Class of '65

Two of my favorite people graduated in 1965 and this summer marks the 50th class reunion for the the Class of '65. Born in 1946, they  are considered the first of the baby boom generation.

Above, Paulette demonstrates that life is good fifty years after graduation from Sandusky High School, Sandusky, Ohio!  Look at that smile!!!

A common Friday night in Sandusky in 1965 included "buzzing the Ave" and the tradition was recreated for the reunion.   American Graffiti scenes came to mind!

Here's my very own Class of '65 graduate! Ron, graduating from Port Clinton High School, headed to Tulsa after graduation to the Spartan School of Aeronautics to obtain a commercial pilot's license.

As this car rounded the Ave, I asked Ron what it was and he quickly identified it as a 1957 Bel Aire. Way to go, Ron!

Listed below are events that all happened during their senior year:

* Race riots of Watt, Ca. left 34 dead.
*The 1965 Voters Rights Act was enacted, making it law to allow African Americans the right to vote.
* Martin Luther King, Jr. lead the first march in Selma, Alabama and the march to Montgomery and gave his famous speech, How Long, Not Long.
* Lyndon Johnson increased U.S. troops in Viet Nam from 75,000 to 125,000 and 35,000 protested with a march on Washington. Operation Rolling Thunder was launched in Viet Nam.
*U. of Ca. Berkley hosted the largest anti-VietNam teach-in at that time.
* Malcom X was shot in NYC.
* Blackouts in the North East took place and 1965 was the fist year of mandated health warnings on cigarette packages.

As a point of reference, here are some more interesting facts from 1965:

Gas was 31 cents per gallon. A new VW Bug was $1,769. The Beatles released four new albums, including Help. Mary Quant introduced the mini skirt and the skate board became a craze. The Grateful Dead played its first concert and the Sound of Music was a movie hit. The optical disk and the respirator (replacing the iron lung) were invented.

I'm celebrating the Class of '65-they are  fun loving, bright, survivors of cultural tumult, and cruising into their retirement years with a sense of adventure and curiosity. Kudos and many happy reunions ahead.

Marilyn, Kate, and a wedding, oh my!

 Proper Garden gift shop in Delaware, Ohio

Actually, unlike the quote above, our Marilyn Monroe is quite a rule follower. She had a job to do as a seeing eye dog for 11 years and she did it well. For the past four years, she's been enjoying  retirement with us.  Last Friday night, she suffered three grand mal seizures-each lasting more than 5 minutes. This is a true emergency and so,  Ron drove while I held MM and off we went to  Lorain Animal Emergency Clinic where Marilyn was admitted and anti seizure meds were started. Little did we know that she had a brain tumor, pancreatitis, and liver cancer. And that all three illnesses were recent and unrelated. All of that was  ascertained the next day at MedVet, a animal specialty clinic in Columbus.  We  planned to be in Columbus area for a wedding on Saturday and we took Marilyn straight to MedVet from Lorain. Marilyn was well cared for by round the clock shifts of vet techs in ICU  and by Doctors Dudley and Lovett during her 7 day stay.

www.welcomehomeinn.com  Delaware, Ohio

Planned months in advance, we were excited to be invited to Ivona and Ben's wedding at their home in Delaware and had selected the Welcome Home Inn for our accommodations after the wedding.

Ivona Nikolet
Married August 29, 2015 to Ben Dunnavant

 Timing was tight and we missed the ceremony while admitting Marilyn into MedVet, but, we arrived in time to enjoy the reception.

Ivona and Ben relax during the reception

Ivona and Ben met and fell in love when working at Cedar Point last summer. Ben flew to Serbia to ask Ivona's dad for Ivona's hand in January and she and her family arrived at Ben's home in Delaware a few days before the wedding. (I met Ivona last summer and helped her in various situations while she and her friend, Jovanna, worked at the Point from June through August.) As her "Sandusky Mom," I was excited to be invited to the wedding and was so glad we were there to share her special day.   Her dad, a chef and restaurant owner in Belgrade, Serbia, prepared the wedding feast.

Ivona pauses to give her dad a big hug at the reception

It was one of the best meals we've ever had!

Both moms pose with the newlyweds

The weather was perfect and Ben's mom was a gracious hostess. Ivona's mom will miss her daughter very much! Even with a green card and marriage visa, Ivona cannot return to Serbia for 3 or more years.

Modern cake topper

Welcome Home Inn

Knowing that Marilyn was in good hands, Ron and I settled into our room  at the Welcome Inn as planned after the wedding reception.  Actually, we extended our stay by 5 extra nights! Our hosts, Forrest and Brenda Williams, were very flexible and we could not have asked for a more restful place.

Fabulous screened in porch at Welcome Home Inn

We were the only guests for several of our  nights there and every morning we raced out to spend private time on the  porch. After a few hours, we would then drive into Columbus to confer with Marilyn's team.

We caught up on reading while waiting for news of Marilyn's surgery

You can see by the smile on Ron's face that we had good new regarding Marilyn's prognosis. Her brain tumor could be managed via medication, her liver cancer could be removed, and her pancreatitis abated! It was about this time that Paulette called with bad news regarding Kate.

Jack and Kate are best buddies

Paulette reported that Kate had been sick all night and wondered if she was experiencing another pancreatitis attack. Paulie and Bob offered to drive her to us in  Columbus and a few hours later we met with Dr. Martinez, Kate's internal medicine doctor. Kate's kidney stone, which we had discovered in June, needed to be removed!  Dr. Dudley (Marilyn's surgeon) offered to be  Kate's surgeon as well.  The stone was the size of the kidney, but during surgery, it was discovered that her kidney was still healthy and could be spared. Back to our sanctuary we went to await Kate's recovery and monitor Marilyn's progress as well.

Just a hint about the meticulousness of our host, Forrest Williams

Our host, Forrest, is a bit of a perfectionist, as you can see by his woodpile! We were properly impressed.

The inn was filled with oak antiques, quilts, pottery, all beautifully arranged

I loved the collections and displays that Brenda had created inside the house. She was the gardener as well! And the piano teacher, and the baker. Forrest, a Methodist minister, is a wedding officiant and building the home as a b&b keeps them busy in their "retirement".

Garden sculpture on the Welcome Home 6 acre property

'

Kate's surgery was scheduled for Thursday. The Welcome Home Inn had some interesting activity that day as well.

Ron hopes for his chance to be an extra in the TLC film 

A film crew from L.A. arrived to tape a TLC network episode. They had scouted locations and determined that the Welcome Home Inn was a perfect as background for an emotional film episode of parents meeting their child given up for adoptions 20 years earlier. (to be aired in January 2016)

No dice, the film is a closeup of just two people

Filming started at 10:30, broke for lunch, and filmed  again from 2-7! We headed to MedVet to await news of Kate's operation. I thought we would make a pretty good episode for TLC, and tried to pitch the idea to the camera man. No dice. So, we stopped to buy a lottery ticket at a small deli on our way into town, realizing that our MedVet bill would be a whopper.  In fact, just a sec, I have to check to see if we won..........nope, just got one number. Darn.

Marilyn perks up in ICU when I entered the room and tries to rise

Marilyn was coming along fine and we spent some time with her each day. Since Kate was in the same ICU area, we stopped to check in our her following her surgery as well. Spending ( a great choice of words, by the way) time at MedVet, we discovered an outdoor memorial garden on the property.

Memorial garden at MedVet, Worthington, Ohio

Grateful not to be adding a brick this time around, I took some photos of the sculptures there.

MedVet metal sculptures around the entrance of the Clinic

You might have noticed that I don't have any photos of the visitors and their pets. Most  were just too worried to pose, as they awaited news of their pets. Ron and I were there enough hours of the day and night to witness emergency admissions, talk to owners about their pets, and  offer a hug when tears began to flow.

 It was inspiring to be among people who love their dogs and cats as much as we love ours and it was a privilege to meet the techs, the vets, and the general admissions staff. On the day of our last appointment, we arrived late. The staff  called to be sure we were alright! Actually, we were delayed by a Ohio State Trooper who politely issued me a ticket for speeding (60 in a 45, as they say) He didn't seem to think rushing to pick up our beloved dogs was reason enough to be speeding,  I guess.

Family and friends offered  encouragement and cheers with progress report and we are thrilled to announce that our pet family is doing great -it is wonderful to be  back on our own porch again. Paulette, thank you for extending your stellar pet sitting from one night to six, and managing all of the ongoing household chores for us. And Bob, for making the drive to Columbus with our precious cargo, Kate.

Convalescing on our back porch

Outdoor retreats

Most Friday evenings during the summer, we enjoy a dinner with Bob and Paulie at Sunnybrook Trout Farm. a private fly fishing venue for members with a penchant for catch and release trout fishing. Bob fishes here year round -  the creek never freezes - even if he does!

Last year, Ron and I gave Bob a great fishing shirt for his birthday. We had two shirts to choose from at Sam's Club. The first one said Made in VietNam. We passed that up remembering that Bob was an attack helicopter pilot in the VietNam War, and we decided the other shirt, made in China, was a better choice. The shirt had lots of cool pockets and tabs and clips and while we had no idea of the purpose of those things, we knew Bob would be pleased. He wore his new shirt to the grocery store a few days after his birthday. On the way to the market, he and Paulette kept hearing a rather loud beeping noise that seemed to be coming from the driver's side of their van. Turns out it was Bob, himself, that was beeping - his defibrillator was emitting an alarm! A quick call to the Cleveland Clinic was made and the device staff recommended that Bob head their way asap.  After 8 hours, and consulting with 11 doctors, including the head of that department, no one could find the reason for Bob's defibrillator alarm going off. After a frustrating last consult before deciding to replace a potentially defective device(surgically, of course), they discovered a tiny magnet on one of the pockets of Bob's fishing shirt. Yep, that was the culprit that tripped the alarm and the last time he wore that particular fishing gear.

Sunnybrook was originally a private residence. Later, and  for many years, it served as a retreat for Owing Illinois executives.  The house, in addition to having dining rooms and an enclosed porch, has 10 bedrooms with private baths for those wishing to stay and relax after a full day of fishing.

The sunsets often provide entertainment during our dinners and our evening usually takes the old fashioned form of the men retreating to smoke cigars and the women sitting in the parlour.   Paulie and I linger over drinks and knit a few rows on current projects while we discuss plans for the rest of the weekend -- this could include our strategy for an early morning estate sale, and/or logistics necessary for spending a few nights at GottaGetaway, our Bellevue camping retreat in our motor homes,  Nina and Annie.  This season, in addition to our two adjacent sites, we co-rented the site in front of ours in order to increase our private domain.

While we bought our rigs for long distance trips. so far this summer, the wheels haven't turned so much as one rotation! Even our truck batteries are dead from lack of use. Before further gear atrophies, we are determined to hit the road before the end of summer. Maybe we'll just drive to the other side of the campground and back to our spaces. Or, we could cruise down Rt 20 to Norwalk for a few miles and then return a few minutes later and call it good.

Meanwhile, I've also been enjoying another favorite outdoor retreat - our own back yard.  The Rose of Sharon just started blooming over the weekend and creates a wonderful panorama from the back porch.

Even thought the yard is only 25 feet wide, it provides plenty of seating areas for sun or shade.

The maple tree was a small sapling when I first moved here in 1977. Both the tree and I have grown thicker trunks over the years.

I've learned to work around the fact that the roots and shade of that tree make it impossible to plant anything near it. Rotating pots of flowers and refreshing the window boxes with new plants every few weeks keeps the area looking fine. I have resisted the temptation to put in plastic flowers. Yes, I really did consider it an option.  Instead, I purchased some metal ones in a variety of colors.

The back porch is a great place to enjoy morning coffee as long as it is before 9 a.m. After that, it is too sunny and hot.

Kate, Jack, and Marilyn love to hang out on the porch, then head back into the kitchen, then head back onto the porch. You get the idea. I don't get to sit still for very long! We can add convalescing to the list now. Ron's recent eye surgery requires several weeks of low key activity and no place is better than the back porch for idle musing and napping, of course.

Ron's retirement dinner last week was at Chez Francois in Vermilion. It was a fine night for outdoor dining on the deck overlooking the Vermilion River. 

The day before was Bastille Day and we were  serenaded with the French national anthem by a crew of enthusiastic boaters. 

My mom returned to her home in Southern California a few days ago after spending most of the month of July with us. Paulette joined us for most of our jaunts, including several shopping expeditions for Trollbeads, WHITE JEANS, estate sales, and more. 

 We had a great time exploring area museums, libraries, restaurants,  and still allowed plenty of time on the porch. Paulie loves to hear Mom's trip reports from her 13 trips to Paris (1975-2006) and is trying to talk Mom into traveling to Paris with her. To that end, they both renewed their passports!

In deference to full disclosure, I will tell you that high temperatures and humidity are not on my hit parade list. Today it is 90 degrees and my retreat is indoors with a/c at full blast instead of any of the outdoor retreats listed above. The dogs agree with my location and are happily snoring away on cushy dog beds. I'm hoping that Marilyn will move over a bit to make room for me, too!

Summer Bliss

Most of the summer sunsets I have enjoyed have been on Lake Erie. Our house in Erie had a large backyard that backed a cliff on the Lake,  and I loved watching the sun set over the water.  Since our RV site is surrounded by farms, I have recently enjoyed watching summer sunsets over ponds and farm fields.

This is our herb garden! We've already eaten all of the basil on one of the plants and need to restock that asap. We  have two tomato plants, a pot of parsley, and a pot of chives. The sage is being harvesting with the intent of using with campfires as the sage keeps mosquitos at bay. I dunno about that, but, I'm willing to try to natural deterrent. The fennel will be used for salads. Since our yard is very shady, this is about all we can squeeze into a small sunny area in the back yard.

Speaking of gardening, here is a  photo of our 100 year old Concord grape vine. I don't know why I feel I can take credit for this fabulous crop! I never trim or in any way attend to this vine.  This year, I think I will have to enough time to make grape jam and I know I can count on Paulette to make a grape pie. Yum.

Here are the some of the lilies from our garden. From these photos,  you could surmise that our garden is stunning. Actually, we have quite a bit of weeding to do. Ahem. We've had lots of rain, making weeding easier, and yet the weeds are winning and it could be said, by an honest person, that we have more weeds than flowers.

My garden boots are on the back porch and ready at all times. I clomp around in them and feel like a real gardener when I have them on-even if I'm just heading for the mailbox. Notice the hot pink rose gloves and trowel, too. I'm all about the gear.

 Emma is becoming a wonderful companion. We are so glad we brought her inside!  This week we started to encourage her to roam throughout house. AllieCat and Lucy haven't included her in any of their play sessions as of yet, but we haven't had many fights either. I'm currently reading a book called CatSpeak in order to better understand feline behavior. The author has trained both cats and dogs and explains that cats accept humans as companions and that dogs relate to humans as pack leaders. It's pretty fun to have 3 cats and 3 dogs running around-really, it is!

Our front porch was Emma's former stomping grounds. It was recently repainted, and now the trick is to sit still long enough to enjoy it. It is an acquired skill and I am determined to excel in the art of porch sitting this year! Every house on our block has a similar porch, but, I rarely ever see anyone actually sitting on their porch swings, etc. I am, however, sitting on the back porch as I write this blog, with all three dogs at my feet. They are very happy sleeping until a squirrel scrambles by. Marilyn, the sedate, former seeing eye dog, and the oldest of the crew, bounds down the porch stairs and madly chases the squirrels, barking and running at top speed. Honestly, we can't quite imagine her former owner, a blind 80+ year old,  hanging on for dear life as Marilyn spots a squirrel from two backyards away!

I've been reading quite a bit lately. In fact, I currently have 33 books checked out on my library card! There are books on decorating, vegan cooking, journaling, traveling, and housekeeping as well as several biographies.  I thought I would see if there were any tips for replacing my passion for librarianship with something else and so picked up the book shown above.  In the meantime, with Ron retiring in less than 3 weeks, I should probably find a few books on co-habitating happily 24/7 "until death do us part." Actually, I did find some tips from a book called, 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and Ture Advice from the Wisest Americans, by Karl Pillemer.