The Party is Over

Hi, The party might be over but the new memories of the day will linger for quite awhile. I will first appoligize to my friend Patti for giving her such a hard time with working on this reunion, I can honestly say now that all the effort and work we did for 5 months was worth it all! Saturday surpassed all my expectations and from the feedback I received all day everyone love the picnic idea and the casual atmosphere that it generated. The socializing and mingling that I observed all day proved that our class was truly connected back in 1968 and we never lost that feeling for each other. Our lives went in different directions but our years apart melted away on Saturday because of who we were and who we've all become. It was my pleasure working on the committee and I hope to be around to work on the 45th and so on for many years to come. I hope everyone will use this blog to stay in touch and keep our "pit bull patti and her deputies cliff and phil" informed of any email or address changes. Thanks again for all of you that made the day such a success and I hope the ones that could not make it will be able to enjoy the messages and pictures and look forward to our 45th. Judi (Mags) Maglio Meese

40th is over 45th is right around the corner

What a great time had by all. We could not have asked for a better turn out. 105 classmates, 4 teachers and many spouses and guest for a total of over 150 attending. Seeing all your smiling faces, listening to all your wonderful comments let us know how much you all appreciated the hard work and effort that went into our 40th reunion. We were pleased that everyone was happy with the decision to have a PICNIC. Hearing many of you say you prefer a picnic over a more formal event really pleased us. We know we can not please everyone, however I feel we came close to succeeding with this event. I was concerned that an event lasting 8 hours would have some classmates getting bored and leave early, just the opposite happened. We needed more time, I did not get to talk to everyone as I had hoped but I made a great effort trying. The last 20 or so of us didn't want to leave, next time we will have to continue the party elsewhere. We'll leave that thought for another time.

How about those desserts, what a great idea Judi had to have take home containers for everyone. I was able to munch on my way home to Long Island, rethinking the event with every bite as more calories entered my body. Oh well, the diet will start tomorrow.

How about all of our classmates that traveled so far to attend including Alaska, New Mexico, California, Florida, Arizona and Kansas to name a few. If that doesn't say PULASKI'S SPIRIT OF 68 LIVES ON, nothing does. I applaud all of you.

I want to thank Judi, Nancy, and Linda for their part in getting this off the ground. I may have had contact with most of you, however I could not have done it without their help. We are a team that will continue as long as our classmates continue to respond and attend our future events. Now I may need your help to convince the 3 of them to do it all over again in 5 years.

I also would not have had the success in finding as many classmates as we did without the help from many of you, especially my deputies, Cliff and Phil. As long as I continue as their CHIEF we will not rest until the 13 missing have been found.

Lisa Dowling a big Thank You for your flower donations, it added just what the picnic tables needed. CLASS from the Class of 68.

Lastly, a big thank you to Ro Faiola for her continued work on the blog. We all missed you more than you can imagine.

Please post your comments on OUR blog, let's keep this going well past our 50th.

THE ESSAY PROJECT

First I want to thank Cliff Cayer for his brilliant idea. The Essay Project is truly a wonderful keepsake for all of us that contributed. In fact it has proved to be so meaningful to some, that I'm hoping that we can continue the collection and add to it after the reunion. There is one small announcement that I'd like to make. Some of the essay writers did not contact Cliff in time to have their email addresses included.

I think we may want to have a voluntary classmate directory for emails , so that we don't lose the connections that Patti, Judi, Cliff, Bruce, Phil and others have worked so hard to form. There will be a sign up sheet at the reunion, so that you can enter your name and email address if you want to be included. If you can't attend the reunion, please Email me!

Now I have to tell you that I won't have the pleasure of seeing any of you in person this weekend. We have had a medical emergency here at home and if that isn't enough, one of my family members is missing in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Georgia/Tennessee border.

I expect lots of pictures and lots of details. DETAILS, I TELL YOU! This blog will go on as long as there is interest so carry on and have a drink for me, maybe more than one. AGAIN, ANY QUESTIONS, JUST ASK!

AS THE WOOD TURNS

(sorry Lou, couldn't help myself)

Subject: Norm Abrams Watch Out

Okay Gang,

If you are interested in seeing what I look like now, so you can easily identify me at the reunion. Let me tell you where to go:

www.expertvillage.com, click on "Our Experts", click on "L" and scroll down to my name. There you will find a selection of instructional videos I did this spring on woodturning. A career I really should have pursued when I grew up, if I knew about it then. Sorry Cliff, no slide rule used in the making of the videos.

See you on the 28th.

lou (Zabohonski)

WHO'S SAYING WHAT

"I was thinking about the hours of the reunion and it struck me; Do you realize that about the time everything starts to wind down, our classmates who came in from the left coast will still be going strong? And then we have Bob from Alaska. When the sun goes down so early, will he think its late autumn?"

"Let's hope the weather cooperates - we had a heat wave last week ( 95 - 100 degrees for 4 days), but now we've gone in the other direction and it's barely 60 and rainy with the same forecast until Friday. So who knows..."

"It is strange what one remembers, eh?"

"I'll get my pictures together this weekend so we can exchange 30 years worth of history."

"This is, and has been, quite an adventure and it's not over yet. In fact, it may just be beginning!"

OLD BIRD or SPRING CHICKEN?

"I wish I had Cathy Smulski's wit and the wisdom that some of the others seemed to have gained. But alas, I'm still just Karen Tatum Arasimowicz and I have earned every wrinkle and pound that I have gained.

I remember Coach Eaton always said, "Don't panic, adjust" and I think I have adjusted well for an old bird."

Whenever a woman looked much younger than her age, my mom always described her as a "spring chicken". So I must respectfully disagree with Karen. I don't see an "old bird" in this picture, but I definitely see a lovely woman, looking far younger than her years with that twinkle of experience in her eyes.

FIRE ESCAPE TUBE????

DENNIS '67 AND JANET WEED BOUTIN bring us this little bit of nostalgia. A stroll down memory lane-with photos!

45 rpm spindles

Green Stamps

Metal ice cubes trays with levers

Beanie and Cecil

Roller Skate Key

Cork pop guns

Marlin Perkins

Drive in Movies

Drive in restaurants

Car Hops

Studebakers

Topo Gigio

Washtub wringers

The Fuller Brush Man

Sky King

Reel-To-Reel tape recorders

Tinkertoys

Erector Set

Lincoln Logs

15 cent McDonald hamburgers

5 cent packs of baseball cards

Penny candy

25 cent a gallon gasoline

Jiffy Pop popcorn

5 cent stamps

Gum wrapper chains

Chatty Cathy dolls

5 cent Cokes

Speedy Alka-Seltzer

Cigarettes for Christmas

Falstaff Beer

Burma Shave signs

Brownie camera

Flash bulbs

TV Test patterns

Old Yeller

Chef Boy-AR-dee

Fire escape tubes

Timmy and Lassie

Ding Dong Avon calling

Brylcreem

Aluminum Christmas Trees

If you can remember most or all of these, then you have lived!!

LIFE ACCORDING TO CATHERINE SMULSKI WESTOVER

Summary of Life GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED: 1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats. 2) When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair. 3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person 4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato. 5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food. 6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair. 7) Never hold a dust-buster and a cat at the same time. 8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. 9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts. 10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap. GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED: 1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree. 2) Wrinkles don't hurt. 3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts 4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground. 5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside. 6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fibre, not the toy. GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD 1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. 2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get. 3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there. 4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster. 5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions. 6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician. 7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone. THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE: 1 -- You believe in Santa Claus. 2 -- You don't believe in Santa Claus. 3 -- You are Santa Claus. 4 -- You look like Santa Claus. SUCCESS: At age 4 success is . . not peeing in your pants. At age 12 success is . . having friends. At age 17 success is . having a driver's license. At age 35 success is . having money. At age 50 success is .. . having money. At age 70 success is . . having a driver license. At age 75 success is . having friends. At age 80 success is . . not peeing in your pants. Try to forget the troubles that pass your way; BUT NEVER forget the blessings that come each day. Have a wonderful day with many smiles

THEY LIKE US, THEY REALLY LIKE US.....

It seems that we have fans of our little blog. Actually it's one fan. But hey..... Paula Smith Plocharczyk, '67 let Pat Dezi know that she's following our little corner of the internet and she sent this great tidbit from her 1967 yearbook. Thanks Paula.

NO CAPTION NECESSARY

MY APOLOGIES

Phil Bruzas sent this wonderful picture, taken at the New Britain Sports Hall of Fame Dinner on April 10th. Somehow I lost it among all of my clippings and files. I finally found it this morning and could not wait to share this with you.

Please enjoy the pictures of Mr MCNamara, Coach Eaton and CCSU Athletic Directer C.J. Jones and His Woman's Basketball Coach Beryl Piper. I will never miss another one of these dinners. Phil B.