November 27, 2014

It’s Thanksgiving Day!!

I thought you might enjoy Richard Lederer’s column from last Saturday’s U-T

Every Day You Say A Mouthful Of Food For Thought.

Thanksgiving is a delicious time of year to nibble on a spicy, meaty, juicy, honey of a topic that I know you’ll savor and relish. Feast your eyes on the veritable banquet of mushrooming food expressions that grace the table of our English language and season our tongue. As we chew the fat about the food-filled phrases that are packed like sardines and sandwiched into our everyday conversations, I’ll sweeten the pot with some tidbits of food for thought guaranteed to whet your appetite.
I know what’s eating you. I’ve heard through the grapevine that you don’t give a fig because you think I’m nutty as a fruitcake; that you’re fed up with me for biting off more than I can chew; that you want me to drop this subject like a hot potato because I’m a spoiled-rotten weenie; and that you’re giving me the raspberry for asking you to swallow a cheesy, corny, mushy, saccharine, seedy, soupy, sugarcoated, syrupy topic that just isn’t your cup of tea.
OK, so you’re beet red with anger that I’m feeding you a bunch of baloney, garbage and tripe; that I’ve rubbed salt in your wounds by making you ruminate on a potboiler that’s no more than a tempest in a teapot; that I’ve upset your apple cart by rehashing an old chestnut that’s just pie in the sky and won’t amount to a hill of beans; that you want to chew me out for putting words in your mouth; and that you’re boiling and simmering because you think I’m an out-to-lunch apple polisher who’s out to egg you on.
But nuts to all that. That’s the way the cookie crumbles. Eat your heart out and stop crying in your beer. I’m going to stop mincing words and start cooking with gas, take my idea off the back burner and bring home the bacon without hamming it up. No matter how you slice it, this fruitful, tasteful topic is the icing on the cake and the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Rather than crying over spilt milk and leaping out of the frying pan and into the fire, I’m going to put all my eggs into one basket, take potluck and spill the beans. I’m cool as a cucumber, happy as a clam and confident that this crackerjack, peachy-keen, vintage feast that I’ve cooked up will have you eating out of the palm of my hand.
I don’t wish to become embroiled in a rhubarb, but your beefing and stewing sound like sour grapes from a tough nut to crack — kind of like the pot calling the kettle black. But if you’ve digested the spoon-fed culinary metaphors from this meat-and-potatoes disquisition, the rest will be gravy, duck soup, a piece of cake and easy as pie — just like taking candy from a baby.
I’ve lived to a ripe old age beyond my salad days, but I’m also a smart cookie who’s feeling my oats and is full of beans. I may be wrinkled as a prune, but I’m a salt-of-the-earth good egg who takes the cake, knows his onions, makes life a bowl of cherries and is the apple of your eye and the toast of the town.
Hot dog! I hope you’re pleased as punch that this souped-up topic is a plum, not a lemon, the berries, not the pits. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and this cream of the crop of palate-pleasing food figures is bound to sell like hotcakes. I’m no glutton for punishment for all the tea in China, but, if I’m wrong, I’ll eat crow and humble pie. I don’t wish to take the words right out of your mouth, but, in a nutshell, it all boils down to the fact that every day we truly eat our words.

You can read the Golden Anniversary Pacer from November 25, 1964 on the 1964-1965 Pacer page or just click HERE.

NEXT THURSDAY is First Thursday.  Nancy Miljas has changed the artwork to reflect the REAL time folks arrive.  I believe that will be December 4th on your calendar.  That's the Amigo Spot, King's Inn, in Mission Valley.

November 21, 2014

LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER FRY DAY with nuthin’ to do and all day to do it.  Nancy and I will surely breakfast at the Waffle Spot, then run a few errands.  Maybe there’s something worth watching on pay-per-view.

Sunday’s U-T had a nice aerial of Mission Valley taken in 1953.  Click HERE to see an enlarged version.

A mere mention of the Music Department’s needs in last week's Fry Day email got them over the $2000 mark.  Their goal is $2500.  Here's the gofundme link again for those of you who’ve been thinking about donating.  And — YES — they eagerly accept the donation of musical instruments.

Lew Fay, a ‘59 Lincoln grad and original leader of The Nomads, has issued a CD of the group’s 1991 OMBAC "Coming Out Party" Concert.  It features 16 hits you’ll remember from high school, plus 4 original Nomads songs.  Send a check for $18 to Fay Productions, PO Box 60062, San Diego CA 92166. Click HERE to look at some great Nomads artwork featuring posters and photos.  If you have additional questions contact Lew at lewfay@aol.com

Richard Cloward ‘60, owner of Pacific Shore Maps, calls your attention to the Gold Rush Maps exhibition on display at the Map and Atlas Museum of La Jolla through July 2015. They are open 11-4 every Wednesday and Thursday, and the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month.

The Class of ‘64 Reunion photos are in!!  Char Krebsbach Clark has forwarded Picasa slide shows of the Friday night mixer and the Saturday night gala, plus folks gathered according to their elementary school.  I’ve posted the links on the Reunions Page of my Crawford web site.  You might want to check them out just to see the cool cars and hot babes.

Janice Levine Zalewski ‘67 wonders if her class has a reunion coming up.  I asked if she was interested in the 47th or 48th.  Either one, she replied.  If you know something I don’t, get back to me and I’ll pass it on to Janice.  In the meantime she might want to mark her calendar for the First Thursday at the Amigo Spot.  Those folks are mostly ‘66, which should be close enough.

Michael Naiman ‘68 has all of his Jackson Elementary school photos — except for Mrs. Bernheim’s 3rd Grade class in 1959.  Can you help?  Click HERE if you’d like to see the rest of Michael’s photos.  That’s Kindergarten up above.

Some Class of ‘70 ladies met for lunch November 8th at the home of Kris Pruski Wood.  Click HERE to get the names, and a much larger version of the photo.

Don Korsmo ‘60 died July 4, 2014.  You can read an extensive obituary and sign the guest book on the Class of ‘60 Obituary Page.

Dwight Yakel '66 passed away sometime in 2013 says Jeremy Wilson ‘65.  That’s all we know.

Barbara Kyle Gorla ’68 passed away November 10, 2014.  She is survived by daughter Monique Uyeda and family, brother Rodney Kyle ’64, and life partner Les Shelton.   Click HERE to sign the guest book.

November 14, 2014

LOOKS LIKE LITTLE JOHNNIE FRY is having oatmeal for breakfast this morning, ‘cause Nancy’s staying in Escondido.  She’ll be down tomorrow night for dinner at the Amigo Spot and to celebrate her birthday, which is actually on Sunday.  

Every so often it works out.  Susan Marshall Gordon ‘64, my contact on the Crawford Foundation, forwarded an email from Soccer coach Kyle Hagenburger.  I contacted him, he got back to me and noted that Colts could help him out by going to his gofundme link.  He asked for $2,000 for uniforms, cleats, shin guards and transportation monies and you guys came through.  Last time I looked the total was $3,850, which — Kyle says — will actually allow him breathing room into next year.  Way to go Colts!!

We don’t want to kill the geese that are laying those Golden Eggs -- but, some of you expressed a preference of supporting the arts rather than sports, so here’s your chance.  The Crawford Music Department, among other things, is hoping to replace its trash cans with real drums. Again, a dollar donation from everyone who gets my Fry Day email would match the good work we did for the soccer team.

Turns out Duane Sceper and Dave Gray CAN remember the ‘60s — and they agree!!  Click HERE to read some more of their memories the Land of Oden.

I snagged this business card off a Princess Stardusty post on the Facebook page “You grew up in San Diego if you remember”.  I remember my grandmother wanted to got to Sheng How Low for Thanksgiving — and we did.

Here’s the cover of the program for the Crawford vs St Augustine football game played at Hoover on November 13, 1959.  I’ll let you do the math.  Click HERE to read the rosters and see an explanation of the referees’ signals .

The Golden Anniversary Pacer for November 12, 1964 has a headline that caught my eye -- “Hootenanny Is Friday”.   Turns out it was Commissioner of Rallies and Assemblies Geri McGurn’s first assembly.  Click HERE to read the details.

Joe Russo ‘64 passed away November 9th of cancer says his classmate and friend of 55 years Ron Morse.  

November 7, 2014

IT'S GETTING LIGHT in Pacific Beach and I'm expecting another beautiful day.  Nancy and I will no doubt end up at the Waffle Spot and perhaps take a drive and see the sights.  With Nancy in the car it's sort of a cross between the Old Town tourist trolley and The Twilight Zone.  "On your left used to be Woolworth's where I had my first Tuna Melt at the lunch counter.  On the right is the old California Theater.  In 1955 I saw a double bill with John Hodiak and Ina Mae Hutton.  I missed part of the second movie because I was in the bathroom trying to get an Abba Zaba unstuck from my skirt."

The Good News is that Crawford Soccer coach Kyle Hagenberger has 80 kids eager to start the season.  The Bad News is there is no money for cleats, shin-guards, matching uniforms and transportation.  Kyle has set up a gofundme account that has already raised $440 of the $2000 he needs.   Click HERE to get more information and/or contribute.

"Oh, to see ourselves as others see us."  Quite a number of you — including Nancy — thought my 1946 Halloween costume had something to do with the KKK.  I’m sticking with Little Red Riding Hood meets the Lone Ranger.

Sharon Cramer Sceper ‘68 shares a Land of Oden/Bifrost Bridge flier kept by her husband Duane, whose band one played there.  Dave Gray ‘63 says he used to manage Land of Oden.  Click HERE to check out the flier and recollections.  

Sandra Slad Sladkey ‘68 (yes, that’s really her name) has a story in the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul book entitled Find Your Inner Strength.  She would love to sell you one for $12 plus shipping.  All monies go to the Missions Fund at Hillside Church in Julian.  They support a village in Cambodia and a school in Africa.  Contact Sandra at Sandra@sozsystems.com

Carla Hilger Medlock ‘68 wondered if I had photos of Ozzie’s Marching Chargers at Balboa Stadium in 1967.  A quick Google search turned up a video of Ozzie’s Marching Charger Band at the 1964 Aquafair Parade as well as a Facebook page of Ozzie’s Alumni that can be viewed as a slide show.  I don't know if this will help Carla, but they're fun to look at. Click HERE to go to the Ozzie's Page.

John Blackwood ‘59 has shared his Ed Schlehuber Builder Colt League Team photo.  Click HERE to see the 8 x 10 version.

Theresa Sousa Davis Thompson ‘65 passed away October 13, 2014.  Click HERE to sign an on-line guest book.