WAITING ON GUSTAV ...

I remember how it was three years ago before we knew of the potential for the danger that was to come. There was a sense of excitement, an anticipation, that something was going to happen but it was more like the feeling that we got waiting for the first day of school to start. A little buzz of emotional electricity. There wasn't a "carnival" like atmosphere, we'd been through hurricanes and their after effects before and know how serious they can be, but folks just went about their daily lives on a bright and sunny summer day.

Now, I live in the central part of Mississippi, in Brandon, just ten miles east of the capitol city, Jackson. When a hurricane hits our coast, believe it or not, we feel the affects, not anything like they do on the coast, but it sometimes gets nasty, a lot of strong wind and a whole lot of rain. When Katrina hit, it was like nothing we'd seen in a long time, at least since Hurricane Camille. The actual storm was something to behold. The wind was like nothing that I'd ever seen and the torrential downpour was a virtual "frog strangler". In my neighborhood there are a lot of old and very large pine and oak trees, many that were uprooted or just snapped off. Many trees came down on houses, destroying a good bit of the house, if not the whole thing. We were without electricity for over a week - it was August and it was Mississippi and it was hot.


At my house we were lucky. A large tree was snapped off at the base and came down on my storage barn and my wife's car, barely grazing the house. A huge pine tree in my neighbor's back yard, behind my house, snapped and barely missed my house, wrecking my back fence. This was nothing compared to the damage that others experienced.


There was utter chaos as Katrina hit. Folks waited until the last minute to evacuate and there were tremendous traffic jams on the roads from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Louisiana, Alabama and even Texas. The motels and hotels were full all of the way to north Mississippi. After the storm, well, you know the story. I want to say in support of my much criticized state, that good Samaritans came out of the woodwork, providing shelter, gasoline, food and even money to the evacuees.

This time it's different. Folks are taking things much more seriously. The highways from Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast have already been turned into "contra-flow" highways, meaning that traffic can only head one way - north or east. Shelters have already been opened and mandatory evacuations have been ordered. I heard on public radio that, before Katrina, Bourbon Street in New Orleans was "party central", but last night it was almost deserted - a wise move.

If anyone is interested in listening to what is going on in the way of preparing for the storm, you can listen online to Mississippi Public Radio, which is broadcasting storm info non-stop.
You can listen online at:

http://radio.mpbonline.org/MPB_Live

We'll see what happens. The anticipation and anxiety is definitely here, even though the day has dawned bright and sunny and humid. We'll keep you posted. Wish us luck and keep us in your prayers.

There's Something Fishy About BruceTracewell...

Bruce Tracewell has adjusted to retirement quite nicely. You should be able to do what ever it is that you want to do when you retire - Bruce Tracewell is doing just that. What he really wants to do is fish, and fishes he does.

After serving in the United States Navy, getting out in 1972, he spent the rest of his career as a union electrician in the Portland area, retiring in 2005. Bruce and his wife have lived in Vancouver for over thirteen years.

"I got bored first year I was retired so went to work and built a seven store mini-mall over in Hillsborough - not bored any more, just happy to play house husband and do a lot of fishing and hunting as well as following my granddaughters athletic career in high school. Can't wait for my wonderful wife to retire so we can do some traveling. Her mom is in Colorado so we make a couple of trips a year to the Denver area."

... nice life, Bruce.

"My neighbor moved here from South Dakota and had never gone Sturgeon fishing. He caught this one on the second cast."

"Here is another one with some of my friends and neighbors. Salmon fishing on the Columbia. I am on the left of the picture with, of course, the biggest."

I have included a picture of my boat. It is a Hewescraft with 2, 4 stroke engines. Picture is coming into the dock at Crescent Lake, where I spent the past 4 days with my brother and two boys fishing for Kokanee. We brought home our limit of 50 Kokanee (landlocked Salmon). I also fish the Columbia for Salmon, Steelhead, Sturgeon and Walleye. I usually fish at least one or two times a week, except for fall Salmon, when I go every day for two weeks."

"Here is another picture of a fall run Chinook."
My wife still has the biggest Chinook in my boat (right at 40 pounds) so I am continuously trying to find a bigger one."

"The last picture is of my three granddaughters and their limit of Kokanee from Lake Merwin. The oldest just got her driver's license. I can't be that old ... can I?"

The Adair Family

Sometime around Christmas, or shortly thereafter, my family moved from Arthur Street in Corvallis to Adair Air Force Base. The kids out there molded themselves into a family. We had all sorts of things to do there, tennis courts, a gym, a snack bar, movies, just about anything to occupy us. I didn't cut any ties with the folks in Corvallis,as a matter of fact I used to hitch hike into town frequently. From time to time our Corvallis friends would come out the base to take part in our activities. Most of us grew very close and our social life was pretty much a group effort. This group of photos was taken of the "Adair family".


Claudia "Corki" Wallace, class of '65, Teresa Shiflett, Class of '66, Steve Shiflett, nicknamed "the Virginia peach" by Woodcock because that's where they moved from, I guess, and Jan Fletcher, class of '65. I wonder if the attraction of the monkey bars had any significance.

Woodcock and Don Payne showed up one night. I suppose Woodcock wanted to visit his adoring peasants to see how we were getting along. first row: Corki Wallace, Jan Fletcher, Teresa Shiflett, Steve Shiflett. Top: Pat Popovich, Bill "The Sheik" Woodcock, Jim Wright and Don Payne.


Don't let this fool you. Steve couldn't play a note on my old guitar. Accompanying the Virginia peach are Jan Fletcher, Teresa Shiflett and Corki Wallace.


It appears that there can be strife in all families as seen by Teresa Shiflett and Jan Fletcher who are trying to put Steve in his place. Or maybe this was a part of the Air Force physical conditioning program.


We'd all show up at someone's house and just hang around and enjoy the company and closeness of the group. Corki and Pete arm wrestle - I think Corki might have won.

What Jan, Steve and Corki were doing I haven't a clue, unless they were waiting for the bathroom to be free.

Pete tries to look intellectual while, yours truly seems to have discovered a new friend - a kitten I found in my pouch.

Pete and Patrice Costello have stolen the cat, who has found another friend.


Dobie Franklin has mastered a new mode of transportation while my brother, Jim, can't decide what to do with a ball that won't bounce. Note the world famous black Converse All-Stars, which were all the rage.

The Colonel and my mother's proudest day, graduation day - a day I don't think they thought possible. Or possible a day of massive relief.
Henry Johnson rode with us to graduation. Henry was a real quiet kid who was funny beyond belief... a good friend.

My brother Jim in our back yard at Adair.



The Air Force had a base picnic where almost everyone from Adair showed up. It was held at a park in Corvallis. As I remember it was pretty hot that day but everybody had a good time




Corki Wallace, Patrice Costello, Jean and Mary Reeves, and Teresa Shiflett have found a bigger toy to play with.


The Adair stud contingent poses at the picnic.

Spring In The South

Each part of our great country has its own way of introducing spring. Here in Mississippi some of the first signs of spring are the blooming of the Azaleas. Azaleas come in a variety of colors. The Wisteria also bloom at about the same time and give the appearance of grapes.


I took these photos around my neighborhood. Since I walk every morning, I decided to take my trusty camera and take photos of what I see at different times of the year to give you an idea of what it looks like down here in the South.

These are just a few of the Azaleas. They are literally all over the South.


This is the Wisteria. It's a vine and will run wild if not controlled. As you can see it can be trained. A lot of people will use it around arbors and decks and let it run up and over. It can create a nice covering or roof for an arbor.


I know Roses are found all over the country but I would be severely chastised and sent to bed without my supper if I didn't include my wife Teresa's climbing Roses.

The Dixon Street Gang

Back in the school year of '63-'64, Bill Woodcock's house at 1520 Dixon was the place a lot of us hung out. Bill's mom, June Woodcock Carter, was always a gracious hostess and whoever showed up at the door was made to feel welcome. Bill and Rollie called her, affectionately, "The Old B". As a matter of fact, I called her sometime in the past year and asked for "The Old B" and she immediately knew it was me even though I haven't seen her in almost 45 years. You could always find any number of people at Bill's house, which was right next door to Ralph Stovall's house and just across the street from Don Payne's house. I remember that Don's father had a really old car, a Plymouth I think, that he drove around in that Woodcock labeled the "Conestoga Wagon". I think that might be the rear end of the "Conestoga Wagon" that can be seen in the far right of the photo above.Above on Don Payne's Honda are: Don, also named, by Woodcock of course, HanBan, or Hondoo or Turkey S**t, as named by Rollie Woodcock, my brother Jim, david rodman, class of '63, and of course, His Eminence Bill Woodcock.

You all will recognize these guys, seen terrorizing a young child, maybe Bill's younger brother, Dickie. The pack leader and chief instigator, Woodcock, Ralph Stovall, Mike Hildenbrand, Rollie Woodcock, who had the driest wit of anybody I've ever encountered, and David "Korak" Myers who got his nickname because he was a rabid fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Remember the paperback book rack that was outside of the cafeteria where you could buy books? Korak was in heaven when the Edgar Rice Burroughs books started showing up - even though he probably had every one of them already. David was a neat and friendly guy who would occasionally get very intense, especially concerning E.R.B, ... may he rest in peace, he was a good friend and teammate.

Now this is a photo you'll want to keep away from your children, grandchildren, and small animals. I guess you could call it the predecessor to the current "hunk" calendars. Bill Woodcock, a legend in his own mind, Don Payne, whose spine seems to have poked through the front of his body, and "the Ralpher" Stovall who we sometimes called " The Human Machete" because of all of the sharp bones sticking through his skin. Ralph was a damn good football player for the Spartans and a funny guy with a great sense of humor.


Sandy Green, Class of '65, pictured left, had an old car that everyone called the "Nazi Wagon" which he would drive anywhere and through any thing. He delighted at driving through garbage cans. Riding with Sandy was a true adventure. Pictured with Sandy are my brother Jim and Jim Duthie, who was a really good distance runner on the track team and a really weird guy. I've always wondered what happened to Duthie.

Here's Bill's younger brother Rollie posing in front of Bill's mom's car with the late Jim Martin. At the time the car appeared to me to have the biggest fins I'd ever seen. Very sleek!


Here's Bill and Rollie, in their front yard. Note the sleek look of the fins on wheels behind them. Both seem to have developed a fondness for small animals.

Greg Bradsher and Michael Drennan stopped by Woodcock's house. Both were good friends and good guys. Greg lived out at Adair where I lived during the last part of the year. Greg drove...I didn't and he took me in to Corvallis one night to see Alicejean Engle - thanks Greg. Woodcock called Michael "Eldie" for his middle name. Michael and I went to see the OSU spring game late that year.


This photo I took of AJ the night Greg Bradsher gave me a ride in to the city. She and her parents lived in a neat old house over by the campus.


Now here's a crew. Over at Woodcock's house again. Scott Anderson, a young friend of Bill's youngest brother, Woodcock showing undying affection for Sandy Green, Dickie Woodcock, Sandy Green, Rollie Woodcock, Don Payne and Jim Wright. Quite often we would play touch football in the street in front of Bill's house, usually with Stoval, L.J. Fagnan, the Woodcocks, Don Payne and my brother. Sometimes we shot baskets on a goal that Woodcock had on his garage. After making a contorted basket one day, using what I called a "hook shot", Woodcock labeled my effort "the crude hook". After that, no matter what I shot...it was a "crude hook". Sometimes, when we had bigger football games, we'd go down to the end of the street and play on the"turf" of the junior high, which I understand is no longer there. L.J. and I lived a couple of blocks ffrom the school and the rest lived on or around dixon street. I think Butch House lived a street or two over from Dixon Street as did Suzi Corcoran.

Dudley, The Lazy Dawg

I would be remiss if I did not introduce my sidekick and the CBO of Lazy Dawg Pottery, Dudley Doo Wright. The Dudster is a legend in his own mind. He claims that he's a descendant from royalty, the latest in a long line of Attack Bassets and lion killing dogs.

Dudley spends his time talking politics with the neighbors, he claims to be a liberal minded conservative with no party affiliation, herding squirrels, who he's labeled, "tree rats", and overseeing my pottery making. As you can see, Dudley is a bundle of energy.

Dudley says that politics might be his calling. He says that he might start out small, maybe alderman or mayor then jump subtly into national politics, eyeing a senate or representative seat and then the plum of all political aspirations, become a lobbyist.

Dudley says that all of Washington will become his marked territory.

Old Times: Magic Days

I find that, from time to time, I like to drift back into my past and remember those things and people who, without knowing it or intending to do so, added bits and pieces toward who I'd eventually become...

Bill Woodcock and Nick Jones at the Elks Club while everybody else was decorating for the senior party. Woodcock always had a nickname for everyone. Mine was Tubby Tom, a name he gave me the first week I met him. He called Nick, "The Fine Young Man".

Allen Rugh and Chuck (Charles Allen) Peirson also at the decorating party. Woodcock dubbed Chuck as "All The Way Al".

Craig McEldowney. Craig, as I remember drove around in a little Metropolitan or Neopolitan or something like that. a little two-seater. If I remember correctly it was plenty roomy enough for Craig but anyone else who rode with him literally dragged their fingers on the ground.

I value the good will and memories of my classmates at Corvallis High School so let me know if you have a problem with an image on this site and I will remove it right away. The photos are intended for the enjoyment of those who were fortunate enough to live in a wonderful time at a wonderful place and to bring back those warm memories.

At the very end of our school year, just before graduation, my parents gave me a Poloroid camera as a graduation present, I suppose. I went crazy with it. Most of these photos were taken at the very end of our senior year, with that camera. I remember the all night party we had after graduation. Most of the photos were taken there or while some worked very hard decorating for it - as I remember, I didn't work very hard decorating but enjoyed the company of friends immensely.

If anyone would like a copy of any of these photos, simply right click on the photo and choose the "save image as..." option and save it to your computer.

I'm not going to post all of the photos at one time, but intend to string them out some, to arouse your curiosity.

If anyone would like to post photos on this page or to let classmates know what has become of them, please email the info to me and I'll post them. Photos and posts can be of anything past or present. Memories of our senior year are especially welcome...
enjoy.