015 MAX

MAX

Max is our seventh Schnauzer. He’s a two-year-old neutered male and our first white Schnauzer. He is a master manipulator with the biggest heart in the world. Max is a people person and an extrovert with an incredible amount of energy.  He thinks being with “his people” is the most fun a dog can have. He wants to be with us 24/7. This includes the bathroom and the bedroom. 

"Your blanket?  Huh?

"I hear something!"

He is spunky and does not know that he is smaller than the female Chow who lives across the road. He is a great guard dog. His bark alerts us to guests, the UPS man, the oil delivery, and the wind blowing, the squirrel who ran up the tree, shadows under the night light on the garage. In his two years, he has earned the sobriquet Mad Max. 

Max is stubborn and intelligent. I swear he understands what I am telling him. But really, really stubborn! Sometimes he looks at you and continues doing what he wants. It’s like he put paws over his ears and sang “la la la – I can’t hear you.” Most of the time, though, he follows every command. 

Remember that Schnauzers are terriers and bred to be ratters. The instinct is still there. Max, at about six months old, brought us a still wiggling, tiny field mouse locked between his jaws. Tried to coax him to let go; grabbed a plastic bag to try to extract said field mouse not yet dead. NOPE! Max sits back on his haunches and swallows it – whole and wiggling. Gross! We watched him all evening waiting for some sign of gastric distress. No problem. Okay, so creatures don’t upset his stomach – how about a tube of Preparation H? Nope, no problem there either. Apparently the door under the bathroom sink was not tightly closed. Wondered what the sticky stuff was on the floor. Max was discovered on OUR BED chewing on the tube. Again, gross. Again, no problem.

"Got in a LOT of trouble!"

Max’s haunches are like solid rocks. This means he can leap and bound wherever and whenever he wants. Up on the table in the office to get snacks out of the dog biscuit jar. We have to put food up higher than he can jump or it is gone. 

 He does not like, however, noodles. I brought home take-out beef stroganoff and put it on the kitchen counter. I made the mistake of answering the phone. When I went back to the kitchen, the Styrofoam container was on the floor with the noodles plastered to the bottom of the box and on the rug, but all the beef and gravy was gone. Max sat and smiled. I swear he smiled! Not long ago he walked by my husband sitting in his easy chair with newspaper on his lap and half a sandwich in his hand. Yep, snatched that sandwich and bounded out the house! "I am sorry; I really am!"

"I am sorry; I really am!"

So, you are getting the idea that this is one poorly trained, bad dog. In our defense, please remember he is our SEVENTH Schnauzer. We have trained and treated him as we have all those before him during 35 years of our marriage. But Max is different! He is greatly loved, but is often scolded, crated, and/or confined. After his time outs, he makes apologies worthy of a diplomat. He runs, leaps on you and hugs you around the neck with his two front paws. Or he lies on his back with all four feet in the air, his head cocked sideways with the “I know I was bad, but I love you” look, asking for a tummy rub.  

I looked up Schnauzer traits on the internet and found the same highlights from a number of sources: people-oriented, affectionate, noisy, protective, energetic, and destructive and not to be trusted around small objects or animals he can put in his mouth. Yes, even played with a black snake under the car! Max fits all of these personality traits. In his two years he has cost us money in replacement objects. 

We no longer purchase pillows with feathers!! 

But why is he so smart and yet so different from the gentle dogs before him. And he sheds. Never had a Schnauzer before who shed. Also, our vet has cautioned us that Max is over the height and weight limit for a purebred miniature Schnauzer - usually 14” tall and weigh between 17-20 lbs. Max, who weighed in at just four pounds when we brought him home, is now 17” tall and weighs 27 lbs! “Curiouser and curiouser.”

For my last birthday, my husband ordered a doggy DNA test as my gift.  And this is what

we found: Max’s mother and her five generation line is purebred Schnauzer. Someone did not install a Dogwatch fence for his father’s line. Back three or more generations the DNA showed GREAT PYRANEES and Wheaten Terrier and Shih Tzu and miniature Dachshund! Somebody played around! 


But whichever breed(s) played a part in creating “Mad Max,” we love this dog and he returns our affection with his own unconditional love.

Glenne    

014 NYC by accident

The Accidental NYC Tourists 

Since my husband bought a table saw in New York City--yes NYC-– he has had a passion for visiting the Big Apple. And of course I tag along. 

More than 25 years ago, he discovered Garrett Wade, a store on the lower end of Manhattan, that was the only one in the U.S. to sell a certain Swiss table saw. 

This is my husband using his table saw in

his shop, the Old Virginia Workshop in

Winchester, VA.  This one, also bought in NYC,

is a newer version of the original Swiss saw.

He had to check it out and thus began a pilgrimage to the island that has continued through this year and hopefully beyond. 

Driving in the city was never questioned. We just got in the car early on a Saturday morning and headed north. Sometimes we felt like a cab sandwich as we were surrounded by the yellow speed demons, but that didn’t stop us. 

We would arrive about 10 a.m. and either head to the hardware store or the World Trade Center for coffee. The city was already alive with delivery trucks, making their usual rounds, and taxis gearing up for a busy day.

Parking could be a challenge--sometimes we lucked up and found a spot on the street but more likely in a lot. We made the most of being on the lower end of the island often taking in sights, including Battery Park. 

We adapted the philosophy of hiking Manhattan, comparing it to hiking the mountains near our home in the Shenandoah Valley, with comfortable shoes a must to traverse the island. I laminated a map of the Big Apple at least 20 years ago and never leave home without it when aiming for NYC.  The creases and folds have deepened with age.

As we became more familiar with the iconic city, we had favorite spots we would frequent. Sometimes we walked from the hardware store near Canal Street and the Avenue of the Americas to Little Italy on Mulberry Street.

Little Italy has been a favorite spot when we would visit the city---at least once a year and sometimes more. My family was from Italy so the area is appealing as restaurant employees stand on the street and beckon visitors with specials on the menu. We always have a great experience with superior breads and pastas as well as a street fair atmosphere.

After lunch, we usually head uptown where our hotel was usually located and turn the car over to the valet. My husband would scour websites for good deals. Before websites were commonplace, he would actually make phone calls to secure a room. When we found one we liked, we would frequent it until prices went up or if service declined.

The highlight of the hotels was a stay at the Waldorf-Astoria. My husband found that special in The Washington Post travel section. Especially memorable was when we were waiting on our car along with actor and singer Robert Goulet.  We played it cool and did not bother him for an autograph, but it is something we will never forget.. 

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, lighting many candles at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, watching the ice skaters at Rockefeller Center, trekking through Central Park---are just a few of the activities we couldn’t miss when we made the drive from Virginia.


Taking in a movie at The Paris Theatre on 58th Street near The Plaza Hotel is one of my favorite pursuits. 

It is like a trip back in time with one screen as the the theaters of our childhood and teenage years. Seats  of velvet-like fabric are worn but reminiscent of bygone days. Cost is close to movie prices anywhere and the popcorn is great. Movies are of the artsy-type which are hard to come by in many communities. 

Broadway plays are part of the plan especially if there is one we just have to see. If not, we line up at TKTS in Times Square to see what is available. “Rocky” was an entertaining musical this summer with unusual audience participation.

We had the chance to take two of the grandchildren along with their parents a couple of years ago at Christmas time. With six people, the best option was tickets on the off and on tour bus---we covered the whole island seeing many places we had missed before. They loved it as we would hop off when we wanted to visit an area and back on to continue the journey. The American Girl Place on Fifth Avenue was a very special destination and did not disappoint.

This summer, the two of us made the drive again, taking in our usual haunts.

On the left, I meet Lester Holt--not a good shot
of me.  On the right filming of the Today Show.

Sunday morning we found our way to the TODAY show, where I got to meet, shake hands, and have a picture taken with my favorite newscaster Lester Holt. 

There is always something new to see and usually a few surprises including filming crews for movies or commercials. For those who hesitate to visit NYC, don’t. It is exciting, thrilling, and invigorating. Costs can be kept down by not spending a great deal on food by finding corner stores and local restaurants to frequent, and my husband can always find an Irish pub. There is a pizza place and a Star Bucks almost on every block. 

And don’t miss taking a taxi. It is as thrilling as a ride at an amusement park and will get you to your destination in record time.

Who would have thought two Logan County, West Virginia natives---from the deep mountains near the border of Kentucky, Hatfield and McCoy territory---would have ever become city savvy. All of these wonderful experiences happened because my husband just had to check out a table saw he wanted in a hardware store in NYC. Go figure.

Frances C. Lowe      

013 Seventy times

Winchester Occupied

Any visitor to Winchester who is interested in the Civil War (and probably many who aren’t), has heard that Winchester changed hands over 70 times during the war.

There were quite a few local diarists who kept track of who was in town. Why did it matter so much to keep track? Because even if the military units that followed each other through town were from the same side, the rules of occupation were not the same. Inhabitants had to know the rules about walking the countryside to get produce, about whether their homes would be appropriated, about how to get food and clothing, about getting the mail, and so on.

There are many poignant descriptions of the occupations of Winchester. One that particulary strikes me is from Cornelia McDonald, who lived at Hawthorne on Amherst Street during most of the year.  She told of sitting outside her house, using it to protect her and her children from artillery shelling during 2nd Winchester in June 1863. All around her on the porch are her enemies—Union soldiers—who are also sheltering from cannon fire:

“ . . . [the Union soldiers] avail themselves of the only spot the shells did not reach, the angle of our house. I retreated there with my children when the shot and shells began to fly so fast, and burst all around the house; then as I sat on the porch bench, men came crowding in. Now a surgeon bringing in a wounded man . . . I tried to comfort the wounded man who sat on the bench by me, but he was past comfort; a ball was lodged in his throat and he sat with his poor wretched face distorted by pain through all those weary hours. . . . All the while the batteries thundered, and the booming of the cannon, the screaming of the shells (who has heard that scream can ever forget it?), and the balls of light go shooting over our heads, followed by that fearful explosion.”     pp.157-158, A Woman’s Civil War.

Winchester and Frederick County natives often debate whether 70 times is correct.

It is true. The city did not change from Confederate to Union 70 times but it was occupied by different troops of soldiers at least that many times. In fact, I heard a speaker this weekend at Shawnee Springs say Winchester changed hands 84 times. I have not heard that number before.

We know about the many occupations of the town from the diaries kept by many local women, some who were Southern sympathizers while others supported the Union. In an often reprinted 1955 publication of the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society, Diaries, Letters & Recollections of the War Between the States, Lewis N. Barton wrote an article that went through Julia Chase’s diary and listed each troop occupation that she had recorded. I counted and there were at least 70.

Winchester was, and is, at the center of roads leading to Washington, Richmond, Maryland and Pennsylvania so it was advantageous to hold it. When Lee went to Gettysburg, it was part of his supply and retreat line. Winchester was too close to Washington for Lincoln’s comfort and many attempts were made to take it.

But with many roads intersecting, mountain passes nearby, and multiple hilltops suitable for artillery placement, Winchester was difficult to hold.

In the fall of 1863, after the Battle of Gettysburg in July of that year, here is what life was like for civilians in Winchester:

“September 19    Federal Cavalry passed through town.
  September 25   Confederate Cavalry occupied Winchester.
  October 8         Imboden with 800 cavalry [Confederate] passed through town.
  October 13       Federal Cavalry passed through town.
  October 13      Confederate Cavalry passed through town.
  October 16      Confederate Cavalry in Winchester.
  October 18      Federal Cavalry in Winchester.
  October 20      Federal Cavalry in Winchester.
  October 26      Confederate Cavalry in Winchester.
  October 27      Federal Cavalry made a raid into Winchester.”

Diaries, Letters & Recollections, p.11.

Silly, I checked the calendar for 1863 to see if October 13 was a Friday. It wasn’t, but for Winchester residents, every day must have felt like Friday, the 13th.  We are fortunate in this community to have so many diaries and recollections of the Civil War and you can see many in original or published form in the Stewart Bell Jr. Archives at Handley Library.

If you want to read one local diary, I recommend the book Winchester Divided, the Civil War Diaries of Julia Chase and Laura Lee, edited by Michael G. Mahon.  The narrative alternates day by day the accounts of Julia Chase, who was a Union supporter, and Laura Lee, who was a stanch Confederate. Local residents had no idea of what was going on outside their community as Julia and Laura illustrate in their entries. For example, Julia would say that the Union troops were nearby and coming to town while Laura said that “our boys” will be here for a long time since no Yankees were anywhere close. They really had no idea—only hope for their side!

Winchester is unique in the number of occupations. I have tried to imagine living through the war in Winchester but cannot. At times, the residents dealt with battles outside their home, with huge numbers of soldiers looking for food and housing, with sick and wounded filling every building in the city, and with many, many deaths. That is why changing hands 70 times matters.

Trish Ridgeway    

012 Reunion

The 50th reunion

It is ten p.m. on Saturday night at the George Washington Hotel. We committee members are packing up the memorabilia we displayed for our 50th class reunion. We are not hugging goodbye for we will be attending church together on Sunday morning. Our small class had only 75 members, 17 have passed away, but we had 47 at church! 

What to say about a reunion? Plenty! First, it is bittersweet to see our old classmates.  Many innocent memories and a few shameful events flash through the mind when you 

recognize someone you may not have seen for 20, 30, 40 or 50 years. I do wonder how many of the thoughts are accurate. Does the storytelling over the years embellish or omit details? I am guessing some of each. 

Our committee of 16 began meeting last spring. We looked at old pictures, told stories, and assigned members to find “lost” classmates. WE DID IT. We found them all spread out all over the country. We did the entire event planning necessary for a gala event weekend. When? Where? Accommodations? Activities? Etc., etc., etc. Got it all done.

I was impressed with the willingness and hours put in. Now we all have a DVD of grades 1-12 with a sound track that includes “Bali Ha’I” from the prom and, of course, “Pomp & Circumstance” for the end.

Some class members have gained over the years (money, weight, ex-spouses); some

Some of the reunion jokes do apply. 

others have lost over the years (hair, mainly). Some of the athletes (aka: jocks) don’t look nearly as good as the geeks do now. I have adapted sociological theory based on this. 

We know little girls mature faster than boys. The girls read earlier, are more polite, and well behaved. The boys did “stuff,” acted out, and got more attention. Hmmpf!  Eighth grade boys-- those few willing to dance at parties-- came about shoulder high to most girls. Girls talked on the phone--a lot--and had sleepovers. The boys were outside--being active. Geeks were essentially ignored. Seems it was not until after high school, that these folks turned into intelligent, interesting, taller people. But we were no longer in the same community when they matured. Seems too bad. We may have ignored some of the really great. No wonder high school angst is so high! 

So, here is my unsolicited advice to all our blog readers: 

GO to your reunion--whether you want to or not! It will be worth it. We are senior citizens even if we don’t feel like it. When I look in the mirror, I wonder how all years slipped away. We may not see these old classmates or recall the old memories ever again. According to the Bureau of National Health Statistics, our class is right on the actuarial table with 22% gone. That means that we need to embrace our “old” selves now. It is a scary truth, but some of us might not be here for the next reunion. While we may not be exactly the same as we were in high school, this is where we got our start, intellectual seeds were sown, and basic principles learned. So, please, Go! Celebrate life! Give homage to your past. Share your memories. 

In some cases, we aged
better than the photos!

I found the April 1964 agenda of our class’s senior trip to New York City. We left at 6:45 a.m. and took a bag lunch for the bus. Was there no fast food available? I even have the room assignments. On the trip I went to see “Funny Girl” on Broadway starring Barbra Streisand. She is somewhat of an icon to me still. 

As I remember this moment, I think of her song “The Way We Were.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?V=n-KPGhwysw 

 I believe the words will speak to you, too, as Barbra sings about how “mem’ries, light corners of my mind.”

Glenne White    

011 Interviewing Willie

A second chance from Willie Nelson

Reactions to meeting celebrities can be very unpredictable --- intense heart palpitations, quickening of breath, over-the-top comments gushing forward, as well as screaming and fainting.

I found out I don’t react that way at all when I had the opportunity to interview a famous singer.

Reporters working for small town newspapers don’t get too many chances to interview big-time celebrities. But lucky me, I was given such an assignment several years ago.

I was writing a preview story for a concert Willie Nelson was headlining in Winchester, Virginia. He was coming for the first Patsy Cline Classic, a concert held in honor of Winchester’s native daughter. He knew her, her husband, and wrote one of her hits, “Crazy.”

The local promoter gave my cell number to Willie’s manager and I was told I would get a call. Usually it takes a couple of days for a call to be made with a time decided and contact person making the call. At least that was the case with other big wigs I had interviewed---authors, newscasters, singers, etc. So I thought it will be days before I hear from him or his staff.

But that was definitely not the case this time.

My cell phone rang a few hours later after I had left work. I was headed to the check-out counter at the grocery store. The name of the caller popped up as private so I am thinking it is a telemarketer

It wasn’t. It was none other than the legendary singer himself, not a secretary or publicist to set up a time for the interview.

It definitely sounded like him with that distinctive voice, and he was calling me by name. “Frances, I heard you wanted to talk to me.”

I was so shocked and flabbergasted and totally thrown off balance I told him it was a bad time since I was at the grocery store and could he call me later.

Well, he said, he was busy that evening – he had a concert and it would be pretty late.

I thanked him and said I hoped to hear from him that evening.

(Did I really just tell Willie Nelson I was too busy?)

Once I hung up the reality of it set in, and I thought I’ll never get that interview. I kept my cell phone close by but no calls came from the celebrity I had told I was too busy to interview.

I began to beat myself up mentally for not taking advantage of the call -- who tells Willie Nelson she is too busy grocery shopping to talk to him!

I got no sympathy from family, friends, or co-workers, who didn’t hesitate to tell me how crazy I was and how foolish I had been.

I back tracked and talked to the local promoter to contact the publicist again and please, please ask for a reprieve and a second chance.

Several days passed and still no call. I was sleeping with the phone and kept my notepad and pencil with me every second of the day and night.

Finally, the phone rang and the word private popped up again. Could it actually be him?

Sure enough, Willie’s melodic voice answered. I immediately apologized. He said “You must have been pretty busy when I called before.”

The interview commenced as it should have the first time and I got the story. Willie was a true delight. Listening to the voice I had heard so often in song was a real thrill.

He gave me great information about his relationship with Patsy and her family, explaining that was why he was coming to this small town at the top of Virginia.

He was absolutely gracious and a real gentleman, especially after I had put him off the first time he called.

Several years later, a story showed up on the Associated Press wire about a reporter who frequently received calls from Willie. He elaborated on when the call came he never refused it often causing him delays and even missing flights. I realized then I was in some pretty good company.

I don’t know why I reacted as I did. It was a gut reaction that couldn’t be explained. If I had it to do over (which never happens of course), I would have sprawled on the floor of the grocery store, taken out my reporter’s pad, and started firing the questions.

But due to his really nice disposition and evidently forgiving nature, he gave me a second chance! I am eternally grateful.

Frances C. Lowe

010 Walking Tootsie

Just a-Walking the Dog

My dog Tootsie and I have been helping Frances map out walking trails in the area.

It is not difficult for me to get ready—clothes, shoes, hat, sunscreen, phone and I’m done. Gearing up Tootsie and me with all the puppy accoutrements is more difficult.

Tootsie checking out
poopy bags at PetSmart.

One necessity for modern-day dog walking is the poopy bag. You can buy rolls of bags and poopy bag holders at the pet store—designer colors and patterns, scented bags (good scents, I mean). Recyling grocery-store bags works for me. When I want a more designer look, I switch to a gray Walmart bag or a lovely yellow one from some other store. One important thing to check before you take the bag is to make certain it has no holes. Don’t try to imagine the consequences . . . Tootsie is a four-year old Jack Russell Terrier and a strong puller when we walk. It is hard to believe how much pulling strength a fifteen-pound dog has. Cesar Milan, famed television Dog Whisperer, states that the dog owner should be the pack leader and be in front of the dog. I bought a harness that has the lease connection on the front of the chest instead of the top of the dog’s back, which makes pulling impossible.

I consult the printed instructions before each walk because I do not have harness engineering background. Each time I try without the instructions, the harness is hanging loose around the side of her neck and Tootsie is in the alpha dog position again.

In the summer, of course, Tootsie needs water. I have a plastic bottle with an attached bowl. I fill that bottle from the tap, but I have a dog-walking buddy who gives her dog Juno, a Boston terrier, bottled water at home and on walks. I am not sure why because when we walk around her neighborhood, Juno stops at every drain and drinks as much standing water as he can before she can jerk him away! Maybe the expensive water helps rinse him out.

When it looks like it may rain, I take an umbrella for me. I used to put Tootsie’s raincoat in my pocket to use in a heavy rain. We were once caught in a downpour. I juggled my umbrella, the raincoat, Tootsie and her harness in the pouring rain and eventually got her suited up. She stood there in her cute pink raincoat and refused to move. I pulled the lease and dragged her a few inches, but she would not lift a foot off the ground. She now walks in all rain conditions in her natural fur coat.

I also need a pocket full of doggy treats for walks. My husband started this habit on his walks with Tootsie. Whenever anyone wants to pet her, he gives each person a yummy to give to Tootsie. I think she makes some people nervous. When anyone passes, she stops and gives them a fixed stare. I probably don’t help the dog-phobic when I say, “Watch out for Killer.” They must think she sees them as a tasty bite, but the hard stare merely signifies a hunt for doggie treat distributors. It does affect the speed of the walk since Tootsie insists we stop for every possible yummy distribution. I have to carry many treats.

Once we get moving, walks are fun with Frances leading the way as she seeks out new and different walking paths. Tootsie gets very excited when we pull up to a walking site as the video below shows.  Check her out on youtube:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pDPuch5KLc

I think Tootsie's favorite walking path is Third Winchester.  She also likes Shawnee Springs, Sherando Park, and the Clarke County park.  She is happy wherever we walk--as long as The Pack (Tootsie, Frances & Trish) stay together.

We are ready for out next excursion, Frances!

009 Boomers' Pop Culture

POP CULTURE – A Boomer’s Recap

Let’s take a fascinating trip down memory lane for the fun part of our era. Music makes so many memories. In 1964, nine of the top twenty songs were by the Beatles. Then add Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line,” The Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk,” and Martha & the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street.” Twenty years later we got music videos and Cyndi Lauper and Madonna and Michael Jackson - all grown up (or not). 

 In 2004, the number one song for three months was “Yeah!” by Usher (with Lil Jon & Ludacris). So far this year, we’ve seen lots of Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Beck and Beyonce looking sexy. If I didn’t watch the guests on reality and late-night TV, I would not know any music since 1985. And now the top ten most listened to by Boomers: 10. Bob Dylan “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965) 

[Watch Dylan sing it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHOdoJDgtrk ]

9. Eagles “Hotel California” (1976); 8. Michael Jackson “Earth Song” (1989 and 1995); 7. John Lennon “Imagine” (1971); 6. ABBA “The Winner Takes It All” (1980); 5. Josh Groban “You Raise Me Up” (2002); 4. Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” (1970); 3.Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1976 and 1992); 2. Bing Crosby “White Christmas” (in top 40 Billboard for 16 years, first sung in 1942 but recording for sale in 1946) and 1. Michael Jackson “Thriller” (1992). And there you have it – straight from MANY, MANY Google searches. I know you have favorites not listed. Me, too. 

Now books: Folks were reading Lolita (1955), Peyton Place (1956) while teens were

reading The Catcher in the Rye (1951). Moving to the 1960s, we got In Cold Blood, The Godfather, and The Bell Jar. Teens were reading The Outsiders. Goodness, seems there was nothing uplifting! Other “hot” titles were Dr. Alex Comfort’s The Joy of Sex (1972), Alex Haley’s Roots in 1976 and Irving’s 1978 The World According to Garp. 

Then we begin to read authors, not just single titles: Stephen King published Carrie in 1973 and now has nearly 60 novels to date. The teens and tweens found Judy Blume in the 1970s and Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game series began in 1985. John Grisham had us spellbound in the 1990s, and then came Dan Brown, and J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter. Today, The Twilight series and the Hunger Games are big reads. One can’t help but notice how some of these titles segued into movies. 

A question: do you go to the movies (yes, I love the Alamo because it serves dinner) or do you wait for Netflix or TV releases? The husband and I still like the dark, quiet of theatres. Is this a Boomer thing? 

First I remember the Disney films meant for the children (why did all the mothers always die? Cinderella, Bambi, Beauty & the Beast . . .). We went to “star vehicles” at the end of the big studio era. Some are wonderful classics: The Music Man, Dr. Strangelove, 

My Fair Lady, Psycho, North by Northwest, Some Like It Hot, and Elvis musicals were 

some of my favorites. Other titles that show up on multiple best movie lists include The Godfather, Catch -22, Annie Hall, Star Wars, E.T., Taxi Driver, The Graduate, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Silence of the Lambs, Saving Private Ryan, Jaws, Westside Story, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Quite a mixed bag isn’t it? 

Now, the Twilight saga movies and incredible super heroes are top at the box office. Mutant Ninja Turtles redux?

What did we watch on those new televisions? In the 1950s we watched I Love Lucy, Gunsmoke, and, of course, The Ed Sullivan Show where we saw The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, The Jackson 5, along with Richard Pryor, George Carlin and Carol Burnett – and even Richard Burton in his Camelot garb. American Bandstand was on the air from 1952 -1988. No wonder everyone knew Dick Clark! 

Other popular early shows, some still on the air, were Andy Griffith, Leave It to Beaver, The Twilight Zone.  Laugh-In (from 1967-1973) made a BIG impact on pop culture. 

Just think of Goldie Hawn in the multi-print bikini with body paint puns! 

The Mickey Mouse Club was on intermittently from 1955-1996. In the 1970s came the game shows (some legit and some not!), and the sometimes controversial All in the Family.  In 1975, SNL (Saturday Night Live) began with George Carlin as the first celebrity host! The 1980s began to be more diverse: Sesame Street, The Simpsons, The Cosby Show, Seinfeld, Cheers, the Today Show. And don't forget Dallas--Who Shot JR? The 1990s brought us Beverly Hills 90210, Friends, Saved by the Bell, and culture-changing Sex and the City and South Park.

The new century opened up the world of reality TV: Desperate Housewives, American Idol, Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen and Master Chef, The Bachelor and its spin-offs started in 2002. Survivor premiered in 2000 and begins a new season this week. I think host Jeff Probst is part of the reason the show lasts. And we should add to the list of popular hosts: Nick Cannon on America’s Got Talent, Chris Harrison on The Bachelor, 

Ryan Seacrest on American Idol and, of course, Heidi Klum   

and Tim Gunn on Project  Runway (first aired 2004). And, yet, football seems to be in the #1 spot!! 

Other popular TV shows in the past few years were Glee, Lost, The Office, House, MD, The Sopranos, and for fun, The Big Bang Theory and 30 Rock.  BBC America is making headway on the airwaves with Downton Abbey and the new Dr. Who, Sherlock and The Tudors series.

What did we wear? First we were little preppy people – Mary James and saddle oxfords (with socks). We moved on to Peter Pan collars, sweater sets, and boys with crisp shirts with loops on the back placket. 

In the 1960s we got a bit more “groovy” – bell bottoms, go-go boots, miniskirts, then maxi skirts, and, OH MY, the LEISURE SUIT!! Or men had very W I D E ties. So very chic, wasn’t it? We wore platform shoes (retro now), fringe, beads, and bandanna headbands on our dreds and long hair. We learned to tie-dye. 

 By the 1990s we got back into suits with footballer player sized shoulder pads, or jumpsuits, and Chuck Taylors in every color rebounded in the market (first produced in 1917!). We also began to see “Goth” make-up – black lipstick, lots of eye liner, and jeans and t-shirts or t-shirts and jeans! Pants for all occasions, all ages, and both sexes! We wore Doc Martens, Uggs, fleece, and lycra -and the Wonderbra if one needed uplift. What’s new now? Not much. Lots of retro and more tattoos, and neon colors. 

This blog is far too long already, so I will leave you with just a list of SOME of the many toys available to us. You can add to this mentally or show your children and grandchildren what you may have saved.

Tonka Trucks, Matchbox Cars, PlayDoh, Magic Rocks, Silly Putty, hula hoops, Barbie and GI Joe, Mr. Potato Head and Cooties, Spirograph and Etch-A-Sketch, Chatty Cathy, and games like Clue and Life. 

We had Easy Bake Ovens and Frisbees and that darn Slinky that would not behave. (Monopoly came on the market in 1936 in case you wondered). 

Now most games have apps ; we use computers. Yes, I play Candy Crush but can’t get past level 226 without having to spend money. But long live LEGOS!! – a store, a movie, and still lots of small affordable packs. Guess we’ll adapt to the next new thing, too. 

Happy memories!

Glenne White

008 Remembering a Friend

So full of life --- remembering a friend

Until two years ago, I had never known anyone who was murdered.

Violent crimes only happen in big cities (or so I thought). Headlines scream the sensational details about strangers (not someone I know). But this time, it was a person I saw at work every day--we both worked in The Winchester Star newsroom.

Sarah Greenhalgh’s absence from work that Monday morning the early part of July 2012 wasn’t unusual at first (she often worked evenings covering meetings and events and reported for work later in the day), but as phone calls came in, it became apparent something was terribly wrong.

Her house was on fire; the landlord wasn’t sure if she was at home and was hoping she had come to work. But unfortunately she hadn’t. Her death was not caused by the fire as officials would later report that the fire had been set after she was shot.

This forty-something had come to the newsroom August 2011 as a seasoned, veteran reporter, and photographer. The downturn of the economy several years before had proven especially devastating to the news business as readers were getting information from other sources, and advertising was 
declining.

She took the position as a reporter and approached it with zeal and determination, using the many years of experience from other media outlets to her advantage. Every inch of her assigned beat was under scrutiny as a potential story for her or anyone else in the newsroom. Many times she would share ideas from meetings or other sources that often translated into great story ideas. 

Never missing a step, Sarah knew everything that went on in the room and registered it all in her mental file of information – the mark of a good reporter. She could hear something that was said across the room and remark in an off-handed humorous way, usually nailing exactly what was brewing. I will never forget her wit, enthusiasm, and curiosity. She found pleasure in all that she did and shared that with all of us.

She certainly knew how to command the room when she entered, giving the latest updates on stories she was covering, as well as keeping us informed about the best places to eat in the area. Food is crucial to reporters who often work through meals and don’t have time to stop and eat. Sarah kept us up-to-date on what had the best of everything. Bringing in take-out, she was known to share with some of the other reporters who took her advice and guidance in the culinary pursuits.

Her passion for living never slowed down as she recounted her adventures and experiences and was looking for just the right person to share her life. I always looked forward to hearing the lively stories of her latest pursuits.

Black-eyed Susans (her state flower)
always remind me of Sarah.

The last time I talked to her was one evening at the end of June when a storm was pounding the area extremely hard. Of course, she was on it, answering phones, getting information from callers, and dispensing facts she had found out. I was reporting the damage on our street, and she told me what was happening in the rest of the area. I had no idea it would be the last time I would talk to her. 

For me, it was a double loss – she reminded me of a dear friend who had died several years before in an accident at her home. Both were free spirits, photographers, horsewomen, newspaper people, and even physically resembled each other. I had enjoyed talking to Sarah and remembering my friend. It was like losing my old friend for a second time and my new friend for the first.

Her death was felt throughout the building and the community. People still ask about her and how the investigation is going. The officials in the county where she was murdered are actively pursuing the case, according to releases from the department.

Her family and friends hope of course for some resolution of the case. Hopefully it won’t be much longer, but there have been no charges so far.

Losing Sarah was a real blow to the newsroom. It was never quite the same. Sure everyone goes on, stories are covered, replacements hired, but it is never quite like it was.

It is an overwhelming feeling to think that someone took the life of a person so full of life.

Frances C. Lowe

007 Monuments Men

One Book, One Community 2014:  
Monuments Men Programs

The plan was to devote my blog to the topic of quantum mechanics; however, the events for One Book, One Community are rapidly approaching so I decided I should discuss the upcoming One Book programs. Actually, one movie was shown last week.

I have been a member of the One Book steering committee since it began twelve years ago.  Our objective is to have the entire community reading together.  Each year we chose a book and schedule programs about the book.  This year we are reading Monuments Men by Robert Edsel.

Tuesday, September 16

Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
6 p.m. Tour the museum, enjoy refreshments provided by MSV
7 p.m. Marisa Bourgoin

Storing Paintings from the Corcoran Gallery at

Handley High School during World War II

Battersea Reach by James McNeill Whistler was

stored at JHHS during World War II

Marisa Bourgoin is currently the Chief of Reference Services, Smithsonian Archives of American Art. She was Archivist at the Corcoran Gallery of Art from 1994 to 2007. She is returning to Winchester and repeating the very successful program she gave a few years ago. Marisa researched the art that the Corcoran Galley stored at Handley High School and gives a fascinating account.

  Schiele's Portrait of Wally (Valerie 

Neuzil, was a woman he met in 

1911. She was a model for a number    

       of his most striking paintings.)             

Saturday, September 20
Handley Library Auditorium
6:30 p.m.

Portrait of Wally

This film, jointly sponsored by One Book, Magic Lantern, and the Beth El Congregation, traces the long legal battle of one family to regain ownership of a painting seized by the Nazis in 1939. Portrait of Wally is a 1912 oil painting by Austrian painter Egon Schiele.

The painting was purchased by Rudolf Leopold in 1954 and became part of the collection of the Leopold Museum, an Austrian government museum. A story in The New York Times,

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/24/arts/zealous-collector-special-report-singular-passion-for-amassing-art-one-way.html

published during a 1997-1998 MOMA exhibit of Schiele's work, revealed the painting's history. After the publication of the article, the heirs of Lea Bondi Jaray claimed that the painting was Nazi plunder and should be returned to them.

Tuesday, September 23
John Handley High School
6 p.m. Tour the vault where Corcoran art was stored during WWII
7 p.m. Nancy Yeide and Michael Kurtz

Monuments Men, the Background Story

It may seem odd that we have scheduled the tour of the Handley vault this week, but there is a good reason. Nancy Yeide is researching art from the National Gallery that was stored at the Biltmore estate during World War II and asked to see the Handley vault. She had not known about the Corcoran art at JHHS. We will start the tour at 6 p.m. with the program in the auditorium at 7 p.m.

From right to left, Edsel, Yeide, and Kurtz

I am especially interested in this program since I recruited the speakers after hearing them speak on a panel with Monuments Men author, Robert Edsel, at a February 2014 National Archives program that was aired on CSPAN. 

In 1979, Michael Kurtz began his research on art recovered after World War II. Edsel credits him as being one of the first researchers in this area and helping to spark interest in the art. Michael’s work in the National Archives, where he worked with captured 

documents and the records from the Monuments Men, was ideal for him to complete his dissertation and the subsequent book, America and the Return of Nazi Contraband.

Currently he serves as a Visiting Professor at the University of Maryland’s College of Information Studies. Prior to this position, he worked for 37 years as professional archivist, manager, and senior executive at the National Archives and Records Administration. 

Since 1997, Nancy Yeide has conducted World War II era provenance research on the National Gallery of Art’s collection, and has spoken and written widely on the subject. In 2001 she co-authored the AAM Guide to Provenance Research, published by American Alliance of Museums Press. Her book, Beyond the Dreams of Avarice: The Hermann Goering Collection is a massive work that is the first to document the entire Goering collection and contains 1,500 images of the art pieces. Nancy has been head of the Department of Curatorial Records at the National Gallery of Art since 1990. We saw her last week as an expert commentator in the One Book showing of the film The Rape of Europa.

Tuesday, September 30
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
6 p.m.

Monuments Men, the Film

This is the culminating event of One Book 2014. You can purchase tickets online from the Alamo Drafthouse:
https://drafthouse.com/ticketing/0301/55397

There is a $7 student ticket that provides admission only to the movie. The other ticket option is the best deal. For $20 a person, you can join in the reception with heavy appetizers, soft drinks, beer or wine. In addition, we have wonderful door prizes including Edsel’s first book, Rescuing Da Vinci, a lovely coffee-table work that has many illustrations and a text that summarizes the work of the Monuments Men; it retails for $40. In addition to Edsel’s third book, Saving Italy, which documents the efforts of the Monuments Men in Italy, we have several beautiful art pieces for door prizes. [info in pix captions] 

      Geraldine Wojno Keifer, member of the One Book Committee and Associate Professor of Art History and Art

at Shenandoah University, has donated four art works as door prizes.  These two are part of her Nimrod Hall 
series. Her numerous juried, invitational and solo exhibitions encompass venues in Virginia, Ohio, Hawaii, 

     Illinois, Michigan, and Georgia, and other states may shortly join the list! 

Not only have the Alamo and Nerangis Enterprises provided support of the reception and film, but they have also generously donated several door prizes: 

• Dinner and a Movie Package: Overnight stay at the Country Inn and Suites, $30 Alamo Gift Card and a popcorn coupon. Value: $175
• Family Movie Night: Four movie tickets and one popcorn coupon. Value: $45
• Spa Escape: One Massage or Facial at Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa:   Value $90

This is our 12th book for One Book, One Community. Our thanks go to all our sponsors, community partners, and the many participants we have had over the years. Handley Regional Library continues to be a bulwark of support. I especially owe gratitude to our hard-working steering committee and to co-chair Frances Lowe!