July 26th

Have you tried Palmolive coffee?  It foams up a little like beer and results when you don't properly rinse your cup.  I poured mine back.

Subscribing to the quarterly newsletter were Robert “Hutch” Hutchinson ‘64 and Pam Johnson Chene ‘62.  Pam is living in Bosque Farms NM, where "Red and Green are chili choices and not Christmas colors".  Barbara Thompson Neal ‘70 has moved to Portland, Oregon to be closer to her new grandson.

I got an email this week from a fellow who planned to attend the 90th birthday party of a woman who remembered celebrating VJ Day on Broadway in San Diego.  He wanted to know if I had a photo he could frame.  I fixed him up and figured I'd share it with my fellow Colts.  Howard Rozelle took the shot looking up Broadway from Fourth Avenue.  Click HERE if you'd like to take a look at an enlarged version.

Steve McDaniel '61 shares photos of the 1954 Darnall Elementary School Orchestra (above) and what may be his first grade class photo from Darnall.  Click HERE to see them and see if you can help solve the mystery.

Steve also sent photos taken in November 1960 of himself and his cool 1950 Chevy.  Click HERE to learn more.

Rick Gross '64 passed away July 16th after many years of poor health.  You can read more about Rick on the Class of '64 Obituary Page  News of Rick's passing came from Mike Abbott '65.  He'd like to hear from you if you remember Rick.  Email him at mikeyptcruiser@yahoo.com or zcarman@hughes.net 

Remember the Simpsons’ episode where Hallmark was trying to come up with an August holiday that would allow them to sell more greeting cards?  OK maybe I made it up.  Anyway, I’m thinking that’s why Ron Klein hasn’t forwarded the usual Nancy Miljas artwork announcing the resumption of First Thursday at The Amigo Spot.  You could come at 6, but half the seats and appetizers would be gone.

July 19, 2013

Sure is summer weather, but I can tell the days are getting shorter.  I have to turn on the light in the kitchen when I make my morning coffee now.  

Guess what?  Mom got her first ever notice for jury duty — one month to the day after she died.  I’m not sure whether to ignore it or try to figure out how to send it back.

Nancy and I were at a party in Harbison Canyon last weekend.  I hadn’t been out that way since Big Oak Ranch — and the Swallows Club.

Invitations to the Class of ‘63 50th Anniversary Reunion went out last week.  Joanie Adams Sturgeon woke me up in the middle of the night.   Actually, it turned out to be 8 PM and I may have been asleep in the Barcalounger.  I think she was returning my call about a possible new address.  At least I got her email address.  Something about having webbed feet and being unable to Hang Ten — hang8@att.net

Nancy and I were invited to the Class of '68 45th Anniversary Reunion the weekend of October 12th. Sadly we're planning to be at the Bahia Hotel that night for the Class of '63 Reunion.

Robert "Hutch" Hutchinson '64 is a new subscriber to the quarterly newsletter.

John O'Bryant '63 lamented the fact that last week's photo of Crystal Pier didn't show Maynard's Bar.  I allowed as how Maynard's was visible, but not yet Maynard's.  Click HERE if you'd like to revisit the photo I shared some time ago -- and fondly recall Sunday Morning Spanish Omelets with Red Beer.

I found three more photos that must have been taken at the same time as the 1960 Crystal Pier (or Food Basket if you prefer) photo.  Click HERE to take another look.

Class of '64 members Julia Burnham Little and Kim Beavers Shannon have shared memories of Palisades Gardens skating rink.

Jerry Ellis '61 happened upon the Carver Kindergarten photo submitted by Roberta Goss Marino '70.  Roberta's teacher Mrs. Ellis was Jerry's Mom Arline.

Judy “Judee” Butzine Blohm ’60 died July 10, 2013. She was recovering at her home in Arlington, Virginia after a recent surgery, and was with her dogs and her garden, where she wanted to be. She was found by a neighbor. Judee was a warm and loving person, and a wonderful friend to many. She shared her home, her garden, her love of life, her commitment to making the world a better place with the people around her, and was an inspiration and a comfort to those who knew her. Her brother Stephen Butzine ’65 preceded her in death in 1997.  Click HERE to go to the Celebration of an Incredible Life Facebook page.

Phillis Dudick and Kathy Tonsky Clyman send word of the passing on July 12, 2013 of their classmate Myra Segal '60.  There were no additional details but you can click HERE and sign the guest book.

Carol Billings Taylor '63 died of breast/bone cancer on July 1, 2013 according to her sister Linda Billings Anderson '66.  Click HERE to email Linda.  Click HERE to sign the guest book.

July 12, 2013

Donna Foster Westfall '65 renewed her subscription to the quarterly newsletter and attached a little heart-shaped note.  "Keep going, John.  You are doing great.  Have you thought about a successor? " I think she means when I die.  I'm not sure I'm replaceable, but the person would need to be able to use GoLive 6 web software (don't expect help from Adobe -- they quit supporting it years ago), Filemaker,  Google blog and Macintosh Pages publishing software for openers.

I'm guessing you can get some sweet deals at Le Travel Store's Going Out Of Business sale, especially if you wear your Crawford letterman's jacket.  Bill Keller '68 and his wife Joan are shutting down after 37 years.  Perhaps they want to travel.  Click HERE to watch the Vimeo produced by their son Jesse.  Click HERE to read the article in the U-T.

I can't believe they're talking about nominating Pope John Paul II for sainthood.  He's not even dead yet is he?  I took the vows of poverty and chastity, soo.  Well, they mostly seemed my destiny for a long time.  What?  I have to have performed miracles too?  Never mind.  Actually, now that I think about it, throwing off the poverty and chastity was something of a miracle.

It was July 4th -- AND Donut Thursday -- at Starbucks when Mission Bay High grad recognized one of his 1976 classmates on the way in.  Pete Gerrity could hardly wait to show off the vintage photo in his phone, and I could hardly wait to get a copy to share with you.  It's the intersection of Mission Blvd and Garnet, looking west to Crystal Pier, taken around 1960.  Click HERE to see the photo enlarged.

Someone on the "You Know You're From PB" Facebook page said the Food Basket photo up top came from a Facebook page.  I went there hoping to find the photographer -- to no avail.  I DID locate a color photo of North Park's Palisade Gardens however.  Click HERE to see it enlarged. Abandon all hope if you go to the Vintage San Diego Facebook page.  The San Diego Air & Space Museum link lists 155, 722 photos alone.  

Mike McKittrick '60 might be a third-generation San Diegan.  He stopped by this week with some historiana relating to Pacific Beach in the 19th century, plus a photo of Euclid Elementary (he thinks).  Click HERE to have a look and see if you can solve the mystery.

Laurie Brickey Adomanis '68 passed away June 19, 2013 from Multiple Myeloma.   She worked as a dispatcher for the La Mesa Police Department until her diagnosis in 2008.  She is survived by brothers Jim '66 and my old lunch buddy Wayne '62.

July 4th

Here's a Patriotic Colt drawn by Nancy Miljas and sent to me by Ron Klein

Betsy Scarborough '63 invites you to a book signing on Sunday, July 7th, from 1 to 4, at Lestat's Coffee House, 3343 Adams Avenue, in Normal Heights.  I assume she'll be there with her co-authors Ruthie Bible and Pat Oyeshiku.  The book is "The Thrill of the Hunt -- Memoirs of Second-Hand Aficianadas."    It's an insightful and humorous collection of memoirs about the second-hand market, be it garage sales, thrift stores, estate sales, etc. She says it'll be available "at the store" and on Amazon.  The "store" would be Nicolodeon Records, a few doors down from Lestat's.

In September Crawford will begin its second year in retro form — a single school with a single principal.  Music will be taught again and I’ve met with the music teacher.  She’s Emily Heck Gray, daughter of Randy Heck ‘69.  She looks about 14, probably because she’s a 2006 Mira Mesa grad.  But enough socializing.  Emily, for all intents and purposes, has no instruments.  I need for you to 

Donate an instrument

Pledge money for an instrument

Volunteer to play at a fund raising concert, or pay money to get out of having to play at a fundraising concert, or be ready to shell out the big bucks to attend a fund raising concert.  I’m certain I can get the Antofte Sisters to sing “Tonight You Belong To Me”.  I wonder if Jeff Lee and Oh Ridge are available?

Talk among yourselves and get back to me.

Mollie Novidor Lavin ‘72 has forwarded a photo of the Horace Mann Chorus from June 1967.   Click HERE to see it as an 8 x 12.

The Hillcrest Sears opened in 1953 and closed in 1988.  At one point the city considered moving the central library to the site but decided the structure wasn’t strong enough for books.  Hard to believe, but I guess books can weigh more than a sofa-bed.  Anyway, here’s a photo of Squeekie, the parakeet purchased at Sears by the Richardson family.  Click HERE to read what folks had to say about Sears,  the Ace Drive-In — and Twinkies. 

Gerry Nash '61 has added some information to the obituary of his brother Dick Nash on the Class of '59 Obituary Page.

Scot Hunter has added information and a photo to the obituary of his wife Cathy Johnson Hunter on the Class of '66 Obituary page.