2/9/10 A note from Claudine

Greetings classmates:

I am glad the terminology changed from global warming to climate change--never mind no one knows what they are talking about.

We had 26 " Friday and Saturday. We park on the street. One has 26 " covering their cars to start, but that is nothing. The plows keep coming by (I am on a major thru street) and plowing snow up against the cars. It is a 4 to 6 hour job to get your car out. And then once dug out one does not want to move the car lest some interloper drive in and take the cleared out space. Last week somewhere in a snow like this in the mid west a fellow was shot upon pulling into the recently cleared parking place. I would like to say we were all appalled, but we all thought the interloper should have known better and perhaps got what he deserved.

So. the buses are not running, the subways are barely running, most of the streets have not seen a plow, and those that have we are still on our third day of digging out.

And, 6" to 12" more starting tomorrow!

My friends always makes fun of my very full freezers. Well, the groceries have been closed too, but I am creating some creative dishes out of whatever is still recognizable.

Our co-treasurer and friend Harla was the only one other than Sally to call and see if I were still alive. Well, I am, but I wish I were in the South as many of you are.

As for it being a small world (Sharon and others)., here is a story to add to others.

It was 1988 or 1989., Rodney was working with the weather service and on a trip to the regional office in Seattle. I was in California seeing about the upcoming Reagan Library as well as some other business in California. Somehow Rodney and I ended up meeting for dinner in Monterrey and he had brought along the head of the Seattle Administrative office for NOAA a gent named Kelly Sandy a 1961 graduate of Paseo. Kelly had also spent some time at Westport.

Great, we gathered for dinner. Kelly told me he remembered me , but not Rodney from high school--a sore point for Rodney but an upbeat point for me.

But, the best was yet to come. Somehow as part of the dinner conversation we got on the trail of the Stathopoulos brothers, and their connections to Westport and some of the other Westport connections who also intersected with Paseo, however tangentially. Names like Huppy The Pu;;y, The Dink, and Nick the Greek were being thrown around as mutual "acquaintances" or whatever.

Then, there in Monterrey California, our waiter overhearing our conversation came over and said "hey do you guys really know Nick the Greek and Huppy?"

Good grief. What a crazy moment. Almost spooky.

As for nicknames, I hate them. I am Claudine, thank you. And I call Rodney, Rodney. But, then again I call my younger brother " Jimmy" which I know makes him grit his teeth, but that is the way it has always been.

So, deal with it "Janey':.(SMILEY FACE HERE)

Your classmate

Claudine