It's a few days away, but let me wish you a Happy New Year early.

Douglas Glass has checked in and is now on the Class of '64 Email Page.  It's worth going there just to see the above photo enlarged.  Ed Kessler '72 is no longer missing.  He's living in Las Vegas.

We're coming to the end of the goodies Kris Pruski Wood saved in her 3-ring binder.  Click HERE to check out the KGB Top 100 songs of 1970.  

OH, DEAR -- It is dark and REALLY cold in Pacific Beach.  It's either the First Day of Winter or the Last Day on Earth, or both.  I believe it's also the shortest day of the year, so it's gonna stay light longer!! Yippee!!

Who knew?  It turns out that Light My Fire was sung by The Doors, not The Rolling Stones -- and Brainpolice opened for The Byrds, not Brainpower -- and Light Show was probably a light show and not an opening act.  Someone said "If you can remember the '60s you weren't really there."  I remember the '60s and I was just as clueless then.

I'm sharing this photo of University Heights again, for those who missed it last week.  Click HERE to see it enlarged, and click HERE to go to last week's photo and read what Terry Shewmaker '68 has to say about the old Teacher's Training Annex Building.  Elaine Robinson Davis '61 can take heart.

Word that Ken Ziegenfuss '62 would be in town performing Chopin Etudes on December 16th sent Bob Richardson to his photo archives.  Noting that December 16th was my mom's birthday, HIS birthday, and Beethoven's birthday, Bob sent along a photo of "The Four Ziggies" commissioned by their mom around 1960.  That's Ken at the rear and, clockwise, Valerie '67, Lynn '72 and Fritz '61.

The Golden Anniversary Pacer is the green 8-page Christmas Vacation issue of December 20, 1962.  Remember "Christmas Vacation"?  Remember headlines like "McCorquodale Elected By Sophs As 62-63 Prexy"?  Sophs?  Prexy.  Language and customs certainly to change.  Click HERE to take a gander at the paper.

Larry Mabee '61, whose family created Big Bear Markets, passed away December 16th.  Click HERE to to to the Class of '61 Obituary Page, where you can read the recollections of Lenny Como '69 and obituaries from UT San Diego and Bloodhorse.com

Charles Ham '65 spotted the obituary for his classmate John "JB" Belchez, who died on November 16th.  Click HERE to read the obituary and/or sign the on-line guest book.

Dave Engle '73 wonders what ever became of Auto Shop Teacher Jim DeVore

I don't enjoy having my picture taken and don't like to force it on others, but I kinda liked the photo Nancy took last Friday while breakfasting at Janet's Montana Cafe in Alpine.  If I'd been wearing red I might have passed for Santa.

Elaine Robinson Davis '61 spotted Alice Birney Elementary in last week's photo of El Cajon Blvd. and wishes her old school could be fixed up.  Click HERE to take another look -- and read what she had to say.

Elaine's not gonna be happy with this photo either.  It's one of my all-time favorites, taken from Mission Cliff Gardens in 1916.  It looks south along North Avenue to the distant Normal School.  Click HERE to gaze in awe at an enlargement of a photo that's nearly 100 years old.

My classmate Ken Ziegenfuss '62 is in town from New York.  It'll be his first Christmas visit since his mother passed away on May 23rd.  He hopes you can join him at the Fallbrook Public Library this Sunday, December 16th. He'll be performing Chopin Etudes from 3:30 to 5.  There will be a pre-concert presentation at 3 and goodies afterward.  Ironically, I'll be at Renown Care celebrating my Mom's 92nd birthday.  Hope someone takes pictures.

Jamie Harrington sends '68 word that his classmate Sheldon Engelhorn (above) has been selected as a UC San Diego Alumni Regent beginning July 2013.  Click HERE to read all about it.

"Light My Fire", by the Rolling Stones, was the #1 hit of 1967 according to the 3-ring binder of Kris Pruski Wood '70.  Click HERE to read the rest.  Don't be surprised if you have to take a break.  It's a little bit like staring at the sun.

Far Out!!!   Sam Judd '70 noticed that the local bands opening for the Byrds, in the poster shared by Kris Pruski Wood, were Brainpower and Light Show, one of which had a Crawford connection.  I was  -- like -- too stoned to pick up on it.  Click HERE to revisit the poster and read what Sam has to say.

Some of you have been asking about Mom -- and telling me you miss dining vicariously with Nancy and I (or is it Nancy and me?)   Mom's hanging in there.  I think she knows who I am, and I can usually coax a Mona Lisa smile out of her.  When I ask how's she's doing she says, "bad".  Attempts to communicate further don't end well.  On the dining front, we're staying close to home.  It would appear that Nancy would rather have Eggs Benedict at The Green Flash than go anywhere else.  Maybe it's because they made them special for her birthday on November 16th.

Here's a photo from the San Diego History Center, taken on June 19, 1942. You may already recognize it as El Cajon Boulevard, looking west at Alabama Street.  Click HERE enjoy a nice enlarged view.   It's unusual to get exact dates on historical photos and I'm worried about this one.  Some of the cars look newer than 1942 to me.  Maybe you experts can check in.  

Mary Wilcox Craven '63 enjoyed reading about the winning speech team in the November 24, 1971 Pacer and thought you'd like to know the name of the speech teacher.  It was Mary Wilcox Craven.

From the 3-ring binder of Kris Pruski Wood '70 you can check out the Top 100 Hits of 1968 from radio station KGB.  Click HERE to refresh your memory.  (I've enlarged the original list so you won't have to get right up on the computer screen).

From Bob Skirvin '71 -- "As cosmic serendipity would have it, Helen Draz called me on a referral to perform some carpet repairs at their house in University City.  When I walked in and saw Coach, I said "I know you!".  Of course I had seen him around town from time to time driving the VW bug that he seemingly had forever, but this was the first personal interaction I had with him in the last 40 years or so (and no, the bug is gone).   Coach Draz and his wife are a lovely, happy couple and it was a pleasure visiting with and working for them.  Coach and I are each having birthdays this time of year and combined, we're something like 142 years old.  Holy shit!  Where has the time gone?  I want it back!  Coach pulled out a few old Centaurs so we could look at ourselves from back in the day.  He even pulled out a '64 Centaur that featured both he and my dad, Emmett, in the one year that their service at Crawford overlapped."

Tom Cassie '62 sends word of the passing of our classmate Larry Urdahl on November 28th in Sedona, Arizona.  There is no word yet on local services, but you can read a nice article in East County Magazine.

Rick Blaine '64 says his classmate Edna "Eddie" Timmons Hart died on November 30th in Columbus, Ohio.  Only problem is -- I can't find her in the '64 Centaur.  Can you help?  In the meantime, you can read an obituary in the Columbus Dispatch.

I tried all weekend to send the Fry Day email to the Class of '64, but kept getting the cryptic and maddening "domain does not resolve" message.  Hopefully, folks who didn't get their weekly dose of Fry Day knew enough to come to the Colt Corral

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eureka!!  I was digging around for something and came across another cache of Title Insurance & Trust, excuse me -- San Diego Historical Society, excuse me -- San Diego History Center photos.  This one was taken by the great Guy Sensor around 1930.  It looks south on 30th Street at University.  I'm pretty we visited that bank on the right on a Horace Mann field trip.  Click HERE to see an 8 x 12 version -- and an enlargement of the directional sign on the corner lamp post.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the 3-ring binder of Kris Pruski Wood '70 I've uploaded a couple of hand-colored rock posters and the remains of a Beatles ticket from the 1965 concert in Balboa Stadium.  You may have to drop a tab of acid to read the fine print on the groovy posters.  Looks like Jim Pagni was the producer on the above Byrds concert as well as one featuring The Association and Union Gap.  Click HERE to check them out.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Patty Humphries Grove '74 (I think she liked older men) spotted her neighbor Bob Moldenhauer '70 in one of the Blessed Sacrament photos.  She said he was in the 3rd Row wearing a "dashing" tie.  I've got it narrowed down to two boys.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Members of the Class of '71 Reunion Committee popped into Nunu's this week to talk about the 2016 Reunion and to celebrate a number of birthdays.  From the left are:  Art Reece, Bob Leidolf, friend Cindy, Phil Piscopo, Pamela Reece Farrar, Louis Galper, Victor Perez, friend Deborah, and David Feeley.  Photo by Irma Perez '74

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's the Pacer for November 24, 1971, courtesy of Velinda Clanton Peterson '72.  I meant to post it last Fry Day, but who's gonna notice after 41 years?  Click HERE to read an insightful column by the late Hollis Gentry -- and don't miss the special coupon from Belmont Park

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

George Lewis '70 and "AM Forever" will be appearing at the Chico Club, on Friday, December 7th, from 8:30 to past midnight.  The Chico Club is at 73rd and El Cajon, not far from the old Comanche Bowl and Cinnamon Cinder.  Click HERE to check out their web site.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not only can you enjoy the guitar stylings of Paul Caston at the First Thursday Fiesta on December 6th, but Paul will buy you a 16 oz draft beer, 12 oz domestic bottled beer, or a glass of house wine.  Of COURSE there's a catch!!  You have to EMAIL ME to obtain the coupon.

It speaks for itself -- if you can read it.  The final Amigo Spot First Thursday for 2012 is December 6th at 6 PM.  Thanks, as always, to Nancy Miljas for the great artwork.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE END

Happy Turkey Day

Have a nice Thanksgiving!!

I wonder what the late Bob Biehler '61 would think about classmate Sandy Shapery's latest automotive venture.  Bob, a world-renowned builder of custom hot rods, remembered the cool cars that Sandy fixed up.  Monday's U-T features an article about Sandy's efforts to recreate the Electriquette, the battery-operated carts seen at the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park.  Click HERE to read the U-T article and watch a video.  Click HERE to take another look at Bob Biehler's work.

Hostess is again teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and Twinkies are flying off the shelf.  Richard Lidbom ’62 recalls another Hostess product, however.  "I remember making 25¢ an hour for my Boy Scout troop in the late '50s walking door to door putting miniature loaves of Wonder Bread in mailboxes with an associated flyer.  (Mrs. Brunner would NOT be happy with that sentence.)  I also remember 'stashing' a few (6) of the loaves for myself.  I thought they were cute.  When I got home my father made me sit down and eat ALL of the bread at one time to teach me a lesson.  Yes, I was sick afterwards.   I remember that the ties on Wonder Bread were color-coded to tell the day of the week it was baked.  I found the table at Wikipedia:  Blue -- Monday; Green -- Tuesday; Orange -- Wednesday; Red -- Thursday; White -- Friday; Yellow -- Saturday."

David Bieber '69 has restored a Harley-Davidson 45 Solo WLA that he purchased in Montana in 1993.  Not only that, but he's produced a little video, starring family and friends, featuring the restoration.    Click HERE to watch the video.  Click HERE to contribute to the Wounded Warrior Foundation as part of Dave's Team.

Click HERE to check out 8 x 10 copies of the Blessed Sacrament photos from Kris Pruski Woods '70 for Grades 3 through 5.  Click HERE for Andrew Jackson Grade 6.

Lorna Longerbeam Odegaard ‘72 shares news of the Pat Brillo/Julio's story.  "One of the cooks that worked at Julio’s for years, now has his own restaurant at 3038 Adams Avenue, called Casa Adams.  He even brought along some of the restaurant furniture that was in Julio’s."  Click HERE to take a look at the Casa Adams menu.  

IT'S NANCY'S BIRTHDAY -- and Mariachi Night at the Amigo Spot.  Feel free to stop by and snag some Carrot Cake.  These are NOT your padre's mariachis.  Be prepared for "Black Magic Woman" and a litte Pink Floyd -- plus the traditional favorites.  

Susan Wilkerson McCasland '71 says she's stuck in southwestern Ohio, where there are ZERO good Mexican restaurants.  Lately she's been dreaming about Pat Brillo's, the favorite family restaurant of her youth.  "Who WAS Pat Brillo and what became of his restaurants," she asks.  I don't know, but I recall eating at a Pat Brillo's near the downtown library.  Nancy says she applied for a job at Pat Brillo's on 43rd and University, but they wanted her to work six 6-hour days.  "Hold on," I replied, "MY favorite Mexican restaurant -- Julio's -- was at 43rd and University."  Turns out the late Julio Arreola worked for Pat Brillo and later bought him out.  Click HERE to read an informative obituary of Sr. Arreola.  Click HERE to learn about the man who drug Susan to southwestern Ohio.

LOST AND FOUND -- Dianna Hill Hodges '63 is looking for her classmates Cynthia Williams Murray and Alice Krauss Workman.  Don Scott is now on the '72 Email Page, thanks to Nancy Wendland Pomeroy '74

The Class of '62 Reunion Committee had its final meeting, at Mike Rossman's Terra Restaurant.  Under the capable leadership of Beverly Swaim Wickstrom, the group realized a profit of $3,800, $500 of which will be donated to the Crawford Foundation.  The rest will apparently be spent on annual parties.  Nice!!  Lynn Routt Swanson receives kudos for the best Memory Book ever -- 60 pages of color photos and biographies.  There may be a few left.  The cost is $20.00 Contact Lynn at swansong@cox.net

Gary Cliser, who may be the John Fry of the San Gabriel Valley, has sent me a link to HIS web site.  I suspect you'll enjoy it as much as I did.  Click HERE to visit Southern California in the 1950s.

Here's a photo of the Rolando Park contingent at the Class of 1963's 20th Year Reunion.  Glenna Morrow Jacket, who donated the photo, is standing second from the right.  I think that's Mike Crawford kneeling, third from the right.  I wonder who the guy in the middle is, daring enough to sport no facial hair.  Click HERE to check out the enlarged version.

Barbara Lamb '63 was December Girl of the Month AND Homecoming Queen in the Golden Anniversary Pacer of November 21, 1962.  Miniature Golf was 25¢ a game at The Swing Club, 4302 El Cajon Blvd.  That's where I hung out.  Click HERE to read all about it!!

I received a flurry of emails earlier in the week alluding to the passing of George Brown '60.  So far I haven't gotten any details.

Ken Savary '61 passed away November 2nd.  A native San Diegan, Ken is survived by his high school sweetheart Sandy Siegler '62.  Click HERE to sign the on-line guest book.

WEATHER PERMITTING, Nancy and I are going to travel east to Alpine for breakfast with Stephanie Rose Petersen at her favorite place -- Janet's Montana Cafe.

NOOOOOOO!!  Just when I was imagining television without political commercials, I thought I heard the jingle bells of the Christmas season.  Turns out the light at the end of the tunnel was the headlight of an oncoming train.

Some 1970 Classmates gathered at the home of Patty Crohn Patterson on October 14th.  Standing are Bonnie Miner Kau, Helen Bruce Ireland, Barbara Alvarez, Jane Debolt Blackwell, Kris Pruski Wood, Denise Daniels Casinelli, Rene Hansel Riley-Clay and Patty Crohn Patterson.  Kneeling are "the twins" -- Belinda Solberg Bales and Melinda Solberg Bachstein.  Says Kris Wood, "We had fun catching up on each others lives and playing "dress up" with Silpada sterling silver jewelry (I'm a rep) and "Jockey for Her" clothing (Jane Blackwell is a rep).

Sharon Cramer Sceper '68 predicted I'd get lots of mail about the Proctor Valley Monster -- but I didn't. I DID get a lot of emails about whether or not Driver's Ed was still being offered at Crawford in 1971.  Sharon said she learned to drive in a simulator, another person got to practice correcting a skid in the rain at Jack Murphy Stadium, and someone else said they got to drive to the beach -- and saw the white deer in Mission Valley by the Presidio.  I'll publish all of the responses in the December 12-page newsletter.

The Golden Anniversary Pacer, from November 8, 1962, is awash in familiar names.  Mrs. Frances Brownell was named Channel 10's Teacher of the Week, Gary Stewart's hot rod was Heap of the Week, and Dave Duncan was Athlete of the Month.  Ruth Marie Leatherman and Jerry Dwayne Lovelady were the featured Senior Sketches, plus Joe Keeyes and Jerry Smithson got their pictures on the front page.  Click HERE to get the details.

Nancy and her daughters have been at the Grand Canyon this week, with side trips to Flagstaff, Jerome and Sedona.  I expect they'll get up at the crack of noon today to begin their trip home.

Fox 5's Krysti Wolski contacted me Tuesday evening.  She wanted to interview me about the great storm that hit Pacific Beach sometime in the misty past.  I told her she was probably talked about the freak storm that knocked a third of Crystal Pier into the sea in January 1983.  I told her I was heading out to dinner and would be unavailable for an interview.  I suggested she call Crystal Pier and talk to Jim Bostian.  Apparently Jim was unavailable also, 'cause Krysti and her camera man showed up on my doorstep after I got home.  I can't stay up past 10, so I don't know if the piece made the news.  I was still depressed to learn that neither Krysti nor her camera man had even been born in 1983.

Sharon Cramer Sceper's father was a postman in Linda Vista, Janice Ricca Hom's husband was a mailman on Wheatstone, and Barbara Bright Wilder has just MOVED to Wheatstone, but no one apparently recalls the "Ghost of Wheatstone Canyon" hoax mentioned last week by Richard Bouman.  Sarah Leddick recalls another ghost, however -- the Proctor Valley Killer!!

I think it was a month ago that Bernadine Berlin Temple '62 sent a snapshot of herself and world-renowned bassist Nathan East '73 taken in Barcelona, Spain.  Nathan's back in San Diego long enough for two performances with Fourplay (7:30 and 9:30) tonight at Anthology in Little Italy.   Nathan is second from right in the above group photo.  Click HERE to read George Varga's article about Nathan in the San Diego U-T.

Click HERE to examine the October 26, 1962 football program donated by Sarina Klein Nordmarken '63

The November 5, 1971 Pacer, donated by Velinda Clanton Peterson '72, has an ad for the California Driving School.  Was Driver Education no longer offered at Crawford in 1971?  Click HERE to read the paper.