Invites will be mailed 8/2/06

I just finished the envelopes for the mailed invitations and could mail to all people except:Todd Almond, Bob Brader, Donna Bult, Steve Fehnel, Brenda Jacksits(Smith), Jen Kratzer(Larsen), Bill Meyer, Steve Roth, and Joe Sterner.

The reason I could not mail to those people is because I have no mailing address. If anyone can help with a mailing address for any of the above people, I will be able to get them an invite along with the rest.

The invites are being copied and folded at Staples and I will pick them up tomorrow and then drop the envelopes at the post office.

Check your mail for the next few days and some people let me know when you get your invitations (so we can see how long this will take).

El Presidente

Randy In Training

Green Machine

Randy and I have admitted to owning the Green Machine.

Any others out there that had a Green Machine or was a Big Wheel professional rider?

Marika Santee (Chronister)

Received by email:

Hi,

This is Marika Santee (now Chronister). I came across the blog by chance and have gotten some good laughs from the elementary school pictures posted. It's totally wild to see names and faces of people I haven't seen in years. I left Catty in 1980 when my folks divorced and we moved to Bethlehem, so I haven't really kept in touch with too many people. I'm emailing because I'd be interested in connecting with a few old classmates - like Judy Almazan. I also have some old photos of one our elementary (or middle) school track and field events that I'd be willing to post for a few good laughs.

Marika

Randy's new Ride!

MS Ride 2006

I will be riding the MS 2006 City to Shore ride on September 16 & 17. If you would like to sponsor me or our team please do so by clicking on the link . This will by my second year riding this for my wife's cousin who was diagnosed with MS at the young age of 27. I will be riding 150 miles over 2 days. I have wittnessed first hand the devastating effects of MS and have seen her go through many changes in a short period of time. If you would like to help support a friend or family member who has MS please feel free to sponsor me or our team. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/PAE/personal/default.asp?pa=52646757&pd=PAE0EMS120060916CTS

Sign in

If you see this post, sign in in the comment section (just a roll call to see who is still checking the blog).

I do like to be beside the seaside!

My very dear friend Brian (who is also my daughter's godfather) is visiting us from Washington D.C. this weekend. He was in Lancaster for a conference and spent 3 days with us before returning to the U.S. tomorrow. We asked him what he wanted to do this weekend, and he said "I want to experience the British shore." Er, okay. So we took him to Bridlington, on the northeast coast of England. You can see how cloudy it behind us, and Brian was amazed at the number of people on the beach! "It's not raining," we told him. "If it's not raining, it's a good day." He loved the fish, chips and mushy peas (kind of a really, really thick split pea soup), and shared some cotton candy with Georgia. He also took this picture of the four of us. Check out my son's hat. He's thinking of starting up a New Kids On The Block tribute band.

Hey Bloggers, Need some help

I am trying to come up with an all-inclusive invitation to be mailed to everyone within the next week or so and need help on what exactly should be included.

1 - Friday Night happy hour at the Blue Monkey (BM) - 5:00 (til when?)(contact stephen.freeman@verizon.net)
2 - is the Bitch/Stitch and/or poker night going to happen?
3 - Golf - Saturday 9:30 tee off (contact lkrg73@rcn.com)
4 - Picnic at Catty Pavilion (by playground) 12:00 - 3:00 (contact carousel_42@yahoo.com)
5 - Main Event at BM - 6:00 - 10:00 (contact stephen.freeman@verizon.net)
6 - Block of rooms available at Best Western (formerly Holiday Inn at 22/512) (use Catty Class of 1986 for the special rate. The local number is 610 866-5800 or contact Randy G. at lkrg73@rcn.com)
I need to know what each event needs included (prices/if early commitment is necessary) to make it complete.

I am willing to include whatever we deem necessary and am up for any suggestions. I think because it will have so much information, I am going with a full page invitation with a cut-off bottom to be returned to me along with any $$$ sent to me or do you think we should deposit the money in the account? - I will email Julie to see if this is feasible)

Let's get this think up and rolling. Everyone feel free to input suggestions.

- El Presidente

Who are all these bloggers?

Tim Puts His Boots on the Ground in Iraq

This message/request is from Tom Brobst, past Catty Class 80ish?, about Tim Debelak who some of you may know. Regardless of your views about the war, bringing it closer to home is a good reminder of what is going on.

"Tim Debelak, a career Navy man who was most recently stationed in Maine, is now being called on to do a one-year tour of duty in Iraq and will be shipping out soon. However, he won't be on a ship. Instead, Tim will be put in harm's way with his boots on the ground as part of the occupation efforts..." (continued)

Evites sent out

I sent an e-vite to all the email addresses I had. The evite is a pre-invitation. I plan to send actual invitations in the mail soon (as soon as I design/print/get to post office) to everyone. It will include all information (I hope).


The following people's email address did not work (I got an email saying the email was sent back)
Lisa Rosenblatt(Vecchioli) - Vecchiolil@wmconnect.com **
Jay Warren - jayw@cls.rr.com **

I also could not send the evite to the following people (have NO email for them)

Todd Almond
Craig Arey
Joe Basilone
Donna Bult
Steve Fehnel
Michelle Gardo(Kern)
Stan Geisinger
Jim Grey
Tracy Hicks(Kenney)
Scott Holmes
John Hunsberger
Brenda Jacksits(Smith)
Joe Kawalsky
Faith Kokinda(Kiely)
Dan Lacy
Shelia Longenhagen(Sobeski) *** FOUND ***
Becky McCloskey(Shull)
Amy Miller(Deutsch)
Denise Miller(Hanzarick)
Sarah Mione(Quagliata)
Darci Monahan(Gogle)
Tracey Paine
Traci Pursell

If ANYONE has any email addresses of the above, please email me at stephen.freeman@verizon.net and I will get the evite to them.

If you are one of these people (or know a valid email I can use for these people), please let me know.

Steve

Pauko's Volunteers - upd: 7/11 Contacted: 84%

I'm back to working hard on the classmate contact info spreadsheet. I've sent an email to those who thought they could reach some people. Below is the list. Please post or email to cattyclass86@hotmail.com with any contact info asap so we can get the invitations sent out. Apologies ahead of time if you've alread sent some info and I've missed it. Tx. Dave

Patty Newhart/Arlana Bennicoff for DANIELLE EBERT
Kristen Bond for TAMMY HANNA
Sonya Curcio for TIM JONES and DENISE KRESINI
Michelle Heist for MICHELLE KRUCZEK
Michelle Heist for TAMMY WOOD
Jeff Perdick/Mike Henning for BILL LAUDERMAN
Randy Gillespie for JAMES MARQUETTE
Chuck McGlade for CHRIS NOGALES
Chuck McGlade for JAMIE SLASK
Tim Cunningham for JILL SOBER
Tim Cunninghma for JOE STERNER

Others left: Dan Brown, Melvin Brown, Renee Davis, Bill Giaquinto, Debra Kawalsky, Ray Neas, Jean Parker, Steven Smith, Deanna Statham.

Going up to London...

Well, really we went down to London because it's south of here, but the proper British way to say you're travelling to London is to say you're going up...strange Brits.

Anyway, we went to London and visited the American Embassy to report Chris' birth, register him as a U.S. citizen, and get his U.S. passport. This is the second time I've done this, because obviously I did it nine years ago when my daughter was born. I had to stand before a State Department Officer, raise my right hand and take an oath on behalf of my son. Then I changed his diaper (my son's - not the officer's).

So now there are three Yanks in the house, and I spent the day yesterday reminding my husband that he's outnumbered. Then of course he reminded me that I took British Citizenship 2 years ago, so the British are still beating the Americans 4-3.

3 months left

Only 3 months until the reunion.
I think it is time to get out a mailing/emailing to all in order to start collecting money and reserving spots for the big events.

Anybody with ideas, please post and post often.

Independence Day in England...

Our July Fourth Photos

Independence Day

any interesting J4 stories/pictures?

we were up in the poconos for the weekend. my wife's aunt has a place on Lake Henry. we took the girls to see fireworks in some little hillbilly town the night before. good stuff. went running at Promised Land State Forest, it never ceases to amaze me how much of Pennsylvania is still untouched wilderness.

Bueller? Bueller?

1986 was the year of Top Gun, The Karate Kid and Ferris Bueller. I love movies. I always have. I don't get to go to films so much these days with a baby in the house. When we do go to the movies, we go as a family and see films like Harry Potter, Over The Hedge, Disney stuff, and other family movies. I usually have to wait for anything rated higher than PG to come out on DVD before I get to see it.

Do you still go to the movies? What do you like to see? If you have kids, do you take them with you or do you get a sitter and see grown up movies?

By the way, the top ten grossing films of 1986 were:

• Top Gun
• Crocodile Dundee
• Platoon
• The Karate Kid (I still can't wax my car without saying wax on, wax off!)
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
• Back to School
• Aliens
• The Golden Child
• Ruthless People
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off
• Hoosiers

Rain/Flooding

I went over the Race Street Bridge today (and had to detour up unto Poplar Street due to the Catty Creek flooding the road). This is wild, the Lehigh river looked like the Colorado river rapids, just muddy. It was way above the "Sandies" and my older son wanted to go fishing. Not to soon for that.

Here in the Lehigh Valley (for all of you not in the area right now) it is a muddy mess (I am taking a break from vacuuming my basement - when we get a lot of water, so do I).

I took a screen shot from the AccuWeather channel of the Delaware and some from P-burg NJ (on CNN).