by Michelle (Fearey LaGue) Mock - ASM '69

Where: Home of Celina and Ricardo (ASM '69) Daugherty

When: Saturday, August 14th, 1999

Time: 2:30 PM

Dress: Casual/Informal -- Bring Swimsuits, towels etc.

Cost: $25.00 for adults and $12.50 for children 12 and under.

Excitement has reached an all time high with THE reunion less than a week away! The last couple of days my ASM mailbox has been extremely busy. Nearly every email is punctuated with exclamation marks, underscores, bold print … whatever it takes to denote the calm, collected, down to earth nature of ASMers gathering for the first time in 30-35 years. Oh, yes … so very calm. AAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

Once again, I remind you to dress very, very casual! This is a summer barbecue with swimming and outdoor activities. It will be HOT, so please dress for the weather (which in Miami in August is unpredictable, but heat is guaranteed). Don't forget your swimsuits, towels and sunscreen!

For those who don't know what to expect (we have just located several people in the last couple of weeks): Argentinean b-b.q (Imported Argentinean beef), "empanadas argentinas", bread, salads, beer (Quilmes-Argentinean) barman, dessert, cook, waiters, outdoor tent (weather can be tricky at this time of the year), and alcoholic beverages.

Ricardo's son, Ricardo, is a DJ and will be providing the sound system and lots of music! Do you have music that you want to bring? Many people are bringing CDs and tapes with music from the 60s. Bring music if you would like. If you do, be sure to label your stuff if you want it back! I am also bringing a tape of very scratchy 45s (Brincos, Formula V, Mitos, Karina …). They sound awful, but what memories! The worst sounding record has got to be "Borracho" by Los Brincos. I think that one was played so often that some of the grooves have totally flattened out!!

Who Plans to Be at Ricardo's? Check this out!

Larry Hawkins (English Teacher)

Pre-Reunion at Casa Juancho:

This "mini-reunion" is setting all records for mini-reunions! We have over 30 confirmed at this point! Jamie Kevlin's casual remark: "Incidentally, is anything in the works for Friday night? Maybe an informal get-together of some sort?" got this ball rolling!

Many people (women of course) have asked what they should wear to Casa Juancho. Well, considering the lack of dress codes in California, I am the wrong person to ask! However, I do know the right person: "Best Dressed of 1969" himself, Ricardo Daugherty responds: "smart casual". So there you have it.

We will be meeting at:

(305) 642-2524

Maitre d':

Manuel Vila

Reservations scheduled for:

7:30 p.m. until ?

For more information see: http://www.casajuancho.com/

Based on input from those who have responded, I selected meal D#4 from the Group Menus. This includes:

The cost (including 7.75% tax and 15% added gratuity) will be about $35 per person excluding beverages. The second choice (D2 without the tapas) would be about $30 per person.

It is an unwritten rule of mini-reunions that the coordinator need not be the first to arrive. As Queen of Mini-Reunions, I write the unwritten rules! Therefore, I delegate to the first to arrive the duties of on-site coordinator!

Actually, all you have to do is tell the Maitre d' (Manuel Vila) who you are and make sure the tables are ready. Then take a seat, make yourself at home and start introducing yourself as others arrive! Feel free to arrive early, if it suits your schedule. (I do plan to arrive early anyway, but it takes the pressure off if I know that no one is just waiting around for me if I get delayed.)

Who plans to meet for the Pre-Reunion Get-together? Can you believe the following?

Please let me know my Wednesday, if you plan to attend either the pre-reunion or the reunion at Ricardo's and are not listed on the appropriate list(s).

We have been living in La Jolla, CA since 1990. My husband, of 29 years (June 6, 1970) is currently working a software contract in Palm Beach, FL so there is a good chance I might decide to go to the Miami, FL reunion. Who else in the class of 1966 may be going? My computer equipment at home ( eshaffer@waysysweb.com ) is better and I try to do personal correspondence on it rather than at work. So... I will write more from home. I find it amusing that no one remembers me and I was the only Desnoyers to actually graduate from ASM. Will write more later. Feel free to use both or either email address since I check both regularly.

From Lida (Hooghuis) Reicher '69:

First and foremost I would like to say how incredibly thrilled I am to "have been found" and to be able to communicate with you all after all these years! This past June my son graduated from high school, and, as I was standing there watching him on the podium while the Principal handed him his certificate, I was overwhelmed with the flood of memories of our 1969 graduation, 30 years ago, and yet...it still seems like yesterday!

I live in Vancouver with my husband Lorne, and our son (17) and daughter (14). We live in a townhouse complex with security gate and my deck overlooks a pond and waterfall, fruit trees, and some pretty nature. It is very peaceful. We live quite high; below us is the Fraser River Valley with lots of greenery and mountains in the background, especially Mount Baker, tall volcano (dormant fortunately) in Washington State. Gorgeous!

I adore nature, and we have an abundance of it in our beautiful province. Ocean, forests, lakes, all within minutes from us! Lorne loves to go fishing, so this is paradise for him. Unfortunately he has to work himself silly this year, so he doesn't get to go much.

Unfortunately I will not be able to attend this upcoming reunion, as I just returned from a trip to Spain; however, I will definitely attend a future one and hope to see you all there! [Editor's note: Plans change. Lida will be in Miami after all!]

Even though my email reads Saskia, I don't mind Lida in order not to confuse anyone. Either way is OK by me.

Lida (Saskia) can be reached at saskiar@home.com

From Debbie Jeanes Finkel ('69):

My husband Eduardo Jorge Finkel Medevovsky is from Buenos Aires, Argentina and we've been married 20 years. My daughter Tanya Stearns is 25 (yes, from a previous marriage) and has been married two years to Corporal Jack Stearns, a U.S. Marine, and they have my grandchild, age 5 months.

My brother and sister Monique are both ASM alumni too! My brother, Guy '74, is a Captain for American Airlines and lives with his wife Debbie and three sons (17, 14 and 12) in Naperville, Illinois. Carmen Pickett found me through my brother - Yeyyyyyyy.

My baby sister, Monique Jeanes Kennedy '77, is an executive for a shipping company and lives with her husband Joe and daughter (5). These are the Kennedys of Cincinnati not of Hyanisport...no money.

Regarding my sister Vivianne Jeanes '71 - She was killed by a drunk driver coming home at 8:00 p.m. from work in July of 1986 and at that time her son was 4-years old. He is now 17 years old and lives with my father. The tragedy of my sister is that she had found love (after her divorce years earlier) and was engaged to be married in Aug. 1986 and was moving to Bolivia but fate intervened.

My mom Aida, died three years ago this August of a brain tumor and that's another tragedy I still haven't come to terms with but I'm on the mend.

My dad is 78 years old, strong as on ox, jogs six miles a day and living in Carmel, Indiana.

I'm so glad you all didn't give up looking for me.

From Marcie Meierkord Bateman ('69):

I graduated from Duke with a bachelor's degree in Zoology in '73 then worked as an environmental consultant for three years - first in Athens, Georgia then in Denver. While in Denver, I actually ran into Joanne Hattrick which was a surprise.

I decided to get my masters with the idea that I could be a project manager, so I went to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff which is where I met my husband. He (Gary) just retired in '97 after 30 years being a professor of biology there. We got married in '77 and have two sons: Brett who now lives in Las Vegas and Matt who lives in Sedona, AZ.

I did eventually finish my masters in biology and have taught high school science (mainly chemistry - Mrs. Hare would be amazed) for 14 years. I'm now working only the spring semester as we are living in Montana six months (June through Nov) each year. We have enjoyed some wonderful family vacations over the years, especially hiking and backpacking the Grand Canyon, the Rockies, and other fairly nearby areas. My favorite activities now are still hiking and also both mountain and road biking. My husband and I are library addicts and he is an avid flyfisherman (which is one big reason we are here!)

I am interested in hearing more about your NASA connection as we are using more computer links in our school. We are very fortunate in Flagstaff to have such a strong scientific community - we have a large USGS facility and several observatories along with offices of the Forest Service and Game&Fish. And we use them all! I'll keep in touch and enjoy the reunion!

Marcie can be found at mngbateman@mcn.net

From Michelle (Fearey LaGue) Mock ('69):

Many of you have commented on the amount of time I spend on ASM related activities. Yes, I do spend a lot of time, and where I found it, I am not really sure. I do have a life outside of ASM, believe it or not! Why do I do this? The answer is simple: I love it!

I have learned more about myself and the experience that was Spain, than I had realized existed. I have made connections with former ASMers who have shared their experiences and broadened my view of the world. I have received emails from people who never thought they would hear from anyone from their days at the American School of Madrid. I have met individuals from all walks of life who shared the common experience of growing up in a foreign country (for us Spain). I learned that age doesn't matter and it is not important if we ever met before! It does not matter if we were U.S. citizens or from any number of countries that were represented at ASM through the years. We connect because we were expatriates living abroad (most of us during our teen years) and until now, many of us did not realize the significance of that experience. I still do not understand the significance but I do know that it was important! It made us who we are.

What means the most to me, and the reason I keep doing this, is the friendships I have made during this past year. I have made friends that will last a lifetime. Today, Gus González posted something at his Read Are Us site http://www.gutech.com/read/friend.htm that I had sent him a while back (author unknown). Read on:

"Read Are Us" ... ABC's of friendship ...

This was sent to me by A FRIEND. Even though we have not met (soon to meet), the friendship has been very important to us. We shared similar experience while growing up, during different decades, attending the same school overseas. We both attended The American School of Madrid.

Our hard work and dedication has brought together friendships from the decades ... the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's have been reunited.

(A)ccepts you as you are

(B)elieves in "you"

(C)alls you just to say "HI"

(D)oesn't give up on you

(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)

(F)orgives your mistakes

(G)ives unconditionally

(H)elps you

(I)nvites you over

(J)ust "be" with you

(K)eeps you close at heart

(L)oves you for who you are

(M)akes a difference in your life

(N)ever Judges

(O)ffers support

(P)icks you up

(Q)uiets your fears

(R)aises your spirits

(S)ays nice things about you

(T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it

(U)nderstands you

(V)alues you

(W)alks beside you

(X)-plains things you don't understand

(Y)ells when you won't listen and

(Z)aps you back to reality

Thanks, to you FRIEND - thank you Michelle.

Gone but not forgotten:

Amidst the excitement and joy many of us are feeling about the upcoming Miami reunion, I have sad news to pass along to you as well. As Debbie mentioned above, we lost her sister, Vivianne Jeanes '71. Lida also informed us that her sister Marina Hooghuis '69 passed away in December 1997. On behalf of all ASMers, I extend our sincerest condolences to the Jeanes and Hooghuis families. Vivianne and Marina will be missed.

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