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Random Thoughts on Sunday
When I abandoned my winter wool socks a few weeks ago, for five measly hours, little did I realize the discontent it would cause. Not only did it get blog readers upset with me, it allowed time for "the bug" to jump onto my bare feet. That bug grew into a monster, officially titled "acute bronchitis and sinusitis" by the staff at the CVPH emergency room on Wednesday night. So, while I've been medicating and sleeping, the North Country world has been passing by my front door. I opened it long enough for some random thoughts to enter the blog:
1. When Dr. Sorey (an interesting name for a doctor) told me that I would be taking STEROIDS for the next week, she noticed the look of shock on my face. I immediately thought of Barry Bonds and wondered if these steroids would be reshaping my body over the next seven days. Is there a Champlain Valley Baseball League team looking for a bulked-up Fox who can hit home runs and draw walks?
2. I don't usually eat much ice cream. Even during the summer I can pass by Harrigan's in West Plattsburgh or that Beekmantown ice cream place without a glance. But get me sick in the house the way I've been for a week and I could eat a half-gallon of ice cream nightly. Is there some medical explanation for this?
3. I've watched a lot of television lately. And I've seen enough of that Geiko creature who seems to appear in every other commercial. I don't keep a gun in the house, but I do have a good pair of work boots that would be great for stomping.
4. My occasional strolls down memory lane have stirred up comments from readers. Some prefer not to have their comments published. My friends Sal Righi, Laverne Hicks and Tom Rennell have e-mailed me some great names and places from the past that I'll be referring to in future blogs.
5. Does anyone subscribe to Charter Cable? For the past several months Channel 10 has been a "religious channel" with speakers discussing, preaching, singing about God. I certainly have nothing against that! But I have the cable system that lists the title of the program at the bottom of the screen everytime you turn the channel. Charter has never updated that! So, whenever I turn to Channel 10 and hear the preachers praising God, and see the words "Balderdash," or "Hillbillies," or "Girlfriends" or "Weakest Link" I can't help but smile. Can't Charter fix that?
6. Nicknamed blog readers such as "W," or "Bullet" or "The Carver" or "Tom-A-Hawk" have added plenty of spice to my blog recipes. I hope they are still out there reading. It was one of them, I believe, who noted that I had spoken at my high school graduation. Indeed, I was the salutatorian and Linda Torrance was the valedictorian for the Our Lady of Victory Academy class of 1966. I even recall that our commencement address was given by Don Garrant, an OLVA grad from the 1950s. Garrant, in those days, worked in the Office of the President at Plattsburgh State. Sister Mary Genevieve, our principal, often told us, "See, you can graduate from this school and go out into the world and make something of yourself!"
7. On a sad note, it was two years ago this week that my friend Dick Trombly passed away suddenly. I still think about him often. "Mr. T" was a veteran teacher at Plattsburgh Junior High School when I started as a teacher in 1970. He took me under his wing in many ways. I watched him talk with students, always friendly and kind. He always carried some kind of candy in his sport coat pocket, handing one out to a student who might be looking a little sad that day. "T" taught me a lot about literature and introduced me to the works of one of his favorite writers, Richard Brautigan. We spent countless hours in his classroom or the faculty room talking about teaching, hoping about the world and sharing our love of collecting any kind of old memorabilia. After he retired I would occasionally visit him at his South Prospect Avenue home and the first thing he would want to do would be play the latest jazz CD he had bought. When he moved away from Plattsburgh I used to look forward to his e-mails. Always something funny to say. Always a great guy at playing a practical joke! And you can bet that if he were alive today, he would be one of the most interesting contributors to this "On the Sly" blog. He was a special man who probably never realized the impact he had on me as a teacher and as a person. It's been two years ... I still miss him!
8. Finally, each week I get a report from the Press-Republican informing me of the number of hits to the "On the Sly" webpage. I am surprised and they are pleased with the numbers. The largest numbers have been when I've written about restaurants and bars and sports. Does that say something about us in the North Country? Are we happiest when we are eating and drinking and watching sports? Sounds good to me!
Comments
OK Foxy, I've held back, but the time has come. We have to do the downtown tour and show everybody the way it used to be. The Office, The Rook, Mothers, Filions, Lloyds, The Delari, Wylla's, and The Hotel Cumberland. And for food, how about The Steakman, Duke's Dugout, Munchies (Home of the BFS), ,Jerry's Giant Subs, Nicks Restaurant, and up on Montcalm--C & C Grinders. I am sure there are more places to talk about, but that should get the memories flowing.
Posted by: Mark Schwartz | March 21, 2006 9:02 PM
I enjoy the trips down memory lane.
Plattsburgh High School
Class of 1968
#1 Helen Maria Repas
#2 Robert Douglas Arnold
Posted by: Elaine Caron Conway | March 21, 2006 7:26 PM
I usually read your blog as much as I can with my busy schedule. I work full time and attend college full time. I am majoring in fashion merchandising. You should do a blog on plattsburgh then and now. I was up last year for a wedding, but, that was about it. Class of 2001 graduation, I was there, too.
Posted by: AJ Portera | March 20, 2006 9:15 PM
Foxy, I usually read your blog twice a week and if your blog is written to envoke north country memories, you do it well.
I remember well the St. Patricks Day festivities in 1977. I rememeber that in some magazines, Plattsburgh had been named one of the top party places to celebrate St. Patricks Day. A distinction that would be much less politically correct, today, in the world. As a young 21 year old U.S. Army veteran, I was all for a party. My memories were of a fun time, with no trouble.
I miss the good times at Brodi's, The Office, The Rook, and The Monopole, to mention a few of my old hangouts.
As far as food goes, I am getting hungry just thinking about a michigan at Clare & Carls, or Gus's, and when I visit the North Country in August this year, it is on the must stop list, for sure.
We got tickets for the Yankees at Twins game at the Metrodome, on Good Friday!! Even though the season hasn't started yet, the debate has started! I am sure with my Yankee shirt and hat, and my Wife and Stepson, in their Twins gear, we will be a site at the game as well.
I used to enjoy your sports coverage at local High School games on local cable.
The last memeory I want to share, was going to a concert in late 1972. I saw the late great Harry Chapin, and brother Tom, at the MAI gym!! Anyone else remember it??
Keep up the fun blog Foxy, and a belated Happy Retirement!!
Posted by: Steve Peryer | March 20, 2006 7:13 AM
I attended school during Foxy's years and I must say he was one of the greatest any child could ask for as a teacher. He took teaching much beyond just a job.......he knew that in succeeding in being a teacher.......he'd need to learn to be a true friend to his students as well as any student he came across. Foxy looked beyond his teaching as a job and truly tried and often succeeded in being a friend to each child he came across.Thanks - we need more teachers like you, Mr.Righi, Mr.Trombley, "Mr.Z".....to name a few. Please do take care.
Posted by: Loretta | March 19, 2006 6:56 PM
March-Madness Exceptional Seniors Blog Challenge:
It’s obvious we can recall bars and players from our early days; but can we recall the Academic performers as well? In a recent Blog, Foxy admitted being the Salutatorian of his graduation class and listed the corresponding Valedictorian who “beat him out”. I can remember those individuals from my class (no, my Mama didn’t raise no Valedictorian), and put forth a challenge to others, especially Bullet, Zone-Breaker, and Carver who were busy on their ‘River Runs’. They may have to do archive research to jog their memories and list the tops in their classes.
WHO WERE THE TOP TWO IN YOUR CLASS? The school with the most entries is the winner and the last class to enter this Blog is the ‘biggest loser’; so get in the game early. By submitting an entry you will be eligible for an invitation to the year-end Blog party, and your name will be entered for consideration into the Blog Hall-Of-Fame. The winning school gets to have Foxy and Goose record a message on their answering machine-“Good Luck NORTH COUNTRY”. Only one entry per individual and the offer is void where prohibited by law!
All entries must be blogged by March 31 and must include both top individuals, the school, AND the year of graduation. Here’s the start:
OLVA Class of 1966:
#1 Linda Torrance
#2 RAY ‘Foxy’ GAGNON
St.Johns Class of 1966:
#1 Christine DeLuca
#2 Brian Poissant
p.s. How about a Fantasy Game spell-off between the above teams - Merriam can be the moderator and ADD up the scores!! And Foxy, no more moaning about not making someone’s list!!
Click on my name below for the March-Madness bracket.
Posted by: Forest Gump | March 19, 2006 2:09 PM