Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

Mel, I don't have the singing fish.  But I love Proud Mary, by CCR.   They were my favorite band back in the day.  The fish I have are ones Ron and Jim caught and had mounted.  Bass (large mouth, small mouth and a striped) Walleye and a Muskie.  

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

Thanks Marv for the help getting things right side up!

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Maybe because it's Friday night. Maybe it's because I've had a marvelous day. Maybe it's because I'm a little overserved. Maybe it's the result of going stir crazy with the stay-at-home thing. Maybe it's just closing in on 74 years. Maybe it's pure nostagia and feeling like one lucky person for the life I've had. Maybe it's because I'm listening to Puccini's "La Boheme". Or, maybe because I'm so happy that the heat wave is abating. It might be the result of all these wonder posts that are in large part due to Dave Long. I just feel the urge to say to you Raiders64...I LOVE YOU ALL.

Marvin Theobald

Wendy – The third grade photo is so great to see, to realize how far back some of us go and how special our life adventures growing up in Bloomington were. In my mind it truly was a Camelot like experience. Love the Cannonball Vine flower. Nature is amazing.

Steve – Elaine’s spider pic is terrific. Judy would not have gotten close enough to take that close up. It is also quite an interesting specimen of nature’s incredible developments.

Sue – Very warm, homey touch in your kitchen wall shots. I really like how you combined your quilt and sewing craft with family pic and plate collection. Is the sewing machine a family heirloom?

Sandy – Glad I was able to entertain you with my humor regarding my travel mishaps. If I ever get Lasik surgery I will make sure I get my axials in the right place. You and Mel had me wondering what in the world a singing fish was so I researched it. Glad to know you have better taste than that. He probably has one in his refrigerator for backup in case he can’t find anything else for dinner.

Jim – Milan and I made an unsuccessful effort to find Salina several years ago. Wendy lost contact with her years ago. It would be awesome if she could be found and join us at a future class event. She was my long standing inspiration for going to Thailand which I finally got to do in 2008.

Julie – We overlapped in Irving from 1982 to 1985. Wish I would have known you were there. It was a very turbulent time in my life but would have been fun to meet up.

Marvin Theobald

Now for my theme post for Free for All Friday – late as usual lately and still playing catrch up.

For favorite mugs a while back I did not know where this mug was at the time but found it yesterday. The handle is shaped like a whale tale and is an amazing fit to your hand when held by a right hander. Consequently Mel never gets to use it.

To pick up on Wendy’s Japanese prints – Once upon a time I had several of them but a divorce eliminated my ability to enjoy them. I acquired the one below at some point many years ago and it hangs in my living room just inside the front door. It is great art that compliments almost any wall.

Regarding the past collections theme - My collecting is very eclectic or in other words very inconsistent. I enjoy finding unusual antique things but have no theme for the most part. Aside from a collection of “bad habits”, my recent collection of operculum and accumulation of monkey fist knots, my eclectic collection consists of mid to late 1800’s books with steel plate prints, a late 1930’s wooden airplane propeller, sculptures, natural crystals, bells, a singing bowl and a gong. Here are a few photos to demonstrate some of these items.

These books contain many very nicely detailed steel plate prints.

This bronze casting was obtained by my parents in about 1970. It is by an Italian sculptor from the late 1800’s.

This sculpture is cast marble. I know nothing of its history but really like it’s character.

This is as grouping of various bells I have collected over the past 15 years or so. Love the variations in sound.

This is an old bronze ships bell that a friend made a bracket for which I had powder coated. You should hear this baby. Better plug your ears.

Last is a gong I found in an antique shop in Grapevine Texas about 20 years ago. Great sound.

Jack Keefe

This little guy was perched on a leaf at the Parklands Foundation nature preserve in 2006. I think Elaine Jetton's spider would have classified him as "lunch."

James (Jim) Rookus

This butterfly adopted into our family by the pool yesterday ... perching on 6 yr old Oz's head for over a minute and would flutter from person to person eve landing on my phone for a while when I was holding it inches from my face taking videos of kids diving ... several hours later when I went out to do my "pool boy" duties he was still present!

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

Melvin, I think I speak for everybody in our class, we all love you too.   We love both of the Theobald Brothers that have done so much for our class and helping to keep us all together.

 Marvin,  I loved that cup.   Ron would have loved it!  Although, he never caught a big fish like that.  He did go deep sea fishing from Key West, but didn't get anything.  While he was fishing, I got sunburn poisoning that made my face so swollen I could hardly open my eyes.  I was in the pool for 2 hours on an over cast day.   I saw a Hotel Doctor in Miami who gave me a shot and some pills and I think I hit every bathroom from their to Bloomington!  ha-ha

Jim, I loved the butterfly story and picture.   I'm not fond of spiders and I do agree with you that Elaine's looked like an alien.    Jack's spider didn't look like a "little guy" to me.  

Regina (Sue) Petersen (Koppenhoefer)

Marv -- yes, the Singer Featherweight belonged to my mother-in-law.  She and her two sisters each bought one in the early 1940s.  It's call a featherweight because it is so light - weighting 10 lbs.  I take this with me to quilt retreats and guild meetings because of it's light weight.  Interesting story -- my husband remembers that when he had his tonsils removed as a small boy, the sewing machine case was used as his little suitcase at the hospital.  Featherweights are very sought after today - going for between $350 to $500.  I never thought to ask her what she paid in the 1940s.

James (Jim) Rookus

Well ... here I am resting after more "pool duty" this morning (Now upright - MT)

And guess who appears again on table next to me ?

Julie Hart

glad you have a new friend jim 

since all this pic stuff is finally forcing me to work on organizing my pics i came across 2 colorful pics today.

macaw in costa rica (Also now upright - MT)

greek isles

Joan Pease (Clark)

"Something Silly Saturday":  I've been lax at participating this past week, so here is a weekend contribution - my late husband Alton with my best friend's son, Anthony. This past week, he joined the University of California San Francisco staff as an Assistant Clinical Professor, Neurological Surgery School of Medicine. I threatened to send this picture to his new director. (Obviously proud of this kid!)

Marvin Theobald

I like Joan’s SOMETHING SILLY SATURDAY thought. (BTW – You could tell that baby was smart due his likeness to Albert Einstein)

On a return trip to NH with my mom and granddaughter in 2009 we stopped for a visit with Mel in Chicago. Mel had a collection of frogs and gave one to my granddaughter. We took the train from Chicago to Bloomington and I started taking fun pics of the frog kind of “flat Stanley” style. The first pic was of an Amtrak Police Officer making an arrest which turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

The next event was the frog getting his ticket punched by the Conductor. (Mel had made the ticket for the frog so we would be sure he was able to make the trip without getting thrown off)

This pic is the frog holding our punched tickets.

We had to wait for a taxi at the train station in Normal so the frog was guarding our luggage.

Once the taxi showed up, the frog wanted to ride on top but we convinced him it was a really bad idea and we all arrived home safely.

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

I like the Silly Sa turday idea.  This is the front of a birthday card I got from my sister Carol.

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

How silly? SILLY SATURDAY. That's just plain silly. To paraphrase Forest Gump: Silly is as silly does. Thanks Joan...great idea. In 2006, Marina Schustermann, who lives in St. Petersburg, Russia, was showing off her hat collection to me and a few other artists. That set the stage for a spontaneous haberdashery fashion show in which we all started putting on different hats and breaking out in song and dance inspired by whatever hat we had on at the moment.

My dear friend Gennady Troshkov helped us out by playing his guitar.

We all changed hats again.

And again and again. Marina and I reenacted Grant Wood's "American Gothic", which seemed fitting for the occasion.

Then we sang "New York, New York" followed by a little softshoe imitation of Frank Sinatra. The Russians loved Sinatra.

James (Jim) Rookus

More Catch Up ....  SUE... what's on your walls express the warmth and hospitality I'm sure are present in your home... great family!    Sandy... next time I visit my eye doctor I'll ask him if he ever heard of that procedure!  WENDY... really like that Oregon picture on your wall.... winter serenity. My wife got a good laugh out of your card... she love's the cooking shows!     MEL ...  back at ya !!!  AND the hats in Russia... the tall black and white one really looks like you !!!   MARV.... really like that whale tale mug... when I look at it, the large dark blue vertical swatch of color reminds me of a parrot on a perch, the white at top is his head and long dark blue feathers drape down near the bottom... also like a reverse image of Julie's Macaw....  you have some very interesting collectibles .. especially like the bell and dong!  AND lastly cute creative way to have fun with grand-daughter and her frog adventure !     JULIE ... you continue to amaze me with the beautiful photos of your interesting travels..... keep the travelouge coming !!!  Glad I don't live in the neighborhood with all those stairs!   JOAN.... that photo is at least worth a spot on the agenda at his wedding reception or rehearsal dinner !  

Marvin Theobald

Nice thought for the day!

Marvin Theobald

A little humor and possible suggestion for those of you that might consider a future marriage.

Senior Wedding

Jacob, age 92, and Rebecca, age 89, living in Miami , are all excited about their decision to get married. They go for a stroll to discuss the wedding, and on the way they pass a drugstore. Jacob suggests they go in.

Jacob addresses the man behind the counter:

"Are you the owner?"

The pharmacist answers: "Yes."

Jacob: "We're about to get married. Do you sell heart medication?"

Pharmacist: "Of course, we do."

Jacob: "How about medicine for circulation?"

Pharmacist: "All kinds."

Jacob: "Medicine for rheumatism?"

Pharmacist: "Definitely."

Jacob: "How about suppositories?"

Pharmacist: "You bet!"

Jacob: "Medicine for memory problems, arthritis and Alzheimer's?"

Pharmacist: "Yes, a large variety. The works."

Jacob: "What about vitamins, sleeping pills, Geritol, antidotes for Parkinson's disease?"

Pharmacist: "Absolutely."

Jacob: "Everything for heartburn and indigestion?"

Pharmacist: "We sure do."

Jacob: "You sell wheelchairs and walkers and canes?"

Pharmacist: "All speeds and sizes."

Jacob: "Adult diapers?"

Pharmacist: "Sure."

Jacob:   "We'd like to use this store as our Bridal Registry."

James (Jim) Rookus

Hey Marv ... a good laugh ... sadly becoming too true,  You beginning to remind me of Victor Jackson with all his past humerous posts of tho gs like your post .... Victor where are you?

David Long

Marv,

Thank you for your service and for your dedication to duty that resulted in the award of the Bronze.  I'm sure you've run into the same issue several of us have when people say [Congratulations on WINNING the Bronze Star or Purple Heart].  I just say thank you and move on, as most people don't realize that we don't WIN the ribbons in our fruit salad, but they are AWARDS for our service.  I definitely did not wish to WIN the Purple Heart and did everything I could to avoid that honor.  Marv, your service, above and beyond the norm was a true sacrafice and I'm proud of you and the way you've represented our class in service to our country.

I've mentioned this to Mel, and want to bring this to the attention of our class.  The Honor Roll seems to have a couple of names missing from it's ranks.  While I don't know who votes for those included, please take a look at the following:

1)  Marvin Theobald - United States Army - Recipient of the Bronze Star for Outstanding Service to our Country during the 1868 TET Offensive in the Vietnam War.

2)  Wayne Kearney - United States Marine Corps;  Force Recon - Served behind enemy lines and across borders that the US wasn't 'officially' supposed to cross in order to stop the flow of troops and supplies from North Vietnam to the South.  Many of his missions are still redacted from official records. (Wayne will be displeased with me for suggesting this.)

3)  Michael Smedley - United State Marine Corps; Combat Photographer;  always going where the action was and putting himself in harm's way to capture the photos and video that displayed the valor shown by the troups in the field.  I believe there were several of Mike's pictures and videos in the Ken Burns documentary of the Vietnam War.

P.S.  The kids and grandkids are now back in Chicago, and while I miss the 5:30am grandpa wake up call.......

Marvin Theobald

Dave - Your comments are greatly appreciated. It was a lifetime ago.

In the absence of a theme today I thought I would share some stained, painted and beveled glass pics I have taken at various places.

Navy Pier in Chicago has a permanent display of beautiful glass windows that were salvaged from buildings that were torn down. The next few pics are from that collection.

This is the South Rose Window in Notre Dame Cathedral in 2011. It was constructed in 1260 and is one of three Rose Windows in Notre Dame all of which survived the fire. It is 42 feet in diameter.

This is a portion of a beautiful stained glass window of Virgin Mary in the Vatican Museum in 2011.

Dove of Peace Window in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican in 2011.

The next two pics are in the Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin Texas from 2012.

This is from 2012 but unfortunately I am not certain where it was taken.

James (Jim) Rookus

Thanks Marv for the beautiful stained glass window photos....  brings back memories of making stained glass hanging lamps many years ago...  nothing as creative as those you posted!!!  
 

Here's a few from the Washington National Cathedral

Although I did personally feast on their beauty in person many years ago ....  these are "screen shots" from watching their Sunday service on TV ... they have some wonderful Organ music !

AltHoug 

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

Nice pictures and I have a few.    Cologne Cathedral

This is in Strasbourg 

Inside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul

By the way Marv, in the picture where you can't remember the location, it looks like a bar?  Martini glasses in foreground.

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

I have an idea for a discussion, or memory, I guess.  If you went to get a burger or fries or a coke where did you go?  I mean in high school, of course.

David Long

That's easy, besides the Gag, The Parkview Inn. A neighborhood hangout if you lived by Miller Park.