September 25, 2020

Matt Marquez posted this on Facebook on September 9th.  I almost don't want to tell you what it is, but here goes -- Crawford's auditorium being bulldozed.  I think the photo is looking southwest, towards Colina del Sol Golf Course.  

Don't you love the colorful cars of the '50s?  Click HERE to see an enlargement of this 1955 color shot of the Santa Fe Station.

I've added a current photo of the view of Torrey Pines Beach from Del Mar.  Click HERE to see all three photos on the web page.

The above image caught my eye as I was leafing through last Sunday's U-T.  For a microsecond I thought it was a Lincoln High graduation photo, but I was pretty sure -- even with the pandemic -- that graduations don't happen in September.  Turns out they're Marines from Camp Pendleton learning how to put on emergency suits before they head out to fight fires.   Click HERE if you'd like to read the article.

I got to thinking about Naugahyde during the really hot weather last week, and the sound it makes when you exit a restaurant booth in bare legs.  A friend once excoriated me for the Naugahyde seat covers in my '77 Pontiac 'entura.  (It WAS a Ventura, 'til somebody stole the V.  Or maybe it just fell off).  Do you know how many naugas died to so you could have seat covers?, he chortled.  Turns out it got the name because it was invented in Naugatuck, Connecticutt.  (Thank you Wikipedia).  Back to that sound.  You insisted it was the naugahyde, but when you tried to recreate the sound it never worked.

We never did find a photo of the Carnation that supposedly existed in the 6600 block of El Cajon across from the Imperial 400 motel, nor even documentation that it ever existed.  Someone did mention a Carnation next to Don's Hamburgers on 54th and El Cajon.  Here's a photo I took in 1959.  I was probably waiting for my mom to pick me up from Horace Mann.  Click HERE if you'd like to see it enlarged.

 

We've probably posted this before, but here's the program from the 22nd Annual San Diego City Schools Football Carnival, played at Balboa Stadium on September 24, 1960 -- sixty years ago yesterday.  Click HERE to read the whole thing.  Howard Nott got his photo in the program representing Crawford.

September 18, 2020

 

I love Stranded on a Desert Isle cartoons.  This is Wednesday's Harry Bliss.

The first Jack-in-the-Box, according to the Foodmaker archives, was built in 1951 on the main east-west thoroughfare leading into the city.   I guess that would be Highway 80, or as we know it today, El Cajon Blvd, at 63rd St.  Click HERE to read more and see some pictures.

Oh, my, it's been 55 years since the Class of '66 celebrated its Senior Year!  Click HERE to read the Pacer for September 16, 1965.  Mrs. Charlene Archibeque headed an alphabetical listing of 21 new teachers.

Just wanted folks to know that my sweetheart Bob Bennett passed away September 7th after a brief illness.  Bob was in the class of ‘61 and we reunited in 2010.   Bob was a talented artist, musician and athlete.  He was a kind and generous man who was a true blessing in my life.  We shared so much history and treasured memories during the last ten years.  He will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him and his legacy will live in our hearts.  No services are planned and Bob's ashes will be scattered at sea.  Bob is survived by his twin brother Dick ’61, brother David '67 and three children -- Donna Johnson ’62

September 11, 2020

 

You can never go wrong with bathroom humor.  Here's a Bliss cartoon from earlier in the week.

The letter from AARP promised a FREE GIFT!  As opposed to a gift that's gonna cost me money?  I could never join a group that printed a blatant redundancy on its invitation.  You can take the English teacher out of the classroom, but you can't make them any less cranky.  (See below)

I was reading a novel this week in which the protagonist came in out of the cold and took off his beanie.   You KNOW which of the above I immediately thought of.  I thought the one on the right was a Watch Cap or Stocking Cap.  Language changes, but I'm having a hard time with it.

Who knew there was a Toy Hall of Fame?  Well, Yahtzee made it this year and some other folks did too.  Click HERE to read the article in the New York Times.

My classmate Ernie Cowan takes us to the High Sierra in this week's outdoor column in the Union-Tribune.  His writing successfully took me away from the daily travails for a blessed few minutes.  Click HERE -- and enjoy!!

I now have two vintage photos looking south on Highway 101 from Del Mar.  Click HERE to see them both.

Time for another look at one of my menus from Oscar's Drive-In.  It's oh-so frustrating that photos of the very popular hangout at El Cajon and Menlo have still not surfaced.  Click HERE to remember and dream.

Last, but certainly not least, is the December 16, 1966 Christmas Vacation issue of the Horace Mann Cougar Times student newspaper, courtesy of Dave and Linda Roberts Ponsford.  Click HERE to peruse all eight pages.

September 4, 2020

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend

Another humorous snippet from Honorary Colt Paula Kincaid

Here's the February 28, 1967 Horace Mann Cougar, courtesy of Dave and Linda Roberts Ponsford.  Click HERE to read all four pages.

Did you know Sandra Seiden from the Class of '67?  She passed away in 2007, but had no photo in the yearbook.   Paula Novell Strauss is the keeper of the Helix High Memorial Page and sent me Sandra's picture this week.  I still haven't figured it out.  Perhaps she transferred to Helix for her Senior Year.

News from the Alumni Association of the passing of Rita Hampton Ferreira sent me to the 1975 Centaur to scan her photo.  While going through the yearbook I discovered . . .

an ad for Sheng Haw Low on 58th and University

and this cute color photo of Crawford cheerleaders and mascots

Rita Hampton Ferreira 

November 4, 1957 - August 14, 2020