Grayboy/Graygirl All-Stars [reunion videos]

By Barbara Groark

There was a game in the 1990s called Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. [Look it up on Wikipedia.] The 2008 Columbus Day Weekend HCHS Class of 1968 Reunion attendees can now play that game, with a competitive Bacon number of 2. Apparently the actor was staying at the Flanders Hotel over the Columbus Day Weekend. Kris Mosteller Hackney chatted with him in the elevator, and I’m sure she invited him to our party, but he was going to play in his brother’s band at the Music Pier that night and would not be able to attend. I’m sure the Music Pier was a nice time too.

What he missed can be found in the links at the bottom of this blog. I had 25 minutes of video, and YouTube only takes 10-minute segments at most, so we divided it in four. (I had the help of another niece.)

Bob Law also sent a few additional photos you may want to see at Picasa (Saturday Night album - check out the view from the top of the stairs in that group picture), and I added a few more too of what I had. (Click on My Photoes to see the other albums.) I was trying to show at least one photo of everybody who attended, but some people were camera-shy. Bob came through with Kathy Kostek Himchak and her husband, and Marilyn Dugan McMenamin can be seen in the background of one picture, but she is visible more clearly in the large group picture at the railing (the earlier version from Dan Turygan). We only get a good look at some of the husbands and wives in the Sunday breakfast album. I added Mrs. Turygan to the Friday Saturday album – there was no other picture of her!

The only thing I can say to introduce the videos – after I apologize for the nonprofessional lighting and disappointing color - is that THESE PEOPLE ARE 58 YEARS OLD! And as the Sunday morning pictures prove, we were afterward NONE THE WORSE FOR WEAR! (just a little tired)

Once you see the page, click on the "watch in high quality" link to the right under the video viewer.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Here's our whole YouTube channel. If I ever add to it, or if anyone sends more photos for Picasa, I'll let you know.

And the beat goes on.

Gray and Maroon [reunion photos]

By Barbara Groark


By strange coincidence, the only flowers left in my garden that the rabbits haven’t bitten down and that aren’t just done this time of year are the dusty miller (gray) and the red coleus plants (maroon). Interesting. Weird.


One piece of sad news from the reunion is that Mary Callahan of Moorestown has died. I have added her name to the “Moment of Silence” article.


I’m trying Picasa for the pictures. When you hit the link, you may be asked to sign in and make up a password, but there is no cost (more Google free stuff) and you may just get an email once in a while. You also may be asked to download the Picasa photo reader so your computer can read the pictures. So say “yes” to that, or “download now,” however you find it on your machine.


I’m sorry I did not get a photo or two at the Amendolas Sunday afternoon. Our numbers were few, and we were all too amazed at our house tour to be analytical enough to take pictures – is that the explanation? In any case, this was an area of neglect on my part. Carol and Tom were gracious hosts, and Tom has amazing collections of antique cars, radio and television sets, and other 20th century technology memorabilia on display – and is working on a really large train set, or system, in his spare time. Carol has a work area/sewing room in her basement where even more products of her fertile imagination eventually make their way upstairs. Everything is new, beautiful, and welcoming, even where it is unfinished. And Carol is blonde now, in case you run into her around town.


Here are three links to the still pics; many thanks to Dan Turygan, Marlene Altamuro Handschuh, and Mary Pippitt Cervantes for passing their photos over to round out my own:


Once at the album page, click once on the first picture, then use the Forward and Back arrow buttons, or you might click the Slideshow button on the album page (ESC button to return).


Friday and Saturday

Saturday Evening

Sunday Morning

The video did come out, though a bit dark. I’ll be getting them posted very shortly.

A Little Slice of Heaven

By Barbara Groark

This early evening I was driving home on Route 38 from the Amendolas’ beautiful home and I noticed three hot-air balloons floating above the shorn cornfields. There was also a full moon showing before sundown. This seemed an apt close to the famous Holy Cross High School Class of 1968 40th Reunion Weekend in Ocean City, New Jersey, based at the Flanders Hotel, during which there was a feeling of floating slightly above the earth as we all enjoyed each other’s company, met some brave spouses, heard some new stories and went to the beach in weather almost unbelievably beautiful. There’s a joke about hot air in there somewhere, but I can’t find it.

Dan Turygan has already sent some photos. I need to process them a little, so I won’t be including any at the moment. I think reviewing the weekend will take several blog articles. I also need some processing time on the photos and digital video – assuming the video did not show up black due to poor lighting. Hey, I’m just a home movie kind of guy. I’m good at wedding showers and family parties.

A fine time was had by all. I may be shooting questions by email to some of you to verify story facts and to remind me of your spouses’ names (brave spouses). I danced with people I never danced with in high school. I also noticed many people who just looked a lot happier than they did in high school. This is a good thing, no?

We had a surprise Saturday afternoon visit from one former teacher, Mr. John Murray – pictures later – who taught Algebra at Holy Cross for one year only, our junior year, but who really wanted to see Joanne Nowakowski and Michael LaRocco particularly – and who happened to see our blog. He had an amazing story concerning Joanne and her opinion of his alleged ‘sexy elbows’ and their scandalous correspondence for several years. I came up on the last half of this conversation, so would Nancy Mahony please fill me in on the beginning? Unfortunately, Joanne had to cancel attending because of a sudden illness – hope you are OK by now, Joanne – hey, maybe you should fill us in on the true facts of this case.

The reason I missed the beginning of that conversation is that I was recording the full immersion in the Atlantic Ocean of Mike LaRocco. He was the only one participating in the full reunion triathlon, but he was determined to do it. He reported that the water was not really very cold, but that the brisk breeze was colder. Pictures later.