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To:  Members and Friends of Island MCB 7 at Large

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

Subject: Winter newsletter 1998

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care….well, how about natural gas, fiberglass logs, remote start and control.  No ash.  Oh, yes, green plastic tree with twinkle lights.  That will go back in the ox about the fourth of next month.  Not quite what I remember as a child.  Our weather was forty plus degrees last week, just a little snow left in the shaded areas.  No leaves, of course, but many shades of brown.  Something seems missing.  I remember we always went to grandmother’s on Christmas Eve.  The whole family was there….except Uncle Ted, who had to work for the railroad company.  We would eat an assortment of really good holiday treats, have some hot cocoa, and Santa would come to the house.  Each child received a couple of packages and Santa was given some cookies and then he would leave.  Half an hour later Uncle Ted arrived, seems he could get off early for the holiday.  And, of course, we had snow on the g round for those Christmases.  That sure was a long time ago.

Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.

Can’t help out much so far as next year’s reunion goes.  I, also, am waiting for information.  Last I heard it was either St Louis or Kansas City but Denver has not responded at this time.  Ken will advise us soon, I am sure.   Looks a lot like St. Louis…..maybe.

I started out with nothing…..I still have most of it left.

The 1998 National  Convention and Reunion will be held at the Imperial Palace, Beloxi, Mississippi, beginning Monday, August 10 and meeting until Friday, August 14.  The banquet will be held on Thursday, August 13th.  The days of the week differ from most conventions because the rates for the hotel, located near the gambling boats, are so much higher on weekends.  More information will be in the March issue of the CAN DO.  Thing about it……Beloxi in August!  HOT!  For 1999 we will meet in Albany, NY, so keep that in mind.

The first rule of holes:  If you are in one, stop digging.

For those of you with the equipment, try http://users.aol.com/wantasite/seabee.  Our friend Donna, in Texas, has it nearly ready for full time home page display.  Let me know what you think.  I can do you a set of building plans, with structural and mechanical, but don’t know enough about this thing to do a home page.  I am very grateful for the help.

Some days you’re the dog, some days you’re the hydrant.

The latest, to my knowledge, (we are all of that age), to acquire the “scar”” would be our friend Les Gilbert who had a heart attack and quad bypass just before Christmas.  Had to have it done so that he could have further repairs made……knees, an arm.  Les is a regular at our reunions and I’m sure we all wish him a speedy recovery.  And Howard Lentsch had a bypass in November.  Chester Poole had both knees rebuilt last fall, there goes his athletic value.  Chester also changed houses so will have a new address and phone.  Art Linkletter said getting old isn’t for sissies.

I wanted to get this out before the holidays.  Should only be about a month late.  No good excuse, just family activities, minor health problems, a couple of good books, TV football, (looks like the Pack will repeat?), and I can’t even blame the weather.  New England could….how about an inch of ice on EVERYTHING?  Too much rain in the southwest and in Florida, cold in Arizona, warm in the midwest.  Supposed to blame El Ninio.  New England could use a couple of Battalions of Seabees to help out with the repairs.  Late note:  we now have a half foot of the white stuff, temps high twenties, like winter is supposed to be up here in the Northland.

Funny, but I don’t remember becoming absent minded.

Would like to thank all of you who sent cards and letters for the holiday, and those who called, and those who e-mailed.  Nice to know that someone is out there.  Sometimes I feel like I am talking to myself…..well, I guess I do a little.  So, until you are better paid, thank you.  A note from Jimmy D in Napa, CA, reminds me to remind all of you to please make sure I have your current address.  It will not only effect this mailing, but you would not receive the “Can-Do”.

Got some e-mailed one liners, or two liners, from Eddie Monoscalco…..Adam to Eve:  Hey! I wear the plants in this family.  (Oh, it gets worse.)  Both of my marriages have been disappointing.  My first wife left me and my second one didn’t.  (See)   A perfect wife is one who helps the husband with the dishes and the housework.  What do you call two spiders who just got married?  Newlywebs.  (See)  And the bedbugs who fell in love, they got married in the spring.  The only woman who knows where her husband is ever night….is a widow.  Oh, marriage is grand, divorce about ten grand.   Pretty bad, huh!

Hope you all had a good holiday and the new year is healthy, happy, and prosperous.   Keep the cards and letters coming.  See ya I the spring.

Yours in the Can Do spirit,
 

John Blaisdell