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Timothy Lavelle

Larry,

GREAT job man. Great job! Proud of your talent and efforts.

David Mitchell

Larry,

This is uncanny! I went to bed last night thinking we haven't seen any 'Foster on the Forum' lately. Almost wrote that before I caved in.

Nice honor to be selected for the medal.

My memory of Sister Amotonio is getting clearer - what she looked like and that she was rather kind, soft spoken, and gentle. And rather tall.

BTW, I grew up a Cubs fan solely because of Ernie ('Mr. Cub') Banks - my all-time favorite player. I believe his roomate in the "Negro Leagues" (with the Kansa City Monarchs) was the famous Country Western singer, Country Charlie Pride. He was the first Black player ever signed by the Cubs. 

Back in 1969, when the Cubs had finally blown that huge lead over the Phillies and the Mets (the 'Miracle Mets'), I was in a Huey cockpit out over the Cambodian border, finishing a sortie and turning back for re-fueling. During short breaks we would sometimes sneak a momentary flip on our FM radio over to AFVN Radio (the armed forces station in Saigon) - with a DJ playing records, and so on.

At that moment we caught the sports news, and they were saying that the Cubs had late season swoon had finally mathematically eliminated from the Pennant race. Sounds silly, but I was so upset, I started to cry a little and pulled my helmet visor down so my co-pilot could not see that I was crying. I never forgave the Wrigley family for not being able - with all their money -  to "buy" Ernie one single Pennant in his career, which spanned about 17 seasons. And even more upsetting, they only paid him a grand total of about $400,000 over his entire carreer!

p.s. I think he played for the Harlem Globetrotters for one season while he was in the Army. 

James Hamilton, M. D.

Larry,

Congratulations! What an honor to have your artwork on a T-shirt and a medal for so many to wear and see. You have talent!

Dave,

You asked about A-Basin. I am not a skier, but on the news last night it was reported that Arapahoe and Breckenridge ski areas will remain open until "at least" 9 June. The snow pack in the high country this year was about 147% of the average normal depth. And the spring snows are not yet over. Good for skiers and reservoirs! Bad for Trail Ridge Road which will not open this Memorial Day weekend.

Jim

Mark Schweickart

Larry – It must be very gratifying to see your sketches morph into t-shirt art and medallion art. Let me second, Tim's "Great job,man" comment.

Although, before letting Tim's compliments go to your head, please consider that there might be another, slightly more narcissistic reason Tim reacted the way he did to your drawing. I might be wrong, but it strikes me that your long, skinny-legged character with its big nose supporting hipper-than-thou sunglasses, and conveying a secret desire to stride through life as if he were a ballerina in toe-shoes reminds me of someone – our very own denizen of the deep Northwest, who, I am told, is considered by locals to be a premiere example of a "long-legged LaVelle" (except when said "long legs" gets discombobulatingly fractured in lawn-tractor accidents).

Timothy Lavelle

I've always hoped that someone who liked me...maybe even respected me...would someday come up to me and say, "You're smoking too much of that $hit." 

But since they never have...

Mark, You're smoking too much of that $hit!

Timothy Lavelle

O well, if every joke was a killer, everyone would be a clown...

Lawrence Foster

Tim, Dave, Jim, Mark, and those who sent me direct emails:  Thank you all for your kind words about the art work.  Like Mark noted I was really flattered when they accepted not one but two of the images for their runners.  My daughter said that they are considering using 2 of the other 3 for next year's run so it may happen again!

Now, Mark, the idea of a long-legged Lavelle really cracked me up.  I suppose that some mythological creature like that would be seen more often than Sasquatch.   You know, an idea for a short story just came to me.  What if there was a legendary creature called the long-legged Lavelle that seemed to haunt the dark areas of the Wahalla Run in Clintonville?  And back in 1962 the only way you could be sure of not being harmed by it when walking in the area after dark was to leave a six-pack of red-capped 3.2 cold beer bottles for it.  And what if a bunch of 8th grade girls and boys decided to go looking for it one summer night after leaving the Olympic Pool telling their parents they were spending the night at either Bob Berkemer's or Donna Kelly's house?   Hmmm.   

Dave for you:  Addition to the Ernie Banks story.    I looked up the data on the home run and it was not in August but rather on July 21, 1971.  Sorry for the error.  And now, the rest of the story...

The Cubs did not have lights to play any night games back then.  Also no alcohol was sold in the park.  You could not buy a beer.  But, and this is where it gets weird, you could bring in your own beer if it was not in a bottle or a can.  That is not easy to do.  One of John's roommates had bought quite a few cases of beer real cheap from a distributor going out of business.  Probably it was Weideman's Beer (sometimes known as eagle piss).  The guys would buy milk in plastic gallon containers which were becoming relatively more common and they saved the containers for this purpose.  So we very slowly each filled up two one gallon containers of beer.  We did it slow so as to get more beer and less of the head.   Around 11:30 that morning we were already pretty "wound up" and we each took our two gallons of beer and got on the El and went to Wrigley for the game.  I am sure that the other riders on the train recognized that were were medical students taking urine samples to the lab rather than just a bunch of drunk kids going to the ball game.    

Okay, I'll sign off for now.  

Michael McLeod

Not to lead us into choppy conversational waters, but I was darkly bemused, and not for the first time, when I saw this line in a news story about the Brits and realized it could just as easily apply to us. 

Its populace is poisonously divided, its two venerable parties are gravely damaged.

Mark Schweickart

Tim – It is because I love and respect you, especially for your sense of humor, that I thought you would enjoy my attempt to deliver a goofy take on Larry's drawings, even if it were done from well out of left field, and unfortuantley for you, at your expense. But as is the case for anyone who attempts to be funny, one has to be prepared to be heckled when the jokes don't land. Therefore, good sir, please know that I consider myself duly heckled. Point taken. (But you have to admit that Larry's ostrich does  appear to be striding on point like a ballerina, does it not?)

Michael McLeod

actually, mark, I think you have to be prepared to get heckled around here for no particular reason.

Hey saw a great documentary last night -- "the biggest little farm."

Incredible story, incredible filmmaking achievement.

David Mitchell

Larry,

I think your story about the beer on the El is a great one.  Even better than the big foot idea.

Also, It has been said that since Wrigley field had no lights (in those days), and all games were played in the heat of the day, it shortened Ernie Bank's carreer. I have heard that the temperature down on the infield in hot summer days gets to be around 140 degrees (worse on astro turf). That would kill me, let alone tire the players out.

Mark Schweickart

Larry, your beer at the stadium story reminds me of a David Sedaris story I read many years ago in which he explained how he tried out the latest in beer paraphenalia called the Stadium Buddy. It essentially was a catheter arrangememnt with the collecting bag neatly attached with straps and discreetly worn along the side of one's calf (discreetly that is, as long as one wasn't wearing shorts). If you had had one of those that day, you would have never missed a moment of the game due to those pesky interrupting trips to the john, and instead you could have enjoyed milk-jug after milk jug of Weideman's. Of course, then no doubt, you wouldn't have been able to focus on the game either.

Linda Weiner (Bennett)

Dr. Jim,

Not to appear controversial, I would like to respond to your post on Celiac Disease, if I may. "Here is your Post #4999:  "Gluten disease -Celiac Disease - is actually quite rare and requires antibody and/or biopsy to make a true diagnosis. Currently there are way too many individuals (lots of millennials) who think they are gluten intolerant and thus the grocery aisles are packed with gluten free food. IMHO most of it is overpriced, overhyped and tastes terrible. I also feel that modern farming techniques, which produces a lot of gluten, have fed a lot of the world and saved many people from starvation. Some of those who claim gluten "sensitivity" just got a little flatulent from something they consumed"

My response: 

Although it has become a fad to go gluten free, and I'm sure some make claims of gluten intolerance after some flatulence, the actual number of folks with Celiac Disease (an autoimmune disorder) appears to be more prevalent than we realize.  Most do not know that they have this disease. 1 in 133 are known to have it, but it is believed that many remain undiagnosed.

I am one of those who had no classic Celiac Disease symptoms except lots of belching. It was discovered after an endoscopy revealed some flattening in small intestine. What a shocker to find the antibody test and biopsy returned positive results.

How many others have this disease but will have no clue until it's inadvertently discovered during endoscopy procedure or some other test? Some sources believe the undiagnosed is as high as 80% or more!  (Also, others, do have gluten intolerance that is different from Celiac.)

Jim, I don't mean to pick on you because I realize that years ago very little was known about this. My 1990-something nursing college text book had one paragraph about Celiac Sprue Disease!

BTW, gluten-free foods get a bad rap, but many delicious items made from dozens of other flours are on the market. The reason, in part, for the high cost is that truly gluten-free baking must be done in a special environment free of wheat, barley, rye and oat products.

I know this may be more than most of you want to know, so I will stop here since there is much available info on internet. Maybe it will help someone in the long run though. 😉

Blessings.

James Hamilton, M. D.

Michael McLeod

Phrases attributed to Shakespeare:

This is pretty amazing. Yes, we all know he was a genius - but knowing it is one thing, and looking with utter awe at his inventiveness as a wordsmith is another. 

All that glitters isn't gold (The Merchant of Venice)
All's well that ends well (All's Well that Ends Well)
Bated breath (The Merchant of Venice)
The be-all and the end-all (Macbeth)
To beggar description (Antony and Cleopatra)
Break the ice (The Taming of the Shrew)
We have seen better days (As You Like It)
A blinking idiot (The Merchant of Venice)
Brave new world (The Tempest)
Brevity is the soul of wit (Hamlet)
The clothes make the man (Hamlet)
Cruel to be kind (Hamlet)
A dish fit for the Gods (Julius Caesar)
It's Greek to me (Julius Caesar)
He hath eaten me out of house and home (Henry IV Part 2)
Foregone conclusion (Othello)
In my heart of hearts (Hamlet)
Jealousy is the green-eyed monster (Othello)
Laid on with a trowel (As You Like It)
Melted into thin air (The Tempest)
Neither rhyme nor reason (The Comedy of Errors)
Not slept one wink (Cymbeline)
Own flesh and blood (Hamlet)
Short shrift (Richard III)
Something wicked this way comes (Macbeth)
Star-crossed lovers (Romeo and Juliet)
Sterner stuff (Julius Caesar)
Too much of a good thing (As You Like It)
A tower of strength (Richard III)
Wear my heart upon my sleeve (Othello)
Wild-goose chase (Romeo and Juliet)
What's done is done (Macbeth)
The world is my oyster (The Merry Wives of Windsor)

David Mitchell

Wow Mike,

Pretty impressive! And now I can be sure how to spell "bated" - as in breath. 

You promt me to recall one of my favorite of his phrases - (I can only quote the first three lines from memory)

* My friends in England pronounce the word "wind" with a long "e" to ryme with "unkind".

From "As You Like It. A song sung by Amiens to his men after they are banishd to the forest. Nature's harshness is not so treacherous as human malice. (Oklahoman's may dispute this.)

Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Thou art not so unkind
As man’s ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship if feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

Freeze, freeze thou bitter sky,
That does not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As a friend remembered not.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:

Linda Weiner (Bennett)

Dear God, 

Thank you for our brave soldiers who gave their lives for others such as me. Be with their families and loved ones as they grieve endlessly; may memories bring them comfort.

And may those "who gave all" rest in peace. Amen

 In memory of one of our fallen who was mentioned in a recent post:        

  https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/16160/WILLIAM-A-FINKEL/

Mark Schweickart

Linda – Thanks for providing that link to comments regarding Bill Finkel left by visitors on the Vietnam Memorial Wall. That was quite moving. When I was there, I didn't realize there was a way to leave a comment.

This being Memorial Day weekend, like you, let me remind everyone to let their hearts go out to all those who lost loved ones who served in the military, and of course, take a moment to salute those who died, especially if we knew them personally. Also, it might be good to reflect on all those troubled souls who returned physically intact, but who found their world to be less than welcoming, and whose PTSD scars were (are) hard to heal.

One of Bruce Springsteen's songs especially addressed this returning vet problem. I love most everything Springsteen has ever done, but sometimes he makes me a little crazy by almost covering up his exceptionally powerful lyrics with music that makes the lyrics less of a focus than I think they should be. No song of his does this more than his 1985 song, Born in the U.S.A. – even to the point that the Republican Party back in ’88 used this as an anthem for their convention. Clearly they only heard the chorus, and paid no attention to the verses. Anyway, long before he performed this song acoustically in his Broadway show, the only version I knew was the original one, and this motivated me to try doing a version that would bring the lyrics more to the fore-front. This is strictly a cover song. The lyrics all belong to the Boss. And even though the song is more than a little critical of the state of our country, as he saw it in 1985, it is certainly sympathetic to the struggle many of our Vietnam vets were enduring some ten years after the end of the war. Therefore, I thought this might be appropriate for this Memorial Day weekend.

David Mitchell

I was invited to be the guest speaker today at our local Bluffton Memorial Day ceremony. Small town - small crowd. Have done this for larger groups a few times before but on cooler days. Lot's of local police and firefighters and a bunch from the local VFW Post who sponsored the event. And a small smattering of just plain folks - a few of whom I knew personally and came because of me.

I was worried that the heat index - which was about 102 at event time would cause me problems. I have a history of heat exhuastion (one serious episode with an ambulance trip to the ER years ago when I first moved here, and I have had to be carefull from then on). I was a bit nervous. It was outside but with some small shade tents - thank God. I left my (dark blue) suit jacket off and the police handed out water. I was nervous but made it okay. I sat next to our lady Mayor - whom I know - and we both leaned over to each other and thanked God for a little breeze.

Only lost my place about 4 times in 15-18 minutes. Nobody caught it. I shared a story some of you saw privately a year ago about a tragic loss with a bizarre twist. Without dragging up the story again, I always salute 4 guys on this day:

Spec 4 Gary A Turnbull  -  Saugus, California (one of the door gunners)

Spec 4 John Merschman  -  Delphos, Ohio (the crew chief and other door gunner)

Major Allan ("preach") Smith  -  Fort Sill Oklahoma (Pilot and Air MIssion Commander)                                   ( A  "C.O."  we absolutely loved  - replaced a C.O. that was emotionally ill and had scared the crap out of us! )

Captain Eddie Molino  -  Fallon Nevada (co-pilot, native American, all-around great guy)                      After switching aircraft that morning, he litterally went in my place that day in Cambodia. I may be the luckiest guy on the planet. 

Those are 4 names that I remember on this day.

And special gratitude for all of your missing loved ones.

David Mitchell

And for what it's worth, a few of you know that I am a Denver Bronco-maniac, a disease which has no cure (at least, I hope not), and also an NFL Draft nut. My son grew up watching John Elway with me in the "south stands" - cheap end-zone seats - of old Mile High Stadium. The "disease" affects the central nervous system and is a result of "Orange Crush", rabid fans, high altitude, and Von Miller sacks.

This is the time of year where the rookies who have just been drafted show up for training camp, and the sports writers are all over the new kids on the block.

I am happy to report that Buckeye rookie Defensive Lineman Dre'Mont Jones is reportedly looking good at Bronco training camp. One of the Bronco D-line veterans says the kid is "busting his butt" out there. 

Some of you may recall, he was the one who picked off a pass in the TCU game (just out of the Q-back's hands) and ran it back for a score. He could have been a high second round choice, but we got him in the third round. I'm thinking he may be a steal. Here's hoping.......

I know it's a bit early to say this about NFL season, but "Let the Games Begin - please". 

Suffering from NFL withdrawal symtoms,

"Donco" Dave 

Timothy Lavelle

Such a beautiful day here. Slept late. The lovely away in Cal, taking care of her folks. Decided to make believe I was headed for Columbus on the big bike. Fabulous. Made it 30 miles to the Big Bottom Bar in Randle. Good beer, mediocre brisket, weird old woodsy people. Hard to beat. Rode home still imagining I was headed East to Cols instead of West to Mrock. 

Just a lovely day, with our wonderful 'Murica taking a break. 

Party on all!

Michael McLeod

Thanks for doing that, Dave.

The memorial.

I wish I could have been in the audience.

David Mitchell

Mike,

Talk about a conflict - It was the lead segment on last night's late news on Savannah Fox 28 News. A local affiliate of a network that I cannot stand to watch - HA!  

Serves me right.

What's that old saying? No good deed goes unpunished!

James Hamilton, M. D.

Folks,

In keeping with the military themes of recent Posts, tomorrow is Graduation Day for the Air Force Academy. As usual, the AF Thunderbirds are here and they had their practice session this morning flying low right over our house. This year I tried to photograph them framed among our pine trees but that is difficult what with their speed and all but I was semi-successful in at least one of the 122 shots I took. Some of the others were reasonable keepers also.

Jim

Lawrence Foster

Great photos of the Thunderbirds Jim - definitely a lot better than what I am about to post now.    Okay, you all have been warned.

Critters from my back yard and ... the back of my mind. 

While taking a break from some yardwork yesterday I looked down and saw this 8 legged critter - the white spider of Cincinnati!

I have also been experimenting in my art by sketching a picture on wood and then using a wood burner to "engrave" it.  I did a Rembrandt last week but this week I wanted to experiment with some other colored wood dyes so I did the image below.  It is from a photo a friend took of the entrance way to the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia that opened in 1829.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_State_Penitentiary    This is one of two gargoyles that were above the entrance way.  I bet Edgar Allen Poe was inspired by this place.