exactly 2,000 miles. We got tired of the 4 day trip, twice a year. I've lived in 7 states; and spent a quarter of my life in the Southwest. And, I'm really kicking mysellf for not figuring out a way to stay in Deming, NM.

Lauren Dieterich

I have stage 2 COPD; and, my goal is to stay there as long as I can. I'm also on several COPD sites. They all say that I should avoid cold and humidity. I guess that it means no more snowball fights or building snowmen.

Ray Thompson

Hi Lauren--Saw your post. My wife is on stage 3 of COPE and on total oxygen 24 hours a day. She has 2 very high m

eds-Trelegy & Elequist. Both are keeping her going. She also has a nurse come in once a month to do all vitals etc. Keep strong my friend

Lauren Dieterich

My pulmonologist In Arizona said that I might not ever need oxygen, key word might. I was originally put on Incruse; but, my insurance wouldn't pay for it. Then he put me on a 100mg of Trelegy plus Albuterol. My doctor here in Michigan doubled my doseage of Trelegy to 200mg. Did that ever make a difference. About 3 months ago, I thought that I may have Afib. After checking me out; I don't have lung cancer and my lung function is pretty good for stage 2 COPD. After that, he put me on a 24 hour heart moniter. I have PVC premature ventricular contractions. Under stress, the lower chambers of my heart do an extra beat. PVC is the same as COPD, there is no cure.There is medication that can help with PVC; but, it does a real number on COPD. So, I'm not taking it. It seems that every time that I see my Doctor, he finds something else wrong.

Barbara Blair (Brenzel)

Always something going wrong!  A friend of mine has said that growing older is not for cowards!

And, I totally watch out for ice in the winter!!!

Garry Sellers

Came across some old photos online.  Anybody recognize either of these?

Dean Schwarten

Hi Garry, My guess is Smith Park and McGovern.  

Jim Cejka

Oh Yeah!

Had to think for a while about the top one, I usually saw it from the top front angle. And you're right Dean, times 2.

The top pic is the Smith Park pavillion, looking at it from the bottom level. If you ice skated at Smith, that was where you went in to warm up or put your skates on. In and out that door on a wooden walkway to the rink, which would be to your right of the picture. In the summer, that's where they had the kids programs (and the bath rooms). Whoever took the picture is standing on the 3rd base line of the softball diamond, the one where the MEN played (league teams), and had lights. That area opened out into the wide open areas which were the outfields for the ball diamonds, and where they did the fireworks. If you continued walking straight after you took the picture, you'd come to the hills where we watched the fireworks, and went sledding. The upstairs was a hall that could be rented and where they had the voting on election days. Anyone remember the swimming "pool" at Smith?

The bottom picture is the bridge over the larger of the 2 lagoons at McGovern. The large one was kind of hourglass shaped, and that bridge crossed the narrow spot between the halves. It's not the one they usually had open for ice skating because the water didn't always freeze solid under the bridge (as I found out one time). I also remember running up and down and all around that thing when Mr. Royal had us practicing cross-country. 

Many a good memory at both.

Lauren Dieterich

The top picture is definitely Smith Park. I lived across 35th from the Park until I was 10, when we moved one block West to the Northwest corner of 36th and Sheridan.. Mr. Hagopian, my Homeroom teacher lived a block South on 36th.

Jim Cejka

Dean probably dropped down to see how us folk lived down there over by the Granville/Milwaukee border town area. Smith would have been a "quaint" little park compared to that McGovern one.

William Nelson

We lived only a block south of Smith Park, on 36th Street next door to the candy store and across the street from 36th Street School. I didn't recognize any of the pictures of the park, because we seldom went there. It seemed like we had after-school activities on most nights and were either at our cottage on Lake Poygan, or traveling, on weekends and during the summer. My dad was a teacher, so our hours matched his most of the time.

I was always impressed with the number of nice parks Milwaukee had developed all over the city. I was once offered a position at our company's home office in Columbus, OH. I turned it down and told them, if I had to move back North, we'd move back to the Milwaukee area because we have so many relatives in the area and I liked the city more than most. Not sure that last part is true anymore, but we still see a lot of the good things about Milwaukee from our daughter, who is an official greeter for the city. We're amazed by how many cruise ships include Milwaukee on their itinerary. There are also quite a few tour buses that use Milwaukee as a primary stop. One of my cousins drives Badger Coach Lines buses and I saw them both on "Facebook" about the same time, in the same area, so posted to both. Now, they look for each other when they're crossing paths. Saw pictures from her a couple of nights ago covering the "Night Markets" downtown. That was way too crowded for us. I'm sure there were more folks there on the streets than live in our entire parish (county, to the rest of the country). Just checked; Jackson Parish has about 15,000 residents in 580 sq. mi. At any given time, about half of those are at Walmart, trying to cool down on their dime. :)

Jim Cejka

We lived less than a block away on 35th. (I never new so many of you folks lived so close.) and spent a lot of time there - playing ball in an open space off 35th st, the playground, even that "pool." I got familiar with the pavilion because we lived with my grandparents, and my grandmother was in charge of the polling place there whenever there was an election. I helped set things up, or run over whatever she or someone else forgot. 

William Nelson

Another of your friends, Ken Rabas, lived about 3-houses to the north of us. My favorite memory of that time and his family was on the night my dad brought home our little 17' Airstream travel trailer. The Rabas family came over to see it and all eight of us spent hours in it that night talking about all sorts of stuff. It was obviously cramped, but we all enjoyed that evening together. His dad, his older brother, and I all worked for Globe-Union/Centralab, but in different locations for a few years. We try to visit Ken's family whenever we're up that way. 

William Nelson

Gary,

I've never been in the Smith Park wading pool and deny any such actions. We did our wading in Lake Poygan, which is big enough that you'd never notice!

Jim Cejka

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet...
~William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, c.1594  [II, 2, Juliet]

And Garry - I plead not guilty. When you're in water that's barely knee deep, such activity would be too obvious.

And Garry - Alex and I made a deal years ago that I'd give up golf so people wouldn't confuse us.

Barbara Blair (Brenzel)

You guys are "too much"!!  Please keep it up!

Barb

Jim Cejka

Garry,

I can offer further proof of my Innocence. Looking at a Google map aerial view of Smith Park, that pool is apparently still there. Should you wish to go and do a DNA sample, I'm sure I'll be absolved. 

(Although reading the Milwaukee news lately, I wouldn't go there with less than a squad of Marines.) 

Lauren Dieterich

I remember reading that the Smith Park pool was going to be replaced with a real swimming pool. That was at least 10 years ago. The last time that I was in Smith Park, the swimming pool turned into a splash pad without running water. The old pool was almost completely filled with concrete, that slpoes from the original edge to about 6 inches in the middle. There was water in it; but, it might have been from rain. If you stood in the very center of the pool, you'd get, maybe your ankles wet. Right now, I'd be surprised if there is anything left of the playground.

Garry Sellers

Jim - In case you didn't follow along, Alex Cejka did win the British Senior Open played in Wales in a playoff in rain and 40 mph gale force winds.  While the other contestants were wearing parkas, stocking caps, and hiding from the wind behind their caddies, Alex was wearing a short-sleeve shirt!  Just goes to show you, Cejkas are comfortable with bluster and generating their own hot air!  The German beat poor Irishman Paddington Harrington, who, if I'm not mistaken, is a bear!  Paddington could have won if he hadn't spent time looking for a den in which to hibernate.

Jim Cejka

Jim Cejka

Alex always checks with me for some pointers when things get a little rough.

Garry Sellers

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

Garry,

Water Tower & St. Mary's Hospital 

https://viewaukee.com/north-point-water-tower/

Garry Sellers

Yeah - That's right Jeanne. I knew most people would know what it is but I think what engineering function it actually served is fascinating and why the external structure.  Also, has anybody you know ever been inside or to the top of it?  I never knew any of it until I happened across a similar article.  And the original St Mary's moved.  (Why do old photos like this look so stark?  Hadn't trees been invented in the 1800's?)