MORE NEWS FROM THE CLASS

This will be the fourth post I've written since March 6th that mentions the Coronavirus and the C0VID-19 cases that might affect the members of our class. The city of Austin as well as many of the areas where you all live has gone on a lockdown since then. Personally, I am going into my third month of isolation. It has now been three weeks since any of my children have visited. Not that they have neglected me, but all think it wiser not to have physical contact with me. They are all sheltering in place, working and studying from home, but some still are shopping for groceries. They take turns coming to my house to take my trash to the dumpster down the road, and to bring me my mail. They talk to me briefly from the porch or front yard. I miss the hugs and occasional games we used to play. 

(Foggy morning view from porch.)

There are seven people staying with my daughter Carajean for whom she shops. They all pitch in and share the cooking and chores while staying there. Since the virus is known to be asymptomatic in some cases, no one wants to inadvertently pass it on to me. Carajean says she orders groceries online now about every other day at different stores. Then she drives to pick them up. I am still ordering online, but now to be delivered. I ordered a fairly large amount last week only to have them say the soonest they could deliver is April 9th! Since HEB is overwhelmed with orders they said many of the items on my list will not be available, but they will substitute if I wish.

That started a small pity party I held for myself when the thought that now I likely must do without my favorite coffee and creamer. And eggs! How many recipes call for eggs? My "brunch" most often consists of eggs and toast. That made me immediately feel guilty and ashamed. I feel inordinately grateful that I have a cozy cottage to live in, children nearby to assist me when I need help, plentiful food (if not my favorite), internet, TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Roku (gifts from my son Matthew), and electricity to run them all as well as my oxygen concentrator. Even here in affluent Austin, poverty is plentiful, and the homeless are in danger of becoming the next victims of the pandemic. And then there are the third world countries.. 

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I breathe a sigh of relief when I hear from one of you or my other friends during this stressful time. Most of us are in the "vulnerable" stage. And some of you live in the hardest hit areas. I fear that Texas is going to be the next Number One center for the outbreak. Our Republican Governor has dragged his heels issuing stay-in-place orders. He still doesn't see the necessity of a full state lockdown. At the current time there are twelve (12) states that have yet to issue them... all with Republican Governors. They all seem to be following Trump's lead, and more concerned with leaving businesses open than saving lives. 

I received the following from a few of you this past week:

Since the last time I heard from him, Garden Grove, CA, where BOB HOLLIS lives, has had a stay-at-home order issued. He wrote: "Margaret is cooped up at home.. in lockdown mode. I am avoiding people left and right, but still going to work. There are only two of us in the office and our offices are 30 feet apart. The Hollises are all ok. Thanks for asking. I hope you and yours are well also." Bob 

DOTTIE BISHOP ROGERS sent an update as well: "I'm doing well. We only have 4-cases in Cochise County. Yes, our church is closed, but we are blessed with a pastor who is a pro with technology and he preaches online and teaches a class later. Our little Dollar General store is open. The only cafe has set up tables outside and gives our coffee clatches a place to eat. We have no gas station or grocery store. I'm so blessed to have my children close when so many have no one. I hope you are doing well." Isn't technology wonderful, DOTTIE? For years I have watched church services on TV. I'm happy to see so many are now offering online church as well. If we ever needed spirituality, we need it now.

GENE ROUTH always sends such beautiful photographs of their snowy landscape. Here's what he has to say currently: "We are doing well so far. Close to 400 cases of Covid-19 in our county and some deaths. I haven’t left home since Monday and don’t plan to for a few more days. About 5-inches of snow overnight, looks beautiful but things are not so great outside our gates. Our kids and grands are okay, all are still working so we worry about them. They check in daily, we are well looked after. I hope you are all safe and well. Best wishes and prayers." Gene

JERRI PIEL STEEL didn't mention the virus, but she has had another difficulty to deal with. She sent the following to me this week. "Am in isolation but for other reasons ~ 2-weeks ago my dog knocked me down, broke my hip - surgery, rehab, now at my son’s house in Weatherford for therapy ~ hope to be home soon. Love you."

Love you, too, JERRI. As I wrote this now, I realized that Weatherford is close to Fort Worth and located in Parker County. I noticed that Weatherford has instituted some lockdown features, too, but don't know if the city itself has any cases of COVID-19. In any case, JERRI, I hope you are careful before you venture out to go home. And watch out for your dog. It will probably be excited to see you up and around as usual.

Everyone please take good care of yourselves. Why not share some of your experiences with isolation. What you do to pass the time. Your memories of past "disasters". 

In the meantime, anyone remember him?

 Peace, y'all,

Marilyn

GOOD HEALTH AND GOOD MEMORIES

Finally, more good stuff to report! JAMES and DOTTIE sent me the following emails. JAMES, I have to think there were definitely guardian angels watching over you. So happy to hear the outcome went so well.

"Because of a conflict, I moved my annual cardiac checkup up six weeks (six years since cardiac bypass). A bruit was heard in my neck (noise from turbulence of partial obstruction) and with my radiologist son's help found a fairly high grade obstruction in my left internal carotid artery. Not particularly wanting a stroke, I underwent a carotid endarterectomy, clean-out job May 16th. Went home the next day after I went to a gun show - how lucky could I get - and back to work five days later. The arterial plaque was degenerating and trying to peel off and visit my brain within days or hours. Not really lucky, but definitely several miraculous coincidences in timing. I am doing good now for one who has had his throat cut, and am back to nearly full speed and waiting for my 75th birthday later this month.

The conflict? Went to the county Republican caucus meeting, and since the attendance matched the number of delegates to the state convention this coming weekend, I got elected a delegate. I think I will show up."

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DOTTIE BISHOP ROGERS sent me the following after I shared the "50s video with you all:

Dottie & Larry '11

"Thank you for the trip down memory lane. Has it really been that long???? Holy Cow. I went to a classic car rally today with Larry. His ‘67 Mustang is great, but oh, the fifties “were nifty”. Anyone remember cruising “the drag” in Kirk Brunson’s old Ford? One night the left rear wheel went down the street before we did! Whee! 

Another great memory is riding in his Hudson with no seats except for the 5-gal. can he sat on. $2.00 a car night at the Horseshoe usually carried about 15-20 of us for the movie. Halloween and “swiping” those fire pots from road construction was a real daring thing for all of us. OOOH! How sinful!!! As I write I think of more and more, but my fingers don’t go as fast as my brain. (Well, DUH!)"

Love you all,                    

Dottie

Oh yes! I remember Kirk's Model A Ford. Kirk, NANCY THOMPSON BAKER, BOB BURTON, and I made a few drags in that one. I remember it had a patterned oilcloth on the interior.

But the Hudson! I remember a funny story my dad, Jarvis Moragne, told me about the Hudson. I am not sure of the year (I have pictured a '53 model), but I do remember it was beige. My dad and Salty Brunson (Kirk's dad) were friends. When Salty bought the new Hudson he asked my dad to take a ride with him. Dad said that Salty was very "close" with his money, and he bought a no-nonsense model to get the best price. However, it was winter when they took the ride, and Dad said he nearly froze to death. Not only did it not have a radio - it didn't come with a heater either! Talk about your economy model!

Another story about the Hudson... It wasn't very old when Kirk and BOB and others had it out one night and they came upon an armadillo. Kirk wanted the 'dillo for some reason, so he put it in the trunk. Uh-oh. He forgot to take it out and left it there overnight. Imagine the trouble he got in when his dad saw the Hudson the next morning. The armadillo had dug its way through the back seat from the trunk, and totally destroyed the seat! That may have been why there were no seats when you rode in it.

I thought the carload night at the Horseshoe Drive-In was $1.00 a carload. I have a clipping somewhere when Gary Ferguson had a bunch of us meet at the drive-in ticket booth. He had a Buick convertible, and with the top down we all climbed on and hung on until he could barely get it to move through the ticket booth line. I wish I could remember the number, but we broke records for the most ever getting in on a $1.00 a carload ticket! 

I looked for a photo of the old Horseshoe, but both it and the Hillcrest Drive-In have been torn down and nothing remains. If anyone has an old photo, I would love to have it.. Scan and send, or mail it to me and I'll return it. By the way, has anyone been to the "new" renovated Texas Theater? Let us hear about your experience.

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I got the following email from PEGGY BRANHAM KRUMLINDE:

"This landed in our park this morning while Guenter and Maggie were there for her walk. The lady who took the picture took it from her backyard which is next to the park.  Maggie was terrified when the burner started up for lift-off again." (April 19)

Until next time..

Peace, love, good health and good memories,

Marilyn

NEWS AND MORE NEWS

My recent request for news to publish on the class blog produced a few results. A couple of them are a little lengthy, so I will probably do them in two different posts. Thus, it will give those of you who haven't submitted anything a chance to do so. Also, for the most part, I don't have any recent individual pictures of you all. But then, maybe we would all rather be remembered as we looked at whatever last reunion we attended! I'm just sayin'.

PAUL MOTA was the first to respond. Thanks, Paul. Here's what he had to say:

"I only have mostly good news. Nothing much here. I am still retired, and just not doing much. My main problem is not pushing back from the table (PAUL, I think I remember you said that once before!), but otherwise I am in pretty good health - thanks to God. I have a trip to Las Vegas coming up next month. That's about it. My wife is in great shape - much better shape than I am. I wish I had more dramatic stories to tell you, but all is well. My daughter and her husband and the two grandchildren are still in the Houston area and all are fine."

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DOTTIE BISHOP ROGERS, as usual, is not letting retirement grow boring. She said:

"Hey, it's so good to hear from you! Are you still enjoying those grandkids? (Me:Yes!) Mine are all doing well and so am I.

I went a little crazy last year and returned to teaching. Thank goodness, I came to my senses and re-retired. I have to say, unfortunately, it was not a good experience. I had been so blessed at the Texas schools in which I taught, I was fully unaware of the caliber of this school in Willcox, Arizona. I had some wonderful students, but those fifteen or twenty 'bad apples' sure spoiled the basket. I went into that school with the enthusiasm of one twenty years younger than I was, and I came out of the situation totally feeling my real age. Shriek!

(Downtown Willcox, AZ - Population 3,757)

On a good note, Larry and I motor-homed across Texas -- well, that was our initial plan, but we did enjoy the ten days we had even if the A/C went out, a water line burst in the motor home, we had two violent storms...we made it through unscathed and laughed. Of course, Larry immediately put the motor home on sale upon our return, but we played some super golf courses and it was fun. Since coming home, I have just done a few things around my house and am volunteering at the golf course." 

Now, DOTTIE, surely on such a fun, eventful trip you took some photos you can share?

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As we all know, we have a couple of real "adventurers" in our class who are still stepping out of the bounds of what most seniors their ages do. I've heard from both of them. Some of you who are on Facebook already know that GLENN SMITH is one of them. GLENN had this bit of news: 

"On the last day of April, I loaded my two dogs and myself and drove to Mexico. Took me four days to reach Ajijic where I am living. I have posted on Facebook a bunch of photos that I took here. They are under the name LEONARD GLENN SMITH. I'll be glad to become a 'friend' of any class member not already listed in that category.

As for my reason for the move - well that was multifaceted. I can't think of how to explain it briefly. I enjoyed the time in Ballinger and everyone was very nice to me there."

I questioned GLENN a little more about the place where he lives and he sent more info:

"Mexico is a little cheaper than the United States. Ajijic (I can't imagine how to pronounce this!) is more expensive than many similar sized Mexican towns, because lots of people have come from Canada and the States, and many of them are retired with enough money to inflate prices by spending more than the local economy was accustomed to."

In case any of you are interested and daring enough to move to Mexico, here's a little breakdown of the costs he sent:

"I pay $550 a month for a 2-bedroom, 2-bath furnished house. My internet and local phone cost $50 a month. Electricity is around $20 because no heat or air conditioning is needed. (Wow! imagine no a/c in the 100+ temperatures most of us in Texas have had this summer!) I have a gas water heater and stove. Gas costs about $25 a month. I have a washing machine, but no dryer is needed because afternoons are sunny and the air is not humid, so hanging clothes to dry is natural and effective. I don't have TV, but cable is available and costs are similar to 

(Photo at left is the entrance to his rented house with one of his dogs peering out. The one at right is a door near his house.)

the States. I have a car but haven't filled the gas tank since I arrived here four months ago. I walk to one of six places for breakfast every day. Eggs, toast, beans, jelly, and coffee cost about $5-$7, tip included. Walmart is a ten minute drive. Computers and TVs cost 50% more than in the U.S. Food costs on average about the same as if one were living in the States." 

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Let's see how many of you can guess who the other "adventurer" is who will share his/her news with us in the next blog post. I hope to have an update on NYDAH ELLET in it as well. 

Also, I will share a rumor of a mystery millionaire who's supposedly bought up many of the old buildings in downtown Ballinger and is renovating them. If anyone has the latest news on his project - which he stated he is doing because he needs a tax break - send me what you know.

Until next time, send me all the news you wish to share.

Peace, and may all your news be "good stuff",
Marilyn