Fred Thomas

What the hell is a play date?

When my daughter-in-law first told me about play dates I was amazed.  Both kids and their parents make a date to play.  What a concept!  I tried to imagine what a play date would be like in the 1950's.

Buckeye fight:  From their secret hideout - "Mom, you circle around to the left and try to hit Brian and his parents on top of the garage from behind.  Don't drop your buckeyes and keep your garbage can lid shield up cause you could lose an eye".  "Dad, you go to the right and I'll go up the middle.  Try to hit Mr. Murphy in the nuts."  Cling! clamg! climg! (sound of buckeyes hitting shields).   EEEEEEEYOWWWW!!!  (Scream).  "Mom. I told you to keep your shield up".

Blowing the roof off the dugout:  "Mom, you light the fuse and all the parents keep an eye out for the cops."  5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1  KAAABOOOOM!!!! (sound of roof being blown off the baseball dugout with a 20 piece M-80 pipe bomb) "COPS!!! RUN!!!! EVERYONE SCATTER AND MEET BACK AT THE SECRET HIDEOUT!!!"  EEEEEYOWWWWW!!!! (sound of women screaming) "I told you ladies not to wear high heels.  Don't squeal on us when the cops catch you and give them a fake name".  "Dad, how do expect to run in wing tips?" 

Tackle football in the mud:  "Dad, go straight out through the mud and Mom, do a button hook just in front of Mrs. Kelly and I'll try to hit you with a pass."  READY SET HIKE SQUISH SQUISH SQUISH (Sound of wing tips running through the mud)  "Nice catch Dad."  CRUNNNCH EEEEEYOWWWWW!  (sound of shoulder to groin tackle)  "Dad, I know it hurts like hell and you're covered in mud, but we gained 20 yards.  Now quit crying!!"

Ellen Aspinwall (Templar)

Guy----please let Julie and Rob know that they are in my meditations and being thought of!  E

Alan Greenleaf

Fred,

A play date is a strange concept, if you think about it.  I had some experience with M80's, and yes, my mom even got involved.  Just not in a GOOD way!  She did not wear high heels much, which meant she could (and DID) catch me!

I hope we do not carry play dates as far as they do in India.  Arranged marriages!  I don't see the play in that play date!  The several years of foreplay can be the best part of marriage!

Guy Cartwright

Fred,

Can't believe that you're throwing acorns Brian and Mrs Murphy during your play dates on Oak Road.   Why not at the McClures or Chris Pern?  But not at Mrs. Murphy.  What's the matter with you!!!

But I really like the mud football game.  Nice.   Could have had our parents join us on Saturday mornings at Rocky River park and watched them try to tackle Eric Damon.

Guy

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

guy, we will keep her in our prayers

john, you are awesome-keep up the good work, and i still think its a good idea.

alan, foreplay is the best part,if i remember correctly. 

you do know, you guys are a bunch of nuts,but that's okay, cause your our rrhs 63 nuts.. 

love you guys, nancy      

Bruce McKelvey (McKelvey)

Guy,

Were these folks who are in medical need from RRHS. If they were, I don't remember their name. It doesn't matter..they are in need of prayer.

                                                                                            Something we all need to remember..we were all friends way before we had differences of opinion on political views etc. That is what makes this country so great. I personally do not care what you all beleive...we were friends long before anybody gave a s--t about anything...I love all of you and value your friendship greatly. LIFE IS WAYYYYYYYYY TOO SHORT !!!!

Fred Thomas

Guy,

You seem to remember the people on my street (Oak Road - Tangle Town) better than I do.  Brian Murphy never let Chris Pern play baseball with us because Brian thought Chris was a sissy.  But Sally Pern, Chris' older sister was allowed to play because she could sock a ball a mile.

Those Saturday morning mud football games were a lot of fun and the fact that we played football all the time for fun probably is what led to our success in high school.  The hardest thing I ever did in my life was to tackle Eric Damon in full speed practice.  I was seeing stars and the coaches got a big kick out it.  Too bad we couldn't have played soccer like our kids did.  We would have owned that game.

Guy Cartwright

Fred,

You're correct on both points.  Sally Pern could hit a baseball, and tackling Eric was impossible and very painful.  At one of the reunions Eric and I were talking about RRHS football and I asked him if he had ever been hurt playing football.  Erice told me no, and that he had never been hit in the stomach during a tackle.   He carried the ball with two hands in front of him, with his knees pumping high.  Never got hit in the stomach; never got hit that hard; never got hurt.  Any of us who played those Saturday morning football games with Eric during 6 thru 8th grade know how much punishment he could dish out though.

Good chatting with you.  Have a good day.

Guy

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

hey john, do you mean jimmy and chuck linden,they were at my house all the time hanging out with lyle, nice boys. and john as i said,keep up the good work,if you need me, i will be there for you. nancy

Robert (Mike) Kelley

Hey John, glad to see you back !

I don't think Randy and Fred have enough material without you.

Mike

Guy Cartwright

Keep drinking the koolade, John!

Fred Thomas

I'm not sure that you folks are clear about why I wrote my "play date" rant so I will try to make it crystal clear,  These young whippersnapers are becoming sisified chubby weaklings.  They don't know how to play or do anything on their own without some parent, coach or teacher telling them how to think.  They are driven everywhere by their parents in cars because, God forbid they might have to walk or ride their bike anywhere or they might get their hair wet cause it's raining.  When they fall down and scrape their knee, mommy runs out and puts a bandaide on it.  We used to rub dirt on the knee and go back for more.  These kids are soft and I'm glad I won't be around when the Commies and the terrorists come and kick their fat wimpy asses.

On a more serious note I have some important decisions to make before I go on a venture next Sunday.  Should I pack my tux or my dark suit?  Should I go with the 35 or 50 level sunscreen?  Should I order the prawns or the lobster tail or both?  Big decisions need to be made before our upcoming cruise aboard Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas.  Life is tough when you're retired!

Holly Portz (Koiro (1945-2023))

Dark suit and 35 should get you through nicely....just wear a hat if you don't want a sunburned head!!!

Have fun and stay out of the high seas and away from the pirates...no, not the RR ones...the REAL ones.

Holly

Fred Thomas

Holly Go Lightly is back, just as cute and sassy as ever!

Barbara Peate (Sabo)

John,

I knew you were big enough to admit when you were wrong--glad you did & are back.  I think I can guess who wrote the nasty note though.  Anyway, you worked so hard for what you've done so far, so go forward & don't look back at anyone who would write such a note.  This site can be used for anything a classmate wants to us it for (well, almost anything).  Hear you & Lin had a great conversation while she was walking in the sunshine in Florida.  Boo, hoo--poor, poor Linda!!  Good job!!

B

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

john, what school and grade did vance teach, my grandkids all go to berea,roehm,the high school, and smith-let me know-thanks. .

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

john, thanks, i'll ask lyle,i'm sure he remembers him,my grandkids are just in  high school now. hope your doing okay. nancy

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

i just want everyone to know what aspecial grandson i have. ben is 10, and before xmas collected blankets for the homeless,after xmas his teacher and him made it a school project, and so far they have collected over 153 blankets-isn't that amazing. sun news paper heard about it and is going to his school on monday to take there picture. now only did he do this, at xmas all he wanted was to feed the homeless, so his mom took him to a church in cleveland, and he got to see what it was like and to help feed them.where did i get this caring little boy,who has so much love in his heart. when i hear about all the "bad" kids in the news,i know we all have some really good kids.i'm so proud of him, and just had to tell you guys. i don't think my heart could get any bigger when i think about him.

Alan Greenleaf

Nancy, he sure is a wonderful kid!  We sure need more like that.  Even more, we need more RAISED like that!  Congratulations!!

Barbara Peate (Sabo)

Nancy--what a great grandson you have!!  My heart would be swelled too.  Even I'm proud of him & I don't know him.  I do know he comes from a great family history though!  Give him lots of hugs.

Barb

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

thanks you guys,he is a great kid. sun news was there took about 20 pictures,and interviewed only him-the teacher stepped out of the room,then some big shot from berea came and took pictures of. channal 3 is comming to the school friday-he is so excited and he even mentioned me his grandma, for giving so many blankets. hope he doesn't get a big head from all of this.

thanks barb, i think he does come from pretty good stock, being part westerfield.

nancy

Holly Portz (Koiro (1945-2023))

Hey,  play  groups saved my sanity when Trevor was little!!!  Five little boys that actually got along (or at least that is how I remember it!).

Just so you Yankees don't feel so bad....it is COLD, snowy, icy, windy, rolling black outs in Big D land of the Superbowl.  Nothing but a travel nightmare on ground and in the air.  But the Lord will send the sunshine to the Cowboy stadium on Sunday even if HIS team is not playing.

Daughter Robin and I went HOME to Yantis last weekend. It sure was good to be home.  I'm doing great and in another 4-6 weeks should be able go home with only weekly trips to the Dr.

Thanks again for all your well-wishes.  Holly

Bruce McKelvey (McKelvey)

Holly,

          So glad your getting better each day....I can imagine it is like starting life all over again. So now you can be a "Reverse Teenager" and be wild and crazy again. (unlike me...who has NEVER been wild and crazy!). God has given me a great life, and I take ownership for most of the bad things that happened to me cuz they were caused by "Yours Truly". It usually was connected to a "Short Skirt"...or way too much horsepower under the hood !!! lol. God Bless..and keep hangin in there...

                                                               Bruce

Robert (Mike) Kelley

HAPPY BIRTHDAY  LINDA.  HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

Ellen Aspinwall (Templar)

Happy Birthday, Linda!