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04/06/26 07:24 PM #17047    

 

David Mitchell

Indeed John, we are in need.

04/06/26 07:32 PM #17048    

 

Michael McLeod

THAT IS ONE GORGEOUS PHOTOGRAPH, DAVE!

Made me wanna cross myself!

 

04/07/26 09:39 AM #17049    

Joseph Gentilini

David, this is an absolutely beautiful phote! Thanks for sharing it.  joe

04/07/26 11:53 AM #17050    

 

James Hamilton, M. D.

Dave,

Not only a beautiful but also a spiritual photograph! The kind of sky that Christ may have seen upon His resurrection!

Jim

 

04/07/26 09:29 PM #17051    

 

David Mitchell

Yes it is a mystical photo.

Remember I didin't take it. One of my budies at church took it and sent it out to  a bunch of us. With my raging sleep disorders I could never be up early enough to be there for it.

04/08/26 03:15 AM #17052    

 

Michael McLeod

sure wish we had ladies present. somehow this place is a boy's club. I wonder why. seriously, I hate to think we fellas have been too loud, too abrasive too boring.....or if women would rather communicate in person...or if they don't want to expose themselves to bullying, I hate to think they think of us that way, We do disagree, we boys, but it's rarely heated or surly, I dunno. I grew up with three sisters - I was the only boy - and I'm in a profession that features women on a somewhat equal footing and presence and in positions of respect and I really enjoyed that aspect of journalism. So I am accustomed to hearing female voices, being supervised quite often by female editors and teaming up with the opposite sex in developing stories -- so i like hearing the voices from that side of the great divide.

 

04/08/26 10:53 AM #17053    

 

Deborah Alexander (Rogers)

Mike, you are right!  As women, we should post more on this forum which is for all of us.  I must say that I thoroughly enjoy your posts.  I frequently share some of them with my daughter who teaches AP English at Upper Arlington High School.  She enjoys and sometimes even incorporates some of them into her lesson plans.  Jim, your photos are always spectacular so keep them coming.  I especially love the deer and fawn ones.  The area in which you live is truly spectacular.  Dave, your Easter photo was surreal and really captured the feeling of the day with the way it glowed.  Thank you all for sharing your photos and thoughts with everyone.

While I shy away from the political discourse, I do enjoy reading the different points of view.  One thing I think we can all agree on is that our country needs prayers right now.  

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion this summer!

04/08/26 05:17 PM #17054    

Joseph Gentilini

Deborah - I could not have said what you did better or even as good. It is exactly how I feel also. Joe

04/09/26 09:33 AM #17055    

 

Michael McLeod

Deborah:

Nice to hear from you. Plus you look totally hot in that stylish watterson uni. 

04/09/26 09:44 AM #17056    

 

Michael McLeod

a favorite Robert Frost poem. I love the sentiment about cherishing a vocation.

 

Two Tramps In Mud Time 

ROBERT FROST 

 
Out of the mud two strangers came
And caught me splitting wood in the yard,
And one of them put me off my aim
By hailing cheerily "Hit them hard!"
I knew pretty well why he had dropped behind
And let the other go on a way.
I knew pretty well what he had in mind:
He wanted to take my job for pay.

Good blocks of oak it was I split,
As large around as the chopping block;
And every piece I squarely hit
Fell splinterless as a cloven rock.
The blows that a life of self-control
Spares to strike for the common good,
That day, giving a loose my soul,
I spent on the unimportant wood.

The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
A wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March.

A bluebird comes tenderly up to alight
And turns to the wind to unruffle a plume,
His song so pitched as not to excite
A single flower as yet to bloom.
It is snowing a flake; and he half knew
Winter was only playing possum.
Except in color he isn't blue,
But he wouldn't advise a thing to blossom.

The water for which we may have to look
In summertime with a witching wand,
In every wheelrut's now a brook,
In every print of a hoof a pond.
Be glad of water, but don't forget
The lurking frost in the earth beneath
That will steal forth after the sun is set
And show on the water its crystal teeth.

The time when most I loved my task
The two must make me love it more
By coming with what they came to ask.
You'd think I never had felt before
The weight of an ax-head poised aloft,
The grip of earth on outspread feet,
The life of muscles rocking soft
And smooth and moist in vernal heat.

Out of the wood two hulking tramps
(From sleeping God knows where last night,
But not long since in the lumber camps).
They thought all chopping was theirs of right.
Men of the woods and lumberjacks,
They judged me by their appropriate tool.
Except as a fellow handled an ax
They had no way of knowing a fool.

Nothing on either side was said.
They knew they had but to stay their stay

And all their logic would fill my head:
As that I had no right to play
With what was another man's work for gain.
My right might be love but theirs was need.
And where the two exist in twain
Theirs was the better right—agreed.

But yield who will to their separation,
My object in living is to unite
My avocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one in sight.
Only where love and need are one,
And the work is play for mortal stakes,
Is the deed ever really done
For Heaven and the future's sakes.

04/09/26 10:44 AM #17057    

 

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

I have been watching the forum, hoping someone would share a link about the tragic Upper Arlington house fire very early Easter morning that claimed the life of Matt Schmidt, a member of the Schmidt’s Sausage Haus family. Yesterday would have been his 44th birthday.

I first learned of this heartbreaking news at Mass on Easter morning from my daughter, who lives just around the corner. When she and her family moved into the neighborhood four years ago, Matt’s wife was the very first person to welcome them into the community. Their loss is unfathonable to contemplate. Please keep Matt’s wife, his three daughters, and the entire Schmidt family and friends in your prayers.

https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/upper-arlington/family-member-of-columbus-schmidts-sausage-haus-perishes-in-upper-arlington-fire/

 

04/09/26 01:25 PM #17058    

 

Deborah Alexander (Rogers)

Joe and Mike,

Thanks for the compliments!  I think, even at my age, I am blushing!  Every time I see our pictures on the forum it makes me realize how young we were then, and so innocent of what the world had to offer us. It really is heartwarming to be able to be in touch with our classmates.  Thank you, Janie, for this forum you so generously created and maintain for us.

04/09/26 02:16 PM #17059    

 

Michael McLeod

That's terrible news mm. I rarely read the columbus papers anymore, rooted in Florida as I am. I'll certainly send up a prayer for the family.

04/09/26 04:02 PM #17060    

 

Michael McLeod

amen to thanking janie!!!!

04/09/26 04:31 PM #17061    

Joseph Gentilini

Mary Margaret, I was also shocked at the news of Matt Schmidt's death from the fire at their home. He was one of the good men - kind, welcoming, good husband and father. Totally sad!  I didn't mention it here because I wasn't sure most people would know him. Since I work sometimes at the Schmidt Fudge Haus, I met him fairly often when he would come into the store to get something for his young girls. May he rest in peace.  joe

04/09/26 07:31 PM #17062    

 

Janie Albright (Blank)

Was Matt Schmidt, Susie (Linda) Schmidt, our classmate's nephew? Tragic story. But thankful rest of family survived. Praying for the repose of his soul and for the entire family. 

04/09/26 08:32 PM #17063    

 

Monica Haban (Brown)

 

Janie- 


I believe Matt is Susie's nephew. Perhaps Susie is not on the forum, if so, she might have posted Matt's tragic death, or been too devastated to do so. Matt's oldest daughter is in one of my granddaughter's class, and Matt's nephew is in another granddaughter's class at St. Andrew.  Matt's sister was in my daughter's class at Watterson. Lots of Watterson and St. Andrew / St. Agatha connections with Matt's family.  I heard all our fire equipment race down our street Easter morning. Never realized it was for someone we knew. The Go Fund Me account that was setup has raised close to $190,000 thus far.  May he rest in peace.  We pray for his beautiful family.

 

 

 

 

04/09/26 08:51 PM #17064    

 

Monica Haban (Brown)

Matt's funeral Mass is April 21st at St. Andrew Church at 10:30 a.m. 

04/10/26 07:25 PM #17065    

 

Sheila McCarthy (Gardner)

I have a mailing address for Susie Schmidt if anyone would like to reach out ... Matt Schmidt is her brother John's son. 

She can be reached at:

Susie Schmidt                                                         

3700 Sturbridge Court

Room 111

Hilliard, OH 43026

 

 

 

04/11/26 09:14 PM #17066    

 

David Mitchell

On a lighter note: You folks in Columbus should be proud to know that Burger King will soon be trying out a new sandwich and testing it will be in Columbus, Ohio and Portland, Oregon. 

Aren't you special?

04/14/26 11:48 AM #17067    

 

Michael McLeod

I know this will initially sound weird but i bet you will relate.

When I find myself thinking about something emotional, I feel it in my throat and my sternum.

Biologically that's crazy talk.

Emotionally it's not.

Even my tongue gets into the act, feels different given what I'm thinking about -- which is the possibility of moving, which would be celebrated by some of my loved ones and saddening to others.

 Just taking notice of my experience, ever the journalist, as I consider making a move from here in Florida back home to ohio.

ps: still shaking my head over that robert frost poem I posted on here earlier. I swear it influenced me to make the choice to pursue writing as my profession. When you read a frost poem it feels like he's this  eloquent old dude who just happens to be standing in the checkout line with you and he catches yout eye nd tugs at your arm and confides:  "you know how it is on an april day......"

Like it's just the two of you.

I'm no genius but I've read a lot of poetry and Frost is one of the very select few who makes me feel like he's not talking to me out of a book but from standing right beside me in a soft, friendly voice.

 

 

 

04/14/26 08:40 PM #17068    

 

James Hamilton, M. D.

Mike McL.,

Like you, pondering a move back to Ohio is a difficult, daunting but necessary undertaking. 

We have started the process of destroying old papers and records that no longer are needed or are of use to us. Shredding services are the best way to do that and yesterday we did a lot of that. Today's generation likes to keep everything electronically somewhere in "the cloud" but we had boxes of such paperwork that ended up in the shredder vehicle yesterday. And there will probably be more to come later.

We have discussed the selling of our home with a realtor but we first must decide how to downsize - which will perhaps be our most difficult task - what to keep, what to release, what we really need vs. what we would just like, and find an apartment (not a house) that will be fitting for our age and close to Janet's family. 

This is the only house which we have ever owned. It fits us and we feel comfortable here and have all our stores, doctors, dentists, restaurants and so many other services and people we know and trust.

Jim

 

 

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04/15/26 02:42 PM #17069    

 

David Mitchell

Ditto Mike and Jim,

Ever since my accident a couple years ago, my kids want me to move back closer to them - which means Cincinnati, where my youngest daughter lives. The other two are in Milwaukee and Portland Oregon. And this downsizing thing is depressing. I have aquired so much "stuff" over the years. But letting go is hard. Plus, I live in a sort of Shangi La, and have wonderful neighbors.

(and no snow - except for a few inches every 5th year or so)

 

04/15/26 05:20 PM #17070    

 

Michael McLeod

Dave:

LOL: as you well know, the whole point is people in Ohio are NOT special. We're typical. Ohioans are considered by mechandisers to be a conveniently penned-in assortment of typical everyday middle america folk, hence a great gathered testing ground for hawkers of foodstuffs and knicknacks and burger king etc.to test the appeal of their wares.We're the melting pot of the melting pot. The middle of the middle, the belly button of the country. .

Sure it would be an adjustment from your shangri la but I bet you would learn to love cincinnati. I did.I wrote for the Cincinnati Enquirer for a few years before moving to Orlando. Beautiful and exciting river town flair. 

04/16/26 07:20 AM #17071    

 

John Jackson

From the Borowitz Report:

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