Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

In Bloomington we are at 50 today.  Friday, Saturday and Sunday they are calling for 32 for a high and maybe a little snow shower on Friday   But next week and until the end ot the month, every day is projected for temps in the 50s.  I'll take that for February.  Just hoping we don't get February weather in March.  

Marvin Theobald

The silence is deafening!!! Where is everyone? Reports of my having fallen off the face of the Earth are close to the truth since the tropical Florida Keys feel more like being on another planet. I have been enjoying the Florida sunshine and not being a responsible BHS Class of '64 supporter.

On the whirlwind journey from Bloomington to the Florida Keys in late January, Judy and I encountered several of our classmates including (using maiden names) Mary Giermann, Suzie Farlin and Debbie Fitzsimmons. Mel will be joining us next Sunday for a few days and we will be meeting John Nolte for dinner in Key West when Mel arrives.

All is well here. We had a fun three hour kayak outing with some friends yesterday circling an island partially in the ocean and partially engulfed in the cover of mangrove trees. I have gotten a few morning bike rides in ranging from 12.6 to 14.0 miles each. Trying to contain my love for Bluebell Homeade icecream. Losing that battle would undo all of the benefit of biking. Don't want to have to buy a new wardrobe if you get my drift.

Me, Judy and Debbie at Juno Beach Florida.

Judy adrift in the Atlantic Ocean.

Judy in the mangroves.

A couple of critters we encountered in the past few days.

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Marvin:

Enjoyed your wonderful photos!  Thanks for posting them to share with all of us.  My idea of enjoying life is very different from your concepts.  But, I love seeing your photos!

I love to go fishing at Lake Amistad by Del Rio.  But..........I don't like to get dirty!   I don't like to walk in the sand either.  We get a fishing guide that takes us on a pontoon boat, let's us fish for bass, then he cooks it for us.  It has been a long time since my friends and I have done that though.

Thanks again!   Linda

Ray Bledsoe

Marv, Thanks for the photos.  I haven't been to Key West since shortly after 9/11.  (I noticed you  didn't mention "Snow Birds"!)  Send pics after you catch up with everyone as we enjoy seeing class members.  We have fond memory's of Florida.

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

Marvin, I enjoyed your pictures, also.  Was the bird and the reptile in a zoo or did you come across them in your travels?    Kayaking would be fun, but I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I couldn't get in or out of a kayak  these days.  I've never done it. I've never been in a canoe, either. Although, we had canoes when we lived in Canada and the boys took it out a few times.  When you get back to Illinois, they have kayak rental at Moraine View Park.  Maybe you knew this. 

Ron and I made a trip to the Keys in the 70s and I have a picture of the Southern most part of the US where you could stand.  He used to fish in Florida BASS tournaments so we used to make a lot of trips to Florida, back in those days.  But I haven't been back since then.

Linda, that sounds like what we called "shore lunches" in Canada.  Guides would take people out and fix their catch on the shore for their lunch.

  Even with the glasses, I'm guessing that is Debbie Fitzsimmons in that picture with you.  But I'd love to see other pictures of classmates.

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Sandy:

It might well be called 'shore lunch'.  I brought the Syrian bread, vegetables and fruits.  I always made lemonade.  Our guide just loved lemonade.  Since we don't drink soda, lemonade was what we used.

Love ya, Linda

Terri Baxter (Whirrett)

Marvin, love the pics! Good to see Debbie and you all! Know you are enjoying it down there! We'll have to kayak next time we get down there! Sure enjoyed our last visit! Don't forget, you can come our way, anytime!   Boo

James (Jim) Rookus

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOO!!!

Hope you had a wonderful and blessed day !😊

Terri Baxter (Whirrett)

Thanks Jim! Had a nice day! Boo

Karen Sue (Suzi) Denton (Merritt)

Happy Birthday Boo!!  I hope you had a great day. 
🎂🎁🎈🥂

Love you 

Suzi
 

Terri Baxter (Whirrett)

Thanks Suzi! Hard to believe! 78! Yikes!🤪

James (Jim) Rookus

Here is a sideways weather in West Michigan for the next 10 days.

Today was 58, tomorrow 69 and then 33.... THAT's MICHIGAN FOR YA!

Nancy Whiteman (Hoover)

Kansas City has been in the high 70's the last two days and drops to 33 tomorrow with maybe a few snow flakes! This weather is crazy!!!

James (Jim) Rookus

Yesterday in high 60's-70 nice sunny day on the beach at Lake Michigan..... this AM ... this is what the deck looked like and 24degrees! Snowing lightly now at noon!

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

Yes, the weather has been crazy in Illinois.  But you know the old saying, "if you don't like the weather today, wait until tomorrow, it will be different."    It wa 72 on Monday, 75 on Tuesday and 31 today.  No snow, that I know of, but lots of wind.  Tomorrow and Friday is supposed to start a gradual warm-up until over the weekend it will be warmer.  Next week  supposed to be in the 50s.  It is still only February so cold weather isn't too surprising.  Sounds like March is coming in more like a lamb.  When it goes out, March 31, I hope it doesn't go out like a lion, since that is Easter Sunday.

Here is a picture of new GRAND Puppy.  My youngest son, who lives behind me just got him from  his wife for Valentine's Day.  He was born in December and is growing by leaps and bounds.He is a good boy and is much bigger than this now.  His name is Bandit but is called Mister a lot, so Mister Bandit.  ha-ha He is a Boxer.

This is Chip, my oldest Son's dog.  He is a Havamalt and is about 6 years old.

Anybody else have dog or puppy pictures to share?

Marvin Theobald

Nice to see Nancy and Boo posting! I had to "roll Jim over 90 degrees" but got him upright now. Mel and his son Phil have been with us in the Florida Keys since Sunday. They head back to Chicago tomorrow. We met up with John Nolte at his home in Key West Sunday evening. He was going to join us for dinner but was not up to it. Last Wednesday he tripped on a tree root, landed on a rock and broke three ribs. He is home and recovering. We got to see him briefly and got a photo of all of us before leaving.

Suzy Farlin Barber will be joining us sometime next week for about 10 days. All is well here and enjoying the Florida weather.

The photo below is how we check the weather is here.

More weather indications are below.

Some of the locals putting on a show!

James (Jim) Rookus

so happy to see that the Theobald boys are alive and well !!!  I was beginning to wonder .... love your beautiful pictures too!  Welcome back to forum!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Debra (Debbie) Fitzsimmons (Price)

Hi everyone, you can all see by Marrv's Florida photos why we love it here, Ron and I have lived here almost 55 years! If any of you watch golf, The Cognizant Classic, formerly Honda Classic, is going on now across the street from where we live, lots of the golfers are locals and always fan favorites!

Terri Baxter (Whirrett)

Hi Debbie! Nice to see you on the Forum! Dave and I are avid golf watchers (lousy players 🤪), and are watching the tournament. Knew you were close to it.! Have other friends that live there as well. Bob and Beth Mandel. Daves sister lives in Boca. Will have to call next time we are down there! Glad you got to visit Marv! Boo

James (Jim) Rookus

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!

PAUL HANSEN

Hope you had a special and wonderful blessed day !!!

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Jim, I'm a couple of days late, but I also want to wish Paul Hansen a very Happy Birthday. Some of our classmates - Paul among them - have chosen not to participate in these wonderful exchanges. Having said that, it doesn't alter the fact that I have wonderful memories of him - most of them after BHS. Paul and his friend Tom Hill pursued their music and performed at Gerde's Folk City at Greenwich Villiage in NYC. I had the good fortune to be there with them and have nothing but admiration for them. Paul, from what I know, has followed that musical path and his Christian beliefs as a minister. We have all made our own paths, but I have always, and still do, loved and admired Paul. He is amazingly creative and I will forever be grateful to have been in his company.

Linda Bristow (Elias)

So..........March came in like a lion just like Sandra Jaekins said!

Linda

Jack Keefe

This is a time-change weekend so remember to set your clocks ahead one hour saturday night. The gloomy, murky monday mornings will last an hour longer, but it'll be (hopefully) sunny and cheerful for an extra hour around dinner time, Or, as my old friend Rod Grams once said on the floor of the US Senate: "Lipstick on a goat." He was talking about something else but it could apply with the time changes.

This is also a good time to change your furnace filters, smoke alarm batteries and even your computer passwords. 

Be well and safe, everyone!

James (Jim) Rookus

Sring is here in Michigan!!! Our resident ducks have returned to "squat" in the murky water on top of our pool cover. For about a half hour rested on the deck railing before re joining the mate in the pool.

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)