Senior Cords

Hanging on the podium are a pair of senior cords. I have attempted to explain to Julie and others what these pants were like, but could never quite pull it off (the description, I mean, not the pants).

They were yellow corduroy slacks that we paid somebody to paint with school spirit and barely bawdy graffiti. Only seniors could wear cords. We wore them on Fridays when we would have pep rallies and we would wear them to the games (football and basketball). These were Pete Briganti's cords on which Warsaw Tigers went down each leg and the Horn of Plenty with cherries and a banana were strategically placed. I had a pair but I can't remember what was drawn on them. Nothing as suggestive as Pete's pants, I can assure you; not in my house.

Renewing Friendships

While in Warsaw/Winona Lake, I had the opportunity to visit our good friend, Judy Reneker Burd. She was the lady who set up a blind date with a girl at her office to meet me when I was single. That girl was Julie to whom I have been happily married since 1974.

Paul Benson and Dave Martin stayed at her beautiful lakeside home. I learned afterward that I could have, too. One of the disadvantages of pre-paying with Priceline.

45th Class Reunion

I made the solo trip north to Warsaw, Indiana where I graduated from high school in 1965. Our class was having it's 45th reunion. It was a lot of fun and a great time getting reacquainted with some terrific people.

Here I am with (left to right) Dave Martin, Paul Benson, me, Janet Beck Brennan, and Brent Sandy. We were all from Winona Lake.

Dave, Paul and I sang in our high school barber shop quartet for several years. Paul remembered our singing some home-made political jingle for a guy running for Mayor. Dave brought a copy of our Yearbook, which got a lot of attention because, like mine, most people had lost theirs.

I don't know why so many more people turned out to this reunion than the last one on our 40th anniversary. I thought it was Facebook keeping folks in touch. But Paul was probably right when he said, "More of us are retired and have control of our time."

Labor Day - John Price's Blog

Here's some pictures of our recent Labor Day from Michael & Cheryl and their friends, John and Lena Price. The kids got along wonderfully.

http://www.sliceofprice.blogspot.com/

I'll put up my pictures when I get some free time next week.

Pictures From Blue Man Group

Waiting outside in the lobby. Julie and Jill amid the pipes and pipes.


Guys return from the restroom where we heard music loudly proclaiming "This is the restroom."


We sat in the poncho section. Julie took this right before the usher said no pictures were allowed. Maybe that's why it's shaky.


On the way home, we passed by Wrigley Field which I had never seen before. The hated Cardinals were in town for a big series.

Every Five Years

Yesterday I went to the local surgery center to have a colonoscopy, the second in my life. A few things have changed since the last time I went through this humiliation. The good news is you don't' have to drink quite as much of the prep liquid; the bad news is it tastes just as crappy. The good news is you can choose from five flavors; the bad news is it tastes just as crappy. I chose cherry. For all I knew it could have been stink-weed.

I arrived on time at the place where the diagnostic procedure was to be done. However, the doctor was running about an hour late. I wasn't surprised, I told the nurse. These guys always get a little behind in their work.

So, I laid in the prep room and listened to the nurses give the same little speech to the other 5-6 people waiting to have the enema cinema. "Well, the worst part is over," they said to everyone, by which they meant drinking a liter of that cherry flavored gruel. (It actually tastes like super-thick unflavored Gator Aid, or as they are now calling it G. G stands for gruel.)

They put in the IV and put a blood pressure cuff around my arm. They took some of my blood and I was surprised that my blood sugar was only 108. Of course, I had no food in me -- at all!

After listening to the guy with sleep apneia in the next curtained-off area snore and then grow strangely silent before gasping for air with grunts and moans (how could he sleep?), a male nurse named Barnett came and got me ready. I asked him if his family was from Tennessee, and he said yes and how did I know that. So I told him about the American migration of Barnetts (his family being the English criminals who came to Georgia and then to Tennessee and my side of the family being the stalwart, clean German farmers who came across Pennsylvania.) I'm just saying ...

So they wheel me into the operating room or some white room with bio-hazard waste-cans and high-def monitors. Last time I did this it was a little color screen about the size of a Dick Tracey TV watch (remember those?). My innards in 1080i -- WOW!

Jim Barnett tells me to lay on my left side and tells me to hug the pillow. A moment later he asks if I'm getting sleepy. I did feel a little ... and the next thing I knew I was in the recovery room. Julie was walking in to see me. It takes a bit to recover. The nurse told me it was like having too many margaritas (of course, I had no idea what she was talking about).

Turns out the Doctor fourn one very little polyp which he excised. It was so small he said he wasn't really concerned at all about it. I thought we should call a very small polyp a pol or perhaps a lyp. He does want me on a high fiber diet. I know what that means -- eat a lot of foods that taste like cardboard.

Julie brought me home and I was fine after getting rid of the huge air bubble that had managed to work itself around my lower GI. That air bubble was actually quite painful, but I'll let the nurse keep telling her patients that the worst part is over.

Julie Rides a Camel

Another short clip from our Israel video.

Capernaum

I've finally finished making videos of our recent pilgrimage to Israel. Although I had many wonderful experiences on this trip, I think the visit to Capernaum was probably the most special for me. Our guide was terrific and gave us great insights into what few others saw. Here's the video.

Only 5-10 minute wait at Babe's for Mom's Day.

New research on Masada tells a very different story. Even Israeli soldiers aren't sworn in there any more. Hmmmmm

Arrived at hotel near JFK. Lousy weather prohibits our going into the city tonight. Having dinner at our hotel.

Leaving for JFK this morning.

Springtime

The wet winter has had the wonderful effect of filling our fields and meadows with some of the most colorful wildflowers we have seen in many years. Above, bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush.


Here's a picture down the street after a rain storm had passed. That's Comanche Peak in the background.


Katie loves to walk in the flowers and smell their perfume. It must be as great an olfactory feast to dogs at it is a feast to our eyes.

Caroline at Natural Bridge

A beautiful waterfall and a beautiful child at a scenic wonder.
Click here.

Good Shepherd ECW Friendship Tea

I've finally finished the video of the tea Julie arranged for the church's women. It was a lot of work and she did a terrific job.

Bluff Dale Bridge

This weekend went to a Bluff Dale where we have discovered several favorite new things, among them the oldest suspension bridge in Texas.


Originally built in 1891, it spans the Paluxy River about a mile and a half upstream from its original location.


It's hard to imagine this was the bridge on the main road (wht is now Highway 377). Thanks to good friends, Marc and Rebecca, for telling us about this little piece of history almost in our back yard.

Julie's Birthday

Julie really enjoyed these flowers from Jill and the Chicago clan. The challenge now is to keep them fresh for a party we're having on Friday with friends. I took the birthday girl to the local Italian place for some good food. We rehearsed again the birth stories her parents told and I made up a few just to keep things interesting.

Visit to Cary, North Carolina

I took a couple of days to fly to North Carolina to visit my parents at their new retirement home, JordanOaks in Cary.

I was really impressed with the place. They serve really good food and it was great to see Mom and Dad making new friends and generally enjoying life in their new digs.