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Joseph Donahue

And the memories keep flooding back...

Thanks for the compliment Linda, I think.  I saved my best lines for Sr. Jeanette in Spanish class.  I think I drove her to early retirement and all I remember from her class is well really nothing. She would be proud of me today as now I can say cerveza por favor and donde es bano.  

Not sure I can add to the comedian list although one I could not stand was Topo Gigoo (SP) on the Ed Sullivan show. For some reason, my dad thought he was the funniest thing ever invented. Today, my tastes run from Ron White to Lewis Black.  

I had forgotten much about the plays I was in in high school until I saw the Little Theater at the reunion.  At the time, it seemed as if there were thousands of people in the audience but it really was little wasn't it.  I think I was Bill Coffee in The Thread that Runs so True. Bill made "$300 per month, why that's $3600 a year."  "Golly, gee he's rich"  I think ole Bill was pimping.  I was Mr. Bingley in Pride and Prejudice. I did remember the scene where Bon and Dave were supposed to kiss.  I admit that I was surprised when they actually kissed on the last night as I think that was really the first time I had actually seen that.  Yes, I was a sheltered youth.  We did have fun with the play I remember Mama with the girls from St. Mary's  "Damn it to hell" was my final line before I died on stage.  Larry, as I recall we had a great cast party after the last night.  Do you remember whose house that was?

I really don't remember any teacher at Watterson that had a positive impact other than Sr. Irene  I was never in one of her classes but she used to have Sunday dinner with us as she and my mother were very close friends. 

Thanks for letting me ramble...

David Mitchell

Let's not forget Senior Wences, the wonderful Spanish ventriloquist on Ed Sulllivan. 

" 'Ts alright?  'Ts aaalriiiight! " 

What would our childhoods have been like without Ed Sullivan?  Or Walt Disney?

No Elvis. No Beattles. And even worse, no Davy Crockett and no Spin and Marty. Heaven forbid!

P.s. Somehwere around 5th grade, I wrote a very affetionate letter to Annette Funicello. Never did hear back.

Michael McLeod

Damn Larry that is right. I am getting I Remember Mama mixed up with Pride and Prejudice. What I now remember about Pride and Prejudice was that Jack Maxwell played the part of Mr. Wickham. And Jack had a smirk. (Jack still has a smirk. Jack will always have a smirk).  And it was so damn hard for me to keep from busting out laughing every time he came on stage.

Linda Weiner (Bennett)

Joe,

Spanish class with Sr Jeanette was hardly bearable (Don Quiote EVERY DAY!) except for your nervy antics. I sat behind you (when I wasn't cutting class by hiding in the girls lavatory) and was very entertained by your interaction with the "teacher." I still remember the crazy way you handled tests—never knew how you had the nerve! Do you remember?

And...I had  a huge crush on you (and  Tim Lavelle)!

Joseph Donahue

I don't remember what I did on the Spanish tests, although I am fairly certain it was childish and immature.  I would love to know.

I had no idea that you had a crush on me and the Tim Lavell. I wish I had known as you were  one reason that Spanish class was bearable.  What might have been...

Joe

Linda Weiner (Bennett)

Joe, 
Are you sure you want me to make it public? Yeah, I know, you were just a kid then but...you really seemed quite bold to this why girl!

Timothy Lavelle

New topic: Fantasy challenge : Your 16. It's 1964. It's ten days to Chrstmas. You're dating whoever was your fave in HS. 50 words of less - How will Christmas be and what are you asking for from Santa?

Al Standish...Ernie Kovaks did cigars, right? Don't I remember there being some sort of comical interview of him smoking a big stogey at the end of some shows?? Possible memory meltdown.

Did you ever see those 3-D pictures where you have to stare and stare until the image jumps out of the page at you? I was with John Favret at his Mom n Dad's place after the service. We were pretty good hippie types. His Mom was way funny and cool and I didn't know it at all. We're in the kitchen and she points out the window into the back yard and she says "See anything strange"...thus the rreference to the 3-D image...I scan and scan...nada, nunca, nothing. "Look again and closely" she says with agrin...I hunker my eyes down. or I pucker up my eyes? whatever works for making your eyes work hard and after long, long minutes....then...BAM!  I turned to her and said "Nooooo!". She begins laughing fit to choke. Just full of hilarity.

Dead center in the back yard....a 6 foot tall marijuana plant.

Some of the parents were SOOOOOO far ahead of us in terms of humor and pranks. She was awesome.

Stories, hell, I got a million of 'em....but Donahue gets the girl. #!!#?+&%$$&^!!

Michael McLeod

Ok finally we are getting into the good stuff. I mean, I like the pretty photographs of meandering streams zzzzzzzz oh sorry where was I? Ah yes: Let's hear more about Joe Donahue's sizzling appeal to the ladies and pot plants that materialize if you stare at psychedelic pictures long enough.

James Hamilton, M. D.

Mike McLeod,

OK, no more "meandering stream" pictures (at least for awhile - they are frozen now )! Maybe these photos will be more your style. They are some of what I call my "humor photography".

Anyone who wants to submit a humorous caption for any of these bring them on!!

Alan Standish

Hey Tim-  Kovacs' humor was a little off, but funny.  Yeh- he always had that big cigar and his show consisted of short skits involving that musical rift, kinda like an American Benny Hill.  I can't remember if it was an hour show or a half hour.  Seems to me he had a pretty wife also who was in the Kim Novack/ Edie Adams type, but also can't remember who it was.  Hmmmm... just googled it and wife was Edie Adams.  The musical rift I remember was  "Solfeggio" by the Nairobi Trio.  It was a half hour weekly show, sponsored by Dutch Masters,  and after watching some of it, I can understand why fellow students looked at me funny at times!

Timothy Lavelle

Al,

Edie Adams. God, what a Babe-raham Lincoln. Wow, Ernie must have been 'quite the dude'.  Big cigar...a possibe actual Dutch master??

I had a poster on a wall in the service, but not Edie or Kim. The other night I watched a few minutes (bless the cable TV) of the re-run of "One Million BC" with young Raquel of my Poster fame. Just shoot me and leave me beside the road...what a babe-licious. Tim

Michael McLeod

Just kidding about the photographs, as I am sure you knew. They are gorgeous and I enjoy them. Plus I can't wait to see that Broadway show that is, I assume, all about you.

James Hamilton, M. D.

Linda Weiner (Bennett)

Fantasy challenge:  in 1964 Fr Kenneth Grimes was my fave. Oh wait!  Never mind. 🤐

Mark Schweickart

Jim,

Caption ideas:

For the dog looking wistfully at the too high fire hydrant--"Sometimes in life you have to aim higher"

For the two highway signs-- "Two roads in a wood diverged, and I, I took the one less travelled by"

For the fire arms sign -- "Respect your elders"

For the hill-slide cabin -- "Now that's a toboggan"

Timothy Lavelle

For the two highway signs:

"With all due respect to Horace Greeley...."

BUT....WEINER-BENNETT...let it out girl...c'mon now...you can't start Thorn Birds and just drop us at the first convenient corner...c'mon, give us a ride here...

James Hamilton, M. D.

Mark,

Great captions! I particularly like the dog/fire hydrant one. BTW, those hydrants are not uncommon in the mountains due to the deep snowfalls. I must admit that I photoshopped the dog into the picture which you probably guessed already.

Tim,

Good thought with Horace Greeley. That sign was just outside a small town, Beulah, west of Pueblo, CO and I photographed it on slide film back in about 1979 or 1980, long before digital cameras. Someday I hope to scan ALL my old slides into digital format! YIKES!

Jim

Linda Weiner (Bennett)

Regarding Fr Grimes: He was in top three picks as favorite teacher. I loved being in his class. That's all, you sick minded rascal. 😱  (I thought I posted this already.)

Linda Weiner (Bennett)

Joe, 

Sent you a pm about Spanish II class. 

And I'm pretty sure you did not know I even existed. You may have me confused with the other "Weiner."

Timothy Lavelle

All you gals, all you guys...remember, if you will...c'mon now, squint those brows and close those eyes for a second and recall...warm fireplace somewhere, and moldy leaf smells of late fall...those early blasts of icy air...walking through the always surprising and sometimes delightful 6 inches of White Christmas...wondering if you would get that hoped for toy nuclear bomb advertised so well on WBNS..."Be the first on your block to rule the block". Whether it was the 6th grade when Santa was in the rear-view and we each secretly wished we could still believe...felt a little jealousy for younger nieces and nephews. Or some years later on, wondered if that special present would be the right thing we hoped it would be, for that new special interest.

Sure, life was not always easy and not, for everyone, aways bright with cheer...but mentally stepping back and blurring the retrospective vision just a spec allows for a glowing glimpse of what I will always believe was the best childhood and early adulthood that any of us could have asked for.

Stay warm, enjoy those memories. Invite Jose Cuervo to the party.

Merry Christmas to all. How very lucky we all are....because...we all...'are'.

Sick Rascal, indeed! Yeah...OK...fair enough.

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Thanks, Tim. I needed reflection time on this, as usual, busy day before Christmas. You were the baby of your family as I recall so I imagine the fantasy & magic of Santa Claus played out as long as your older sibs could stretch it. I think I found out somewhere along 2nd grade but since I still had lots of younger sibs, my Mom used to let me be "Santa" and help her get the presents out around the tree after the house was quiet. I was a freshman in college the year my baby brother, Mark, found out. By that time, older sibs, Ted & Rosi had started their own families and their little ones kept the magic alive for us!!  The memory lane of Christmas past conjures up the display window at Lazarus downtown, visits to Santa at that same store, a winter wonderland ice storm, kinder caroling with the Watterson choir on a snowy December night, riding the bus to Graceland for Christmas Eve shopping (No Black Friday madness in those days and I think I could buy something for everybody in the family plus a few aunts & uncles for under $5!!!), Midnight Mass, first Christmas I had a boyfriend & he got me a gift--Shalimar perfume, still my favorite!!)  I agree with you. It WAS a great time of our lives. So Merry Christmas to all our classmates. May everyone enjoy the comfort & company of loved ones. Peace & hope to all in 2017. 

Clare

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Lawrence Foster

At Christmas time I see people express thanks and hope:  thanks for things they remember from years past and hope that there will be peace and happiness in the future.  This year I am very thankful for many things but espeically the wonderful memories that occurred all around our 50 year reunion in September.  The renewal and continuation of friendships has brought many smiles to my face and comfort to my heart.  Thank you all for your friendship and the wonderful, funny memories and smiles that you bring to me with your postings on these pages.  Enjoy the celebrations with your loved ones.  Merry Christmas my friends!        

James Hamilton, M. D.

To all a very Merry Christmas and remember the reason for the season!

Christmas' past. Wow, I recall things like Lazarus' big window display, Santa's arrival during a parade on Thanksgiving in Clintonville on High Street, a picture of myself with a new football sitting under the Christmas tree beside my sister who was holding a Fabian Album in 1959 and other little snippits of moments decades ago.

It has been a great year and our reunion made it even better. I hope everyone has a memoroable Christmas with new snippits to remember years from now.

Joseph Donahue

I too remember the Lazarus window as it was an annual pilgrimage for our family. I also remember anxiously awaiting word as to whether I would be a server at a Christmas Mass, especially midnight Mass.  My father insisted on having an ornament that had to be perfectly balanced or it would not rotate so several times a day, I had to drag the ladder out and straighten the damn thing.  It mysteriously disappeared one year.  

Speaking of midnight Mass, I think I am the only member of the choir who ever set fire to the paper cup holding a candle as we marched to the choir in the back of the church at Immaculate Conception.  Needless to say, the scowl I received from the nun who managed the choir was not very Christmas like.  To this day whenever I hear O Little Town of Bethlehem I want to set fire to something.  There goes 3 more years of therapy.

As others have said, I am relishing most of the memories that began during the reunion and have continued until this day. Let's have a reunion every year.

Merry Christmas to all and best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.