ABOUT
Welcome to the DHS '63 Website
What Are You Doing in Retirement?
Have you taken up any new sports? Do we have any pickle ball players? How many guys have learned to cook? Any great recipes? What crafts do you pursue? Any wood workers? or quilters? How many of you like jigsaw puzzles, or crossword puzzles or Wordle?
Send a picture along for publication!
Still working? Tells us why?
All About our Pets
Not too late to tell us about your pets . . . goofy pets, award winning pets. Send a picture of them as well!
Just imagine waking up to this scene. . .
Photo by Julian Orr
Were you ever grateful during the past year that you didn't live in California?
Did you know that several of your classmates are? Here's what it was like for Julian Orr, who was under evacuation orders in Pescadero . . .
Refugee Poem -- Evacuation
Suddenly the evacuation orders include Bean Hollow Road. . .
Actually it was quite casual
you could have missed it
but the evening briefing included Bean Hollow Road
plus a huge swath of territory from Highway 84 south
between Skyline and the sea
None of which is menaced by fire now, but
Everybody out
Reinforced by sheriffs, highway patrol, and police
borrowed from every jurisdiction in the county.
​
The fire is four or five miles east
the wind from the north or northwest
We're reasonably safe
Should we stay anyway?
​
We go
Pack lightly
some clothes
all the medications
passport and prescriptions
[All the horses in the neighborhood
were evacuated this morning
with the smooth organization
the army pretends to.]
I take Emma in the truck
Willie Sue takes the cats
in the car
A roadblock at every intersection:
Outbound traffic only
[Except:
there's a line of trucks with horse trailers
come to rescue horses.]
We pass through, drive north
It's foggy and the wind is from in front
to our friend's house in Los Altos
Where we stay
​
We just walked away from our home
neither of us remembers
if we locked the front door
But we left everything
the art
the books
the guns
our clothes
the bananas on top
of the refrigerator
and even the chocolate
And the barns
my motorcycles
and tools
the tractor
the chainsaws
the generator
All our land
trails to walk
trees that need cutting
grass that needs mowing
the deer and birds to watch
the owls to hear
and even an occasional coyote
We have seen bobcats
but not lately
Mountain lions are there
sometimes
[Emma finds their leftovers]
We live there, and have
for thirty-five years
And we left
Staying would have put
other people in danger
So we left
Now what do we do?
​
©Julian Orr 2020
Eileen Brownell is another California resident. She lives in Chico, an area that has been hit twice in recent years by terrible fires. Many in this area had managed to rebuild after the first Camp Fire only to have their homes destroyed again in 2020. For more on her experiences as a Police Chaplain please go to NEWS.
What's it all about?
Well, for a lot of us it's all about covid!
Just so you know what an inspiration you are to us. . . we got the idea for a covid page from Cindy Potter's submission entitled "Incarceration" when she called the pandemic worse than any hurricane she had ever lived through! And that was in the spring. Little did we know. She now admits that it did have an upside.
"I have been doing genealogy since 2003 and this quarantine has enabled me to break down a few brick walls as well as to build a bigger and better family tree. I've been in touch with relatives all over the world and it's most gratifying when a major breakthrough occurs."
Leah (at Deering Carol) Holmes said "If I ever get another haircut, I will jump for joy! Sam Band says, "We're not doing too bad, admits it is a very stressful time for both Annie (Merle Anne Chadbourne) and her family. He stayed at her house for 3 months until she was able to get around and look after herself in most things." There is an update on her condition in the NEWS section. Len Berman reports that "All's well in our home." but I bet like many others he is missing SeaDogs games. . . not to mention Red Sox games. At least now he can get a SeaBiscuit. Wonder if he plays golf?
Suzanne Svenson Kahill is thankful that she and Charlie are both working, but will be very relieved and grateful when there is a vaccine. Both Suzy and BJ Dowling Kovachs miss family gatherings. BJ says"birthday celebrations just aren't the same without hugs!" Paul Pendleton hopes we will have more appreciation for each other and for the freedoms we used to have when they are returned. And hopes also we will continue to hold onto some of the gifts we discovered while our lives were slowed down.
Our masked couple (have you figured out who they are yet?) sends this message: "Our lives are much quieter than ever before and that's not bad. Both of us are doing more weeding and gardening and we've enjoyed it! Although we elderly are in the high risk Covid-19 group, our daughters and grandchildren are much more affected, as yours must be too. They work and do homeschooling, often an exhausting task. Kate's job cannot be done with social distancing. Our grandchildren have much more limited contact with friends. We know that people who have lost jobs or family members
have been devastated by the pandemic. We hope that none of our class has had this awful virus." Tom & Diana Allen
Happy Spring!
Always a big deal here in Maine and usually accompanied by a forecast of snow. But the crocuses and daffodils are up so we are on the way!
We are very encouraged by all the replies we received to our introductory email. Some were replies of thanks from Paula Noe Jacobson and Suzanne Svenson Kahill and Linda Tarkinson Carey and Ellen Thompson Raskin.
There were some "great jobs, looks great" from Barb Ryland and BJ Dowling Kovach. Diane Gordon Vogt wrote "such a wonderful idea" and Marie Cleaves Tysinger sent "Congratulations on your new endeavor."
Two guys actually made submissions: Len Berman and Sam Band (look for them on the News Page). BJ added that "it would be fun to hear from everyone" and Lenora Martelle Pressey holds to the hope that "this website is going to do exactly what you intended, to bring us together." Certainly, that is our goal!
Julian Orr and I had extended email conversations on what would make a "good entry" and we concluded anything about your life that we might not know: if you live out of state what do you like best about your area?, What's something you have done that your classmates never would have guessed you would do? What did you like best about your job? What do you like best about retirement? What are your kids or grandkids doing? A little bragging is OK. Accompanying pictures are wonderful especially if you don't want me to dredge up your old yearbook pic!
What a perfect time to prepare a submission! While you are quarantined, sequestered, or otherwise sheltering in place with no sporting events to distract you. Submit now! I can guarantee that your submissions will be read.
TEAM
TERRY ALLEN
I was a middle school principal and elementary school teacher for many years, and I am still subbing! Love my work. Not ready to retire yet!
Welcome to the DHS Class of 1963 Website and Happy New Year because Auld Lang Syne is at least half of what we are all about.
The other half is about who we are now. For that part we need help from you.
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How have you changed in the years since high school? Who are you now? Are you retired? How are you spending all that free time? Still working? What is it about your job that keeps you there? Would you like to start a conversation about topics that interest you? Or hobbies you have? Maybe find someone in the class who likes the same things?
These are our ideas, but hey! this is your website, tell us what you would like to see here.
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To submit your ideas, go to the Contact page.
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MURIEL ALLEN
I've been a bookkeeper and a bookseller, but I am very happily retired. So busy though -- volunteering, a little civil disobedience, and writing some poetry. Life is good!
