WMHS Class of '65 Summer Picnic!

Class of 1965 has another successful summer picnic at Hawkeye Park in Monroeville, PA.  Although we were without our wonderfully talented Chef Bill Bigos this time, we 'downgraded' our menu to the standard hot dogs, hamburgers, & chicken.  HOWEVER, we discovered some talented 'grill chefs' in some spouses - Linda Hall (Dale's wife) and Bob Coursey (Susie Ponsetto's husband), aided by my wonderfully helpful husband, Verlin.  In addition, the '65 classmates came through with some delicious pot luck dishes. The food was scrumptious.  But more than that, the opportunity to visit with each other, laugh with each other, and make new memories with each other was priceless.

If you were one of the ones that missed this event - never fear - you'll have another chance soon!!  Hopefully we'll have some activity in the fall - and we will be thrilled to see as many at the next event as possible.

Here are some pictures that we took -- enjoy!  There will be more to see soon, so check back once in a while to see if they are up yet.

Classmate Roberta Jefferson is now PUBLISHED!!

Just released - and on Amazon! - is a new book, written by our very own classmate, Roberta Jefferson!
Better known now as Bobbi Sullivan, her book is entitled "Help to Help Your Child: Increasing Your Child's Success in School".

Back cover reads: "Bobbi Sullivan has been in the education field for over 35 years, working with students from kindergarten age to adults.  Concentrating in the English/ Reading/ Language Arts areas, she has taught in three different Pennsylvania school districts and has helped adults who never completed their educations achieve high school equivalency.  Her employment in a Title 1 reading program for elementary age children led to an appointment as the Instructional Support Coordinator for a Pennsylvania school district, heading the Instructional Support Teams of five elementary schools."

Check out Bobbi's book on Amazon - and if you know anyone who might be helped by this information, be sure to share the book.  I'm sure Bobbi would love to talk to you or anyone you know about this very helpful and valuable information.

Congratulations Bobbi -- we are SO PROUD of you!!

Merlin Goes Fishing!

If you've lost track of classmate Merlin Oldham - well, he lives in the forest.........Cook's Forest, that is!
Merlin, his wife Cheryl, & their son Benjamin, have a working studio - New Salem Stoneware - in the heart of beautiful Cook Forest.  If you are ever up that way, be sure to check it out and stop to see Merlin.  In the meantime, visit their website - http://newsalemstoneware.tripod.com

Merlin also documents many of his adventures with wonderful essays - I thought you might enjoy this one as much as I did -- it is titled BIG FISH!  .............

Erie trip 2011

Early May 2011, a week into walleye season, I found myself on a placid Lake Erie on my new best friend and neighbor’s 26 ft boat. We left Walnut Creek launch late afternoon hoping to score some perch before an evening of walleye trolling, even though reports at the bait shop were that nobody was catching any.  After a few futile attempts to harvest pan fish, Captain Bill decided to rig for Walleyes.  Perching rigs were stowed and six bait casters loaded with 30 pound test line and line counters were hauled out of storage. Planner boards were deployed and four rods, two on the port side and two on the starboard side, were mounted in rod holders and attached to the planners.  The two remaining poles were mounted on the stern attached to down riggers.  All lines were tipped with the famed Renoskie stick bait.  These according to Captain Bill were sudden death for walleyes.  The 454 V8 power plant pushed us along at 2.5 miles an hour, moving closer to shore and shallower water with each pass.  As it gets darker, Walleye move to shallower waters to feed.  Unfortunately due to cooler water temps the fish weren’t very active. The only Chatter on the marine radio was someone wanting to know if anybody caught anything.  He got no response.  Four hours into an 8 hour troll, Bill saw a port side rod dip and told me to grab it, give it a hard jerk freeing it from the planner line and reel it in. He asked me if I had a fish but I couldn’t tell, the familial throbbing on the line that the  plug creates was not there, but neither were the pulsating gyrations of a fish try to free himself. But something was on the line; it turned out to be a white plastic kitchen trash bag. The only thing caught all day.  I had my picture taken with it, commented that if I hooked into a 30 gallon puppy I’d have it mounted, and wandered if this was the only thing a Polish lure could catch. As the sun dropped below the horizon so did the temperature and I was glad I had brought a jacket. As midnight approached and we were on our final run of the evening, Sherri, Bill’s wife, an attractive 30 something brunette who was blessed with the gift of hospitality, always making everyone feel welcome and supplying us with an endless supply of beef sticks, jerky, chips and dip, shivered and chatted on deck while Bill headed us toward shore.  It was then that a port side rod tip dipped almost even with the deck. Sherri grabbed the rod, upon realizing she had hooked a Lake Erie leviathan, and fearing being pulled over the stern she cried out for help. Always ready to aid a damsel in distress, especially if they are a babe, I relieved her of the rod, and thanks to my years of experience and innate abilities fighting everything from blue gills to blue fins, I adroitly brought the catch of the day along side of the boat.  By now Captain Bill had relinquished the wheel to Sherri and arrived at my side with a net. Together we landed my first Walleye.  It was the perfect ending to a not so perfect day as far as catching fish goes.  Bill and Sherri were glad I caught something and I was tickled with my first Walleye.    Merlin

Merlin's Big Fish