CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
Visit, Pat and Peg
Jennifer Dietzen, Kathy and Amy
Rita, Kathleen
Uncle Jim, Aunt Barbara
Judy, Norman Butler, Aunt Dorothy
Candi and Larry Suddjian
Patty and Pablito
Family reunion, 990612

1610 -
1610 -    ..
1611 - Summary/Objective
1612 -
161201 - Follow up ref SDS 3 0000, ref SDS 2 0000.
161202 -
161203 - Millie and I found the Butler home, easily following Judy's
161204 - directions.  The home is in a residential area, but has a lot of
161205 - privacy and security. The home is at the foot of low rolling hills,
161206 - with clusters of what look like oak trees.  It is graceful and
161207 - peaceful.
161208 -
161209 -      [On 990624 sent note to Judy and Norm. ref SDS 4 0001]
161211 -  ..
161212 - Peg had arrived, and was walking around to the backyard.  She looked
161213 - terrific, and waved hello.
161215 -  ..
161216 - Everyone was in the backyard, next to the pool.  Some of the
161217 - youngsters were swimming, cooling off on a fairly warm day.
161219 -  ..
161220 - Talked to Uncle Jim and Uncle Ray.
161222 -  ..
161223 - Uncle Ray recently hurt his back.  He slipped and fell, climbing down
161224 - a ladder.  I think he was fixing a roof, and tried to go down the
161225 - ladder while carrying materials, or something, and so could not use
161226 - his hands to steady himself in descending the ladder.
161228 -  ..
161229 - Uncle Ray has to take medication for pain, and has lost feeling in his
161230 - legs.  He said standing is the most comfortable position.  The doctor
161231 - recommends surgery, but Uncle Ray has resisted because the chances for
161232 - success are not very high under the circumstances of age.  Most
161233 - amazing is that he was able to show up for the reunion.  With those
161234 - ailments mere mortals would have been in the hospital, but not Uncle
161235 - Ray.  He has more staying power than the Energizer Bunny.
161237 -  ..
161238 - Norm gave a tour of the house.
161240 -  ..
161241 - It has a lot of fascinating features.  Deep, low arches in the main
161242 - hallway impart strength, and a sort of Mediterranean mystique.  Yet,
161243 - Judy's arrangement and decor give each room a feel of warmth and
161244 - comfort.  Her doll collection on display in various rooms is amazing,
161245 - probably covering 50 years or more, going back to her youth.  There
161246 - are several pictures of Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Kenneth, when they were
161247 - young, possibly newlyweds.  It is easy to see where Judy and Linda get
161248 - their striking good looks.
161250 -  ..
161251 - Norm pointed out the many angles and different designs on each wall of
161252 - their bedroom.  He finds that staring up and observing this complex
161253 - set of connections stimulates thought and contemplation.  Judy has an
161254 - impressive collection of different style pillows that further spur the
161255 - imagination.
161257 -  ..
161258 - I liked the high ceilings throughout the home, giving a sense of
161259 - openness and majesty.  Norm said the high ceilings make for a lot of
161260 - excitement to change a light bulb.  Even using a ladder requires
161261 - considerable planning to get positioned correctly in relation to the
161262 - sloped ceilings.  They had a good time negotiating with the interior
161263 - decorator on positioning one particular picture in the family room so
161264 - that it is lit up by a light in the ceiling.  The height of the
161265 - ceiling and the steep angles provided quite a test to get the right
161266 - alignment -- finally, something useful to do with the computer and
161267 - that old trigonometry book from high school.
161269 -  ..
161270 - A lot of little details bring life and personality to the home.  The
161271 - wallpaper in the bathroom near the rear entry that leads to the tennis
161272 - court, has a "tennis" design, and the towel racks, are in the shape of
161273 - crossed tennis racquets.  Actually, I think Norm said the bathroom has
161274 - tile walls, and the tennis design is painted, rather than wall paper.
161276 -  ..
161277 - It is difficult to explain or overemphasize the imaginative design of
161278 - the home.
161280 -  ..
161281 - Norm's office is an example
161283 -  ..
161284 - Norm has created a combination office and workout room above the
161285 - kitchen.  I think it is the only room on the second floor, and it
161286 - looks out over the family room below, which shares a common ceiling.
161287 - The stair is fairly narrow and circular, which brought to mind my
161288 - Dad's work years ago building circular stairs for his clients.  Us
161289 - boys got great lessons in geometry helping Dad put those stairs
161290 - together.  I remember being worried, all the pieces would not produce
161291 - the desired effect, but Dad's design always turned out to work.
161293 -  ..
161294 - Norm showed several exercises he does to stretch out his back, and
161295 - also a pendulum exercise, with weights, for his shoulder.
161296 -
161297 -      [On 990625 received brochure from Kaiser showing similar
161298 -      exercises to rehabilitate my shoulder. ref SDS 5 4662]
161300 -  ..
161301 - A special touch in the home is the theater room with a large pull down
161302 - screen.  Special window blinds shut out the light during the day to
161303 - ensure good viewing.
161305 -  ..
161306 - Norm is proud of the garage they built after moving in, for their
161307 - motor home.  It has ample room for storage, and as a work shop.  Norm
161308 - pointed out three (3) 2 x 4 members that brace the roof and wall.  The
161309 - braces look too frail to accomplish much.  Norm explained these were
161310 - not in the original design approved by the building department.  The
161311 - inspector made the contractor add them, and Norm agreed rather than
161312 - fight "City Hall."
161314 -  ..
161315 - It was a great delight to see so many adults, who were children the
161316 - last time I saw them, 30 or mores years ago. I did not recognize
161317 - Candi's son, Jimmy; and, he was kind to introduce himself, as did Norm
161318 - and Judy's son, Kenny.  Rita's daughter, Melissa is, of course, all
161319 - grown up, and had come all the way from Kentucky, I think is where she
161320 - makes her home now.
161322 -  ..
161323 - Of course, as ever the master planner, Norm had anticipated this
161324 - nuance of family reunions, by providing a name tag system.
161326 -  ..
161327 - Aunt Barbara likened this event to Norm's 50th birthday party, when a
161328 - good number of us got together to honor this milestone in Norm's life.
161329 - The next big gathering of the clan was in 1968, at Pat and Peg's
161330 - cabin, to celebrate the birth of Melissa.  Aunt Barbara and Rita had
161331 - come up from San Diego, and I was on the way to Vietnam.  But none of
161332 - those occasions matched today's party, particularly since a number of
161333 - new young ones are now in the family.
161335 -  ..
161336 - Aunt Barbara explained plans for attending a military reunion back
161337 - East, I think in Virginia, next October. She seemed to say they are
161338 - planning to drive, rather than fly.  Uncle Jim later indicated this
161339 - planning is preliminary.
161340 -
161341 -      [On 990624 plans are on hold. ref SDS 4 0001]
161343 -  ..
161344 - Enjoyed visiting briefly with Linda.
161346 -  ..
161347 - Her boys brought a "49er" football aura to the event, with their size.
161348 - I was disappointed not to have spent more time talking to them,
161349 - because they are cordial and offer a great deal to the family.
161351 -  ..
161352 - Linda seemed to have a good conversation with Kathleen, which brought
161353 - to mind our summer together in 1953 or 1954. I think this would have
161354 - been sometime after Judy and Norman were married.  Grandmother and
161355 - Grandad took care of a home in Woodside, here in Northern California,
161356 - on the peninsula, while the owners were away on vacation.  It was a
161357 - fairly large home with a ranch setting, including a barn for horses.
161358 - I remember there were wild cats, that we fed at night.  The cats ate
161359 - the food we put out, but would not let us get near.  There was also a
161360 - Saint Bernard that had a huge penned area all to itself. That summer
161361 - Linda was the "leader" of our pack.  I marveled at how she harnessed
161362 - and saddled the horses, so we could go riding.  By the end of the
161363 - summer, I was able to do this, but I was amazed at how a girl,
161364 - especially someone so pretty like Linda, had the strength and courage
161365 - to handle a great big horse, that wasn't terribly friendly. That
161366 - summer, and Linda's verve and leadership, will always be remembered.
161368 -  ..
161369 - Millie and I tried out the tennis court.  It is a professional
161370 - installation, similar to the one we built in Rancho Cordova about
161371 - 1974.  Fortunately there is a shaded stand where people can sit and
161372 - watch.  Soon, Jennifer traded in her dress for tennis attire.  Turned
161373 - out she coached tennis in high school.  Amy and Michael took over for
161374 - awhile.  We got even more exercise chasing the balls hit out of the
161375 - court.  Finally, Pablito and Jennifer showed us how to knock that ball
161376 - around.  We couldn't entice Patty to join in, but Jennifer mentioned
161377 - something about getting both Pablito and Patty to start hitting some
161378 - tennis, when they get back home.
161379 -
161380 -      [On 990815 sent Patty a note linked to this record. ref SDS 7
161381 -      0001]
161383 -  ..
161384 - Mike and Jannett came out to watch.  Even though they are recently
161385 - grandparents, which Janett shared with great delight, we tried to talk
161386 - them into hitting some balls.  Mike and I played a little tennis in
161387 - about 1971, at Pat and Peg's cabin in Arnold.  On that occasion, we
161388 - used a fairly run down public court next to a driving range or
161389 - something.  The court today, is quite a step up.
161391 -  ..
161392 - I think Norm said this is the first time their tennis court has been
161393 - used, since they move in, so it was a good inaugural.
161395 -  ..
161396 - Bob Swanson explained continuing difficulties he and Kathleen are
161397 - having with the computer.  They feel, or have been told, that "SDS,"
161398 - and not installing Windows 98 on the C partition, cause Windows 98 to
161399 - fail on their computer.
161400 -
161401 -      [On 990811 moved OS to C partition. ref SDS 6 9284]
161403 -  ..
161404 - Sounds like a political conspiracy. Patty was up until 2am this
161405 - morning, reinstalling the operating system, but they are still having
161406 - problems.  I congratulated her on determination and willingness to
161407 - solve problems, since installing W98 and configuring all of the
161408 - applications on a computer, is quite a challenge.  Being pretty, smart
161409 - and determined is quite a combination. Patty and Pablito will take the
161410 - CPU to a friend where Patty works, who has agreed to set it up the way
161411 - Kathleen and Bob want.
161413 -  ..
161414 - Jimmy Welch is teaching a computer course on using the computer
161415 - keyboard.  He said that students, who are assigned late to the class,
161416 - seem to make faster progress using a self-teaching software program,
161417 - He is thinking of recommending a change in the curriculum to use the
161418 - teaching software, so there will be more time for the kids to learn
161419 - other aspects of using a computer.
161421 -  ..
161422 - Jimmy recalled in 1967 driving over 120 MPH, when he, Aunt Barbara and
161423 - maybe Rita came to Fort Gordon near Augusta, GA to pick me up and
161424 - drive back to their home in Atlanta for a weekend visit. I remember
161425 - taking the bus once or twice, and that along the 70 mile route the bus
161426 - would stop for people to board with chickens, pigs, goats.  Both
161427 - experiences made for an adventurous trip.
161429 -  ..
161430 - Jimmy has an excellent memory.  He related driving through Texas some
161431 - years ago while in the Air Force, and came through an area where he
161432 - expected to see a Flying A Gas Station sign.  Sure enough, the sign
161433 - appeared as he remembered from having driven through the same area
161434 - just once over 30 years previously, when his Dad was taking the family
161435 - on a similar trip, perhaps to the same military post.
161437 -  ..
161438 - Aunt Barbara looked well, following heart problems in January.
161440 -  ..
161441 - She and Uncle Jim trade off on who does dinner during the week.
161443 -  ..
161444 - Peggy had a "great time" driving up from San Diego with Karen and the
161445 - kids.  She had not taken a long car ride with small children for quite
161446 - sometime, since Pat died on 921202. ref SDS 1 5920, so it was an
161447 - experience to "remember."  Peg asked when Millie and I are coming to
161448 - visit so we can play scrabble.  I explained having forgotten all the
161449 - words, so would not be much competition for Peg, the master wordsmith.
161451 -  ..
161452 - Karen is aglow with her new baby.  Her two little girls are a treat,
161453 - and the new baby will ensure that none of the kids will be spoiled by
161454 - too much attention.
161456 -  ..
161457 - Candi rode her horse last night, about 10 miles or so.  She likes
161458 - having time to think and enjoy the outdoors, working with the horse in
161459 - navigating different terrain.
161461 -  ..
161462 - We joked a bit about finally getting the family reunion done, that we
161463 - have discussed the past 10 years or so.
161465 -  ..
161466 - Uncle Jim praised Candi for her moving words in the note she sent,
161467 - which everyone read at Stephanie's memorial. ref SDS 2 0947
161469 -  ..
161470 - I asked Candi and Larry about Uncle Jim's report that they have been
161471 - on television. ref SDS 2 0720
161473 -  ..
161474 - Larry related working with John Doolittle, now a Congressman, on
161475 - preserving a bridge, or some similar historical artifice, that was
161476 - slated for demolition, perhaps for a public improvement.  I mentioned
161477 - meeting John at a Cupertino HS event in 1982 or 1983.  He and his wife
161478 - came to dinner, and we discussed the "famous" Welch case.  He offered
161479 - to help, but I elected to let the courts take a stab at it.
161481 -  ..
161482 - During dinner, Millie visited with Tim and Sherry, who related that
161483 - Norm had to remove the trampoline in order to get homeowner's
161484 - insurance.  This is fortunate, because, if it was still here, I would
161485 - have tried it out.  About 3 or 4 months ago I used the trampoline at a
161486 - friend's house to entertain his son, Steven, and found I have lost a
161487 - little flexibility and timing, since the previous try, 10 years
161488 - earlier.  There is a definite difference between 45 and 55 using the
161489 - trampoline.  But, hope springs eternal.  So, without the wisdom of the
161490 - insurance company, I would probably have a dislocated clavical or
161491 - sprained back.
161493 -  ..
161494 - Replacing the trampoline, as an attractive activity for the children,
161495 - is a meticulously created play area outside the home.  Norm has had
161496 - several miniature houses built and assembled, along with traditional
161497 - playground equipment installed, e.g., swings, rings and other climbing
161498 - structures.  We considered how the setting of his home that opens to
161499 - wide expanse of land, hills and trees, may lead adventurous children
161500 - to explore the outdoors.  We recalled the fun, as children, of
161501 - forsaking official play areas, to go off and build a tree fort that
161502 - provided refuge and sense of personal achievement.
161504 -  ..
161505 - Judy suggested that Millie and I come over to hit some tennis balls,
161506 - and that we might use the court when they are away.  We thanked her
161507 - and Norman for hosting the reunion, and will try to visit more often.
161509 -  ..
161510 - After dinner, Norm got everyone together for pictures.  He and Judy
161511 - have several big, oversized portraits showing their family growing
161512 - over the years.  Pictures of today's reunion, with 30 or more people,
161513 - will add to everyone's family history.
161515 -  ..
161516 - Uncle Jim then gathered us all around, and we assembled in the shade
161517 - for a short essay on family values.
161519 -  ..
161520 - Uncle Jim thanked Norm and Judy for hosting the reunion, and offered
161521 - congratulations on such a splendid home, and location for this event
161522 - today.  He pointed out that the last Welch family reunion was in 1940,
161523 - and that we should all resolve to hold these more often than every 60
161524 - years.  That does not seem too terribly high a standard to meet.
161525 - Reunion builds strong families, which make good citizens and a better
161526 - and life.  Our generation, grew up going to Grandmother's house a few
161527 - times a month, and now remember the great fun, especially visiting
161528 - with the cousins.  Uncle Jim was suggesting today, that this same
161529 - opportunity to grow a wide range of family bonds, should be afforded
161530 - to the next generation.
161532 -  ..
161533 - Judy and Norman have made this finally happen.  The rest of us need to
161534 - step forward as well.
161535 -
161536 -
161537 -
161538 -
1616 -