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Mike Floyd

Miss Tankard doesn't have an email address, but I was able to send her a birthday card from Tee Jay Class of 1962.  For those of you keeping track, her birthday is August 3rd.  The card was a belated birthday card because the card fell in the blender and then the dog ate.  I think she will enjoy it.  I just hope she doesn't grade it.

Miss Tankard is now on the website as a guest.  Because she doesn't have an email address she can't get onto the website nor can she receive comments on her profile.  I will attempt to keep up with her through all of you.  Thanks!

Marilyn Wolfe (Ruben)

Thanks, Mike!  You are SO FUNNY!  I'm glad you sent the card from our class!  (How did you know the Birth Date?). I am just finishing up my little book with photos I took of former Jeffersonian Staff Members at the TJ Reunions, and I contacted a few more on the TJ Website, so they could mail cards & photos by themselves!       It will be her "Birthday Month!"  

(We had a lot of repairs going on here in late July, so there was no way I could have done this earlier!  This Summer has been a disaster! )

Thanks for "Filling in the gaps!". And it is just as well that Miss Tankard can't see the TJ website, because I wrote about her on so many pages, she will discover "the secret source" of all the cards and phone calls she      is getting!  (I LOVE to do things "behind the scenes!". It's more fun that way!!!)

Were YOU one of her English students, Mike???  If so, that must have been "a trip" for you also!

She was truly unforgettable!

And she touched so many lives!

(I'm sure your mail to Hallieford will arrive faster than mine!  I usually have to allow 8 days for shipping, so most of my letters and gifts arrive late, unless I prepare them months ahead of time!  And this year was too hectic for that!)

Thanks!

Mar--

Peggy Smith (Robins)

To:  Frank Louthan (in response to message 8/23/18).  Alex and I are still in Murfreesboro, TN.  Alex was quarterback coach at MTSU for 23 years - now he's been helping in different high schools with the quarterbacks since retiring from MTSU.  We are both still working and enjoying it.  We have a land phone and are in the phone registry.  Best regards to you and your family.  Peggy Robins

Marilyn Wolfe (Ruben)

Hi, Peggy!  How are you?

Peggy Smith (Robins)

To:  Marilyn Wolfe Ruben and other wonderful T.J. classmates.  Marilyn, you sound like you are a busy lady!  Alex and I are doing very well (today).  We keep busy with our grandchildren and are enjoying still working (part-time).  We both still exercise most every day - I walk and Alex does the elyptical machines at a gym.  Many blessings to you and our other T.J. classmates.  Love, Peggy Smith Robins

Marilyn Wolfe (Ruben)

Thanks, Peggy!  I try to keep busy, now that my Granddaughter is in college!   I think we both go all the way back to Westhampton, right?  Did you read all about it in Belle Landrum's comments?   

You two should come to the next TJ Reunion in Richmond!  You are much closer than we are, and we try to show up every 5 years!  It's fun to see "old friends"  all gathered in one place!

How do you like where you are living?  I bet it is beautiful there!  I remember we drove through your State about 40 years ago, to or from Illinois & Virginia!  Jo Ann Olkowski lives there too!  Is she near you?

Nice to hear from you!  What are you doing besides Exercise?   Enjoy your life!

Brenda Jenkins (Armstrong)

Russell Flammia

Hi Classmates, while there is a lot of attention on hurricane Florence, and rightfully so, let's not forget the over 3,000 women, children, and men, who perished as a result of the terrorists attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the crash in Shanksville Pa.,  Take care everyone.

Jo-Ann Olkowski

I, too, am very focused on Hurricane Florence and have great concern for everyone's safety.  Please follow any evacuation orders that may come WHEN they come.  Whatever you might be doing if or when an evacuation order comes can wait; your safety and life are more important.  I haven't forgotten the last hurricane that stalled over Richmond while I was still living there.

Second, I'm watching on-going coverage and comentary on TV as I'm sending this.

Please stay safe.

Jo-Ann
 

Barbara Seely

To Brenda, Russell & Jo-Ann!  (Let us NEVER forget what today means)

Thank you for your comments on Florence.  We're mostly running around buying anything that might be needed, although by today, there's not much left to purchase.  It's going to be a challenge these next few days for the mid-Atlantic and adjoining states so we'll just have to cope with what Mother Nature brings our way.  It was so very thoughtful of you to send your "best wishes" for all of us still here in Richmond and across the state.  Keep your fingers crossed.  Blessings to the three of you, especially Russell, who will be "riding this one out" like the rest of us. 

Barbara Seely

Mike Floyd

Hi Everyone and thanks for your comments.  In Urbanna, we are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.  The boat has had the hatches battened, the sails and bimini lashed and the dock lines doubled up.  The generator has gas and it started when I tested it yesterday.  I went to Harris-Teeter in Williamsburg today and got all the necessary supplies to last for a week.  I think we are good to go. 

We are in Flood Zone B and will leave if told to, but it looks like Florence may send only some wind and rain our way.  We have had storm surges for 3 days now.  I have to wait for low tide to work on the boat because the dock is underwater around high tide.

If you Google 9/11 and Rosh Hashanah there are several pieces about the bittersweet celebration for the Jewish families that lost loved one on 9/11

Marilyn Wolfe (Ruben)

Mary (Draney) Murray told me about the approaching Hurricane.   I, too, hope everyone is safe & hope you can get out of "wherever you are," when you are warned to do so !   It's hard to believe that there have been so many  hurricanes these past few years, when the last one I remember living through was when I was 10 years old!  

I hope your refrigerators are full, but if the electricity clicks off, I hope you all have an ice chest to keep your food fresh, and if necessary, a car to take you to higher ground!

If you can leave town and visit another state to stay dry, please do so!  Take your most precious possesions in a big trunk and find a friend's house or a hotel where you can stay.  If anybody wants to "Hide out" in Florida, let me know!

Jo-Ann Olkowski

Thank you, Barbara, for your nice comments.  You are right - we should never forget the horrors of 9/11 and the still lingering pain of the survivors and their families.  I contacted family in VA Beach and close to Raleigh yesterday and have a couple more people I need to contact.  I heard shortly ago on the news mention the potential impact on the Appalachians and TN Valley - water does tend to run downhill. I'm not down in the Valley but closer to the Cumberland Plateau, but wind is wind and rain is rain.  I'll be going out very soon to get extra water and maybe a little extra food and then probably get with my neighbors as to what to do about our little neighbor who lives under me.  Her apartment has flooded many times since I've lived here, despite all efforts to defect the water away from her patio.  Our building is at the lowest point of the entire complex! 

Until we know more about the maps and pinpoint landfall it appears right now that a good part of GA and the Atlanta area could be impacted up through the Carolinas, VA and further up and that's a lot of land mass to take into consideration.

I hope all will take notice and be prepared whether badly impacted or not.  Be safe, be well, my friends.

Jo-Ann

Marilyn Wolfe (Ruben)

Ditto from here, Jo-Ann!  Our area has Earthquakes and occasional big Monsoon Rainstorms (April, August, November), but we are too far from the Coast for Hurricanes!  Hope all will be safe this week!

Thanks for the nice Rosh Hashanah greeting, Mike!  I like the little Shofar design on the Home Page!   

We spent the Holiday with Arizona State University's Hillel Student Group.  They provided a delicious hot meal at the Hillel House for about 50 students & services for about 60-70. We were one Senior couple out of 3 who were present.  ASU now has 3 different Jewish organizations that sponsor Dinner & Religious Services on the High Holidays!  There are about 2,000-3,000 Jewish students at ASU now, with the usual "split -offs." As the expression goes:  "Two Jews, Two synagogues!"

Happy New Year to all my Jewish classmates!  I hope this year brings you Good Health & Happiness!

Melvin Katz

As some of our classmates have commented on the storm and the rememberance of the horrific events of 9/11, my wife and I are also keeping a keen eye on the strom. We have a home in th Outer Banks in Nags Head, North Carolina. That town and the county of Dare is under a manditory evacuation. I am sure the damage to many homes will be severe and one can only pray for everyone to be safe and to take heed of this impendsing storm. Let us pray for all those in harms way.

Marilyn Wolfe (Ruben)

I was thinking about you, Melvin, and wondering where you and Elsie will stay!  Will you be going to Boca Raton 

to be with your son?  Also, I think Sue Ellen Arenstein and Barry Steinberg are in Georgia, and I think the Hurricane is due to strike there also!

Classmates, wherever you are, please evacuate to a safer place!  And let me know if you want to visit Florida!

Carol Battige (Levine)

For all my classmates in the "danger zone" I pray for your safety.  It was exactly a year ago that Irma slammed into tiny Port Charlotte, FL, but it was nothing but a bad storm compared to Florence.  Hope for the best, but please be prepared for the worst. 
 

Jo-Ann Olkowski

I have hesitated to "jump the gun," but as some of you may not have heard, Richmond and surrounding counties had multiple tornadoes yesterday.  Don't know how good communications are generally - lines down, power outages, etc. even if they were not where the tornadoes hit.  It's full cloud coverage here in East TN, but I think we've dodged the bullet in terms of any heavy rain.

Let's hope and pray that all those friends and family we have in Richmond are safe and sound and will be able to contact the class website.  My daughter texted this morning saying it was a long night last night but they were safe.

Marilyn Wolfe (Ruben)

thanks for the "heads up,"  Joanne!  We were out all afternoon & evening & came home late!  I will check to see if everybody is ok!

Mary Draney (Murray)

It was an interesting evening with multiple tornadoes. Some were close, University of Richmond, Parham and Patterson. One, across the river in Chesterfield, resulted in a fatality in a destroyed building. A number of friends were in hall closets or basements. We never actually needed to go into our downstairs hallway, but were in the midst of fierce storms. We were fine...all of our patio and porch umbrellas and furniture were still stowed away from last week...no major limbs down. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all affected.

Mike Floyd

Mary, Glad you are safe and without any damage.  Fortunately, Urbanna dodged the Hurricane and the Tornadoes.  Hope everyone else is safe.  Waiting to hear from Anne Ferrell and Jim Lanier.  They live in Wilmington and evacuated her daughter's in Charlotte.  I pray that their home is safe and without damage.

Linda Fiske (Wehrle)

Was really weird watching the weather channel as the storm tracker was driving around Richmond and actually recognizing streets and landscapes. Hope all are safe . Sometimes our blizzards up here in Michigan are not so bad.Take care all and know You are all in my prayera

Marilyn Wolfe (Ruben)

I am so glad everyone there is safe!  I was having a  MAJOR Panic Attack about the storm in Richmond!

Anne Ferrell Smith (Lanier)

Thanks to all who have reached out to us during Florence.  We did evacuate from Wilmington to Charlotte, NC, but after 8 days away we made it home .  It took 2 days of travel to get back - heavy traffic, inching along, flat tire . . . but we made it and are so glad to be here.

 Thankfully, Our house is intact.  Our lot is a war zone, with many trees and limbs down.  One very large, tall oak is leaning towards the house, roots exposed.   Jim has enlisted a team from Missouri, working nearby, to help with that, and they are working from a bucket to take it down without having it fall and crush the house.  Expensive, but we are grateful for their help.  Hopefully they will return today - they are a nice bunch of timber men. 

We are feeling very thankful - it could have been so much worse - but also tired, as you can imagine.  The internet goes off and on here  but this morning it is working and I wanted to reach out  . . . Thanks so much for your concern.   Anne Ferrell  

Peggy Smith (Robins)

Dearest Anne Ferrell, I've been thinking so much about you and your family and the flooding from the hurricane.  So glad to read your post that you and Jim are safe and your home was not flooded!  Know that love and prayers are wiht you and yours. Love, Peggy and Alex Robins