"What's for dinner?"

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Who's coming? When are they coming?

What to wear for which activity? Where will everybody be staying? And finally, what to do about DINNER on Saturday evening???

Who can help me figure out the answers to all of these questions? YOU!!!

Mary Low inquired via email this morning - "I went to the Liggett website and there is a dinner for all alumni on Sat night after the reception, all at the country club. I assume we need to make reservations for our class which is listed on the website as one of special ones. Has anyone looked and registered for dinner?"

So, I emailed Michael Zarobe who is Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and he answered back in part:

"Here’s a list of the class dinners at the Country Club of Detroit. In each case, a class secretary or another class rep called to let me know they were interested in a class dinner (based on interest from other classmates). However, a reunion dinner can also take place at a restaurant the same night or some other night."

For our year of 1964 this is the class that responded and reserved the French Room:

"Grosse Pointe University School Class of 1964
45th Reunion Dinner
French Room, Country Club of Detroit
$55 per person"

So now we return to the title of this blog: "What's for dinner?" Then we can add in to the "formula" the photos: A) Country Club of Detroit - with the GPUS class of 1964, B) a BBQ, C) a pizza party - or any other suggestions??? Time is getting very short!!!

Please email me back ASAP:

1) Will you be coming to any of the Reunion Weekend activities? _________________

2) If so, which ones?________________________________________________

3) For the Saturday night dinner which is your preference - a) Country Club of Detroit, b) a BBQ, c) a laid back pizza party get together, d) no preference

Looking forward to hearing back from you soon.

Alice

RSVP: alicebaetz@yahoo.com

Peek-a-boo...do I see you???

Greetings again!!! I am writing to you from Ft. Myers, Florida while on vacation visiting Andy's sister Kathy and her husband John. Next week we will be up in Orlando at a timeshare and my daughter Cheryl and her husband Mark will join us there.

I am looking in my online email box to see who may be coming to the Reunion festivities this coming 1st weekend in May. Have I heard from you?

I spoke with Nancy Smith Johnson Sunday and found out that she will be unable to come to this year's Reunion but is definitely looking forward to our 50th in 2014.

So, if you are reading this blog and have yet to inform me if you will be coming - now is the time!

As for the informal "poll" as to what to do after the Saturday evening cocktail party at the Country Club of Detroit - it looks like a more casual affair of maybe a BBQ or dinner out a local local restaurant. Vote now on that, too.

I hope everyone had a nice Easter. Happy Spring!!!

News from Leslie, Betty and Travel Plans for JJ...

Leslie Beckenhauer Tranter checked in and wrote via email..."At this point in time I think I can make it. Will drive in and stay with my family." So, we look forward to seeing her. I think the last reuntion she came to was for the 25th when we were "based" at Betty Irwin's house on Iroquois in Indian Village. Betty also set up a tour of the school on Burns Avenue & Charlevoix.

Betty is definitely planning on attending this year's festivities over the weekend of May 1 - 2 and says she wants to be a part of the "sleepover", too.

J.J. L'Heureux had originally planned on attending the reunion weekend but just emailed me the following: "A few days ago I had an offer I could not refuse. I leave Monday 6 am for Las Palmas, Canary Islands - Lisbon, London, etc - up to Hamburg as the ship's artist for the group I go to Antarctica with. .....so.....I return the week-end of our class reunion. Sad to say I will not be able to attend. I do have a ticket so in the next few weeks after the reunion I will be visiting and hopefully we can enjoy dinner and a walk and you can tell me all about what happened. I am disappointed to say the least. I was looking forward to visiting with all who could get to "us".

So that's the up-to-date update for now. What about YOU??? The reunion will be here before we know it and over a month from now. Shoot me back an email to let me know from you - yes, no or maybe.

Lynn Reports in from California...

Well, two guesses who this blog is about. Lynn Krieghoff Sewell sent an email today to me and here is what she said...

"It looks very much as though I, unfortunately, will not be attending the reunion in May. I just have too many obligations keeping me in CA. Please give my greetings to everyone. Hopefully, I'll make our 50th.

Our granddaughters Sophie (8) and Fiona (7) are growing up fast. They live in Los Angeles, love to travel, ski, ride horses, dance, sing, and have performed in several musicals.

Our son, Bill, continues to grow his company, http://www.wiredrive.com/, an interactive agency and software developer for the advertising, production and post-production industries. His wife, Lisa, participates actively in community and school activities.

Our daughter, Sarah, a photographer and a fine arts oil painter, plans to marry her fiance, Matt, at the end of the summer. We're delighted! Ironically, Matt used to play in a band (sometimes practicing in our garage!) with our son Bill during high school and Sarah knew Matt's sister, but Sarah and Matt had never met until a bit over a year ago.

Chris retired several years ago but continues to be active with volunteer work. Often I get involved too, such as going on a 2 month trip to Kazakhstan a few years ago where he was sent by USAID to help small businesses with marketing. Otherwise, I'm still very active with my Christian Science Practice, church work, and wedding planning.

Love to all,
Karolyn (Lynn)"

The above pictures are just a few of the ones Lynn sent to me. The first of Lynn with her Mother, Mrs. Krieghoff Waters. The second is of Lynn with her granddaughters Sophie and Fiona. The last of Lynn with Chris.

News from Mikie in Washington State

I just heard back from Mikie Shelton Tornow in Washington State. She wrote:

"I have begun our spring planting. We have now about 100 roses that need pruning and fertilizing. This pretty much keeps us busy during the weekends. We have about a 1 1/4 acre of land that we enjoy.

My sister, Lynne had a stoke a few days before Christmas. Because of her previous brain damage, she is not recovering as quickly.

I'm afraid I won't be able to make the trip this year.

My son, Michael, is living in San Diego. He just completed 9 years with the Navy. He is now training to become a Federal Air Marshall.

I'm still working with the City of Bellevue. Going on my 21st year.

Tell everyone 'hello' and my best wishes to all my classmates. Hopefully I can make the next reunion."

Kaye and Jenny checked in...

I just got an email from Kaye Mark Campbell who lives in Blue Ridge, a northern exurb of Atlanta, Georgia. I talked to her on the phone on March 12th which just happened to be her birthday. We caught up on what has been going on in our lives. Unfortunately, she wrote to me today via email " I am not going to be at the 45th Liggett Reunion. Don't give up on me for the next one." We won't and hope that she will indeed be here.

I also received an email from Jenny Ott Akers. She wrote "Hello all. I guess I am just too busy with work and hobbies to make it back to Detroit to say hi." She tells about her family
"Sam and I both still work for Virginia Tech. (and then her sons) Ian works construction and
Erik is the musician. Sometimes I play with him when he plays his stand up bass." Continuing on "Part of our hobbies is the Siberian Husky Assist Rescue that we help with. Two of our dogs came from that group..."

So, that's some more catching up but still lots more to come...when I hear back from some more of you about what's going on in your lives, some photos, etc. You know "inquiring minds want to know" (and we care).

Again, if you know you will be coming please let me know ASAP you know your plans.

Alice

Closer and closer.... are the memories rushing in to you?

J. J. L'Heureux will be coming. She wrote: "I voted as a Yes - The only message I can think of is to visit my http://www.penguinspirit.com/ site. My exhibition is keeping me extra busy." For those of you who have not visited it her website - you should. Some amazing photography of some awesome animals, fantastic scenery, her blog and very interesting information about Antarctica, New Zealand and other locations most of us will only read about or see on TV or in a movie.

Watch for the next instalment on Liggett Ladies '64...

The Auditorium...

How many memories does this picture of the Auditorium at the Detroit Waldorf School (AKA

- our beloved Liggett School on Burns Avenue) bring back to YOU?

Back for our 25th Reunion hosted at Betty's house on Iroquois we had the opportunity to "tour" the building. If there is enough interest in perhaps doing that again for this year's Reunion I can look into doing it at some time over the weekend. Please write back to me at alicebaetz@yahoo.com to express your interest.

While you are on the computer - if you would like to send an updated picture of yourself, your family your pet(s) just send them along to me via email. If there is any "story" to add to the photo be sure to include that in the email.

If you find that you will be unable to attend send along a message with what's going on in your life to share with your classmates. If you have contact information for anyone please send it along to me so she/they can be included, too.

Two Familiar Faces...

A big help in finding and reconnecting with classmates for me has been my newly received copy of the "University Liggett School Alumni Directory 2009".

Since my last post I heard from both Sue Boone Miller and Mary Low.

Sue Boone Miller goes back a bit further in the class of 1964 for Liggett since she left at some time during the elementary grades and graduated from GPUS. I remember seeing her at one of "our" joint past reunions. I just received a nice email from her and she says "How nice to see so many names I actually remember from way back then. Don't know that I will make it back there. Have not been there since the 20th reunion. I hope a lot of the class will be there." (So it must have been our 20th!). Sue is a CPA and is the Director of Tax Administration for the firm.
She works in McLean, Virginia and lives in Ruckersville. I/we hope to see you for our 50th!!

*********************************************

This morning I heard from Mary Low also via email "I am going to come." And so we will add her to our growing list of attendees. Mary is an Attorney-at-Law in Okemos, Michigan. We look forward to seeing her, too. She came to the 40th Reunion and doesn't want to miss out on this one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As has been an emphasis generated by the interest and desire expressed at our last Reunion get-together we are trying to get in contact with and encourage to come all classmates who attended Liggett School - those who started early but left, those who arrived later and graduated, "lifers" who attended all the way through or whether someone attended for a year or two. Every one of us has left a "mark" on those with whom we walked, talked, played, studied, etc. in the hallowed halls of Liggett School on Burns Avenue in Indian Village.

So - do you know someone who "fits" one of the descriptions above for a classmate of ours for whom we do not have any information. Maybe a phone number, address or email address. If so, please forward it on to me.

Also, if you have a photo of yourself and/or your family that you would like me to "use" please email it to me and I would be happy to include it/them in future posts.

Alice

ATTENTION & "Save the Date"

Hello Classmates!!!

We are now less than 2 months away from our 45th Reunion!!! For those of us who still live in the area - we just have to mark our calendars. However, for the rest of our classmates more planning is involved - drive time from closer locales, travel arrangements for air flights, train, etc. So: please... "Save the dates" for the weekend of May 1 - 2 when the main activities will be held.

Accommodations will be offered at both my house and Joan Priest Weaver's. So far I have confirmation for: Betty Irwin, Nancy Smith Johnson, Joan Priest Weaver, J. J. L'Heureux and myself (a little humor there). Please give me a call at either 313.882.9260 (Home) or 313.910.0258 (Cell) to let me know either way...but I really hope to hear an excited "YES"!!!

77 Days and Counting

Our 45th Reunion is fast approaching

I hope this scene looks very familiar...another time, another set of school age children out for recess at our old Liggett School which is now a Waldorf School. That can only mean one thing when you receive this: it's time for another reunion!



This year will be our 45th... Can you believe it? It seems like yesterday (well, maybe not quite yesterday) when a lot of us were playfully outside in this picture with barely a care in the world. The date for the Homecoming weekend this year will be May 1st and 2nd.



I have chatted with Joan Weaver and both she and I will have some accommodations available. Send me back an email alicebaetz@yahoo.com or give me a call at (313) 882-9260 to let me know if you can or cannot come or maybe even if you are "on the fence".



As you all let me know if/when you will be coming I will let everyone know. Also, if any of you would (could) write me to let me know what is going on in your life - maybe a photo or two - I can relay that information also.

So... let's hear from YOU!!!