Linda Bristow (Elias)

Howdy Gail Hempstead!

I just looked up degu online.  It has the complete info on care and feeding.  It said they are about 5-7 inches long.  Good LUCK!   They can live for about 10 years!

Love ya, Linda Bristow Elias

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

Gail, I had never heard of a Degu before, so like, Linda, I had to look them up.  They are cute.  I think they look like a rabbit. Or a cross between a rabbit and a rat.  I've heard rats make good pets and are very smart.  But I'd rather have a rabbit so I will think Degu's look more like a rabbit.   I'm sure you will get good instructions from your Grandkids.

Linda, I've been thinking of everybody that lives in Texas.  People that live there aren't use to cold weather and aren't prepared for it like we are.  So I'm hoping it starts warming up for everybody that lives in the deep South.

And I hope everybody, no matter where you live, is doing ok in this cold cold weather and with all the snow.  Think SPRING!

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Hi Sandra:

This is the first time, in the 57 years that I have lived in El Paso, that I have seen a cold spell, like this storm, inflict such cold on our entire state.  The panhandle and east Texas is more prone to storm action.  But here, in the desert, the jet stream seldom dips down to include us in snow storms.

We don't have all of the equipment to deal with it here!  Big difference from Bloomington, IL.

Removing snow from my car, I found most of it about 4 inches deep.  We are supposed to have something else happening tomorrow.  Shall I pull a Miss Scarlet and say,'Well, I'll think about that tomorrow!'

Goodnight!

Linda

James (Jim) Rookus

,LINDA .... hope you survive the usual Texas snow... hope fully it will warm up soon and melt it for you!

Here in Michigan up until 10 days ago had the mildest winter in years .... BUT no so now!  Snow everyday and cold!  
For those interested in RealEstate .... I just had the most unusual experience in 50 yrs of being a Realtor.

We listed my youngest sons home .... a 100 yr old home he totally restored down to the studs with new electric and everything like a new home.  We listed it for $249,900 and in three days had 115 showings and 51 offers with several over $300,000 with two at $325,000 CASH ... no need to worry about appraisal or inspections!  I've never seen anything like it!  Usually in our "hot" market we'll get 20-30 showings and about 6-10 offers at max of $15 k over ask for a sharp house!

Now they will move to the new home he built on a 2 acre wooded site with a steep long drive.  By next winter if we want to see the grandkids during winter months I will need to get a 4 wheel drive vehicle!

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Rookus:

You surprised me.  I didn't know you are a realtor.   I got a realtor license when I was going through my divorce.  I keep it on inactive status.  I learned everthing I needed to, in order, to deal with all of the property that we had.

Ultimately, I became a mediator and did most of my work at the courthouse.  After I retired from mediation, I began working at the University here in El Paso.  It keeps me busy and I get to work my brain daily.  No rocking chair for me!

East Texas gets more rain and snow than we get here in the Chihuahuan Desert.  They can keep it!

The Texas panhandle is part of Tornado Alley and many people who live in Amarillo seek to have their own storm cellar.   They can keep that too!

Congratulations to your son on the sale of his house and the celebration of his new house.  

Blessings to you and your family,

Linda Bristow Elias

Jack Keefe

This is a little out of season but -- if you're having post-Super Bowl withdrawal here's a football fix for you.

BHS played its first night game in the year most of us were born. Read closely and you will see some Neals on the team. Maybe Judy can tell us if they were related to her late husband, Mike Neal.

From the Pantagraph of September 21, 1946:

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Hi everyone:

I have had 4 people contact me to see if I am freezing without electricity.  Please know that El Paso was not affected by that problem.

Thanks for checking on me.  How about the rest though, like Rod Hayes, Denise Buffington, etc.?

Love to all, Linda

Rodney (Rod) Hayes

Linda, Linda.  You are amazing.  It seems every time things go south in this country, you always inquire about how those who live in the area are doing.  Along with the Twins, and several others, you're all such an asset to the "64" class, and this website.  I thank you for your concern!  Even though I read the site daily, (and I really enjoy it), it seems I only get around to posting about 2 or 3 times a year.  Maybe I should try to improve on that.  If you are wondering why you didn't suffer too much from the recent weather, you weren't just lucky.  As far as Texas, you were in the right area.  There are 3 major electrical grids in North America.  The Western Interconnection, The Eastern Connection, and the pathetic Texas Interconnection.  The Texas Grid covers 90% of Texas.  The only areas in Texas not on this grid are, a few very small areas in E. Texas, a few small areas in the Panhandle, and lucky you, El Paso.  The Texas grid is deregulated, which means they are not required to follow Regulations required by the US Government.  That 90% is under the control of a Non-Profit entity called ERCOT, which is over seen by PUCT.  Don't let the word Non-Profit fool you.  They're annual payroll is at least 8 digits.  The controlling members of PUCT are appointed by the Governor.  The really bad situation is that 5 members, including The Board Chairman and Vice Chairman of ERCOT don't even live in Texas.  You can't stop the snow & cold weather.  But, the situation it created could have and should have been avoided.  You could say this is a political merry-go-round, already generating law suits and s lot of investigation.  Oh, to answer your actual question.  We were without power for about 80 hours.  We were sooo much more fortunate than many.  Just a few popped tiltes on the pool, and a couple burst pipes on the above ground equipment.  It's predicted this will be the largest dollar loss ever for a natural disaster in Texas.  Final answer:  We're doing ok, and again, Thanks for asking.

James (Jim) Rookus

Well ... more cold and snow in Michigan gave some of the family an excuse to head north to ski.  Several great ski resorts 2-3 hours north.  Youngest son Todd and wife Molly took four boys ages 10, 8, 6 & 4 along with two of our older grandkids to Boyne  Mountain and we got to keep 1 yr old Annie,  pictures to follow are all of them at top of a black diamond run ....  and 4 yr old Ivan skiing down it!  NOT for me!

Todd starts them skiing at age 2.  He was a ski instructor at A-Basin in Colorado while out there for 4 years during college in Denver.  He thought me on my 55th birthday ... although I did great and he said I was a "natural" I never did it again!  One day was enough for me ... not drawn to out all day in fridged weather!

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Rod:  Glad you're ok and safe.

10 years ago we had a bad snow and cold.  We had a few rolling outages.  When we received our monthly bill we all had to pay $850.  All of my neighbors were charged that same $850.  It turned out that the electric company coasted and didn't buy up cheap natural gas when it was available to fuel electricity.  Then in an urgency they were charged through the WAZOO for it.   The electric company passed those charges on to us.

As for you all, they must have bought that natural gas from outer space.  I saw on the news there are a lot of charges from $6,000 to $17,000.   That's ridiculous!   It is the company's fault for not running their affairs correctly.  I say sue!  It should be a class-action lawsuit!  That will teach them!!!!!!

Rookus:

Darling photos of the family skiers!   I started my children learning to ski at age 2 also.  I went down many slopes on my back-side just trying to keep up with them at Ski Apache in New Mexico.  Now they all ski black diamond too!  Isn't it just amazing to see the tots skiing better than most adults?

Blessings to you all and your families!

Linda

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Karen Sue (Suzi) Denton (Merritt)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CUZ!!
 

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!
 

🎂🎁🎉🎈🥂🍨

SUZ
 

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Holly Rusk:

I hope your family are healthy and safe during this COVID time.  Please let us know how you are.

Love ya, Linda Bristow Elias

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Hey everyone, still trying to fill Suzi's shoes on the birthdays. She did it beautifully for years and it was like a blast from the past to see her emojis to Boo. In the midst of our Chicago snows and trying unsuccessfully to find a source for THE vaccine, I've been somewhat negligent on Raiders64. So few posts, I want to say thank you to those who are keeping us alert. Jim Rookus, what fun to see those kids skiing. I have never been skiing, but many years ago I did take my kids to the bunny slope in Galena, IL. Sitting in the warmth of a fireplace with a beverage I watched them through the window. Good Dad, Bad Dad. We all had fun. Rod, your report on the Texas power grid was the best reporting of the situation I have yet seen. You should have been a news anchor. Hope all is well. I understand you are back in the 70s. Let's pray that we are over the winter hump. So many have suffered. And Linda, your are ever so thoughtful, but just want you to know Holly is a Rust. Like you, I would love to hear from her and everyone else. What a time we're experiencing? In the spirit of watching my kids ski, I'm sipping on bourbon and watching the snow melt. Kind of like watching paint dry. Dave Long, do you have any new ideas in your bag of tricks? You set off the most dynamic investigation into our post-BHS years. Can you do it again? I miss seeing Wendy, Max, Dave Brock, Sue and all the other classmates who are on or have completed their 75th lap around the sun. Cheers. So many untold stories. Let us hear them.

Terry (Max) Maxwell

I check the Raiders website almost daily to see what is happening.  I don't do much to write about here, but enjoy what others are up to.  On skiing... we started our two boys skiing at age 2, also.  There is ('er was) a local ski area here in Spring Green many years back.  When our oldest son started skiing, I couldn't get him to take a break for lunch, so I went in and bought a cheeseburger from the cafeteria and he'd take a couple bites when getting off of the lift, make another run and stop again for a bite.  That's what a call hooked on skiing.  I was an instructor there and the family could ski free.  Both boys raced on the local team for a few years.  I still have that urge to ski when I can get to Colorado.  Used to go out that way for work once in awhile and could get a day on the slopes now and then, but being retired for 14 years, runs are fewer these days.  

I got my second Covid shot last Thursday, and had no ill effects from either shot.  I've talked to some that felt like they had the flu for 2-3 days after the second shot.  I still think that's better than getting Covid.  
 

I enjoyed reading Rod's entry the other day.  Agree with Mel that he missed his calling.  Keep those stories coming, we're all interested.  Stay safe and healthy     .......~Max~.......

Terry (Max) Maxwell

Forgot to mention in the post above that one winter when skiing at the local ski area, probably 35 years ago, I ran into Doc and Jane Chestney with a group of people skiing there.  That was quite a surprise at the time.

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Mel and Holly:

Sorry for my typo!  I'll watch that.  I didn't read before submitting to post.

Thanks again!

Love to all, Linda

Judith (Judy) Winquist (Neal)

Jack, I am sorry it took me so long to respond to your question. I thought that Mike might have been a relation to John and Bobbie Neal, but wasn't sure how so I called Connie Neal Jackson. She was Mike's niece and this is what she said, " Art senior (who was Mike's father) had a brother Bert and a sister Bessie. We always called Jphn and Bob Neal our uncles but I think they would be cousins to my dad. Wish I knew more on the family history,"  Mike's father had a son Art by his first marriage. After Mike's father became a widower and Mike's mother was a widowed they married and had Mike. Thanks for the post. It was fun to read.

Jack Keefe

Judy, thanks for your reply. The name Neal just jumped off the page at me and I had to inquire. 

For everyone else, here's a query. What became of Steve Evans? I barely knew him but spotted this clipping in the paper six months ago. I'm sending it along to see if anyone can tell us yes or no as to whether it is "our" Steve's obituary. I can't be sure from the photo. Maybe the survivor info will help someone to make the connection. And if you do, please let the rest of us know if this is a classmate from 1964.

Thanks for taking a minute to read this. I hope someone can fill in the gaps.  

Rodney (Rod) Hayes

Jack:  A quick note to you.  I saw your question on Steve Evans.  Like you, I didn't know him well.  But through a few other classmates, I got to know a bit about him.  I looked up the actual Obituary in the Mt. Pulaski paper, and after reading the guest book, I'm sure that he was a member of our class.   At least 2 people on the guest list, who I knew very well, left a message.  Those were Tom Hazelwood and Mike & Jean Hutson.  So, I'm sure this is him, and I, like everyone else, am sorry to hear this news.  Also Jack, I was glad to see the article on the Raider football game.  You'll notice several references to Vandevender, (the QB).  That would be Bill Vandevender, who was a terrific athlete, and went on to play for Wesleyan.  He was with the Bloomington Fire Dept and retired as the Fire Inspector.  He also worked for his Dad at Van's Phillips 66 on Main St by Mennonite Hospital.  It was cool for me to see this, because he and my Dad were great friends.  I played a lot of golf with my Dad and his friends, Bill being one of those, in my teenage years.  We had many outings with his family.  Bill and I played a lot of Ping Pong and Shuffleboard together.  He was a really great person.  It was great to read that about him.  When I saw the article, I did wonder if the Neal's were any relation to Mike. Mike was a good athlete himself.  I still remember when Mike and Judy lived down from my parents.  

Linda - I'll give you an update on the ERCOT FIASCO later.  I guess you do know that 5 Board Members have already resigned.  And, the Law suits have begun.

Linda Bristow (Elias)

 Rod:

I read an article on yahoo yesterday that was breaking down what happened in East Texas and the how's and why's.

They mentioned not purchasing the natural gas.  The whole system breaks down without it.  The lawsuits are going to be some of the largest ever in Texas.

Good luck.

Blessings to you and your family.

Linda

Ann Bailen

This was on a remember Bloomington website today and I had to laugh. So true for Mr. Drew. 

Jack Keefe

Rod, it's good to see you on line as part of the forum from time to time. I like your recollections of Bill Vandevender. I like the cross-generational aspect of friendships like that. Hope you are weathering the Texas weather problems well.