Alumni Sandstorm ~ 06/10/05
Dateline: Gretna, LA... and watching Tropical Storm Arlene
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12 Bombers sent stuff and 1 Bomber funeral notice today:
Dick McCoy ('45), Carol Black ('48)
Mike Clowes ('54), Chuck Holtz ('55)
Ed Wood ('62), Gary Behymer ('64)
Don Andrews ('67), Betti Avant ('69)
Nancy Nelson ('69), Steve Piippo ('70)
Vicki Owens ('72), Jamie McDevitt ('81)
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>>From: Dick McCoy ('45)
Re: NO [New Orleans, aka NOLA]
To: Jim Jensen ('50)
The Big Easy in NO are the tourists' $$$
-Dick McCoy ('45)
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>>From: Carol Black Foster ('48)
To: Vicki Steichen Bricker ('67)
Congratulations on the drafting of your son, Travis Buck ('02),
by the Oakland As!!
Right after I read your entry, I saw my grandson's name (Stephen
Foster ('05 NAB) in the Seattle Times and he was drafted by the
Baltimore Orioles. I don't understand all I know about the baseball
drafting but I gather his draft was not into a major league.
Anyway, Hooray for us!!
-Carol Black Foster ('48)
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>>From: Bob Carlson, aka Mike Clowes ('54)
Re: From the Fair Warning Dept.
Yes, it is true as reported by Judy Willox ('61) in yesterday's
Alumni Sandstorm: The Bomber DustStorm is on it's way to a mailbox
near you. That is, IF you are a dues paying member of Club 40 (the
only way you can get the DustStorm).
So, a tip of the old hat to Judy and all the valiant workers who
folded, stuffed, taped and labeled to get the news out.
-Bob Carlson, aka Mike Clowes ('54) ~ the sun has returned
momentarily to Albany, OR, but rain is in the forecast for
the weekend (like that's news).
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>>From: Chuck Holtz ('55)
Re: Wild Flowers of California
After our rainy days came nature's miracle
A while back someone mentioned a once in a 100 years bloom of
wild flowers in Death Valley. Thought I would pass this picture
along to show you what a treat it really was. Enjoy!
As we came back from Arizona we took a side trip through Death
Valley and enjoyed the desert in bloom. No one alive today has
ever seen the desert bloom like it has this year. The people that
keep tract of these things say it is a once in a hundred years
happening...
THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY GORGEOUS, IT LOOKS LIKE AN ARTIST SPILLED
HIS PAINTS. ENJOY...
http://richlandbombers.com/Xtra05/050610-Holtz.jpg
-Chuck Holtz ('55)
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>>From: Ed Wood ('62)
Re: Urban legends
In the same vein as www.snopes.com and www.truthorfiction.com/
you might find www.junkscience.com/ to be of interest, which
deals mostly with phony health and other science claims.
-Ed Wood ('62)
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>>From: Gary Behymer ('64)
Re: "A" Home Brick
Warning to those of you who may be living in a Richland Alphabet
home! Beware, the "A" house that you live in may be in the process
of being sold... piece by piece (;-)
The brick in this auction comes from an "A" house chimney in
Richland, WA. This small but hefty piece of history comes with a
certificate of authenticity verifying that it came from a Manhattan
Project structure.
Click to see the "A" brick on eBay
===========
The following are questions and replies from the "seller of the brick"
*****
Dear 1304mahan [Gary Behymer],
You asked: "Are there bricks available from a 'B' house? I'd
like one from 1304 Mahan and/or NeverTowed's home if available?"
It's possible, but would require negotiations and the employment of
night vision. Still, keep an eye out for future listings.
*****
Dear 1304mahan
You asked: "Are these bricks being packed by Krazy Kat? He was
always good with bricks..."
We categorically deny the involvement of Krazy Kat and all rumors
to that effect. I would point out that Krazy Kat was banned from
all nuclear sites after his poor appearance before the House Un-
American Activities Committee.
*****
From someone other than 1304mahan
Q: Do the bricks glow in the dark?? How many do you have? I would
like to line the edges of my front walk if they glow. If they
don't then will they glow...
A: Alas, the bricks do not glow in the dark. I haven't tested to
see if they glow under a black light, but it's doubtful. I
suppose you could coat them...
*****
-Gary Behymer ('64)
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>>From: Don Andrews ('67)
To: Bill Wingfield ('67)
This is wishing my very best friend in the whole world a belated
HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Hope you had a good one.
-Don Andrews ('67) ~ Vancouver, USA - Sunny today, 2nd day in a row
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>>From: Betti Avant ('69)
I'd like to enlist the help of you out there. I will be driving
from Eugene to the Ft. Lewis area in 10 days or so. In looking at a
map I-205 goes around Portland. Is this the lighter traveled way
than I-5 through the city? I don't like driving in any more traffic
than I have to. Thanks for any help anyone can give me.
-Betti Avant ('69) ~ Eugene, OR - where at least for the most part
it is sunny and the cottonwoods are blowing their
lovely cotton around
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>>From: Nancy Nelson Wyatt ('69)
To: Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
Thank you for the names on the moving wall. The name Melvin Nelson
is my brother. He came home on leave on my birthday, shipped out
on Mom's birthday and was killed and buried on my other brother's
(Bob Nelson ('65) birthday. Then 6 months to the day of Mel's
death, Bob was electrocuted in a gopher hunting accident and that
was on Mother's Day. The memories are still there very clear but it
is getting easier after all these years.
Mom and Dad are still alive and were in the paper for the Gold
Coast on National Register for the alphabet homes that were honored
for history.
-Nancy Nelson Wyatt ('69) ~ in beautiful Colville, WA - where we
finally got some sunshine today with more rain on the way.
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>>From: Steve Piippo ('70)
Re: Retirement
Thank You to the many, many former students who made teaching over
30 years worthwhile. Thank You to the parents who sent all those
students to Chief Joe and RHS. Thank You to the kids who played 7th
grade football, 8th grade football, 7th grade basketball, 9th grade
basketball and sophomore basketball. Thank You to all those kids
who allowed me to try to teach and even coach. Materials dictate
our quality of life. Relationships with all those students
certainly improved the quality of my life.
My ass is out-a-here!
-Steve Piippo ('70)
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>>From: Vicki Owens ('72)
To: Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
Thanks for taking the time to pass along information from The
Moving Wall. And how moving it is! As I expected, none of my
classmates was listed, and I assume that's why I'd previously
felt distant. Now when I look over the names and dates of death,
I realize that four of them died during my Bomber years. I don't
remember hearing about their deaths while at Col-Hi, and was
reminded once again how they were fighting an unpopular war in a
far-away place.
Vets, let me join with those who appreciate the sacrifice you made.
And, in many cases, continue to make on a daily basis due to the
physical and emotional price you paid. I'm only sorry that we
weren't, I wasn't, there to welcome you home those three decades
ago. You are heroes in every sense of the word.
I salute you,
-Vicki Owens ('72) ~ Kampala, Uganda - where today is a national
holiday called Heroes Day
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>>From: Jamie McDevitt ('81)
Re: Dana Fishback ('92 RIP)
My condolences to the Fishback family. Dana's positive, upbeat
narrative of her battle with leukemia over these past years was
truly an inspiration to those who received her regular e-mail
messages. True to form, on May 26 Dana shared an update on her
treatment and wrote, "I'm looking forward to seeing the outside
world soon....maybe in 2-3 weeks". Heaven will be a sweeter place
because of her presence.
-Jamie McDevitt ('81) ~ Dublin, CA
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Funeral Notice scanned from the TCHerald
by Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
>>Patricia Harris Johnson St. Germain ('57) ~ 6/21/39 - 6/5/05
http://funeralnotices.tripod.com/
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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