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Johnny Sheffield

Brings back memories. In 1971, I got out of the 

Army and my first house that Becky and I 

Purchase was at 1505 wakefield.

Guess what, my next door neighbor was

My old barber when I was a kid windy

Winborn, in which I lived by him for a good

While.  Can remember all the crew cuts he gave me

And then dusted you with the talcum powder  

Johnny

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Wow, lots of memories from the barber shop!   I didnt have a regular barber, that I recollect. They allus seemed to just mess my hair up, but then again, I never really knew how I wanted my hair, just usually different than what it was. Guess that's why I liked hats and still do.    I remember in tenth grade, some girl really insulted me about my hair, she said I   "looked hideous"   so I got a "hollywood flattop"...and it really turned out good when it grew out some.  So see, something good comes from somehting bad... sometimes.   Of course now, who cares!  My hair runneth away.   (I didnt know what the word "hideous" meant, but from the sound of it, it didnt sound good)

     There was a lad back in them good ol days that had hair like Fabian, or "hoodish" hair, and his last name was Hood.  It just so happens I met his sister over at the Cliftons, or Jimmie Sues house, and dont remember her name, but I do remember she was gorgeous and I was "in love".  Coal black hair and blue eyes....I sure hope I got to kiss her!   I think I asked who she was here before and Jimmy Sue answered it.  I've got a good memory, just short.

       Of course back then I was "in love" with all the girls.  Man, was I ever the social idiot and love klutz.   Embarrassed to even think about it.   Havent got much better in the social department.   (I think the aforementioned young ladys name was/is Donna?  Well hells bells, that was probably the most favorite name on radio thanks to Richie Valens..."I had a girl, Donna was her name...")   I pretty much liked all the girls names, still do. 

    Looks like the front has arrived. 46, and wind is just a howling.  I changed the power supply in the CHIMACS (Chappell Hill Intergalactical Meteorlogical and Cornpone Society) weather station, and I mounted the dang wind direction thingy backards.  So it kept showing the wind blowing out of the soth instead of noth like it was suppose to.   Just braved the cold wet wind and went out and turned it around, now it's right!  OR, maybe we've had a polar shift, hmmmm, didnt think about that now didja!

                                                             INTERMISSION

     Ok, ahm back, the service in this joint is just terrible, had to get my own cup O joe, oh the humanity...Nah, I'm not that lazy. Dianes been gone since last Thursday for this and that, just came back last night.  Whilst she was gone, I fixed the two lawn chairs that were broken, fixed CHIMACS, vacuumed the WHOLE house, as opposed to doing just part of it.   Did three loads of laundry, folded and put away, not to mention babysitting three dogs, two cats, and a partridge on the first tee, and a whole plethora and host of other chores....

     The reason I've gotten so much done, yeah, most of the really bad debillitating and incapacitating pain has flown the coop, YEAAAAAA!   Even stated working on finishing the deck I started in Ocotober, of course I think I'm finished, then I think of something new to add...an aside here, i've noticed a lot of mispelled woids and generally all the right letters in the wrong place. Hmmmmm wonder what's causing that.  Ah dew hope it's not the A woid, I'll be most upset if it is, but then if it is, I wont know it will I.

     Been rackin my pea brain, and I dont remember a midget market on 43rd and Ella.  In my recollection, I thought it was down at 34th and Ella or shepherd and 34th st.   I remember Fairchilds, and Dr Gould, and Marks Jewelers, where we got our senior rings, or was it another name, plus there was a drugstore, dont remember if it was Maddings or Dugans.  There was also a drugstore in the shopping center across the street where Mimimax was.    I do remember Marks, and he moved over to Shepherd in the shopping center between the Sears and the Garden Oaks theater .

     There was a JC Penneys and Walgreens and Woolworths there, well, dont hold me to the Woolworths being there, I loved Woolworths and wished one would be everywhere, so sad to lose them.   My dad was friends with Mark, was that his name?   Anyway, never saw my dad so sad as  when Mark was killed when some moron tried to rob the store.  

    Diane has told me of a few times that the drugstores were targeted by lazy bum  idjit morons.  She and her whole family have had guns pulled on them at one time or another.  Scary thought that! 

    WOOLWORTHS...that place was Disney Whirld for me back then.  The sights and sounds and smells, oh, just heavenly.  They had a hoagie sandwich for .29 cents that was just wonderful.  I guess you'd call it a "sub" sandwich today.  Have not seen it's equal or like ever since Woolworths closed.  I think the heavenly smell was a combination of coffee brewing, hotdogs heating up, and mustard. If one could bottle that smell one would be semi-rich, or at the least comforted.   The only other place that "housed" that smell was Union Station, add in the smell of diesel and voila,  heaven for sure.

    Ok, time to deplane.  Diane is goint to one of her many Christmas luncheons she goes to this time of year.  Funny, they seem to be always around Christmas, go figure.  AND, I get to have lunch with three crazy dogs, one sweet cat and one grumpy cat. 

      Hmmm, think I'll have CORNBREAD for lunch, and amazingly enough, I just happened to have one of those round delightful "Johnny Cakes" setting on the counter as we speak, thanks to my good friend Richard Meek.  Talk about good cornbread, I've not had any better, and cant recollect its equal.  He gave me the recipe, so that's my next project.  Cornbread and honey, cornbread and jalopenas oh yeah, that's the ticket!

    Keep the sun at your six, if you can find it today, and "ride boldly ride..."

your Phrien and resident all round good guy, Cephus Cornbread N Doodad, esq

Teddie Jordan

And Steve, thank you, I had forgotten the very factual memory of Windy's always present unlit cigar! A great way to punctuate the memory of him. He seemed to talk "around" it!!

I hope that Butch comes across these memories and understands how much, even 55-60 plus years later, his Dad was loved and appreciated by others, as he no doubt was by his son. 

Bennie Schielack

I remember Fairchilds, and Dr Gould, and Marks Jewelers, where we got our senior rings, or was it another name, plus there was a drugstore, dont remember if it was Maddings or Dugans.

Dugans / Maddigans was, if I remember correctly, on Ella @ Judiway.  I purchased many paperback books there in my youth.  Next door was a grocery store and next to that was a "Spudnuts" for awhile.  They sold donuts made from potato flour . . . . . There was another drug store @ 43rd and Ella (indepent, I recall) and just across Ella was a White's department store.  Somewhere near Woolworths was a bowling alley, too.  Close to a Western Auto store.  Oak Forest Bank on one corner, sometime along the way.  Midget Market does not ring a ding.  If you can, put some Peach preserves on your corn bread some time, after a big dollop of butter.  It's heaven on Earth for your taste buds.  

Remember Prices ? ? ? ? ? 5 hamburgers for $1.00 . . . . . and the best onion rings in the world over on Oak Forest by the RR tracks . . . . . 

I remember when Ella stopped @ Judiway.  Also there was, after Ella was opened up, a Doctors office across the street from the drug store on Ella @ Judiway.  Thanks for taking me back to life before reality set in . . . . . 

Teddie Jordan

Oak Forest pharmacy was on the SE corner of 43rd and Ella, Midget Market was next to it. Mading's was in the corner of the strip center on the NW corner of Ella and 43rd. My family moved to a Frank Sharp house ar 1223 Overhill in 1948. When that was the far NW edge of civilization in Houston. Forty third ended at Ella. West of there were my beloved "woods". My mama would ask, " Where have you been? My simple answer would be " "In the woods". I loved exploring wilder places then, and still do! Though they are harder to find now!

The Garden Oaks pharmacy was on Shepherd next to our beloved Movie Theater and Saturday morning Funclub. Sears was nearby and was our original "Mall"! Open until 9pm on Monday and Thursday nights, and air conditioned when most of our homes were not!

Steve Puckett '65

To help illustrate some of the names recently mentioned:

And, not to be left out:

Steve Puckett '65

Steve Puckett '65

The best sign I could find:

Also there was:

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Wow, are you people old ! ! !  I dont remember any of that stuff, way before my time. I also dont remember the Gizmo, a burger joint with best burgers and ffries and malts at the RR tracks and Oak Forest, dont remember the  Chuck Wagon and it's fine cuisine. I was told all this stuff, didnt have first hand knowledge.

    Here's another place I dont remember, The Donut Hole, at 18th and Old Hempstead rd.  The Bowling alley and the grill next door to it at the shopping center on 43rd. Nope, never heard of those places.  Why? Well boy, I;ll tell you why, because I'm just a young whipper snapper that's why.  Just what the heck is a young whipper snapper anyway?  And, is there an old whipper snapper?   Here's another thing, that's close to a "whipper snapper" and that is Ginger Snaps.  

     They taste almost medicinal, and HARD!   When you bite into one, out of sheer desparation for something to eat,   they explode and crumble all to heck and gone. Same as the lemon cookies!   Who in their right mind likes a cookie that you could use as masonry.  Give me a soft chocolate chip cookie or a soft peanut butter cookie any day. 

    Ok, I've given youse youte whipper snappers some things to ponder, so study em, cause they will be on the final, and as you know, that counts as three fourths of one tenth of  half of you grade...if Mary had 6 apples and gave 2.1 to Jimmy and ate one third of whats left...what day is?

    Time for me to deplane boss, gotta go to the market to buy a fat hog and a plump chicken and a partridge on the first tee...

your frien and resident historian, Cephus R Wacky esq

Teddie Jordan

What do ya' mean old?? Fran is a month and a half ahead of me, but we are both celebrating the 25th anniversary of our 49th birthdays soon!

Larry York

What happen to Steve Jones & Charlie Radack?

Teddie Jordan

Steve passed away quite a few years ago, I believe he suffered from heart disease. I used to see Charles Radack around NW Houston from time to time, but it has been awhile. 

Steve Puckett '65

Per the Waltrip65.com site, Steve Jones died in 2010. 

Charlie's wife Ileane is on Facebook with photos of her with Charlie.   Apparently they live somewhere in Houston.

Larry York

Thanks for the update. Steve's folks had a 57  T bird we used ride around in high school. Charlie or one iron and I all most blow up the chemistry labs.  The lab was on the second floor and we had to throw an experiment that caught on fire out the window. 

Bennie Schielack

Beau . . . . . instead of "lemon cookies", try lemon Oreo's . . . . . 

William Donald Ansley

May the Yuletide Joy and the true spirit of Christmas abide with each and everyone of you during this holiday season.

Teddie Jordan

Thank you Bill, and Merry Christmas to you and yours! Always good to hear from you! 
 
And I always thought that Steve Jones was in our class, but he is not listed among our classmates. He was a character and a real comedian. His wife in later years was an antique dealer, as is my sister Kay, and she got to know and enjoy him at the various antique sale venues around our country on the circuit, including Atlanta and Round Top!

OK, I just checked and Steve is listed in the WHS '65 class website! After my family moved out west  on 43rd in '58, Steve and I, and Gary Mosley, and Scotty,  and Beau, and Wendy and others rode the school bus to Black and Waltrip!

Lynn Bledsoe (Berry)

Beau Wann, Jr.

    Merry Christmas kids !    Yeah, I know we're not kids anymore, but when we were, we were kids! ! !  Ok, anyone make sense of that gets an A in the course.  Speaking of an A in the course,  I got a gnu "electrical bananya, cause saffrons wild about moi"....oh my,  how many tymes have I tgold youse that a mind is a terrible think?   So you see what I have to put up with 25//8 dontchew!  

    HELLO? HELLO? KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK, CAN YOU STIILL HEAR ME?   My dang cat jumped up on the destk and banged into my coffee cup whilst I was trying to sip some, and spilled it all over the key board.  Yall still there?  (gotter cleaned up I hope)  Ok, since it looks like I'm still typing, I'll go with, "yes you can still see/hear me!

    Hey Lynn in Hearne, how youse?   Speaking of Steve Jones, I remember his house, or his moms house on 43rd, about 3 houses from the corner of Costa Rica and 43rd.    Remember it was the modern house with the  vaulted ceilings and glass in the front gable.   I do remember the T-boid his mom had, now can anyone tell me what color it was?    Yeah, me neither!   Cream color maybe?   I never got to ride in it, only dreamed of it.  I did get to ride in Gary Marberrys blue 58 corvette, the stuff dreams are made of.

    I saw someone 25 or 49 years ago,  that told me they saw steve at the TOP OF THE MARK restaurant in downtown houston. Wasnt that a  round restaurant at the top of one of the buildings downtown?   I havent been downtown Houston in a hunnert years and a day, so I forget what it looked like.   Any way they saw Steve doing a stand up comedian act there one year.  From what was said, it didnt go well.  Steve asked for the crowd to give him a situation, and someone said    "go home".    Tough crowd!  And a pox upon the toerag that hollared that! ! !      Not many comedians make it in that line of work, but  I do hope he had at least one good show in his life.    I thought steve was an easy going nice guy, so that's the way I shall remember him.

     Accordian to CHIMACS (Chappell Hill intergalactically mete or logical and cornpone society) weather station, the temp hit 32 this fyne morning.  We had as low as 23 this week!  Is it me, or is it memorex?   Nah, idjit, doesnt the cold  seem colder nowdays?   Does to me!   Although I remember a few winters, back in them good old days, of knocking knees, chatterin teeth and shivering bods not to mention being downright cold, and the onliest (east texas for only) heat we had was those natural gas space heaters.  I'm surprised there were'nt more reports of house fires and or carbon monoxide deaths, not that I knew what that meant back then, but now I wonder.

     I've seen in lots of mail order catalogs, weighted blankets!  Some as heavy as 15 pounds!   Well I never! ! !    You want a weighted blanket, just get a cat or dog.  The weight of one of those goes up conversely with, if they are laying on you, or if you want them to move so you can make the bed, ie a 10 pound cat asleep on you weighs 100 pounds when you try to move her off of you.  An 80 pound dog weighs as much as a truck, so there aint no chance of getting out f rom under one O them creatures aka "heavy blankets".

    Got bacon frahin in the pan this morn, aint nothin fyner than the smell of bacon and coffee wafting about ye olde homestead now is there!  Been speaking of the cold, and I'm sitting at the desk, still wearing my flannel PJs...well, my desk is not wearing them, I am, so just throw that bit O visual nonsense out of your brains.  Hmmm, that's kinda hard to do now that I've planted it there.  Well anyway, I'm looking stealthaly ninjaly, in my  PJs, and a sweatshirt, and my heavy socks and shearling lined houseshoes, and my neck scarf and my M-65 issue field jacket and carhartt beanie but with no mittens.  that's right, youse cant type with mittens on, hmmm, wasnt there a song,    "raindrops and kittens all snug in their mittens..."

     Did I mention bacon frying?   Got an early christmas presnent, an Electrical Skillet!  A big one too.  My old one sort of wore out, the teflon was worn off.  They just dont make things to last anymore, I've only had it for about 35 years.  The new one is ceramic nonstick, which is better.   If I had to choose just one item to take from the kitchen to a smaller place, it would be the electrical skillet, the Kuerig coffee pot, and the pressure cooker.  I know I said one thing, what I meant was the other one thing, three things.

    Well, guess I'd better check on the bacon and get another cup o joe, so I will say auf vedersein, sayonara, so long and "happy trails to you,  until we meet again"....

Keep the sun at your six and "ride boldly ride..."

Your frien and resident ninjacompoop,  old weird Harold Cephus R silly buggers esq 

Teddie Jordan

Merry Christmas to you and Diane, Beaucephus, and to all of our beloved ''64er's"!

The top of the Mark Club building fronted on Montrose south of '59 and N. of  Hermann Park! Francine and I entertained customers there several times in the '70's and '80's. It had a nice vibe and a good view of the nighttime Houston skyline. 

Speaking of views, we held our no.1 daughter Lisa's wedding reception in 1997 at the Petroleum Club on the 45th floor of the Exxon building. My dad worked for Humble Oil, which morphed into Exxon, for 36 years before his retirement in '62. They had his retirement luncheon at the PC, so it had special meaning to our family. The Saturday morning of the April wedding day was rainy and cloudy. I had to take some table center pieces down there that morning and the view was about 10 feet max. That night when we got there from the church the skies  had cleared out and the view was crystal clear in every direction, probably one of one or two nights a year it was that clear. Our guests were just giddy with the incredible views. You could see 30-50 miles in all directions and could see the lights of Galveston. Daddy had passed away in '65, but I always gave him and the Lord credit for arranging that phenomenal weather change from above.  

We were all blessed beyond measure to have grown up and lived in the ideal place and time that we did classmates! And to be raised by what unquestionably was America's Greatest Ever, generation!

Beau Wann, Jr.

     And a very Merry Christmas to you TJ and Fran and Linda and all our waltrip friends...been an honor and privilege to know you and grow up with you.  Yup, a very special time and place that will live forever...

Johnny Sheffield

A very merry Christmas and happy new year to all

My waltrip classmates. I wish each and everyone of you

And your families good health for 2020. 

Look forward to seeing you all at our next

Spring fling. Gods blessings on you and your families  

Johnny

Scotty Croom

have been in houston and georgetown for holidays ..returned home today..met relative of sharon's neighbor at hedwick village..what a surprise,he is our age,grew up in old spring branch,graduated there and worked p[/t at tradewinds skating rink...was skate matcher and great skater..reminised old time in oak forest area...happy new year to all...geaux tigers......

Beau Wann, Jr.

     HEY SCOTTY...I thought I saw your car drive by...you bring a banjo on your knee widja didja? 

        GOOOOOOOOOD MORNIN CHAPPELL HILLLLLLL....!!!!!  And all the ships ah see.  Hoo boy it's been cold up heah in the chalps.  Anytime the mercury dips below 70,  that's a snow day for me for shure.   How bout them tahgers, LSU of course.  Ya gotta love that coach, he's what a  coach should look like and sound like.  Bronco Nagurski,   Ray Nitschke, Clint Eastwood,  you know what I'm talkin about !    

     The little woman is in Houston this morn, hepin her parents with stuff, she actually spent the night last and one before.  They sure are lucky to have such a hepful daughter.   Tha Izz started crying at 4:25 this morn, and when the Izz crys, you've got about 2 minutes to get up get dressed and out the door, cause she's gotta go, and when a girls gotta go, a girls gotta go.

      I havent moved  and gotten dressed that fast since the last time I heard Revellie and th DI hollar, "all right you ladies, GET OUTTA THEM RACKS",  of course that was after he threw a couple of trash cans down the center aisle.  NOW,  those were the good ol days.  Back then, they were the bad ol days.  But, made a man outta many a boy!

       Sip.....Aaaahhhh, what phyne coffee I do make.   Got some new coffee from somewhere, called MILITARY GRADE COFFEE COMPANY.  Touts "double duty caffiene", got a picture of a handgrenade on the front.  Now that's my kind of coffee.   Hmmmm, lets see, I have "JET FUEL"  and  "JACKHAMMER" from a local coffee company up heah in Washington county,  Independence coffee company.  I think I'll mix the three and see what we get.    "Uh chet, a mushroom cloud was seen rising from the Chappell Hill area, HAZ MAT TEAM on the way, so folks stay outta that area...."

     Diane did not drink coffee when we got married and for about the first 15 years of that institution.  I think it started around the time HISD when to a paperless environment, wink wink wink.   She'd never had so much paper work before.  Same with Ma Bell.  We went paperless, and man did the paper mount high, and I was a lineman, not an office worker.  All brought to you by the  "Peter Principle"  people at full speed ahead.

     Today is NEW YEARS EVE ! ! !  Dang I'm good aint I ! !   I cant remember the last NEW YEARS EVE party I went to, or if I ever went to one.  Oh, I do remember some in particular, out at my Uncle Buddys, with the "Wild Bunch" in attendance.  My dad and his brothers and a few iron worker friends of theirs havin a tea party and quiltin bee of course. 

      They would light up the night with the loudest fireworks you could buy and augment that with gunfire and dynamite.  PTSD city for sure if you werent use to that sort of celebratory celebratin.  Two of my uncles had class C firearms liscenses, which meant they could possess and shoot full automatic weapons and dynamite stuff like tree stumps etc.   Sounded like "rolling thunder"!    But I digress!   Those guys were two fisted drinkers and two fisted everything else, "lead or follow, but get the hell out of the way"....

     I also cant remember the last time I actually saw the old year go out and the new year come in.   Sometimes the old "lumbar"  singing auld lang syne, would keep me up past midnight, but certainly not Guy.

    Anyone make any New Years revolutions?    I never have and dont intend to start now.  I just try to do the things I'm suppose to do, and not do the things I'm not suppose to do, all year long. Sometimes I'm good and sometimes not so good, but always trying to improve.

   Ok, guess I'll sing off for now, but I'll be back!    Keep the sun at your six, "and ride boldly ride..."

Your frien and resident farcracker,  Cephus R Me esq 

Scotty Croom

beau,we also passed duson yesterday...in order to reach htown before dark,we just drive straight thru..have  to stop sometime...getting shower head fixed,replace lites and reseat commode at hedwick village..try showering w/semi cold ,dribble water ...not a guys dream wash ..lol...happy new year to all...past year flew by..also know many of us celebrate a diamond birthday ..where have time gone...