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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

Lauren - was this a drunk Arizona duck or a drunk Michigan duck?

Lauren Dieterich

Jim, it was a Wisconsin duck; and, not one from the Dells, either . My daughter lived on 92nd St, just south of Center St at the time. She called the Humane Society to get it instead of roasting it.

Jim Cejka

FOUL! FOUL!

Just saw a program on our PBS station on "10 Parks That Changed America" - and Smith Park wasn't even mentioned.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Now Smith Park really brings back memories. On our little lunch hour at Edison a bunch of us girls would walk there and have a picnic lunch - then walk to various places. One day a couple of us were SO late! I remember trying to sneak back into the building and running into Mr. Thom on the staircase.

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

I enjoyed an 80° day on the deck yesterday. Today, it's 50°, with wind-chills in the 30s, and rain. It seems as if Mother Nature doesn't want to spoil us too quickly. It was nice while it lasted!

Jim Cejka

Jeanne, you're in Wisconsin. Did you expect a long string of nice, warm days?

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

Jim, I certainly didn't! I accept them, and appreciate them as they come. Never knowing when that will happen is what makes living here so exciting. One never knows, from one day to the next, what to expect. It makes it very easy not to get bored.

Jim Cejka

Happy Birthday your Queeness. 65 Years as the Queen of England. Way to go!

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Jeanne, I agree - enjoy them when they come. I'm in Boulder for the week

 ( Grandma support mode while son-in-law is away on business ). Arrived on Sunday to see already-blossomed trees heavy or broken with over a foot of snow. Built three snowmen on Monday. Went to the park in short sleeves and sunscreen on Wednesday. Today's laundry - interesting assortment of mittens and shorts.

Can't wait to get back to Michigan and see what my gardens are doing. 

Jim Cejka

C'mon, Nancy. It's only April. You know that there's a foot or two of snow yet just waiting to dump at the first sign of green coming up in your garden or flower bed.

Melody Jones (Parker)

My yellow roses did not bloom before Easter this year because Easter was so early and we were still cold...60 degrees.  But, two weeks later about 3 dozen blossoms were beautifully swaying in the breeze.  Then, this week on Monday, it was 90 degrees and they wilted!  So, tomorrow I will have to go out and cut off the dead flowers to make room for fresh growth.  No pictures attached because I do not like to take photos of dead flowers!  Nice mid 70's forecast for the beginning of next week.

Jim Cejka

I seem to have been out of touch. The only thing I ever knew about Prince was that he was the Artist Formerly Known as Prince, but was still called Prince, which still confuses me.

RIP

Melody Jones (Parker)

I think he was confused, too, so you are not the only one.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

I think Prince represents the point where I totally lost touch with the pop music scene. I remember seeing him performing and thinking, "Michael Jackson? No, ANOTHER Michael Jackson."

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

Jim Cejka

Time flies when you're having fun.

Gordon "Allen" Mitchell

Just don't watch the news. (smile) Fun, fun, fun. 

Jim Cejka

Al - one of the beauties of cable television is that I can watch the news in 37 different languages, none of which I understand, and it isn't so bad then.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Jim - About your prediction of 4/22: no big snow dump, but none needed. While the daffodils are blooming beautifully near the house, there was still (yesterday) a lingering snowdrift thirty feet away next to the woods. Boats have begun to appear on the lake and we're anxious to get our docks in.

Sunny days mean heavy garden duty and sore muscles, but while moaning and complaining, we remind ourselves how grateful we are to be able to do it. Every evening's news from around the world makes us also grateful for the water to make it all grow, the peace and quiet of no gunshots/bombings, and the comfort and good fortune to come into a warm house for a good dinner. To say nothing of having a good companion with whom to share it all. Mothers' Day coming up reminds me of one (really, two...) more things for which to be grateful. One's heart aches for the mothers (and everyone ) around the world who don't have these blesssings. 

Happy Mothers' Day to all!

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

Nancy--I love your positive outlook and attitude on everything. Sending my very best to you and Karsten. Happy Mothers' Day!

Jim Cejka

Mom, when thoughts of you are in our hearts, we are never far from home. ~Author Unknown

Garry Sellers

I've debated saying this because for many of us it's far too raw of an emotion right now but ... You know what I miss about my Mom since she's been gone what seems like forever?  Her voice.  Same for others close to me who have passed on.  I know I have them on videos talking someplace on my computer but I don't want to sit for hours looking for them.  Even those aren't talking directly to me.  Incredibly, a couple weeks ago I was going through my Xfinity account and noticed a voicemail I neglected to erase from my sister from last summer.  She knew she was terminally ill at the time but her voice was still full of joy and energy ... as best she could.  She passed Thanksgiving week.  But what nourishment it was for my spirit to hear her voice talking to me one more time.  I've copied it in a couple of places so I'll never lose it.  Got me to thinking if I should record a message to each of my kids and grandkids for when I'm gone.  Unfortunately we don't appreciate those kind of things until it's almost our turn anyway.   So maybe not.

Sorry if this sounds too morbid. 

Jim Cejka

Garry - not morbid. Mortality is our reality. We are fortunate to have so many memories that mean so much to us and that have made these later stages of our lives so much more pleasant. We hope that we have given those we love some similar memories that they will enjoy in their futures.

To live in hearts we leave behind
Is not to die.
~Thomas Campbell, Hallowed Ground

Gordon "Allen" Mitchell

Thank you both for a very nice discussion. 

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

Garry--I totally agree with Jim. There's nothing morbid about it. Make those recordings for your kids. I wish, with all my heart, that I had something like that with which to remember Robert. Instead, I keep hearing and am haunted by the final words he spoke to me: "I'm scared."