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04/20/20 02:48 PM #7814    

 

David Long

Our Cruise Ship - the Costa Concordia in 2007. The other ship is a Royal Navy Frigate.  We were both docked in Malta. I'm sure our life at sea was a little better.  This is a precursor to the next picture.

The same ship that sank in 2018 - we had a different captian.

Our taxi driver for the day in Tunis, Tunisia.  His name was "Sam".  He spoke no english and we spoke no Arabic but we communicated.  He tried teaching the girls Arabic.  The four of us plus "Sam" in the little taxi.  We had a lot of fun not knowing where we were going or what we would see.

Fleet Feet - the "stills" were taken from an 8mm movie that. was converted to digital - you get the idea.  Working on a project that I'll share later.  Max, I have a great shot of you breaking the string with a baton, but the still really is much worse than these.

and Finally - 

The Bullet Train - our ride from Kyoto to Tokyo after spending the day with our Japanese Daughters.


04/20/20 02:56 PM #7815    

 

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

NOTE: Posting this at the request of Max. This is his entry for today and his text as forwarded.

 

When we were in Alaska, part of our travel was by rail.  We had to pull onto a siding while this train passed.  I was standing between two cars and shot this video as it went by.  Was surprised how close it was.
 


 


04/20/20 02:57 PM #7816    

 

David Long

Sandra,

That wagon brought back a lot of memories.  My dad had the same model except in green.  A couple of friends and I went to cut down Christmas trees and borrowed it.  We took a wrong turn and ended up where the MUDDY road ended.  Well, almost ended - it picked up again across a 15' wide stream.  The other two guys wanted to turn back and follow the muddy path all the way back to the main road - since I was driving and the wagon was a tank, we forged (literally) forward through the stream, up the muddy bank and continued down the dirt / mud road til we reach a hard surface road.  It took 45 minutes to get all the mud off and out from under the wagon before taking it back to my dad.  He Never Knew!

Thanks for posting.  You never know what memories will be brought back by some pictures.


04/20/20 05:04 PM #7817    

 

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

David, that was a funny story about the muddy car that was like the one we had.  Glad your Dad never found out.  haha   That was a great car and we took many trips in it.

Mel, Ron worked for the railroad in the 70's.  But maybe your Dad had retired by then. He was in the clerk's union so not actually on the trains, but he was a dispatcher and a Customer Service Agent with the railroad.

I used to go with my Aunt to the railroad station to meet her Dad who was an Engineer on the GM&O.  Jack, you have mentioned him in your column before-Ernie Madison.   That was a good picture of you in that group of college friends.  I don't think you have changed much from our high school days.


04/20/20 06:31 PM #7818    

 

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Sandy, Dad would not have known Ron, because he died in January 1972. But it is very lkely he knew Ernie. Didn't know that about Ron. You didn't say which railroad, but Amtrak took over the GM&O passenger lines around that time and the Illinois Central bought what remained of everything else, including the yards. Even the US Post Office stopped sending mail by train and switched to planes and trucks. So, I'm assuming Ron worked for Amtrak if he was in customer service. You'll have a hard time finding anyone who knows more about those changes than Jack Keefe. He is not only a railroad buff, he is one of the experts on local B/N history.

Dave, your descrition of the muddy car incident makes me think how much fun it would be to have a literary version of these wildly popular photos. You only need one topic and it could run for weeks without end, Things I Did Without Getting Caught. Great story!!!


04/20/20 07:01 PM #7819    

 

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

Ron worked for GM&O freight trains.  He was in the clerk's union and worked in the railroad office off of Chestnut Street. There were a lot of changes going on and he went to work and learned a job, without being paid while learning, just to be able to hang on to working there.  Then it got to the place where he was needing to sit by the phone for a call to see if he was working on a specific day.   So finally he went ahead and quit.  


04/20/20 08:20 PM #7820    

 

Elizabeth Spillman (Alex)

Good Evenimg,

It's great hearing all the G M & O  stories and the train picture Jack posted.  My Family has been a

railroad family for 5 generations.   The last one was my Brother, Ed Spillman, he retired in 2010 after working there for 43 years, he worked for G M & O, Amtack, and So. Pacific .

Have a good night everyone..

Liz

 

 


04/20/20 08:31 PM #7821    

 

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Just asking, but Linda (Bristow) Elias, where are you? We're missing you. Hope everything is OK.

 


04/20/20 08:44 PM #7822    

 

Allida Frisch (Altemus)

I just wanted to say I have enjoyed all the pictures that have been posted and the commentary that goes along with them. Many of the pictures have brought back memories of where we have been. Marv I love the picture you posted from Oakland School. I loved that school and your description of the school and the things we did made it seem like yesterday. I loved the lobby of the school and the library that was there. So many great teachers and of course Miss Stewart the principal was the best! You brought up decorating the Christmas Tree which was always great fun. Do you remember the huge display windows/cases each classroom had? We and or the teachers decorated them for every season, holiday,special event, etc. I always liked seeing what each class did with theirs. So many good memories. We will have those forever.


04/20/20 09:39 PM #7823    

 

Marvin Theobald

Lots of fun comments from today. I have had a busy day and cannot take time for much more than get my photos posted for now. GM&O waas a very memorable and special place for Mel and I. Lots of stories associated with it.

While in Vietnam I ordered my first car from the Post Exchange and paid cash for it - I think it was about $1,200. Picked it up at a port of entry near Chicago in August 1968. Photo is me washing the protective coating off the day I got it. The next photo is me with my VW in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia in 1969. I loved that car.


04/20/20 11:43 PM #7824    

 

Jack Keefe

Great little car, Marvin. I remember those VW's fondly. (Doesn't Mary B. still have one?) 

Two 20th Century dinosaurs in the Twenty-First Century. Malta, Illinois in 2006. This Cadillac's last owner obviously didn't give it the TLC that Marvin gave his VW. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the Cadillac is a 1948 or 1949 model. What the hey, it was transportation for someone. 


04/21/20 12:28 AM #7825    

 

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Allida,

It is a treat beyond dreams that you, who I've known since kindergarten, are keeping an eye on us. But then, I wonder, where is Jim? He is wonderful. He and I have had an interesting history that figures heavily in the book I'm wriiting. Please poke him and get him to post something here. He feels like the invisible man, but we all know he is not. Maybe he is just shy. Nah...no way!!!

While I'm on this subject, where are the rest of you who are silently tuning in and tuning out? If you think your participation doesn't matter, you are wrong. I could name names, but I won't. Barry, Ron B., Holly, Dwight, the two Eds, Annie, et al. OK, so I messed up. Please jump in. You are all part of the spirit of the BHS Class of 1964 and we'd love to hear from you.

Dreaming of you all and hoping you are in good health,

Mel


04/21/20 09:33 AM #7826    

 

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

 

 

It is Tuesday and the theme is Trees.  Since I suggested it it is perhaps fitting that I am posting first.  This first picture is of the windward side of a group of trees in Western Australia.

This is a banyan tree.  I think in Honolulu.

And again in Western Australia the picture of the largest type of eucalyptus. And a close up of the bark.  There are over 700 types of eucalyptus trees. 


04/21/20 09:50 AM #7827    

 

Jack Keefe

Funks Grove, about 1989, on the day after Thanksgiving. When you can't see the forest for the trees, it's a fortunate vision when you can see a whole tree at one time. Especially when you're off the trail in the waning daylight. The backlighting helps rescue this image from the humdrum.  


04/21/20 10:33 AM #7828    

David Brock

I did not see any pix right away, but seeing the GM&O engine and old depot rreminded me of one of the ore comical family stories.  I had a cousin coming home from Las Vegas, Nv  His Dad, (retired railroader) had a 'Family Lifetime' pass to go from anywhere to anywhere the trains went.  At the time we lived in Atlanta, just south of Bloomington.  My Dad went to Lincoln, the closest active passenger depot.  When the train arrived--no Cousin Mel.  The conductor indicated Mel had the pass, and got off in Atlanta--fisrt stop in many years.


04/21/20 10:35 AM #7829    

 

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

Clay Lake Vermillion Bay Ontario Canada    Path we took to portage to Fluke Lake Ontario CanadaClay Lake view from the camp.  The trees had a different look everytime you looked at them depending on the clouds and the shadows.


04/21/20 11:30 AM #7830    

 

David Long

A walk on the beach - Cape Town, SA

Trees in our backyard (our old house) aftern an ice storm.

Tree with Friend!

Bright Red Bird somewhere in Arizona - IN A Tree '-}


04/21/20 12:21 PM #7831    

 

Joan Pease (Clark)

Joshua Tree, CA - An hour from my home in Rancho Mirage but a world away in 'tree time.' 


04/21/20 12:40 PM #7832    

 

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Everyone must have a favorite tree. There are several in Bloomington that have special meaning for me: the osage trees on the lane west of Anglers Pond, the catalpa tree that used to stand next to Oakland School. the largest ghinko tree in Illinois on Ridgewood Terrace, the copper beech tree at Elizabeth Stein's house, a tree fort behind Ron Runge's old house, and the white birches Dad planted in our front yard.

There are so many tree photos in my portfolio, it is painful to choose only a few. These are a mere handful, some of which are included in a series I call "Tree Portraits".

"Mackinaw Tree Portrait" This tree stands alone at a bend in the road in the middle of a cornfield.

"Walnut Grove in Danvers, Illinois" A well-manicured cluster of trees where Rt. 9 turns north.

"Grant Park at Rest, Chicago" Near Buckingham Fountain in front of Monroe Harbor.

"Harbor Tree" Taken at Belmont Harbor in Chicago under sodium vapor lights.

  

"Solomidino Trees" This majestic clump of trees stood in the middle of an open field in a small Russian village.

"Banyon Trees in Sarasota, Florida" Dozens of these trees fill the grounds of the Ringling House Museum.


04/21/20 02:37 PM #7833    

 

Marvin Theobald

Fall trees along Grandview Drive in 2009. If you have not taken this drive I highly recommend it.

Trees near street light east of pavillion at Miller Park in 2013.

Arched trees along Jamaican backroad in 2015.

Palm canopy in St. Lucia in 2009.

Snow covered trees in from of Presser Hall at IWU in 2013.


04/22/20 12:05 PM #7834    

 

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

SO IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY

Well if you haven't guessed yet, this is for Dave Long from Alfalfa and the Raiders of 64.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!!!



 


04/22/20 12:39 PM #7835    

 

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

I was going to put some. Are pictures but for some reason am unable to get a picture today.  


04/22/20 12:39 PM #7836    

 

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

Cake pictures is what I meant


04/22/20 12:44 PM #7837    

 

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

SO IT"S YOUR BIRTHDAY

PART 2 of today's topic:

 

 

 

Marv and I at our 70th. Two cakes, 140 candles, a fallen poster, all our children, grandkids, friends, and the fire department were there. (Photo by Jack Keefe)

Another thing just for Dave.



 


04/22/20 01:04 PM #7838    

 

Marvin Theobald

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE L.!!!

Gotta' love the Little Rascals film. Perfect!!!

Unfortunately I have been unable to find a meaningful birthday picture so I am resorting to "birthday suit".

Warning - If nudity offends you do not look at the photo below

Mel and me bathing in 1948.


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