The Message Forum is an ongoing dialogue among classmates. The goal is to encourage friendly interaction, including interaction among classmates who really didn't know each other. Experience on the site has revealed that certain topics tend to cause friction and hard feelings, especially politics and religion. 

Although politics and religion are not completely off-limits, classmates are asked to be positive in their posts and not to be too repetitive or allow a dialog to degenerate into an argument. 

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David Cordell

Watched a Netflix movie last night -- Family Affair -- with Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman. Fun movie with a nice moral.

Note: Efron's face has changed. Lots of speculation about how and/or why. Plastic surgery? Accident? Steroids? 

Kidman looks fabulous for 57 years old, or lots younger.

Jim Bedwell

David C,

Amen on the trouble-maker. The left always nitpicks, usually inappropriately while not understanding and also stubbornly never learning the truth about the real issues related to macroeconomic, geopolitical and historical realities.

I saw that same clip with the Congressman Donalds & the other guy who told the story. What Trump did was exactly the only type of thing that our mortal foes in the world will understand and react to properly; contrast this Trump instance with the current box-checking fools running the national government. And after Vivek, my 2nd choice for VP would be Donalds. Donald & Donalds!!!!! YEE HAW!

Holly Hobby

You guys are so funny.  RJ asked to read my post fromlast night, so of course, I logged in. Said he enjoyed the post but something puzzled him...?  

"Is this an this an anomaly ?"  I took a quick glance.  "No, it's pretty much the norm." 

"You're kidding, right?"  

With affection (for you guys) I laughed, replying  "yeah, except for the more insightful posts,  "This R Us..."   A handful of the remaining class of RHS1969.  At heart, most of them good guys, who simply cannot resist slugging it out."  

Jim Bedwell

As Lowell or David Weir (can't remember who) discovered, David Mercer is listed in Austin as Frank Mercer since his name is Frank David Allen/Alan Mercer.

David Wier

To me, this epitomizes 1967, before the heavier rock music started, with Cream, Jimi Hendrix, etc.:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm8LH3bHClw
Arthur Conley and Sweet Soul Music -- I remember many times taking a date to the Studio Club in Dallas and to the dances after the RHS games, dancing to this song. I loved it.

Lawrence (Lance) Cantor

David Cordell

Can't believe it. Walked my dog at 5:00 and it was only 85 degrees.

Watching Hurricane Beryl. Take care, classmates along Gulf Coast. It may generate some rain in Dallas. I can remember 1961. My father drove me to school over Newberry, and the rain from Hurricane Carla was coming down in sheets.

Going to a Frisco Roughriders game tonight. Drove to stadium parking lot last night to watch fireworks. The platform is in a field south of the stadium. Tonight we are actually going to the game, and there is another fireworks display. Hope they aren't just the leftovers.

Won't watch the Stephanopolous interview of Biden. Won't make any difference to me. Crossing my fingers that Biden stays in the race, although I think he is mentally unfit for office right now. 

Wayne Gary

I just watched the Biden interview.  The first question spoke volumes. Q: did you watch the debate? Biden" "I don't think so.  Simple yes or no question.

It reminded me of this song from "Best whorehouse in Texas"

Lowell Tuttle

Lance, I am sure your Captain has it well in hand.   Sunday, 7 pm it will be equal to Brownsville.   The latest landfall somewhere between Corpus and Matagorda, which puts Houston and Galveston on the dirty side...The storm has slowed down both in windspeed and forward speed.   They say the slower it is, the further North it will "drift?"

You may end up in New Orleans... Galveston might be shitified...at least for cruise schedules, for a few days.

David Wier

Tommy - 

Now that I think about it, 1967 was what I would consider a pivotal year for not only music, but our culture. Surrealistic Pillow was released in February. Sweet Soul Music was released in March. The younger crowd at the time was being takin in multiple directions through music.

That seemed to be the year a lot of music changed toward the 'heavier' sound. It was like a slow change, though. Pop music stayed the way it had for years and kept going, while the heavier music slowly spread throughout the younger crowds, exploding that year. Sunshine of Your Love, from Cream, was released in 1967, and Jimi Hendrix's first album was released in May. The Who's first concert was in May, and while all that was coming of age, in June, Otis Redding wrote Dock of the Bay. 

So I can see why both of us thought and posted what we did.

Lowell Tuttle

I had this album and wore out the cover, as well as the record itself.   Lost somewhere in the 70/80's.   I tried like hell to find it again.   It's selling for 20.00 used on Amazon... Thinking about it...

Lowell Tuttle

Lowell Tuttle

Some Heights memoris

I used to dream that when I got to school, I had forgotten to put on my pants.

Mr. Simms used to read to us after lunch, but, first he would just leave our classroom completely empty, which for the group there, was quite risky.   Where was he?  I am pretty sure he longed for Ms. Craft's kids, because he would go there and tell them stories before he came into our class...One book he read us was The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck.   Probably banned now...China story.

In Ms. Halliburton's class, we used to play Jacks.   It was a craze.   That was the only time I ever took up that sport.

Each class room used to play softball against each other.   I don't think we had gloves, but I remember we were the Lomax Losers in 4th grade.

At random football scrimage would evolve sometimes on the playground.  There would be 20-30 receivers on each team, a center, and a quarterback.   The two quarterbacks were David Grant and Bobby Fleming.  I don't think anyone kept score, or won any game.

Our classrooms had somewhat of a library.   I remember reading biographies, Davy Crockett, Sam Houston, as well as Children of the A Bomb.   I think that one's banned now too.

In 5th grade, the whole Heights class wore red or white, or blue shirts and we all lined up in the shape of the State of Texas.   We sang The Stars at Night, and Texas Our Texas.  I know we practiced in the Heights gym, but it was too small for a performance.   For the life of me, I can't remember where we performed the show.   I may have been sick for it.   (edit) We also sang Big D...and maybe Rag Time Cowboy...

Living basically in the middle of the 700 block of Newberry, there were two directions I could go home.  I would walk down Floyd to Newberry and then left down to 727, or I would cut through someone's yard on Ridgedale, and head down the Newberry alley...Or, I would exit the Height's playground/property on the NW side, where there was an alley cut through.   Those folks who lived on that part of the street, Weatherred, hated kids going through there...But, we would head N on Weatherred to it's end on Ridgedale, and we would cut through someone's hard to the alley to get to the back yard of my home on Newberry..

I got into one of my only two fights with Wade Atterbery scheduled by us to be after school near that playground exit point.  We both showed up for the fight and a few kids were there to wach it, just like in the movies.   But, we didn't fight, we made up, and actually walked over to my house arm in arm, lovey dovey...

I fisted Bobby Cedarberg one time, but as I did I became very scared as he got extremely mad and started chasing me...I turned and ran home.  

That was the only time I ever hit anyone, other than by brother.]

I had a few short term friendships at Heights during the three years I went there.   Bubba Bostick Stan Dixon, Bobby Kirkpatrick, Steve Healy (though that was longer timer,) Cedarberg, Wade A., Steve Sturman, 

Lots of sports stuff with YMCA football, summer baseball (I was on the Rebels with younger guys...Randy Talley, David Darr, those guys...Also the Rinky Dink Lions guys...both Heights basketball as well as the Richardson sport stuff basket ball with a bunch of kids including Cedarberg, Ben Wallace (his dad coached us) 

We would also go play touch football over at Duane Anspon's house...There was Gentry, Mike Marks, Duane, and more...

Maybe I'll think of some more stuff.   Girls started being friends with me in 6th grade, but i was very shy...and I am even shy talking about it now...The girls from Richardson were so pretty...sigh...

Trying to think where we "cut through" someone's yard on Ridgedale, to get to the alley, and our back yards on Newberry.   Folks didn't lock their gates, and frankly, I think, it was accepted that cutting through was a valid way to get home.

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Lowell,

That NW corner of Heights baseball fields and the alleyway there, was the best shortcut entry to Heights that everybody and their dogs knew about and used continually!  I didn't think the family who lived at that property minded us using that route.  I would sometimes see them as I went through that opened corner by their fence, and I would say "Hi" to them, as I flew by.  They always smiled and answered back in friendly voices.  They may have gotten irritated when that area got muddy and splashy with mess being flung everywhere, but otherwise, they seemed to not mind all of the kiddos passing through....or maybe they just gave up with trying to stop us. 

Ha!   Those were fun times, weren't they!?

Lowell Tuttle

Janalu, I was looking at the google street map and saw that home, 202 N. Weatherred...You can google up the alley behind the house and see that little easement area is fenced off...I went around to the front of the house and could imagine the little area we went through to get to the back of Heights...

The home was owned by a Mattie Ivy as late as 1997.   I don't think Dwight Ivy is related.   My sister owns a house on S. Weatherred.   She rents it to another former RHS cheerleader...way behind us though.

It's interesting to me that there is about a 100,000 difference in home price listings between N and S Weatherred...about the same size...

I suppose because S. goes through and N does not.   You can find a little bungalo of about 1400 sq feet for about 300,000 there.

And those houses cost about 15,000 when you and I moved there...whoosh.

Lowell Tuttle

What was it like living with your back yard basically looking over to Heights Elem...Did you have a view of the school from your back yard through chain link fence, or did you guys have a privacy fence?

Didn't ya'll live at 701, 703, or 705 Westwood?

We don't have alley (s) here in Houston, or we mostly don't.   They have them in Galveston.   Richardson has paved alleys.   So, you can google an alley.   The google van or truck not only photographs your front yard street videos, they also go up your alley.   When I am working on a homeowner quote and viewing the google shoot of the property, I usually look to see if there's an alley and take the google ride right up the alley.  The ones behind Heights even have 10mph speed limit signs...

So, I googled the alley behind Janalu's old Westwood house...pretty cool...there's a couple walking down the alley when google was there...

And, those old baseball backstops we played softball and kickball at are still there...They may be newer ones, but they're still there.

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

What was it like to look out our chainlink fence to see the parking lot?

Well.........it was an okay sight, but nothing special.  It was just an ordinary parking lot.  We could see all the way to Belt Line, but didn't spend too much time looking at that view.  HA!   Our driveway entrance was from the alley, supposedly, but actually, we could drive into the school parking lot entrance from Floyd Rd., drive a few feet across the lot when there was no one using it, so it made getting into our driveway easier.  I guess you could say that THAT point was  'A  PLUS' for us.  Having to make a sharp left 90 degree turn into the driveway from the narrow alley, was a little tricky, in that the driver had to make a few maneuvers to "git 'er done;" especially if half of the driveway already had a parked car in the way.   Many times when we had relatives at our house, they would almost always park back on that lot, and walk up our driveway into our garage, and then open the door to the kitchen.  My mother used to laughingly say, "I guess we don't even need a front door, 'cause no one uses it!"

We at one time had a pop-up family travel trailer parked in our driveway, and one night, someone, or several people, stole it.  They must have rolled it out of the driveway and pushed it a llttle ways down the alley, behind our neighbors' houses who had privacy fences, then hooked it up to a car or pickup.  That was one of the bad things about living on that busy corner.  Everyone could gaze right onto whatever we had sitting there.  Our trailer was a sitting duck there, so we should have had it locked down in some way, or we should have had alarms on it.  But my Dad was such a trusting guy, he didn't think to have the camper locked down on some type of metal apparatus he could have designed, possibly.  I guess we could have taken the camper's wheels off....something like that, maybe.  But at least our insurance covered the loss, so we managed to just chalk it up to 'shoulda seen that coming!'

Lowell Tuttle

Outer bands hitting.   We're about 200 miles away from eye right now.   Breezy cool rain...hard, soft, hard, soft...thunder....

Then, we'll have about 40 minutes.   That's when I'm firing up the generator to make sure it runs.  

The issue is where to put it.   Needs to be above water and tented or covered off...and close enough for chords...

Also has to be outside and 20' from nearest entrance...plus, not next to our bedroom...Quite a quandary...

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Best wishes, Lowell!

Those storms are really a nuisance for the Houstonians, aren't they?  Hope this one is not nearly as bad as that last one that caused so much horrible flooding everywhere!

Charles has been hoping that we get lots of rain over this way to fill up our low lakes.  His fishing has been suffering, and that makes him grouchy, so I'm hoping too, for plenty of rain!  HA!

Kurt Fischer

A lot of memories of elementary school.  Mine are tied to the school I attended in California (Northridge, in the San Fernando Valley outside of Los Angeles proper).

I attended Andasol Avenue Elementary and was there when Alaska and Hawaii became states.  We had a big assembly with the 5th or 6th grade classes singing "There's a New Flag Flying in America".  However, I was apparently a terrible enough singer that I was assigned to stand next to the music director and sing towards my classmates rather than to the audience.  I wasn't a discipline problem, but just a really bad singer.  

This was the same school where two of the most outstanding students were selected from the 6th grade class to leave class early before lunch, grab a free hot lunch, and then went into into the kitchen to wash trays!  What an honor we had.  It wasn't a ruse to feed us because we were poor, but was considered an honor.  I'm glad I didn't grow up with Huck Finn or I would have been painting fences too!

Wayne Gary

Proof that gun control works.  In an area with strong control laws this is what happened

At least 100 people shot, 17 fatally, during violent Fourth of July weekend in Chicago – up 27% from last year’s holiday.

Lawrence (Lance) Cantor

BERYL OF FUN!

Hey Lowell & Tommy, 

Our Captain Shaw of the Harmony of the Seas has logged 32 years as a Master Mariner while with Royal Caribbean, and proved quite capable by steering us into sunny skies and smooth waters for our entire 7-day cruise from Galveston!

The ship was immaculately maintained by her crew on all 17 decks, 8 specialty restaurants, and dozens of rides and venues… It's akin to being at SeaWorld + Northpark Mall on a Saturday, with the food court cost-free!  

https://www.royalcaribbeanincentives.com/ship/harmony-of-the-seas/dining/

However Hurricane Beryl forced us away from our initial port of Roatan, Honduras…which was replaced by an additional day at sea.

The weather also affected other ships including the newest ship in the world…the Icon of the Seas, which we anchored beside at Cozumel.

At Paradise Beach in Cozumel with fun water bounce-houses...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsBGcnkqR4A&t=8s

we had a great time swimming and meeting a family from Copenhagen, Denmark whose dad was vacationing from installing a new wind farm in New Jersey https://dep.nj.gov/offshorewind/about/ . 

I enjoyed hearing his views about how the Danes are excelling at managing Illegal migrants while enjoying one of the highest standards of living in Europe (yet paying 53% taxes)!

We also enjoyed an hour-long Caymus wine-tasting event, where the wine steward was a comedian from Korea… a strange dude but very knowledgeable as a sommelier.

photo

On July 4th, they held a fun parade with balloons and streamers…also a tribute to our US Veterans and First Responders!

Also on Independence Day, a Guru from India held a motivational seminar in the ice skating rink for 500 Indians who sang Rasa Mandala Krishna songs, and danced their circular Lila version of a Kaaba square dance…sorta strange, but lovely too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8I6jWHIVFs

BEST CRUISE EXPERIENCES

Elevator Sing-along  https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNcI2f0Rc2FKi4KXFmAlxNlA9dJ7gECKLQALhiJ

Bionic bartender

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaRPrL88o34

Flash Mob Dancing on Promenade Deck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj8GDHGac9s

Abyss slides down 10 decks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvajQkIUNzI&t=5s

Flowrider surfing on ship’s aft

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtNDHuppUj4&t=7s

“Washy-washy lady” forced hand-washing before entering the dining room

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIo_CvreH4g

Ali the hair stylist (from Bombay), gave Christopher a “fresh look” hairstyle:

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipOmcNUccuavxVvSwzGOdtIV94zs93gDrzVJXslQ

Aqua Theater - “A FineLine” 60 ft. diving and dancing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-qTU5Lmanw&t=19s

Suite Lounge 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRI4EAYrVR8&t=1s

Overall, this was the nicest ship and one of my best cruise experiences since sailing in 1978!

Houston….hurricane and rain all week…?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZT_OxPRmSw&t=63s

Ironically Lowell…it appears that you are the actual Rider of the Storm!

.

Kurt Fischer

Tommy:

Oddly enough, I have no memories of ice cream treats at school.  

Twenty years ago I visited the elementary school and I've looked at Google pictures since then.  Very little has changed, especially the playground.  It being Los Angeles, the entire playground was surfaced with asphalt.  It's amazing to me that the four square courts were still there, the hop scotch courts were there, the tether ball poles were still there and even the odd walls erected in the middle of the playground were still there.  They were used for bouncing balls or hitting against them.  The only aspect which wasn't clear was the kickball fields painted on the asphalt.  Maybe that is no longer a sport.  But it sure was the main activity we boys had during the lunch breaks (that is, until I became employed as a kitchen assistant).  

Ah, I just looked at an updated Google overhead shot.  Things have finally changed.  There is a grassy area now.  They've added basketball courts and painted track lanes.  And a lot more four square and hop scotch.  

Things do change after all.

David Cordell

This took place in Richardson. Not earth-shattering, but nice.

https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/woman-moved-home-no-words-133000450.html

Lawrence (Lance) Cantor

PLUS-SIZE CRUISING

So Hollis, I am the fat guy from age 65 until 72 when I gained weight in time for the Reunion where everyone will be pretty mean to everyone else LIKE AT HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY!

Of keen interest to me is my insecurity and damaged esteem with Classmates from age 7 that hasn’t departed at age 70.

Wished Keene would/could elaborate on his brotherly love.

FYI…I was not allowed to Zipline over the Harmony of the Seas top deck for fear of creating a safety hazard.

No worries though...they gave me a complimentary weight management seminar at the Harmony Spa!

Here’s a video from the guy we shared our table with on our food-fest binge cruise on the Harmony of the Seas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsD4xbUUT20&t=577s

Most nights we had a contest to see how many entrees this guy and I could inhale in 25 minutes!

Despite Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest's reigning champion Joey Chestnut was banned from this 2024 July 4th event:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bipqMRJsXl8

I drew inspiration from Bartoletti downing 58 dogs…that spurred us on to our 4th lobster tail!

Jan, 

Here’s a video of Ali’s hairstyle trial for Christopher:

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipPmwdP1GpCAtA5orN4u6O9vfOEgQBl7pb4OJZOm/photo/AF1QipNNvGYhpte0e5Oa-hPAviVdoWVtbbyUHZmY30XI

Here are some tips I learned before we headed to our hurricane cruise:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmIDDvdt9-E

I Got stuck in the tiny shower...Chris turned off the light!

.

Ron Knight

To all.

I used to go up to Heights Elementary when I found out Coach Ratliff was the Principal. It was a voting place back then in the 1980s. It was very strange to walk around the halls and see my old classroom where Mrs Steer was my 6th grade teacher. I can still remember a few of my classmates from then. Tommy Knutson, Bobby Cedarburg, Judy Soelter, Etta Epstein (Holly Hobby), Pam Pierce, Kevin Keller, Jim Mulvihill, Sammy Mauldin and so many more that I can't remember.  It seemed so small! I remember Principal Johnson was our Principal when we were in school there. I used to throw his Dallas Morning News paper to him every morning when I was in Junior High. Heights was very special in my memory!! Glad to be a part of it.