High School Reunion Letter from the Class of 1947

June 15, 1972 25th Reunion                                                                                                              Dear Friend of Old. I started to say old friend but I'm beginning to dislike the term "old". Been meaning to write to you since the reunion on the 27th of May. I missed you terribly and everyone asked about you. Today I decided to sit out here on the porch and indulge in some memories, so get your cupa coffee and settle down. It's a balmy day for me, wind chimes ringing on the porch, my 2 cats fat and lazy under the utility trailer on the yard. A 3rd crop of English Sparrow babies are in a nearby tree demanding food. The neighbor's little kids are playing and fighting in the distance and the ever present din of traffic out front which I try to ignore. There were so many people at the reunion that I didn't get to talk to them all. My husband Glenn was on travel, so his best friend was my escort which raised a few eyebrows. I can hear them whispering: " Fat ol Jo out with another guy!" I did see Norma she is very plump now, oozing out of her low cut dress. Marty tells me that Norma is on her 2nd divorce. Doris looked the same, Eddie slightly greying, very distinguished  looking. Bessie is the same and Dolly you would know right away. Jack aged some but the same dear ol Jack. Beverly has lots of kids. Bill is the spitting image of the Man from Glad, snow white full shock of hair and very distinguished looking. He really stood out cause he's so tall too. John (remember the slob) looks like J. Edgar Hoover and was quite pleasant and charming - works for the Gov't and still single. The committee gave me the job of tracking Emory down. So I wrote to his mother and he called me one night. He is married for 5 years now. Owns a lot of stock in Marriot and quite a bit of real estate  in Prince George's County. Thinks everyone is after his money. He lives in a penthouse over looking  the Kennedy Center. Emory sat at my table for the dinner. Hans looks like a very high class physicist. Harve is still acting his movie role "lead star" - slight touch of grey and brassy as ever. He's from the old Cooke School gang, there were 20 or 24 of us there - incredible for this town to have that many still around from grade school. Dee is pleasingly plump like me and very happy with 2nd husband. John is a big wheel in the D. C. Bar Association and they have a huge home in Bethesda and entertain several times a week with maids etc. Mit got real crocked, much to everyone's surprise. Most everyone else behaved and didn't drink as much. Mary is still as beautiful as ever (I hate her!) Ken just gave $5000 for the new Boy Scout camp fund. Ely is just as sweet and demure as ever,still has her interior decorating business. Don't know why Jack is here, he was in the Class of 45. Beverly brought her scrap book and everyone enjoyed it. There were about 200 to 250 people at the Washingtonian. (Lousy food - I cook better!) Frances I think was there - I think she was one I wasn't sure of. Everyone had name tags with their senior pic from the Brecky on them. Henry - how did I let him get away! He graduated from Annapolis and has a high job working in the State Dept. He still has red hair and looks great. Ann looks like hell. Looks like she' been through the mill. Art has married again and has his 24 year old daughter living with them after her 2nd divorce. Art lives just 3 miles up Riggs Rd and we swore to get together for a beer. There was 1 1/2 hours of boozin before dinner at 8, so everyone had taken the edge off the long hard day. Carol said she would come but didn't make it. She's still fat and sassy with 5 or 6 kids and happily married down in Manassas.   Eleanor is more articulate than she was and not as shy and married the Speaker of the House of Delegates  in Wisconsin. She was really neat and fun to chat with (1 reason I didn't see too many people) Doug didn't look a day or minute older. In other news we had a house guest for  a week,a 17 year old Girl Scout from N.J. We attended a National Girl Scout Event at Trinity College and then traved over to for punch and cookies in the White House Rose Garden with Julie Nixon Eisenhower then saw "Misalliance" at the Kennedy Center and Linda Robb was in the audience. There were only 125 Girl Scouts selected from the entire USA for this event. Going on a trip soon for 3 peaceful weeks away from scouts,phones and noisy fire engines.  Well stay in good health and good spirits. Must go get ready for trip Love, the other Jo.

I can't "Stand" this.

Sign posted near a Party Store in Jackson Michigan

I was going to my local Party Store the other day and and I stopped to see a new sign up on the wall on a building next to it. Now if I can't stand, how am I to travel the other 30 feet to the Party Store? Should I crawl? Maybe walk on my hands? Kind of hard on my clothes with all the dirt and trash on the sidewalk and my hands will get muddy or cut on the broken glass vodka bottles strewn about. And what constitutes illegal standing? Two minutes? Six minutes? Will someone be arrested for standing there and checking google on their phone? or Heaven Forbid, texting the Mayor. [ Low Odds I'm Sure] I have a feeling there might have been a few fights at this location so maybe the police decided to keep the many inquisitive citizens from congregating to avoid sending them to jail and thus reducing much paperwork thereby lending more time to the local donut or pizza restaurant. What bothers me most is the actions of a few misguided rowdies throwing punches or selling illegal drugs have made it so us normal law abiding Jacksonians cannot even stare at the sky beside this sign to look for hidden meaning in the cloud formations above or to visualize a famous painting like the Last Supper or Dali's Giraffes on Fire.  I suppose I'll do what the police say. Don't want to get shot. Plus I hate wasting what little money I have left on a fine. :-] I need that money for a newspaper, beer and an occasional pint of ice cream. [not vodka]

Is Cursive a dying Art?

My Mom's amazing cursive writing.

I have heard that school kids are not taught the Art of Cursive writing anymore. I guess that is due in part to the high-tech computer and smartphone age. No need to write anymore, just hit a button and a keyboard pops up. I remember when I was in 1st and 2nd grade, we had the alphabet above the chalkboard. Each letter was in cursive handwriting, both the Capital and lower case letters. I even think we had the printed letters also but I am not certain of this. Some people say you could tell one's personality by examining their handwriting plus you could tell if the writing was a forgery. In the old days cursive was done with such style and grace that no one dared used sloppy writing. Just look at the signers of the Declaration of Independence with their flawlessly immaculate letters and long curly designs at the end of their name. I was always amazed at how well Momio would write. It seemed to her it was just like breathing, it came so naturally. She even got into calligraphy which is writing with india ink with special metal tips you dip in the ink. Momio even painted the bottom of our 2nd floor steps with a brush done in calligraphy style. She also embroidered pillow cases with cursive writing. It seems a lot of new high-tech things have made it easier but it has also taken the beauty and style out of the way it was originally done. At least we can preserve cursing writing in museums.

Momio's cursive writing on our home's name: "Lochaven"

A Blast From the Past

Historical Ken with other Reenactors

Saturday August 23, 2014 I was transported back in time to the Civil War Era. The smell of wood burning and the scent of pork, chicken, potatoes and various pies gave an added reality check of what it must of been like back then. All the campsites with their cooking utensils and furniture were very authentic looking as were the uniforms the soldiers wore and the clothes the citizens dressed in. There was even a doctors tent for first aid complete with many old herbal concoctions and such plus the lead that was yanked out of arms and legs. Some were singing songs while the military brass band played on. The Main Event was of course the Battle and the soldiers awed the crowd with splendid displays of bravery and dying. All in all a great time with good food and drink to be found and plenty of Mid 1800s clothes and guns and musical instruments buy. Take a camera next time the Jackson Civil War Muster is in town and record your historical memories for years to come.

Soldier stirring the chicken stew.

Medicines and bone fragments.

A Long Time Coming

East Jackson Class of 1973

This was my first class reunion since I got out of high school. I figured I better go before I'm no longer around or I don't recognize anyone or even myself in a few years. I had a very good time. Everyone talked to me  and I took some nice photographs. This group photo was taken by Tom Tyszko. I was amazed at how everyone still looked the same. Thirty Two of us showed up [one is not in the photo] the evening of August 10 at the Cascades Manor House. Out of 123 graduates we had 25% represented that night. Particularly nice was a table that had 3 or 4 different years books from our time at EJ: 1970 to 1973. A few of the guys even managed to organize a golf outing with each other the next day. If your reunion is coming up next year, try to go and don't forget to take a camera to record the memories. *Cheers* -Jimio

What a Great Day to Start a Weekend

Downtown Development Authority and WKHM at Grand River Marketplace  

This is Race Weekend and in Jackson that means lots of people scurrying about and the bright sunny skies just adds to the desire to go outside and check out all the activities. Here at the Grand River Marketplace local farmers come in and sell their top notch produce. They have a fantastic restaurant and they brew their own beer and wines. Musicians play on stage and also outside. Come down and try a burger with bacon jelly sauce or a reuben with  Wisconsin cheese washed down with homemade ales or wines. This is Jimio saying *Enjoy your Weekend*

Jackson's First 80F Day of 2013

You can really tell when the weather is getting nice when people start using the outside tables at restaurants around town. Here this man is enjoying a Stones Brew and savoring this most wonder warm and pleasant day. This is Jimio saying *Cheers* to all who love the Great Outdoors of Jackson.