THE GIRL CHILD PLAYING TENNIS

Here's Ellyn playing in her last tennis meet this past Thursday. She finished the season strong by winning her last two meets. Ellyn is blessed with many wonderful, awesome qualities and talents, but athletics isn't one of them. She fully admits she "sucks", but she gives it her all anyway.

YIKES!

Look at my piggy bank after I bought gas yesterday.

E-MAIL FROM DI

Coo~

I swear I am turning into my mother scouring over the obits. ANYWAY - I noticed that Penny Newhard's mother passed away. I don't know if she is involved in blogging on the reunion site, but I thought you might want to put it out there since she is one of our classmates.

Hope all is well with you! I am stressing at work and we are getting a new roof and windows at home, so life is chaotic!! Not to mention that Ryan has baseball games almost every night, etc.!! Calgon, take me away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diane

(You can read the obituary by following this link.)

LUNCH WITH BRENDA

Brenda and I met for lunch today at Applebee's. The meal took approximately half an hour. It took another three hours to stop laughing and talking. I just love that woman!!!

SMALL TOWNS

Those who grew up in small towns will laugh when they read this.

1) You can name everyone you graduated with.

2) You know what 4-H means.

3) You went to parties at a pasture, barn, gravel pit, or in the middle of a dirt road. On Monday, you could always tell who was at the party because of the scratches on their legs from running through the woods when the party was busted. (See #6.)

4) You used to 'drag' Main Street.

5) You whispered the 'F' word and your parents knew within the hour.

6) You scheduled parties around the schedules of different police officers, because you knew which ones would bust you and which ones wouldn't.

7) You could never buy cigarettes because all the store clerks knew how old you were (and if you were old enough, they'd tell your parents anyhow.) Besides, where would you get the money?

8) When you did find somebody old enough and brave enough to buy cigarettes, you still had to go out into the country and drive on back roads to smoke them.

9) You knew which section of the ditch you would find the beer your buyer dropped off.

10) It was cool to date somebody from the neighboring town.

11) The whole school went to the same party after graduation.

12) You didn't give directions by street names but rather by references. Turn by Nelson's house, go 2 blocks to Anderson 's, and it's four houses left of the track field.

13) The golf course had only 9 holes.

14) You couldn't help but date a friend's ex-boyfriend/girlfriend.

15) Your car stayed filthy because of the dirt roads, and you will never own a dark vehicle for this reason.

16) The town next to you was considered 'trashy' or 'snooty,' but was actually just like your town.

17) You referred to anyone with a house newer then 1955 as the 'rich' people.

18) The people in the 'big city' dressed funny, and then you picked up the trend 2 years later.

19) Anyone you wanted could be found at the local gas station or the dairybar.

20) You saw at least one friend a week driving a tractor through town or one of your friends driving a grain truck to school occasionally.

21) The gym teacher suggested you haul hay for the summer to get stronger.

22) Directions were given using THE stop light as a reference.

23) When you decided to walk somewhere for exercise, 5 people would pull over and ask if you wanted a ride.

24) Your teachers called you by your older siblings' names.

25) Your teachers remembered when they taught your parents.

26) You could charge at any local store or write checks without any ID.

27) There was no McDonalds.

28) The closest mall was over an hour away.

29) It was normal to see an old man riding through town on a riding lawn mower.

30) You've pee'd in a cornfield.

31) Most people went by a nickname.

32) You laughed your butt off reading this because you know it is true.

CHROME DIVAS RIDE

Ride stops are:

Starts: Jersey's (C Street exit off

Highway 30) at 11:00

Sutliff

Gus's in Coralville

Dry Dock in Shueyville

Ends: Super Dave's in Walford


Toys For Tots Ride has been

changed to May 31st.

Thanks Sooo Much! Luv Ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darcie :-)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATHY!!

Our double-fisting gal turns 45 today~

Happy Birthday, Kathy!!!

HOSTING FRENCH STUDENTS

Carron.

I coordinate family stays for Language and Friendship (Linda and I travel and host for the same company). I still have 7 kids and one teacher I am looking for homes for. I’m attaching the list. If you know of anyone who might be interested I would give you a big kiss and take you out and buy beverages! They are here this year from June 17 - July 17.

Sherri

(If you are interested in hosting a French student for a month or know anyone who might be, click on this link for details and biographies of the students. You can contact Sherri Condon at conburn@mchsi.com for more information.)

FLOODED ANAMOSA

Click here to see some pictures from Brenda of flooded

Anamosa and some beautiful flowers.

MY GODSON

Here is a prom picture of Dean's and my godson, Bryce Engelbart. He is the son of Lisa Heitland Williams and Warren Engelbart from the class of 1980. His date is Cally Wageman, who is the daughter of Sherri Weber and Bob Wageman (Class of 1982) and the niece of Scott!!!

DISTRICT DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION

Tony and I were both delegates to the 2nd District Democratic Convention on Saturday, April 26th. It was another interesting, fun, and long day. We put in an 11-hour day and then left, but I read in the paper this morning that it went "well into the night." We are both going to the state convention in Des Moines in June. I heard the 2004 state convention lasted until 3:00 a.m. Ugh.

Tony was elected to the state platform committee and was one of four finalists to attend the NATIONAL convention in Denver in August. Here is a picture of Tony vying for that honor and I hope you know who is with me in the other picture. (If not, read the sign on the window behind us.)

A tiny bit of trivia: The older gentleman on the left (Tony's right) in the picture is the person on whom the character of Radar was based in the show "M*A*S*H". He was chosen to go to the national convention. I think everyone felt sorry for him because he probably won't be around in 2012!!!

For more information on the Iowa Democratic Party, you can go to http://www.idp2nd.org/. It has a list of all the delegates (by county - Tony and I are in Linn County) and a copy of the Convention Call Book (the order of business, the rules, and all the district platforms. Be sure to read the "Platform - Statement of Principles" on page 19 - Tony wrote it!!!)

MONTICELLO FLOODS

Click here to see Brenda's photo gallery of the Monticello floods

on Saturday. It's pretty amazing.

SCOTT'S GRADUATION

Hi, everyone.

This is a courtesy email to inform everyone about my upcoming graduation. I am graduating from Kirkwood Community College on May 10, 2008, with a 2-year AAS degree. My overall GPA is 3.9 which allowed me become a member of the International Honor Society. This degree will not change my life or my job, and I will not get pay raise. This is just a stepping stone.

One day I hope to get a bachelor's degree, but right now I am just looking forward to having the summer off of school. My AAS will be in “Skilled Trades”, which basically proves I have formal education in mechanical and electrical systems and that I have taken basic college electives such as writing, math and psychology. To graduate with this degree, the student must have a journeypersons card proving they have successfully completed a U.S. Department of Labor accredited apprenticeship lasting a minimum of 4 years.

Scott (Petersen)

If for some reason you are bored out of your mind on Saturday, May 10th, you may attend the ceremony at the U.S. Cellular Center (5 Seasons Center) in Cedar Rapids. You must be seated by 9:40 AM.

FRONT YARD

Here are a couple pictures of my front yard this morning. I guess it's bare feet and flip flops until we get to the car.

4 children saved in dramatic river rescue

Click on this link to read about the dramatic river rescue in Anamosa.

(It mentioned the name Holly Winders and I know Julie Beadle has a daughter named Holly. I looked in the reunion book and their ages do not match.)

AMAZING DAY!

My girls, Alex and Sarah, surprised me with a birthday cake this afternoon. I was in the bathroom blow-drying my hair and they shocked the crap out of me!!

I have heard from so many people today. I am not sure I can name them all, but I'll try.

Cards from Brenda and Diane, calls from mom and dad and my brother. E-mails from Lisa Heitland, Carlene Pinney, Brett, Diane, Tina Hatcher, Doug Wortman, my friends Stan, Kristi, and Darrell, a text and a call from Deutmeyer, a call from Darcie, a text from Tony, an e-card from my sister-in-law, Lene, a call from my aunt, Jan, a call from by boss at work, a text from my co-worker, Sandra. FOUR dozen roses from Dan delivered to my door. And, some stranger dedicated a song to me on the radio. Any ideas who that might be??

And, who's the dyslexic bastard who put 54 candles on my cake???

My kids are fixing me supper and when that's done, I'm off to have a few beers with some friends.

This has been the best birthday ever. Thank you EVERYONE!!

CARD FROM DI

I'm thinkin' Di knows me a little too well...

Scary.

BIRTHDAY DINNER

After buying me a new skirt, tops, shoes, and jewelry, Dan took me to the Lighthouse Inn for a wonderful dinner of teriyaki salmon, a good bottle of wine, and an amazing jazz band.

He followed up with a breakfast made for a queen this morning while I read the Sunday paper and drank my coffee.

Between the surprise party last Saturday, supper with my folks and kids this past Thursday, and the dinner last night, I'm kind of diggin' turning 45. And, my birthday is not until Thursday!!!

Now, my girls are coming over for an afternoon of laughs outside on the patio. FINALLY, a beautiful day to sit outside.

I CAN RELATE

UCLA STUDY - VERY INTERESTING

A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle.

For example:

If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features.

However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal, she tends to be more attracted to a man with duct tape over his mouth and a spear lodged in his chest while he is on fire.

No further studies are expected.

GREAT DAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LISA!!

Today is the big 46 for Lisa!!

Happy birthday, girlfriend!

SURPRISE PARTY

OMG!! I had the biggest surprise yesterday.

Dan, and my friend, Kristi,

and my mom & dad threw me a surprise 45th birthday party. I have never been so shocked in all my life. I wish I had it all on videotape.

BIRTHDAY, TORNADOES, AND DEER

Despite tornado sirens going off and hitting a deer on the way home, we managed to have a fun birthday party for Wes.

Snow on Tuesday, tornadoes on Thursday. Good grief.

MY GREAT DANE(ISH NIECE)

Here are some pictures of my niece, Alexandra, taken at Disney World. She was traveling from Denmark with her mom, Inge, and a friend. She will be living in Anamosa with Lisa Heitland Williams during the next school year. I can't wait to have her so close!!

HE'S 17 TODAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WES!

Momma and Poppa love you!

BRIEN'S DAUGHTER

Here's a picture of and an article about Brien Keltner's daughter, April, that was in the Anamosa paper this past week.

THAT'S IOWA FOR YA

This past Saturday, it was 66 degrees and I'm at my man's house grilling out with no coats and sitting by a raging fire until 11:00 p.m. in jeans and sweatshirts. Yesterday, it freakin' snowed!!!

Tomorrow is Wesley's 17th birthday. I remember ten years ago, on his 7th birthday, Dean and I got him a bike that he couldn't even ride because we got a crapload of snow the night before.

Ahhhhhhhhhh!!! I want spring!

Y'all remember the April 9, 1973 blizzard? (This is our version of "What were you doing when JFK died?" Probably laying in our cribs pooping and drooling.)

Just for shits and giggles, I Googled "April 1973 Iowa snowstorm" and here's what it said...

"I'm sure many of us old farts remember the April 9, 1973 snowstorm that blanketed much of Iowa with over a foot of snow and deep drifts."

Old farts? OLD farts? WTF????

MOMMA'S BIRTHDAY

Don't freak out - it's really not January 12, 2006. It's April 4, 2008 and it's my momma's 68th birthday. We were out celebrating last night with the whole family and my man, Dan.

SICK LEAVE

(Here's another joke from Brett. He truly thinks he is insulting me with the blonde jokes, however, I think the blonde in this one is pretty damn smart. I can so see myself saying something like that!) :-)

I urgently needed a few days off work, but I knew the boss would not allow me to take leave. I thought that maybe if I acted 'CRAZY' then she would tell me to take a few days off.

So, I hung upside down on the ceiling and made funny noises. My co-worker (who's blonde) asked me what I was doing. I told her that I was pretending to be a light bulb so that the boss would think I was 'CRAZY' and give me a few days off.

A few minutes later the boss came into the office and asked "What are you doing?" I told her I was a light bulb. She said, "You are clearly stressed out. Go home and recuperate for a couple of days." I jumped down and walked out of the office.

When my co-worker (the blonde) followed me, the boss asked her, "And, where do you think you're going?" She said, "I'm going home too. I can't work in the dark."

GOOGLE ADSENSE MONEY

Today, I received a check in the mail from Google AdSense for the month of February in the amount of $141.06.

Any suggestions on what charity to donate it to this month? Let me know your ideas...

(Update: per Deb's suggestion, I donated the money to the no-kill animal shelter in Cedar Rapids. Thanks for the great idea, Deb!!)

FESTIVITIES ANYONE???

I'm thinking we are in dire need of some festivities to celebrate the end of one long-ass winter!!

Anyone have any ideas for another class get-together? Dates? Places? Maybe before summer gets here and all the kids get busy with their activities?

Let me know. I'll do the footwork. I just need ideas as to what might work for most people.

Feedback, please.

:-)

POOR FIASCO

.......all ready for bed............lampshade and all..........

HAPPY EASTER

#10 FOR BRETT AND JEN

I was just informed that today is the 10th anniversary for Brett and Jen Atwood!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

DEB'S FUNNY JOKE

A frog goes into a bank and approaches the teller. He can see from her nameplate that her name is Patricia Whack.

"Miss Whack, I'd like to get a $30,000 loan to take a holiday." Patty looks at the frog in disbelief and asks his name. The frog says his name is Kermit Jagger, his dad is Mick Jagger, and that it's okay, he knows the bank manager.

Patty explains that he will need to secure the loan with some collateral. The frog says, "Sure. I have this," and produces a tiny porcelain elephant, about an inch tall, bright pink and perfectly formed. Very confused, Patty explains that she'll have to consult with the bank manager and disappears into a back office.

She finds the manager and says, "There's a frog called Kermit Jagger out there who claims to know you and wants to borrow $30,000, and he wants to use this as collateral." She holds up the tiny pink elephant. "I mean, what in the world is this?"

The bank manager looks back at her and says... "It's a knickknack, Patty Whack. Give the frog a loan. His old man's a Rolling Stone."

(You're singing it, aren't you? Yeah, I know you are........)

COUNTY CONVENTION

This past Saturday, Tony Miell and I were both delegates to the Linn County Democratic Convention. It was a fun, exhausting, long day, but I learned a lot. Tony and I were both selected, as pledged delegates, to go on to the district convention in Mt. Vernon on April 26th AND to the state convention in Des Moines on June 14th. Tony wrote the Statement of Principles for the Linn County Platform Committee which was also accepted as THE STATE PLATFORM for the Iowa Democratic Party. It was amazingly impressive and quite an honor for Tony who was also chosen as a member of both the district and state platform committees.

Way to go, Tony. I am very proud to say I was there with you and witnessed it all. Good job!!

YOU'LL NEVER GET THIS ONE...

I'll be mucho impressed if anyone gets this one.....

I'll give you one tiny hint right off the bat - the picture was taken in 1940 and this woman is still alive.

FIASCO UPDATE...

Fiasco is home and as predicted, is not complying with his "rest and recovery" rehabilitation plan. He has already busted through the bottom of his cast (with some help from his teeth), so I resorted to desperate measures this afternoon....yes, that is an empty green bean can wrapped to the bottom of his cast. There are a few layers of duct tape below the wrap...I think we could own stock in both before the end of this ordeal....

Just FYI:

Please pray for us :-( (Or for him if he doesn't stop chewing on his leg)

Deb

THE CHROME DIVAS (see ride information under "Announcements")

SNOW IN THE SOUTH

287 & 35W last night. This is obviously messed up because I rode the bike all weekend. In fact, I rode it to a party Wednesday night too!

Brett

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE

Ya know who this is?

NICK'S MOTORCYCLE

Hey, Carron,

The Monticello Girls Basketball Team played in Des Moines last Thursday. My son Nick and his buddies decided to cheer the girls on in style (hee,hee,hee).They gave each other a mohawk haircut, and wore pink-and-white tee-shirts. The girls played really well! The guys have since shaved their mohawk haircuts into buzz cuts.

Nick's had a goal/"dream" to buy a really nice motorcycle . He has been working 2 jobs (last summer and after school) to earn the money.Well, that is just what he did last weekend. Nick is very proud of being "owner" of a car AND a motorcycle.

Mom here, is very proud of Nick's work ethics, money management, ability to set high goals ~ and attain them! He is growing up; he's a good ol' kiddo; and I already know that I am going to miss him next year after he graduates!

Have a great day!!!!

Brenda

I'M BRAGGING

Dean's and my two kids received academic awards at the ceremony this morning. Ellyn received five of them: highest honor roll (4.0 or above), an academic pin, high ACT score (29 or above), an honors science certificate, and high ITED scores. Wes received two: honor roll and high ITED scores.

G-ma and G-pa are just a little proud!

Ellyn gets her dimples from her dad. Granted, you haven't seen Dean's dimples in damn near 25 years, but they're there!!

GUESS WHO?

I can't think of any really amazing surveys to post (not like the last ones have been all that amazing anyway), but here is a picture.

Do you know who it is??

(Do you know how many e-mails I received asking me if this was Mark Hamilton?)

CELL PHONE UPDATE

Brett sent me an update about all the wonderful things your cell phone can supposedly do. Check out the link below.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/cellphones.asp

FIASCO'S FIASCO - Deb's dog got a boo boo

Friday night during his "energy burn-off run", Fiasco ran into a grove of trees and came out injured. He wouldn't put weight on his right rear leg, and there was an open area about the size of a dime that was bleeding.

We have no idea what he did--but we all know he tends to be a little on the reckless side....We took him to a friend of ours who owns a vet clinic in Ogallala, Nebraska (yes, I know it's a long way....but he's an AWESOME vet!) on Saturday morning. He did surgery and repaired two torn tendons....

Fiasco is still at the vet clinic--he has a cast over his entire right leg and he will come home on Saturday the 8th. The cast will be on for six weeks, and then there is the recovery/therapy after that.

Meanwhile, Dutch is LOVING all of the indiviudal attention.....I'll let you know more when I learn more.....Perhaps this will slow him down a little, but probably not.....

Deb

KATHY'S NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS

Hi, everyone!

Kathy A. just wrote to inform me that she and Rick now have a new e-mail address. It is kirkrick@ImOnMail.com.

Be sure to make the change in your address books!!