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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

Nancy, speaking of water, has the past winter or anything raised the lake water levels? When my Coast Guard son was stationed in the U.P. and his boat covered Huron and Superior, the lake levels were down 3-4 feet, and causing problems. They kept having to move the buoys as shipping channels got shallower and hazards got closer to the surface.

Melody Jones (Parker)

Conserving water is such a problem here in Nor Cal that this is the new swimming pool!!!

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Jim, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are up a little from last year, but not to the previous average levels. It was thought that the early and heavy ice cover would help by preventing all the evaporation from winds. The bay in which our nearest marina is situated didn't show much rise in water level (eyeball assessment). But, spring rains aren't over yet.....

On our own small lake, the ice broke last week and the loons and merganzers are back - cause for celebration every spring. 

Mel - I love your sense of humor!

Barbara Blair (Brenzel)

Toooooo funny, Melody!

Another banner WEEK in Wisconsin - cold, rainy & wind coming off the lake again.  This week ought to help the lake levels.  I was going to hang my windchimes outside but the way the wind is blowing, they'd end up in your yard, Nancy!!!

Looks like we'll have to be content with one day of spring.  I AM grateful it was Easter & we could sit outside.

Jim Cejka

Barb,

80s and 90s in CA for the next 7 days.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

A  belated thanks to Melody for that great photo of the aqueduct; gives it a new perspective to see it from above! I was going to point out that the aquaduct water isn't our only source; there are reservoirs here and in the L.A, area that collect runoff from the streams flowing from the Pacfic Coast Range mountains, as well as underground aquifers; but as Jim pointed out, they are all seriously depleted right now. And thanks, Jim, for the refresher course on how the water system works. Melody, you're going to have to be sure your "drought-friendly" pool is filled up in the next few days, with the severe heat wave coming. I lovei t!!! Now where did I bury my summer clothes? Nancy, your kids are SO lucky you were nearby! My aunt & uncle had a water pipe break at their cabin in Tahoe when nobody was there, and were greeted by a flood of water rushing out of the door when they arrived. They had to do a complete remodel of the ground floor.:-(

Jim Cejka

Thanks for the tip Melody. With temps headed to the 90s, I'll have to look into that. And, it'd be a free pool from the city, in our choice of blue, green, or brown. Probably do brown, it'll match my grass.

Barbara Blair (Brenzel)

Jim,

After today's weather I think I'll be heading to California right after I pack up a few belongings.  Oh wait, I can't lift much yet!   Warmed up a couple degrees, wind died down, rain started, rain stopped, fog rolled in, fog rolled out, rain started.  How pathetic!  BUT the duck couple that waddled across the lawn looked like they were really enjoying it!  Glad someone (something) is enjoying this.

Jim Cejka

Barb,

Don't let lifting slow you down. You don't need much here - bikini, shorts, t-shirt, flip-flops, you're all set.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Yes, Jim. We ladies from the class of '62 will just pack up all of our bikinis.....

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Yes, Nancy! One of the summer things I WON'T be digging out is a bikini. Threw my last one out in - hmmmmm - the 70s? Spent a beautiful day at the beach today. When it gets to the 90s in the valleys of CA there are always day trips to either the mountains or the beach to cool off. 

Barbara Blair (Brenzel)

Nancy,

My thoughts exactly!  Also, with my front & back scars, it would really enhance the bikini look!

Jim Cejka

Sounds good girls, I found my binoculars the other day when I was unpacking some more stuff, so I'm all set.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Reprobate.

Jim Cejka

Now that the conversation has turned to bikinis, our resident DOM Garry, is probably paying much closer attention.

Nancy, the binoculars are only for bird watching, of course. I did major in zoology, you know.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Mmmmmmm, Jim, are you starting to round up votes for your eventual (but, hopefully, far-off)  canonization?

Melody Jones (Parker)

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

The Gottschalks are still dealing with only one leg/foot. I saw the doctor today. Not the best news, but also not the worst. Today's x-rays showed that healing IS taking place. I will soon start receiving physical therapy. Someone should contact me tomorrow about scheduling that. I sincerely hope that the therapist can come to our house so I don't have to try to arrange more transportation. I have to continue wearing the dreaded boot, but I can eliminate the the Ace bandage wrapping unless swelling occurs. AND (this is a biggie) I can take off the boot when I sleep! I can also start putting minimal weight on my right foot/leg. However, I will wait until I'm working with the therapist to determine exactly what "minimal" actually means. Doctor said I still have 6-8 weeks in front of me before I'm back to "normal!" Robert sees his MD tomorrow. Hopefully, he'll receive some positive news. Life around this house is really getting difficult!

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Jeanne - I hope you continue to have more "biggie"s every day. 

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

GOTTSCHALK MEDICAL REPORT, PART 2

Fantastic news for my husband, Robert! No more casts! He now has a boot similar to mine, but shorter. He doesn't NEED to use crutches, but was told that he MIGHT want to use one to steady himself at times. Butt-walking down the steps to the rec room is a thing of the past. AND he was given a special shoe for driving. Translation: Wear the boot TO the car, change to driving shoe, put boot back on when destination is reached. But the driving deal is still in the future, as Robert needs to get used to actually walking again. (And YOURS TRULY has to feel totally comfortable with the idea!) The doctor cautioned him not to try to do everything all at once. He has to ease back into activities. Next appointment in 3 weeks.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

There's your "biggie" for today ! Hooray !

Lauren Dieterich

Just realized that I've missed the last 5 months of posts. My e-mail ( yahoo ) stopped notifing me of new posts on the forum; and, time just slipped by. It's amazing at how fast time is moving, now. It's going to take me a week to catch up. I do plan on going to the picnic. But, no rain this year, right ?

Jim Cejka

Today's inspiration for Mother's Day comes from the Book of Genesis:

"And God promised men that good and

Obedient wives would be found

In all corners of the Earth."

Then He made the Earth round,

And He laughed!

Garry Sellers

In the cruelest of role reversals, Wisconsin is experiencing temperatures 10 to 15 degrees warmer than we are in Northern California at the moment (not to be confused with Southern California a.k.a. LA-LA Land).  But we will flip roles again next week when we are forecast to hit 100 degrees!

And then there's the drought ... exacerbated by Jim's move to the north ... where we are now encouraged by environmentalists to share showers with a neighbor.  Everybody, Terri has invited us to her house where she's been hoarding!  What she's been hoarding we can only guess ... but rumor has it she's active in the legalizing cannabis movement.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Well, I'm found out! I've been hoarding native plants for a long time now. But you're a little off - cannabis isn't a native plant. Going out right now to plant some yerba buena before the heat wave arrives. (I have heard that yerba buena has some interesting properties. I believe it translates to "good weed".)