Jacqueline Atkinson (Atkinson)

Happy New Year people!  May we be strong, healthy and keep growing in wisdom.

Pamela Richardson

Happy New Year!  After relocating back to Andover from El Paso, Texas 15 years ago- I have clearly become a dyed in the wool New Englander!  Went on a December cruise to Nassau with Linda (Barker) Monfet and her large extended family as well as some of my family.   Can ya'll BELIEVE it?-  I actually was GLAD to get back home to snow country!!!!!

Marilyn Joan Miller (DeGregorio)

TO ALL WHO LIVE UP NORTH, WE HOPE YOU ARE KEEPING WARM, STAY IN -STAY WARM AND REMEMBER IT WILL PASS-WHEN WHO KNOWES ???????  THAT'S WHY WE LIVE IN SUNNY ORLANDO, FLORIDA.       WISHING YOU ALL WELL.................    MARILYN AND AL DEGREGORIO

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Donna DuFault (Proctor)

Thanks for the warm wishes Marilyn! Although I have to admit I love the cold. I'm the rare bird who hates the heat. Wish I could still ski because it has been an awesome winter. Luckily I don't have to shovel or even clean off my car (love a garage) so that makes it all much easier. Being retired means I don't have to get up at 4:00am and drive down to Andover for work. What a joy to think, snow? Guess I'll just roll over and decide what I want to do later!  :-)  

I'm  glad to hear how many of us are loving our lives 50 years after the fantasy of high school! My best friend always used to say, "Want to make God laugh? Tell Him your plans for your life!" While my life didn't turn out the way I planned, I am oh so grateful for the way it did. 

So many of our classmates are living in Florida, we should have a mini-reunion down there. Happy January, everyone!

Pamela Richardson

Nice to see new postings by Marilyn and Donna!  While I do not love the cold, I have no desire to return to the Southwest!   The cold of winter causes me to anticipate Spring.  Spring  causes me to anticipate summer-  and Newfound Lake- and a week at Hampton Beach!  The heat of summer finally becomes a drag, and I look forward to the crisp air and vibrant colors of Fall.  This may seem a trite litany,  but after living without the seasons for 19 years,   the passing of them is an endless wonder to me!  And the lakes!  And the ocean!  And the mountains!  New England has it all!!

Kurt Emerson

Tonight, the wind has shifted from the Soutwest to the Northwest. The temperature will be below 17 degrees, by sunrise. Tonight, I worry about the owls, who swoop to feed on crawfish from the swale in front of our small house. In the morning, I will put out something for the Red-Tailed Hawks who have roosted in the Water Oaks across the street. (Maybe bacon, maybe parts of Sunday's chicken) Also, tonight, I will place a blanket on one of the front chairs, where Rascal sleeps. He is the outside cat from down the road, who sleeps on our porch, when the morning sun is up. Winter is hard.

Pamela Thomas

Kurt......

Your descriptive word is hauntingly beautiful and insightful.  Obviously you have a wonderful talent that we (as individuals) have the joy of reading!  Thank you!

"Miss PJ"

Kurt Emerson

Thank You for the kind words.

Barbara McCafferty

Very beautiful words.  You love your land.

Marilyn Joan Miller (DeGregorio)

KURT, BARBARA, AND PAM...

YOUR WORDS ARE SO BEAUTIFUL, AS IS THE LAND WE LIVE IN. GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WE SHARE A FRIENDSHIP WITH. IT IS SO NICE TO READ THE MESSAGES THAT ARE POSTED ON THE FORUM. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK CLASS OF 1963 , WHAT A FANTASTIC  GROUP WE ARE........     BE HAPPY ALWAYS.....     MARILYN......

Jacqueline Atkinson (Atkinson)

Kurt,

It is obvious you love birds of all sorts.  I love birds of prey, especially hawks.  We see bald eagles in Maine quite frequently and there is an island on Sebago Lake where they nest every year.  It's wonderful to take the boat out and circle the island.  The nest is immense and very visible from a distance..last year there were 2 babies...it was great to watch them grow, learn to fly and hunt with their parents guidance.  Truly enjoyed your post.

Kurt Emerson

THANK YOU...WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF WHAT OUR CLASS HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT WE WILL ACCOMPLISH IN THE FUTURE.

Pamela Richardson

 Hi ya'll,  I enjoy reading your postings.  I am still alive-  thought I would nor survive my recent 69th birthday!!!  I ask myself while brushing my teeth:   "Who is the old lady in the mirror?!"  The best of New Year greetings to all of you AHS 63 grads!  Love from Pam

Pamela Thomas

For whomever is interested in a bit of history, (local and otherwise), this is a fascinating article to read. Please  do a "search" for "The Scrap Mansion".  When the sites come up, click on the one that says:  "An Ever-Expanding House of Architectural Salvage - NY Times.com.

This man saves items from bldgs. that are going to be demolished and incorporates them into his own mansion.

This article gives an extensive overview of the man, his wishes and dreams of saving and restoring items

for future generations.   And, don't forget to look at the slideshow....beautiful  pictures to accompany the

story.

I had the privilege and honour of having brunch there just recently, with my dear close friends, and want to share with you what I experienced......something to behold!

Enjoy!

"Miss PJ"  :-)

Nancy Hart (O'Brien)

H i Classmates,

    How you all doin'? Love reading the posts. Where do people go in summers? Lakes or oceans of Maine/ New Hampshire? Maybe time for get together. Also of course Fenway Park.. I prefer Sunday afternooon games so kids in attendance. Any Bridge players in class? Always a favored passtime this time of year?

    Best to all.                         Nancy Hart O'Brien

Kurt Emerson

On this Super Bowl Day, for classmates in the North, there is hope. This weekend, after the last cold front passed, the Robins arrived in earnest. About 10 days ago the first flocks (small) arrived. Now, there are Robins all over the place. They feed on the life in the recently plowed fields. Spring has begun the journey North. Have a little faith.

Douglas Glennie

Hi Kurt.....  I was out for a walk today and saw a flock of robins on a bare patch of ground.   Since we are expecting a major snow storm on Wednesday, Fef 5, here in Haverhill, I have no idea what they are going to be eating for the next month or so.... best of luck to them, I hope they make it !!!

 Another sure sign of Spring is due in the next week or so, The Red Sox equipment truck will be leaving Boston with a BIG send-off----So there is hope, you just have to look for it.  

               Stay well        Doug Glennie

Jacqueline Atkinson (Atkinson)

Kurt and Doug,

The robins are here in New Hampshire as well.  Thought I was seeing things since it is presently snowing.

I wonder if these are from Canada? Coming South???  I sure hope this is the sign of an early Spring.  Will have to look closely at the Forsythia and my bulb areas for shoots. 

Michael Barry

Like Doug I also went for a walk this AM as it finally warmed up to a balmy -2 degree with no wind. Last week it reached -19 with wind chill in the -49 range. This winter has been a real bear! I have not seen any birds here on the shore of Lake Michigan with the exception of a few seagulls pestering the ice fishermen.

Hope everyone is well

Mike

Marilyn Joan Miller (DeGregorio)

OH MY GOD!!!!!

       HOW DO YOU DO IT??????  TODAY IN ORLANDO IT WAS A WARM AND BEAUTIFUL  83 ......

       PEOPLE OUT IN THEIR  SHORTS AND T'S....GREAT DAY FOR THE BEACH. WE DID HAVE A COLD

       FRONT TEMP. WENT DOWN TO THE FORTIES----BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.... TOO COLD FOR

       US, FOR SURE. YOUR SEASONS ARE NICE, BUT I'LL TAKE THE GOOD OLD SUNSHINE.

       STAY WARM AND BUNDLE UP.          MARILYN AND AL        :-)

Pamela Thomas

Hey.....Mike, Doug and Kurt....

Perhaps we should all take wing and fly south to Florida and be with Marilyn and Al!  It'll obviously be awhile before we get to wrap ourselves in the warmth of 80 degree weather and, with what else is coming this week (and weekend), in the form of more snowflakes......book me on the first flight!!

"Miss PJ"

Edith Petzold (McKinnon)

What's goin on! I also saw robins in my yard last week! I think the robins are a bit confused!!

Cathy Wojtkun

Enjoyed the skiing, mulled wine, and having the neighborhood kids shovel the snow.... all the comments about the cold and snow have convinced us that it's now time for  Florida sunshine, palm trees, and Siesta Beach...and seeing the Andoverites at St Armands' Circle!  Bless those airline points!  

If Mousie can arrange that Spring Reunion, it will be great to see everyone again!  

Happy Days to All!

Cathy  :)

Nancy Hart (O'Brien)

Hi Classmates,

     I'm enjoying bird/weather observation from around U.S.. Weather watching is a part of the package in merry New England.

     Robins. I have seen robins here in Maine for the past few years in winter. They are perhaps a sub-species, appearing more thin w/ longer thinner beaks than our usual robins whose beaks are shorter,& fatter. Someone .told me there are two sub-species, Northern & Southern.

     When growing up in Andover, whoever saw the first Spring robin would get a nickel from my Mother. Times change, but I certainly don't remember any robins in winter growing up. At our bird feeder now we have cardinal families who stay all year & nest in yard bushes. We certainly did not have many N.E. cardinals back along. Another bird change. Also mockingbirds live in our neighborhood, along w/ opposoms,a new arrival of about 10 or 15 years. That's the news from Lake Wobegon. Snow tomorrow. 

     Call me stupid. I still largely enjoy winter months.       Best to all,  Nancy Hart O'Brien 

Pamela Thomas

I was looking at a book today I have on classic and contemporary quotes and thought I'd share with you. Hope all have a laugh or simply ponder what they might mean to you personally.( My quips are in parenthesis)   Enjoy!

"It's not the men in your life that counts, it's the life in your men"      Mae West  (Need I say more?)

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless"      Mother Teresa

"If women were meant to age gracefully, God wouldn't have created little red convertibles".   Linda Staten  (Oh how I wish I had kept my 1966 candy apple red Mustang convertible!)

"The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age"   Lucille Ball

"I always keep three sizes of clothes in my closet.."normal days".."bloated days"..and "those were the days"  Myra Zirkle  (How true is this!)

"Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti"     Sophia Loren  (The hell with counting carbs if we could look like this legendary beauty!)

"Constant use will not wear ragged the fabric of friendship"    Dorothy Parker (Again, need I say more?)

And, seeing I began with a quote from Mae West, I shall end with this one from her which is a favorite of mine...

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough"

"Miss PJ"