I neither brunched on hot dogs nor lunched on pizza during my three-hour autograph session at Costco last Friday.  Nancy did take a break from shopping to bring me a churro, which we split.  I sold a handful of books, but had a great time people-watching from the comfort of my $199.00 Costco genuine leather executive swivel chair.

The Annual Mark 4 Reunion and Barbecue will take place on Sunday, May 26th, from 1-4 PM.  Joan Antofte Augsberger, Alan Novidor, Gary Orlansky, Phil Catalfo, Rick Simons, Mark Elson, and Randy Blackwood will be rocking to the oldies — and perilously close to the pool.  If you’re interested in attending this back yard pot luck, email Alan Novidor or call him at 510-910-0219

Yale "Fiddler on the Roof" Strom '75 has been named a KPBS "Hero of the Month".  Click HERE to read the article.

Boy, the 6-page May 9, 1963 Golden Anniversary Pacer is chock full of interesting stories -- and there are articles on not one, but TWO, hot cars owned by Colts.

Word came this week of the passing, on May 7th, of Marlene Reeder Thorne '60.  You can read a little more on the Class of '60 Obituary Page.

Looks like I may be brunching on Costco hot dogs and lunching on Costco pizza.  Turns out Arcadia Publishing wants me to sit on folding chair for THREE HOURS today at the Morena store autographing my book on Pacific Beach.  Sounds frighteningly like being pilloried in the public square in Colonial Massachusetts.  I'll be there with my quill and inkwell at 11 AM.  Sounds like I'll be limping out sometime after 2.

There's an article in this week's Los Angeles Times about folks who spend time in the eastern Sierras trying to match still photos from old movies with the exact location where the scenes were taken.  You may have to do the same thing with the F. E. Patterson shot of Spring Valley above.  He also took the 1905 shot of Kendall Street pier featured on the cover of my book above.

Now receiving the Fry Day emails are Vowen "Vo" Clark '60 and Gary Mitrovich '76.

Walter Pease '64 sends word of his father's passing on April 19, 2013.  Coach Gerald "Jerry" Pease opened Crawford in 1957 and remained through the 1961-1962 school year.  You can learn more on the Faculty Obituary Page.

You may recall that Bob Richardson '61 went over to the dark side a while back.  He apparently ran out of photos to share with us AND joined Ancestry.com   The good news is that he recently took a road trip to the central valley to see his sister Margaret and came back with a couple of 1956 cheesecake photos of Margaret and her classmate, the late Barbara Hobart (above).  Click HERE to see an enlargement.

Dick Draz also coached at Crawford, but for WAY longer than three years.  He and his wife are getting ready to move from their abode of 45 years and Ken Burton '72 is the recipient of some of Dick's water polo memorabilia.  Click HERE to see if you can identify some of the folks -- or the year taken -- in three CIF victory photos.

Ay Caramba!!  There is no mention of Cinco de Mayo in the May 5, 1972 Pacer.  There IS an article entitled "Prejudice is a disease".  Maybe I better read it.  

When I was a kid we told people we lived in East San Diego.  When pressed, we'd admit that it was actually Normal Heights.  Turns out there really WAS an East San Diego, and Gary Mitrovich has written a book about it.  Click HERE to order a copy.  Click HERE to see Gary on Ken Kramer's About San Diego.  Click HERE to read about Gary's career as a cop.

Imagine plopping down in your easy chair and turning on the television only to see yourself.  Luckily that didn't happen to me 'cause Nancy and I stayed a little longer than we'd planned at the Amigo Spot last Thursday.  Several of you wrote to tell me you'd seen me do my "Garnet, Darn It" bit, which I think is about 20 years old.  Judging by my glasses, it may be older.  If you'd like to see it go to Ken Kramer's About San Diego.  It's near the end of the 30-minute piece.

I was looking at this photo of three Douglas TBD "Devastators" when it occurred to me that I could share it with my Colt buddies as a San Diego Photo.  I'm almost certain the photo looks north to La Jolla Shores from east Pacific Beach.  WWII buffs know that all of the Devastators at the Battle of Midway were shot down by the Japanese.  One of the planes in this photo was there.  The two others were lost earlier.  Click HERE to learn more -- and see the BIG picture.

Coming in from out of the cold were Barbara Adams Ek '66 from Everett, Washington, Frank "Butch" Hiller '71 from Rancho Mirage and Harold Goot '76 from Marion, Illinois.  You can find them on their respective email pages.  Judy Sisler Pedro '66 has moved from Norman, Oklahoma to Berkeley, California to be closer to her daughter.  THAT must be an interesting cultural change.

Rolly Fanton, Anita Smith, Doug Wied, Donna Genaro, Janice Hillis, Barbara LeSage, Richard Bray, Terry Hudson, Rick Herrmann and Charlie Tate.  Track Star, Senior Sketch, Heap of the Week, May Coed, Wedding Gown Model, Honored Journalists, Music Festival Winner.  You'll have to read the April 25, 1963 Pacer  to figure out who earned which honor.

I believe the 5th Annual Senior Awards Day program is the last of the Crawfordiana loaned to me by Ann Roskos Roffelsen '63.  Enjoy!!

They're BA-A-A-A-A-CK!!!!  Ron Klein is returning to the Amigo Spot with his First Thursday followers.  Holy Cow!!  It says 5 PM in the above marquee from Nancy Miljas.  That's almost too early for me.  Let's see, I guess that would be May 2nd.  See you there.

Nancy and I may be brunching on Costco hot dogs next Friday.  Arcadia Publishing has asked me to show up at the Morena store at 11 AM on May 3rd to autograph copies of my Images of America: Pacific Beach book.  If you can't make it you can purchase a copy off my web site.

Commander "Skip" Fry scored a trifecta for his Association of Naval Aviation luncheon last Tuesday at MCAS Miramar.  Showing up to speak were Third Fleet Commander VADM Gerald Beaman, Cobra pilot and Marine Aviator of the Year MAJ Bob Weingart, and -- recently returned from commanding the Marine Air War in Afghanistan -- MGEN Gregg Sturdevant.  (Photo by Nancy Wingo)

For those who need a historical photo fix here's a shot of Lakeside that might date to the turn of the last century.  Click HERE to see it enlarged.

Barbara Hinrichs Vester '61 sent me the above clipping from her Senior Year featuring ASB President Ervin Somogyi.  I scanned it, uploaded it and posted it on the Memories Page -- then forgot to tell anyone.  Last Saturday Barbara invited Ervin and Bob Richardson to lunch and Bob sent me a photo of the trio.  Click HERE to see enlargements of both photos.

This time I'm SERIOUS!!  We're absolutely down to the last couple of items from the Hope Chest of Ann Roskos Roffelsen '63.  Here's the program from the 1963 Fillies Follies, held in the auditorium on March 20, 1963.  Rolly Fanton, Linda Johnson, and Kathy Houser led off the Talent Portion with "The Marriage Proposal".  

Holy Mackerel!!  Cheryl Creel ended up being the best typist in the state, according to the article in the  April 21, 1972 Pacer.  There's a nice ad for the Carvel Ice Cream store on 54th and Redwood.  I mention it mostly because they point out that it's "half-way between K-Mart and Fed-Co".  

Lulu Anaya Bayless '63 sends word that her brother Louie Anaya '59 passed away April 15th.  He had been in ill health for many years.  You can read what Lulu wrote, plus an article about Louie from the November 4, 1958 Evening Tribune, on the 1959 Obituary Page.

Now I'll NEVER get a chance to take Annette Funicello to the malt shop.  An important part of our '50s culture passed away this week.  The New York Times has an extensive obituary.

My Pacific Beach pal, and good kind of hoarder, Willie Skinner stopped by with another undated Auto Club map, I guess to authenticate my supposition.  Linda Vista Junction, where World War One soldiers got off the train to be transported to Camp Kearny, was no where near today's Linda Vista.  It appears to me to be the same location as what we called La Jolla Junction in the 1950s.  Click HERE to take a closer look.

Remember when the teacher delivered a freshly-dittoed, aromatic quiz to your desk.  If you were the teacher, you could linger just a moment in the teachers' work room and get an extra whiff of the ditto fluid.  Sadly, the process left much to be desired in the archival storage field.  I mention this because the inside pages of the 1962 Christmas Carousel program shared by Ann Roskos Roffelsen '63 are, in some cases, faded and hard to read.  Still fun to try, though.  

Cheryl Creel, according to the April 7, 1972 Pacer, was the top typist in San Diego County with a speed of 71 Words Per Minute.  I think I typed 44 Words Per Minute in Mrs. Alexander's class, but I may be confusing that with my SAT Math Score.

Janet Ekrem Wold '61 passed away March 22nd.  You can read more on the Class of '61 Obituary Page

Evie Fix Peters '66 was born at Balboa Hospital and died there on February 28th.  Go to the Class of '66 Obituary Page for a remembrance by her cousin Cyndi Racz Clarke ’66.  While you're there you can read what little we know about the passing of Bruce Tokars (below)

I visited Mom briefly on Easter Sunday at Renown Care and Nancy took this picture of the two of us.  Old age is definitely not for sissies.  

Subscription renewal envelopes for the Class of '66 went out in Tuesday's mail.  

Bob Kerns '63 sends word that his brother Don Kerns, who didn't quite graduate with the Class of '60, passed away suddenly on March 19th.  Click HERE to access the Class of '60 Obituary Page, where you can read about Don and sign the guest book.

Elaine Robinson Davis '61 poses with members of the Hamer tribe of southern Ethiopia.  That's her son-in-law John at left.  I don't know if all of these ladies are married to the same lucky guy, but Elaine indicated that the woman next to John is the First Wife, a status declared by her permanent leather collar.

A larger version of this Class of '63 Save The Date Card can be found on both the Class of '63 Missing Page and Class of '63 Email Page.  '63 grads should be receiving one in the mail this week in addition.

Here's the cover of the 1963 Vespers Program, held at Russ Auditorium on June 9, 1963.  Click HERE to read what's inside.  And thanks, once again, to Ann Roskos Roffelsen.

Mary Leiser Galer '63 passed away March 23rd in Warrenton, Virginia.  Click HERE to go to the '63 Obituary Page, where you can read her obituary and sign the guest book.

Lee Cook '66 ventured west of I-5 to the La Jolla home of Mitt Romney.  I'm sure there's more to the story, but I suspect that Lee just stuck around long enough to get his picture taken.

IT'S DARK AND ALMOST WARM in Pacific Beach.  I'm not sure what's in store for Nancy and I.  I do know she and her two grown daughters are planning to drive to Lake Arrowhead and spend the night.

Anne Brownell Sarsfield '59 passed away March 15th.  She was born in Colorado Springs, but came to San Diego with her family to live with her grandparents when her father joined the Army in WWII.  A '63 graduate of San Diego State, she was delighted to have President John F. Kennedy as her Commencement Speaker.  Click HERE to sign the on-line Guest Book.

You don't need me to tell you things have changed at Crawford High School.  Earlier this month I listened to the Colt baseball coach ask if anyone could donate equipment for his team.  At the 1963 ASB Nominating Committee, held in the gym on April 30, Principal George Parry introduced City Manager Thomas Fletcher as the Keynote Speaker.  By the way, no refreshments were allowed in the gym -- and you could not leave until the convention was officially concluded.  Click HERE to read the entire program.

Alan Osborn '64 poses in front of the family home on Aragon Drive with "The Car He Drove To School" -- a '55 Chevy.  Click HERE to take another look at what the other kids drove.

Carole Riley Erickson '64 died on February 15, 2013, according to her childhood friend Freda Robinson Hart.  There are a few additional details on the Class of '64 Obituary Page.

Camellia Mize Fedder '69 passed away on March 3, 2013 reports her husband and classmate Alan Fedder.  There is more on the Class of '69 Obituary Page.

I think Ron Klein has finally solved the maddening "Individual Check" problem at the First Thursday function.  The party is moving to the Souplantation on Fletcher Parkway.

What are the chances?  I always thought I was an airplane nut, but Nancy may be worse.  We went down to Brown Field last week to check out Fifi, the only B-29 still flying, and hope to hit Gillespie Field today to see the Memphis Belle.  Maybe we'll say hi to Ted Hazlewood '63 at Southern California Aircraft Repair.

Here's a 1912 photo of Ramona that I've admired for years.  I always thought it looked northeast, but think it must be just the opposite, with the Ramona Town Hall a couple of blocks down and -- maybe -- Mount Woodson in the distance.  Click HERE to decide for yourself.

Doug Oliver, a San Diego television personality for 35 years, died at age 90 on the Ides of March.  Click HERE to read the U-T obituary.  Maybe you'll even want to sign the guest book.

Lorelei Taylor Barrett '73 says her mom Joyce passed away on March 14th.  Mrs. Taylor taught at Hearst Elementary in Del Cerro for over 35 years.  Services will be held on March 23 at 1 PM at the East County Mortuary Chapel.  Click HERE for more details.

Richard Cloward '60 is the Director of the Map and Atlas Museum of La Jolla.  He invites you to attend the upcoming "Cartes of Jo Mora" exhibit, beginning April 1st.  Jacinto "Jo" Mora was borin in Uruguay in 1876, but came to the US as a child and settled in Carmel.  He called his pictographic maps "cartes".   Email Richard if you'd like more information.

From the collection of Ann Roskos Roffelsen '63 we share the program from April a la Mode, the Class of '62 Spring Dance.  Click HERE to check it out.

Michal Prichard Poe '62 died of cancer on February 16th, according to her classmate Rebecca Holder Ingersoll.  Becky wrote, "I met Michal and her husband for the first time at our October 50^th reunion and bonded with her instantly. We stayed in touch since then. I was immensely blessed and inspired by her in the short time I knew her. She fought valiantly the cancer that she had been battling for some time. I am deeply saddened by her loss."

The Golden Anniversary Pacer from March 23, 1963 features John McMullen and the late Stephanie Bedillion as Senior Sketches, and has an ad for Nicholosi's (sic) Italian Restaurant, 4203 El Cajon Blvd.  Click HERE to check out this 6-page edition.  

Hugo award-winning science fiction author Greg Bear '68 will give a free lecture today in the library at San Diego State at 2 PM and, I assume, will be signing copies of his latest book Halo:Silentium at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore at 7 PM