FLASH: Thong Birds?
Just for the record, Harvey, there is no such animal as ‘the common thong-bird’. No, but if you have a really strong lisp in your toungue, you might be able to thay it without inthident, given friendths who would thertainly underthand you, but to create a new category of bird based upon that is not possible. So, we have ‘thong-birds’ but not ‘common’ thong-birds, right? Just for the record, okay? Now, Skip Wallen is also one of my heroes and so I can’t complain about your cavalier judgment about my entry in your contest, therefore, I will concede. But I am almost certain that he would agree, since he is an extraordinary artist, probably the best ever produced by Manitowoc, aside from me, of course.
Just for the record, Harvey, there is no such animal as ‘the common thong-bird’. No, but if you have a really strong lisp in your toungue, you might be able to thay it without inthident, given friendths who would thertainly underthand you, but to create a new category of bird based upon that is not possible. So, we have ‘thong-birds’ but not ‘common’ thong-birds, right? Just for the record, okay? Now, Skip Wallen is also one of my heroes and so I can’t complain about your cavalier judgment about my entry in your contest, therefore, I will concede. But I am almost certain that he would agree, since he is an extraordinary artist, probably the best ever produced by Manitowoc, aside from me, of course.
Dannyn and I at the Airport Now that the dust has pretty well settled concerning the reunion of the Coachmen and the Class of 1960 and related parties and celebrations, I would like to comment a little about that: these were pretty good affairs, as these things go. Sorry that I missed a couple of them. Sorry not to attend the Friday night gathering. But it was a failure of planning on my part. I was up at 4 a.m. on Friday so as to be at the airport at 5 a.m. to catch a 6 a.m. flight to Atlanta scheduled to arrive there at 9:30 a.m. so as to rendezvous with my daughter (Brennan) who was coming from Denver, Colorado to Milwaukee at about 11 a.m. Her flight was delayed so that we actually got on the road after 12 p.m. And so we arrived in Francis Creek, at my sister’s place, around 3 p.m. I needed a little nap but for sundry reasons I was not able to get one. Since I am an old guy, I just couldn’t manage a 5 o’clock appointment at the bar and hope to be rested enough to enjoy it properly. Mea Culpa!
Left to right - Brennan, Jerry, Dannyn
But by noon on Saturday I was rested enough to get to the Court House Pub with the assistance of my two daughters. And, that was a really great affair. After Pete fortified me with a nice ‘Bloody Mary’, I was in a mood appropriate for the event.
I especially enjoyed meeting Dick Neuses for the first time, Ken Chermak and his wife, and ‘Westy’, and his feisty Democrat wife ‘Ginny’ (I am partial to Democrats, in case you didn’t know), but mostly it was a treat to see you and Joan again, and of course, to see my dear Lady Sharon and to meet her wonderful husband John. Good to see Torr and his wife Del, too, and an all too brief time with ‘Skip’ Wallen and his wife. Pete and Donna I have kept in contact with over the years, but it was good to embrace them again too. It was a very nice party and you, Harv, are to be complimented on that, in spite of your miscellaneous other failings! And ‘Westy’s’ banner was the crowning achievement, not without your assistance, I am sure!
Later that night at the LHS Class Reunion celebration I was pleased to see our fellow Coachman Wojta deliver a commanding performance, supervising and actually speaking to those of us gathered there in language that we could appreciate and approve. He did a marvelous job, which turned out to be a real surprise to me! The venue was perfect, the food and service quite good, and I could find no fault with it at all!
Later, I got to meet up with a couple of my childhood sweethearts, whom I hadn’t embraced since kindergarten, and met up with Vic Schiegg, whom I hadn’t seen since 1960, and was very pleased to hear of his success in business and life. But the most enjoyable time I had was with Lady Sharon. She promised me a dance months ago, and so we did. We ‘boogied’ fast and slow and had a great time together. I know that you are all probably jealous of my privilege, but all I can say is ‘that’s the breaks guys’.
I really enjoyed the tour of ‘Skip’ Wallen’s studio on Sunday morning, where I actually had a chance to converse with him about his project and art in general. He is one of the great sculptors of our time, make no mistake. And the fact that he is our friend, grown up in the same environment of Manitowoc, only makes that more precious.
Sorry to miss the ‘picnic’ in the afternoon, but I was previously committed to spend some precious time with one of my favorite nephews, who made the trip to Francis Creek from Dekalb, Illinois, to attend the ‘family reunion’ with my sister and my daughters and me that weekend, and it was the only time that I had to spend with him. But you had a good time and I am sure did not miss my absence.
On Monday, I took my daughters to make a little pilgrimage to Langlade County (Antigo) to visit the gravesite of my great, grandfather, Ludwig Strasser, at Neva, St. Wenceslas church and grave yard. Ludwig came to the US from Bavaria in 1890, met my great grandmother, Viktoria Herman, in about 1893 at Oshkosh, and commenced to start a farm in Langlade County in 1895. I met him when I was 11 years old, six months before he died in Antigo (1953). Little did I know at the time that I would retrace his footsteps from Bavaria to Oshkosh in 1966, 13 years later.
All in all I had a very good experience, thanks to you, brother Harvey. Your call to me in 2013 proceeded to wake me up to memories and experiences long ago forgotten. I’ve spent the last two years retrieving them from the closets of my brain, and for that, in spite of your other failings, Harv, I am sincerely grateful for.
Moreover, I want to express my gratitude to you for keeping the ‘spirit’ of the Coachmen Club alive through your generous and selfless contributions to us all, for after all, the club is about friendship, ancient friendships which transcend time and place. I can’t say it better than the way my ol’ Buddy Pete said it once: ‘friends are great, but old friends are da best!’ Best regards to all. JL
That’s 30
Later that night at the LHS Class Reunion celebration I was pleased to see our fellow Coachman Wojta deliver a commanding performance, supervising and actually speaking to those of us gathered there in language that we could appreciate and approve. He did a marvelous job, which turned out to be a real surprise to me! The venue was perfect, the food and service quite good, and I could find no fault with it at all!
Later, I got to meet up with a couple of my childhood sweethearts, whom I hadn’t embraced since kindergarten, and met up with Vic Schiegg, whom I hadn’t seen since 1960, and was very pleased to hear of his success in business and life. But the most enjoyable time I had was with Lady Sharon. She promised me a dance months ago, and so we did. We ‘boogied’ fast and slow and had a great time together. I know that you are all probably jealous of my privilege, but all I can say is ‘that’s the breaks guys’.
I really enjoyed the tour of ‘Skip’ Wallen’s studio on Sunday morning, where I actually had a chance to converse with him about his project and art in general. He is one of the great sculptors of our time, make no mistake. And the fact that he is our friend, grown up in the same environment of Manitowoc, only makes that more precious.
Sorry to miss the ‘picnic’ in the afternoon, but I was previously committed to spend some precious time with one of my favorite nephews, who made the trip to Francis Creek from Dekalb, Illinois, to attend the ‘family reunion’ with my sister and my daughters and me that weekend, and it was the only time that I had to spend with him. But you had a good time and I am sure did not miss my absence.
On Monday, I took my daughters to make a little pilgrimage to Langlade County (Antigo) to visit the gravesite of my great, grandfather, Ludwig Strasser, at Neva, St. Wenceslas church and grave yard. Ludwig came to the US from Bavaria in 1890, met my great grandmother, Viktoria Herman, in about 1893 at Oshkosh, and commenced to start a farm in Langlade County in 1895. I met him when I was 11 years old, six months before he died in Antigo (1953). Little did I know at the time that I would retrace his footsteps from Bavaria to Oshkosh in 1966, 13 years later.
All in all I had a very good experience, thanks to you, brother Harvey. Your call to me in 2013 proceeded to wake me up to memories and experiences long ago forgotten. I’ve spent the last two years retrieving them from the closets of my brain, and for that, in spite of your other failings, Harv, I am sincerely grateful for.
Moreover, I want to express my gratitude to you for keeping the ‘spirit’ of the Coachmen Club alive through your generous and selfless contributions to us all, for after all, the club is about friendship, ancient friendships which transcend time and place. I can’t say it better than the way my ol’ Buddy Pete said it once: ‘friends are great, but old friends are da best!’ Best regards to all. JL
That’s 30