Randy Stephens

SORRY! NOT! MAYBE! YESTERDAY! NEVER!

This is just toooooooooo much fun!! Ya'll need to get ya so of this!!!!!!!! It's better than "Sex On The Beech!!!!!!!!"

On The Roof Top!!!!!!!! In The Chemy!!!!!!!! Behind The Barn!!!!!!!! In The Back Seat!!! 

"ON MY BIG GREEN TRACTOR...." "IN THE MISTY MOON LIGHT....."

In The Rotten Cotton Field!!! In The Hay Loft!!!! On A Lonily Country Road!! At Your Parents House When They Were Out Of Town!! At Tulia Drive Inn!! Remember any of that???

"HILLBILLIES LIKE IT LIKE THAT!!" So do True Texans!! Just ask one!!

"BORN TO BE WILD...........!!

Remember?

Randall

YE HAW!!!!

Celinda (Cindi) Ward (Hanna)

Hey Randall: I'm jumping in here but not because I recall any of the rooftop, tractor, chimney, or cotton patch shenanigans you referred to.  I do remember that "Born to be Wild" was our unofficial class song.  And just for the record, I think you could be wrong about J.K. creating your profile pic.

I read in our local newspaper this a.m. that the Texas Panhandle may see temps as low as 30 below in the coming days.  What is up with that?  I sure don't remember it ever being that cold when we were kids.  Maybe it was and we just handled it better.  A lot of the country has been in the icy grip of Mother Nature!  Not so in Southern Cal - it's the 70's for us. We sure don't have to worry about frozen water pipes, hazardous road conditions or massive power failures.  Our biggest problem here in the Desert this time of the year is dealing with all the "Snow Birds" that flock here for the sunshine. We Desert Rats bundle up when it's below 70 degrees and the Easterners & Canadians are sunbathing by the pool when it's in the 50's & 60's.  You can tell the full timers from the tourists by the way they are dressed!

So, was everyone happy with the Super Bowl results? I know I certainly was.  I have never liked the Steelers and really never cared much for the Packers, either, but they were the lesser of two evils.  I'm still a Cowboy fan and there's always next year!  Yee ha!

Have any of you been giving thought to our 60th birthday gathering in 2012?  I know it's still early but time has a way of getting away so it will be here before you know it.  I looked back at the poll results and it seems the majority of you want to meet in Tulia for the event.  We need to start thinking about a date, too, and whether we want to keep it at Picnic or choose another month.  I will be sending out another poll in the near future on the subject.

Here's wishing you all a great day!  For those of you out there who are stuck with ice, snow and/or frigid weather - please stay safe & warm!  Hugs to all. 

Deborah Nelson (Ferriter)

Randall...no worries....got over that experience about 15 years ago... so no offense taken...

Cindi, unless the Cowboys or Pats are playing is it really a "Super Bowl"? 

J. K. Milam

Randall, she's right, as usual, I can't take credit for your photo, I was there but got blindsided by our "Candid Camera" friend as well.

Good to see all you folks keeping the message forum going. Good to think back on all the old memories. I think??

Only thing I remember about cotton fields is all the Hoeing ( That's Hoeing with a Hoe, Randall) and picking before we finally got a mechanical picker, and setting irrigation tubes out of an open ditch. Sounds like you had more fun in your fields than we had in ours.

My comment on being a mis-placed Texan: Texas is a State of Mind, and mine has never left.

Sorry I haven't been here more often, but I've been keeping track of the stories and memories, thanks guys.

JK

Connie Lee (Ash)

 Cindi, I don't think it was ever that cold in Tulia when we grew up, probably because we were all so hot blooded it kept the temps down, or was it because we were all so full of hot air!

I remember "Born to be Wild", I remember driving down dip street with friends and singing it at the top of our lungs!  Boy those were the fun care free days..............

Speaking of cold weather, we had black ice in Houston last week, no snow, but the black ice shut down almost all of the freeways and overpasses and most businesses closed.  Hey, we don't know how to handle the cold down here, we are used to the the heat and humidity.  I for one am ready for the heat to return, if I wanted cold weather I would at least move to where it was pretty when it snowed!

Good to see all the comments from everyone!

Kay Lee (Culwell)

Hi to everyone from the frigid Panhandle.  Heck, guess it's like that everywhere right now, huh?  Here in Amarillo tonight I-40 is shut down due to blizzard conditions and high drifts. Temp right now is -1 with a wind chill index of -25.

Needless to say, lots of places are shut down tonight and tomorrow....good time to stay inside in front of the fireplace (if u have one), on the computer, watching tv, reading a book, or taking a nap.

Good to catch up on all the postings, hope all are keeping warm and safe.  

Cindi:  Right now I would like to nominate for our 60th bday get together someplace tropical and warm!

Deborah Nelson (Ferriter)

I agree with Kay!! Tropical and warm!!

Where is Al Gore when you could use some "global warming"??

Randy Stephens

HEY ya'll!!!

Great to hear from you JK. Thought you might have fell off of the planet! Happy your still here among us all Dude. Hey, I worked those old cotton fields. I remember the whole family in the field hoeing cotton. David and I would always race but he would miss small weeds and get in trouble with dad. I had a new transistor Radio with an ear plug, so I was rocking in that old cotton field back home! Never picked cotton. Dad was the first one in our area to buy a Cotton Stripper and we Stripped everybody cotton not just ours. Man did I get tired of pitching and tromping in those huge old Cotton Wagons. I even worked at Alton Cox Cotton gin. First on the suction, then bailing and later an assistant ginner. Hey, you never could keep this old Texas boy down. I've climbed many a ladder. Some ladders I now wish I had never got on. But that's life. And when you get to the top of your ladder the only thing left to do is jump off and find another one to climb! 

CELINDA!! Did you put my photo on my message forum page? You devil you! You do have a good eye for great photos and for hunks like me!!! By the way who took the original photo at the Canyon all those years ago? ........Yes Cindi. When were kids it did get that cold. I guess you must have been well sheltered and insolated during our cold winters. I remember driving out to the farm to bust the thick ice in the ponds with an ax. It was so cold you could spit and it would freeze before it hit the ground. You could never put on enough layers of cloths because the Texas wind would blow threw them all and freeze you butt anyway. It was so cold I could only stay out and chop for a couple minutes and then jump back in the truck to warm up while David chopped ice. I couldn't even thaw out before it was time to get out again. And in the winter of '57 we got so much snow one night that we couldn't see the barn the next morning. It was covered in snow.  

"SOME BEACH, SOME WHERE........."

Randall

Celinda (Cindi) Ward (Hanna)

Randall/J.K.: I do remember that I took some of those photos from our Senior ditch day at Palo Duro but someone else was behind the camera, too, because I'm actually in some of the pics.  I also ended up with some of the developed photos which leads me to believe it was my camera to begin with but I wouldn't put money on it.  Yes, Randall, I cropped the photo and posted it on your page.  I think it's a great shot and it's so YOU!

As for the cold weather - Randall is probably right about being well insulated.  I simply didn't get out in the cold if I could avoid it I guess.  I do remember one special "snow day" when we were out of school because the buses couldn't run due to large amounts of snow and the frozen streets.  Gary Gruben (who was dating Princess at the time) took an old car hood & chained it to a tractor and took some of us on rides through the icy streets.  It was a metal sled and would slip and slide on the ice.  The constant friction from hitting the occasional slushy spot with roadway underneath rubbed a hole in the hood and the ice would come through so that we were laying on a frozen pile. There were burlap bags under us but they sure didn't keep the cold out.  It was a lot of fun and we didn't complain (much) but that was probably my coldest experience.  Deltah was there and I'm pretty sure Beverley was, too, since we were joined at the hip most of the time.   

I saw a couple of votes for having the 60th birthday bash somewhere "warm & tropical".  I think that would rule out Tulia as far as the tropical part.  Any ideas in mind for that perfect location?  I have to fly a good distance anyway so it doesn't matter to me where I land so I'm up for going just about anywhere in the U.S.  Of course you could all fly out here.  The Palm Springs area in the summer with the heat and palm trees certainly appears tropical and for those golf lovers there is a course on every corner!  Hotels and golf packages are available at greatly reduced rates.  Just a thought!  I'd even be happy to host an event in my home.

Hope you all have a warm and snuggly day.

Connie Lee (Ash)

 Randall,

Looks like a good beginning, you got me, I laughed when I realized it was your birth that was the subject of page 1.

Keep writing.

Connie

Randy Stephens

Connie......... Thanks! That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!

Really the best compliment you can give an aspiring or polished writer is to say "you got me." "Gotya" is the magic ever writer tries to capture in their work (words and stories). It's the secret to good writing so I am told by real authors. They say it's even better than shock and awe which in and of themselves are great accomplishments. But seeing how I "Gotya" on page one maybe my book should only be one page long. 

Celinda......... I'm not crazy and it is really true! Remember the story about the Art Teacher with Huge Hooters, me getting drunk on our art trip to Palo Duro and riding back resting my head on those soft, everymans dream boobs. No one remembering her and her picture wasn't in the Year Book. Well, I found a witness. One of our classmates remembers her also. The classmate said she was there only for a short time, maybe just a semester and left before pictures were taken. And my friend remembered the GREAT TEEEEEETOOOOOONS!!! on this babe. I know that none of my classmates would ever doubt the truthfulness of any of my stories but it is good know at least one other person remembers. After all I was beginning to wonder if it was ture or not myself.

"IT'S ABOUT JOHN WAYNE, JOHNNY CASH, AND JOHN DEER WAY OUT HERE........."

Randall

Deborah Nelson (Ferriter)

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone out there... wherever you are!

Randy Stephens

Ok people! WAKE UP!!!! I know everyone is busy with their own lives but come on now. Give a little time for your old, weak and decrepit classmates. 

POST SOMETHING NOW OR I'LL COME AND GET YOU!!!!! I'll rain on your parade!!! I'll haunt you house!!! I'll make your grown children pee in bed!!! CHUCKY IS coming TO GET YOU!!!

"I HEAR VOICES ALL THE TIME..........."

Randall  

Randy Stephens

Cilinda........... on my post response text editor almost everything is blank. It shows up when I move my cursor over it but I only have a small square to type in. Is this your way of editing the length of my responses? Shame on you. You devil you.

Connie Lee (Ash)

 Hi Randall,

Figured I'd better protect my grown children.  About the 'you got me', I didn't know that, but I did mean it.

And about the text editor box, hummmmmm, mine is fine, but I'm sure Cindi would not try to mess with your artistic writing skills so probably was just a temporary problem!

I am sooooo glad that it has finally warmed up some.  It's sad when it's 40 degrees in Houston and everyone is going on and on about how warm it is!!!!

Later

Celinda (Cindi) Ward (Hanna)

Randall:  Shame on you! I would never censor you or inhibit your ability to spin a long tale.  Whatever is going on with the text editor sounds like a personal problem and not a global one.  As Connie said, it works for her and there doesn't appear to be an issue with mine, either.  Besides, I enjoy your postings too much to hamper your attempts to amuse!

By the way, the Class of 1971 now has a website.  You can check it out at https://www.classcreator.com/Tulia-Tx-1971/.

TGIF to all. I am happy to start my 3.5 day weekend in about an hour! Nothing like a trip to the beach (even if there IS a chance of rain) to adjust the attitude!  Hope you all have a great weekend!  

Randy Stephens

CONNIE......... Thanks for meaning it. I'm glad to be able to school you. The bill is in the mail. It's only a small phenomenal fee for me to learn ya....... And your children are safe. Some others aren't!!!!!

Celinda................... You devil you....... Shame, shame, shame on me. But I still love ya girlfriend. Just wanted to get a rise out of you. WOW I pushed the right button. Didn't mean for you to hit the ceiling though. Take two aspirin call me in the morning and I'll sign you a love song. One I wrote of course................... But I degrees I just fixed the problem. I installed the latest version of windows the other day and caused a small problem. I found out it was a compatibility problem with your older sight. No offence girlfriend.  Ok maybe! Not! Sometimes! Not me! Always! Never! Just passing on the info. So, me being SUPERTECH and all I compatibilized it. Dam I'm just tooooooooo goooooood! Looooook ooooooout world here I come! Just think this old farm boy is going from high tech to higher and higher tech. Its scary ant it. Hell, I might become Big Brother watching ya'll (you guys).

"GET YOU SOME OF THAT........................!"........and .........."YOU GONA KISS ME OR NOT!"

Randall

PS................Celinda after all these years and many miles I'm happy that I can at least still amuse you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO KEEP ON MUSING GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Randy Stephens

HEY ALL YA"LL, YOU GUYS, OUT THERE IN WIRELESS LAND! This is now the third time I've written this dam message. Lost it once to "NEVER, NEVER LAND." Next it was just "LOST IN SPACE." I lost her to a Windows update and I don't even know what I said. Hey, that would make a good Country song, know what I mean. Maybe! Not! Someday! Anytime! Never! Oh well!

I just went back to the beginning, sometimes that"s a good thing but this beginning was the beginning of the M. F. No! No! No! Not that M. F. although I did have a M. F. last night at the Bar. It was a Blue M. F. But the M. F. I'm talking about isn't that one either. I'm referring to the M. F. which is the Message Forum. That's what I'm talking about. Ya feel me? Maybe you better not. Sorry! Sorry! Not! Maybe! Never! Always! Oh well! Anyway I digress........................................ 

In the beginning there was the Message Forum and the Message Forum came to life with chat, birds were singing, fish were swimming, plants were growing, life was lifing and chat was evolving. Everyone was posting long before I even knew that there was life on the Forum. Hell, I didn't even know the Forum was alive..................... It was good to return and re-read the stuff that everyone was talking about. But, somewhere along the way someone must have bit the Apple, the Orange, the Bullet, or whatever you bite that attempts to kill all good things. Or, maybe it was just rust, familiarity, time and stuff that ground M. F. nearly to a halt.....................................................................................

I would really like to hear from my classmates. I would like to know how your doing, what your doing but I don't care who your doing. Sorry! Sorry! That slipped out. Maybe! Not! Always! Never!.................I think we would all like to know that everyone is alive and kicking or at least just kicking. Know what I mean. Just say HI YA"LL. There are only one or two of us on the M. F. that still have enough teeth to bit and I'll protect you unless you like it then I'll bite you too. Or if you prefer gumming I'll take out my false teeth and gum you! Sorry! Sorry! Celinda has never told me if the M. F. is PG, R, or X rated. If it's X rated I can tell you some stories that will make the pages of the M. F. blush and keep you awake at night. But I digress again. I just want to hear from you. I want all of us to keep in touch. I know we are all busy, hell, I was toooooo busy for 40 years, so I suppose I can't throw any rocks. Besides I have Tennis Elbow, Baseball Shoulder, Football Knees, Basketball Ankles, Broken Ribs, Broken Wrist, Broken Back, Concrete poison and couldn't hit anyone with a rock now anyway. However,

"I"M DOING PRETTY GOOD FOR THE SHAPE I'M IN"

.........................and way back when...........................................

"THE SUMMER, THE WONDER, THE HUNGER, THE SOUND OF DISTANT THUNDER, INDIAN SUMMER.."

Randall

Jan Minchew (Sparks)

OK, OK, OK Randall...I'll post somethin'.  I've been sitting at my computer almost non-stop for the past few days working on a Petition to Homeland Security to let my Golden Dragon Acrobats in the country.  Tedious stuff, boring...but the pay is GREAT! 

The Sparks Agency had a really good run during Super Bowl week.  We provided lights, sound, etc. and 20 back-up dancers for the Usher concert.  Two of the dancers were "poll dancers".  Sorry Cindi, I forgot tell Sparky to give you a call.

Is that enough posting Randall?   Kiss Kiss, I love you all...MWAH!!!!

Celinda (Cindi) Ward (Hanna)

Randall: Back to your posting on the 18th - you are truly delusional my friend but that's the way I like my friends.  It makes it easier for them to tolerate me.  Anyway, sorry to be the one to break that news to you because I'm sure you've never been accused of that before.   It takes a whole lot more than a posting to get a "rise" out of me and I assure you there was no ceiling hit in the process.  Yes, you still amuse me but don't let it hurt your feelings when you find out how easily amused I truly am.  Give me a ball of string and an hour and the amusement possibilities are endless.

I agree that it's time for others to step up and give new life to this forum.  Not that everyone else gives it "old" life but I do wish folks would just log on and say hello once in awhile.  I know they're out there because I look at the site statistics periodically and I can tell who logged in on any given day.  Believe me, there are plenty of classmates checking out the site regularly.  I suspect they are getting their dose of amusement from Randall so thank goodness he's willing to let his hair down and post away.  Isn't there anyone else out there brave enough to step up and share an amusing anecdote or high school story?  No guts, no glory folks.  Ha! 

I would like to thank those of you who take the time to post occasionally and all who check in on a regular basis!  Also, here's another invitation to submit pictures for posting on the site. I know there must be plenty of candid shots out there from our school days. They are probably stored in boxes stuffed in the attic or garage but next time you think about it - take those boxes down and collect some of those photos.  If you email them to me I can download them on one of our links on the site for all to enjoy.  If you have any class photos from elementary school that haven't already been posted I would love to have copies to post here.

Another week halfway gone and a weekend on the horizon!  Too bad for me the only way to get to a Saturday & Sunday is to work Monday through Friday.  There's got to be a better way.  Oh wait - there is and it's called retirement.  I'm headed there soon but seem to be on the slow boat (or maybe the small bus).

Take care all.  Post early and post often!! 

(yea Jan! Good posting.  Sorry I missed the pole opportunity - ha!  Glad it was a good time for the agency.  From Sparky's facebook postings it appears he has a job that requires all play and very little work.  I'm sure that's not true but he sure makes it look and sound like endless fun!)  

Randy Stephens

MINCHEW!!!.............................You had dancing girls! Dancing girls! Dancing girls! Pole dancers! Lap dancers! Naked dancers with, and with, and with that tooooooooooo and with all the stuff that goes with butt naked call girls. AND YOU DIDN'T INVITE ME!!!! Dam! Dam! Dam! I can't believe it! Shame on you! You devil you! And you say you are my friend! Well hell, I can only imagine how you treat your enemies! Glad I'm not one of them! I'm hurt and crushed. I'm going to go now and cry a while................Celinda I'll answer your post later. After I recover from the shock and rejection. It might all night and a whole lot stuff. You know the good stuff.

"DRINK A LITTLE DRINK, SMOKE A LITTLE SMOKE!!!" ..................AND.........................

"BROWN CHICKEN, BROWN COW! ANT NO BODY WATCHING BUT BROWN CHICKEN BROWN COW!" 

 RANDALL

Connie Lee (Ash)

 Randall....calm down, me thinks you read a little tooooooo much into Jan's post!!!!  It will be ok!

Randy Stephens

Connie!

Thanks for you kindness, your sweetness, your thoughtfulness! I cried myself to sleep last night. You should have heard Self. He was really beside himself and I thought he would never stop yelling. He knocked holes in the hotel walls, broke the furniture, the mirrors and tore the heater out of the wall. Will you come visit me in jail? Oh, and bring the dancing girls.

And Celinda,

"GOT ONE FOR YA..............." (Kid Rock) If you didn't know. I'm very diverse in my music. Next I'll write you some lyrics from Beethoven.

Randall

Celinda (Cindi) Ward (Hanna)

Aw shucks, Randall, I meant no harm. You know I was just messing with you because you make it so much fun!  My music taste, like yours, is very eclectic so yes I am familiar with the Kid Rock song you referenced.  I'm just not sure which part is aimed at me . . . doesn't it say something about being lit up like the 4th of July and being a happy drunk?  I suspect the lyrics directed at me include the verse about having "sixteen shots in my nine-millimil".  Don't shoot, please.  I surrender.

I just started my day an awesome way - by reading to 2nd graders as part of "Read Across America" day.  The hospital sponsors a number of community service events and this was a very enjoyable one.  I can't believe how "aware" kids are at this age compared to me in the 2nd grade.  The kids were sitting on the floor in front of the reader's chair.  One little girl said to me "Wow, nice shoes!"  I doubt at 6 or 7 years of age I would have even noticed a reader was wearing shoes.  Today's kids certainly develop a fashion sense at an early age.  Based on the maturity and knowledge these kids possess I think our future "golden" years will be in good hands.  By the time these kids finish college and enter the work force we will be nearing 80.  I couldn't believe the intelligent questions they asked and the observations they made from the story I read to them!

Hope you all have a great day! 

Ralph Ellerd

Hey This for Sandi in Alaska  First day of The Iditarod!!!   1131 miles by dog sled!!

 15 women That is why Sandra told me one time, Alaska is where men are men, and women win the Iditarod!!!!!!!