Ballard High School - Next Picnic Date

Almost makes you want to become a baby again.

Hey kids, have any stories to tell?
Please submit your stories through
any of the comment or message boxes
throughout the website. Thank you.
"Please view the posted video clips below."

Greg Doering is a Vietnam veteran who
served in Vietnam with the U.S. Marine
Corps, 1968-69. He is a retired dental
technician and is the author of an
unpublished memoir, Honor and Indignity,
Diary of a Marine 1967-69.

MOTOR T AND THE MULE

Lots of guys drove trucks and Jeeps in
Vietnam, but how many drove the M274
Mechanical Mule? Story and photos by
Greg Doering at;
http://www.vietnow.com/motor-t-and-the-mule/

And then it is winter.
You know ... time has a way of moving quickly and catching
you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday
that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life
with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I
wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them
all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my
hopes and dreams. But, here it is... the back nine of my life
and it catches me by surprise... How did I get here so fast?
Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well seeing older people through the years and
thinking that those older people were years away from me
and that I was only on the first hole and the back nine was
so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it
would be like.

But, here it is... my friends are retired and getting grey...they
move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in
better and some worse shape than me... but, I see the great
change....Not like the ones that I remember who were young
and vibrant... but, like me, their age is beginning to show and
we are now those older folks that we used to see and never
thought we'd become. Each day now, I find that just getting
a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not
a treat anymore... it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own
free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so... Now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared
for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to
go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least
I know, that though I'm on the back nine, and I'm not sure how
long it will last... this I know, that when it's over on this earth...
it's over. A new adventure will begin! Yes, I have regrets. There
are things I wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but
indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in
a lifetime.

So, if you're not on the back nine yet...let me remind you, that it
will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like
to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things
off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as
you can never be sure whether you're on the back nine or not!
You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your
life.... so, live for today and say all the things that you want your
loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love
you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years
past!!

"Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to
those who come after. Make it a fantastic one. LIVE IT WELL!
ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY! HAVE A GREAT
DAY Remember "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces
of gold and silver. LIVE HAPPY IN 2017!

LASTLY, to my "OLD" friends, CONSIDER THIS:
~Your kids are becoming you......but your grandchildren are perfect!
~Going out is good... Coming home is better!
~You forget names.... But it's OK because some people forgot they
even knew you!!!
~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything
like golf.
~The things you used to care to do, you aren't as interested in
anymore, but you really don't care that you aren't as interested.
~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV 'ON' than in bed.
It's called "pre-sleep".
~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON"
and "OFF" switch...
~You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..."when?"... ???
~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!!
~What used to be freckles are now liver spots.
~Everybody whispers.
~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will
never wear.
~~~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and
best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!
Stay well, "OLD FRIEND!" Send this on to other "Old Friends!"
and let them laugh in AGREEMENT!!! It's Not What You Gather,
But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN; YET THE YOUNGEST
YOU'LL EVER BE, SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS

"Do Not Regret Growing Older.
It is a Privilege Denied to Many.

Sent from a friend.

I remember the big earth quake in 1965
when they shut down Ballard High School
for damage evaluation. We drove over to
Lincoln High School that day thinking the
old rickety building would be leveled. It
was still in operation, I don't think they
even knew there was an earth quake.

Crack in the foundation.

I remember almost every day of senior year,
Tom McGerr and I going after 1st period to
sneak a quick smoke from the west exit to
Mr. Blessing's roll room. Tom where are you
now? I remember Pete Winechinko setting
off a cherry bomb in the main hall trash can...
I remember Frank Faylor.. I remember driving
to Golden Gardens after the earthquake to see
the tidal wave.. I remember skipping gym class
for an entire semester and getting a "C" in the
class. I remember all the great people who
worked on the Talisman staff and the fun we
had.. I remember wishing I was in the "in crowd",
but also thanking God I didn't get picked on like
some of the other kids.. High School was overall
a pretty good experience and Ballard was a great
school to be from. Happy Reunion!!!
Mike Allan
E-mail: mike.allan@sharp.com

I was sitting home the other day when my
son stopped by with our grand daughter.
She had just started the 4th grade and I
was eagar to find out how she liked it. I
asked her what she had learned so far.
She replied that she had learned how to
make babies. I was somewhat surprised
thinking that the 4th grade may be a bit
soon for this kind of information but
continued with our conversation anyway
and asked her just how do you make
babies. She said it's very easy. You just
drop the y and add ies.

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots,
each hung on the ends of a pole, which she
carried across her neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the
other pot was perfect and always delivered
a full portion of water. At the end of the long
walk from the stream to the house, the
cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily,
with the woman bringing home only
one and a half pots of water. Of course,
the perfect pot was proud of its
accomplishments. But the poor cracked
pot was ashamed of its own imperfection,
and miserable that it could only do half
of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to
be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman
one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, because this
crack in my side causes water to leak
out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice
that there are flowers on your side of the
path, but not on the other pot's side?"
"That's because I have always known
about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds
on your side of the path, and every day
while we walk back, you water them.
For two years I have been able to pick
these beautiful flowers to decorate the
table.

Without you being just the way you are,
there would not be this beauty to grace
the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But
it's the cracks and flaws we each have
that make our lives together so very
interesting and rewarding. You've just got
to take each person for what they are and
look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have
a great day and remember to smell the
flowers on your side of the path!

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN GUILTY OF LOOKING
AT OTHERS

YOUR OWN AGE AND THINKING, "SURELY I
CAN'T LOOK THAT OLD?"

WELL ... YOU'LL LOVE THIS ONE!

I WAS SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR MY
FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH A NEW DENTIST. I
NOTICED HIS DDS DIPLOMA, WHICH BORE HIS
FULL NAME.

SUDDENLY, I REMEMBERED A TALL, HANDSOME,
DARK-HAIRED BOY WITH THE SAME NAME HAD
BEEN IN MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS SOME 40 YEARS
AGO.COULD HE BE THE SAME GUY THAT I HAD A
SECRET CRUSH ON, WAY BACK THEN ?

UPON SEEING HIM, HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DISCARDED
ANY SUCH THOUGHT. THIS BALDING, GRAY-HAIRED
MAN WITH THE DEEPLY LINED FACE WAS WAY TOO
OLD TO HAVE BEEN MY CLASSMATE. HMM! M ... OR
COULD HE? (are you thinking of about 3/4 of the guys
at our last class reunion??)

AFTER HE EXAMINED MY TEETH, I ASKED HIM IF
HE HAD ATTENDED BALLARD HIGH SCHOOL. "YES.
YES, I DID. I'M A BEAVER," HE GLEAMED WITH PRIDE.

"WHEN DID YOU GRADUATE?" I ASKED.
HE ANSWERED, "IN 1966. WHY DO YOU ASK?"

"YOU WERE IN MY CLASS!" I EXCLAIMED.

HE LOOKED AT ME CLOSELY. THEN, THAT UGLY,
OLD, WRINKLED, BALD, FAT, GRAY, DECREPIT
SON-OF-A-BITCH ASKED,

"WHAT DID YOU TEACH?"

Lutefisk

Lutefisk, pronounced LEWD-uh-FISK, is dried cod fish
that has been soaked in a lye solution for several days
to rehydrate it. It is then boiled or baked and served
with butter, salt and pepper. The finished lutefisk usually i
s the consistency of Jello. It is also called lyefish, and
in the US, Norwegian-Americans traditionally serve
it for Thanksgiving and at Christmas. In many
Norwegian homes, lutefisk takes the place of
the Christmas turkey.

It is said that about half the Norwegians who
immigrated to America came in order to escape
the hated lutefisk, and the other half came to
spread the gospel of lutefisk's.

Now that you have a brief understanding of
lutefisk here is a wonderful story told to me
by one of our classmate.

When I was growing up in Alaska before moving
to Ballard, we would quite often be visited by
my Norwegian uncle. He was always welcomed
to our home and in appreciation of his visit my
mother would prepare lutefisk for him. The
house would reek for days of this god awful
smell. It wasn't until I was much older that I
realized the smell that had engulfed our home
was the cooking of lutefisk. Up until that time
I had always thought that the unbearable smell
came from my uncle.

Last night my wife and I were sitting in the
living room and I said to her "I never want
to live in a vegetative state, dependent on
some machine and fluids from a bottle. If
that ever happens, just pull the plug!"

So she got up, unplugged the TV and threw
out my beer.

What I Have Learned

I've learned ..... That the best classroom in the world is at the
feet of an elderly person.

I've learned .... That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned .... That just one person saying to me, 'You've
made my day!' makes my day.

I've learned ... That having a child fall asleep in your arms
is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned .... That being kind is more important than
being right.

I've learned .... That you should never say no to a gift
from a child.

I've learned .... That I can always pray for someone when
I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned .... That no matter how serious your life requires
you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned ..... That sometimes all a person needs is a
hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned .... That simple walks with my father
around the block on summer nights when I was a
child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned ..... That life is like a roll of toilet paper.
The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned .... That we should be glad God doesn't
give us everything we ask for..

I've learned .... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned ..... That it's those small daily happenings
that make life so spectacular.

I've learned ... That under everyone's hard shell is
someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned .... That to ignore the facts does not
change the facts.

I've learned .... That when you plan to get even
with someone, you are only letting that person
continue to hurt you.

I've learned ..... That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned ..... That the easiest way for me to grow
as a person is to surround myself with people smarter
than I am.

I've learned .... That everyone you meet deserves to
be greeted with a smile.

I've learned ... That no one is perfect until you fall in
love with them.

I've learned ... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned ... That opportunities are never lost;
someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned .... That when you harbor bitterness,
happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned ... That I wish I could have told my Dad
that I love him one more time before he passed away.

I've learned .... That one should keep his words both
soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to
eat them.

I've learned .... That a smile is an inexpensive way to
improve your looks.

I've learned .... That when your newly born grandchild
holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're
hooked for life.

I've learned ..... That everyone wants to live on top of
the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs
while you're climbing it.

I've learned .... That the less time I have to work with,
the more things I get done.

To view some of these video
clips please click on the button
in the center of the screen.
Enjoy!

Inside the old school

A final look at the old school

A performance by your classmate
friend and mine Dan Brooks.

A video presentation in support of
Camp Goodtimes on Vashon Island.
By Millstream Video Productions

The Demolition of the old school

The Miss Thriftway Maiden Voyage.