• January '98
• June '98
• October '98
• February '99
• June '99
• June '00
• December '00
• Fall '01

To:  Members and Friends of Island MCB 7 at Large

From:  John Blaisdell, Secretary/Treasurer, Island MCB 7 at Large

Subject:  Winter of ‘99

Time for the annual weather report from up here in the Northland.  Must have at least six inches of snow on the ground, temps only tot to 24 today, above zero.  But, SNOW in Bakersfield, and tornadoes in Tennessee and Arkansas.   What a strange world this is in which we live.  We never really cooled down here until the middle of December, had a brief cold snap, and now it seems spring is on the way.  I am sorry the rest of you can’t enjoy this weather.  I’m getting ready to go back up north and start repainting my cabin again.

When the chips are down, the buffalo is empty.

I heard from Fred Heins down in Monona, Iowa.  He is now among the unemployed.  After all these years with the U S Postal Service, he is now a retired person.  He took the walk as of January first, this year.  Then the USPS raised first class postage from 32 to 33 cents.  Good for you, Fred.  Another couple of years and I will join the unemployed also.  I also heard from Merle Zimmerman in Madison and he is back on both feet.  The misstep he had at the Budweiser brewery broke a bone in his ankle, required some screws and a metal plate, off his feet for two months or more.  He reports he is doing well, considering.

Ninety nine percent of the lawyers give the rest a bad name.

Ken Burnette said plans are moving along for our next reunion to be held in the San Francisco Bay area.  Pete Pederson and Smokey Peters are working on some places to try to get some reasonable prices for us visitors but I understand the whole area is very spendy.  And the hotels seem reluctant to give any perks.  I assume within the next couple of months the guys will come up with some places to stay and some entertainment.  You know we always have a good time when Seabees get together.  John and Joe Dever have talked of a reunion in New Hampshire.  That could be our next gathering.

Hell hath no fury like the lawyer of a woman scorned.

The NSVA national Convention for 1999 will be held in Albany, New York.  There has been some talk about a visit to the racetracks at Saratoga for those persons who might be interested in the sport of Kings.  The convention for 2000 will be in Buffalo, New York, for those who would like to visit Niagara Falls.  And so far as I know, the convention for 2001 is still scheduled for St Cloud, Minnesota.  The “Can Do” will have information in the months ahead.  (see:  nsva.org)

The early bird might get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.

For those of you who may want to reach me:  My wife and I will be out of town from Feb 16 to Feb 23 as we will be making a trip to Orlando and surrounding area.  We will stay at the Sheraton Lakeside near Disney World and will probably make a trip in to see Mickey.  There seems to be a large number of attractions in the area and my gravel agent informed me there are more hotels/motels in that area than anywhere else in the world.  Thought I might have to make a trip to Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral since we did play a minor role in the development of the space program.  Maybe Grand Turk Island is mentioned somewhere.

Tim Allen (Home Improvement) said that men look at women the way men look at cars.  Everyone looks at Ferraris.  Now and then we like a pickup truck and we all end up with station wagons.

I receive mail from John Lecik and Donna Wendt, who are the people behind our web page, and they suggested we do a paragraph or two about some of the former members of MCB 7 and put that on the web site.  (cserv.com/mcb7)  Where you went after the Navy, what you did, family, what you are doing now.  They would change it every couple of months so you would all have to check out the web page to see who is the lucky one for this month.  And you might find the names of some of the people that you knew way back then.  Just drop John and e-mail, or USPS, and he will forward it to Donna for insertion into the web.  Guess I had better get my paragraph in soon so I will get all the credit and attaboys that I have coming and before somebody else sneaks in there with the truth.

A golf hint:  When chipping onto the green, try to imagine tossing a ball under a bench.  Then you can picture the arc, drop it softly, and roll the ball gently into the hole.  At least that is the intent.  And I ask this:  Which would you rather have….win lots of money or a hole in one?

You never really know how to swear until you learn to drive.  I’m sure you know me.  I’m the guy in St Paul who has directional signals that work.

Yours in the Can Do spirit,

John Blaisdell