Hazel Baker died this weekend.

She was the librarian at my High School.

Every one loved her.

And she loved everything that was Germantown-Farmersville-Valley View.

She was there forever.  I really don’t know when her first year was at Germantown High School, but I do know that she was my sister, Judy’s Senior English Teacher, and Judy graduated 51 years ago!!

She taught my brother, Charlie as well.

Buy the time the last three of us went through HS, Hazel Baker had become the school Librarian.   When Zola, my sister showed UP, she said, “Ah, Charlie’s your brother.”  Zola wasn’t sure what that meant.

She said that to me as well when I showed UP, and I’m sure Al got the same thing.  She loved Charlie.  And quite frankly, she loved every body at school.

She ran the Student Council!

She took no crap!

She took no prisoners!

She took her time, she helped us all find what we needed in the library, and she talked to us, worked with us, planned with us, and encouraged us.

She’d probably get fired today!

She went to Morehead College in Kentucky, and was very, very proud of it.  Her hair style didn’t change in my lifetime, and she always had a classy, classy car;  a Buick Electra 225 in my day!

I don’t know how old she was, I don’t know where she was born, I don’t know where she died, or how.

But I do know, that everyone in Germantown and Farmersville, Ohio is a bit sadder this week, and The Thousand Points of Light are now only 999.

…44 years ago, my Spanish Teacher, Sally Wall, her husband Bill, their two kids, Brad and Melody took myself and two high school girls to Oaxaca, Mexico.

Last night it seemed like it was yesterday.

I saw Peggy, or Margarita as Senora Wall called her,(we all had Spanish names, I was Pablo)  for the first time in 38 years.

Time had not passed.

Yes, she’s a mom and a grandma, she’s been married, I’ve been married, we’ve lived on opposite sides of the nation for the last years, but time stood still.

Peggy, her friend Sally, Sally’s husband, Rick, and Sally’s brother Jeff met me for dinner at the historic Florentine Hotel in Downtown Germantown, Ohio.

It was a walk down memory lane.

We caught UP, we talked, well, I talked, and we remembered things about Mexico that we both had forgotten.

When we went to Oaxaca, I was 14, I turned 15 that summer, Peggy fell in love with Gustavo, I fell in love with Mexico, and we came home different people.

It amazes me that Mrs. Wall was even allowed to take three teen-agers 3,000 miles from home, leave them unsupervised during the day, and give them the experience of a lifetime.

Three kids from Germantown were allowed to experience things no one else got to do. We saw it all, ate things we’d never heard of and became good friends.

But, time has separated Nola, Peggy, and I, and our lives diverged to different paths.

But, the bond made that summer is still there.  We have something in common other than the Germantown thing, we have the Mexico thing.

Our time together made Oxaca seem like yesterday…only with more wrinkles..

We had a great time then, a great time last night – Nola – we missed you, and I’m sure your ears were burning.

As to everyone else, because of that special bond, you should all be jealous!

I’m on vacation this week, and I spent the evening with old friends from High School.

Ah, the memories…and the new information!

It was fun, we caught UP, laughed, talked, found out a little about ourselves and each other,and had a good time.

You should do that every once in a while, and I’m glad I had the chance last night.

So, Randy, Vickie, Mel, Little Dave, Donna, Ron, and Janice…thanks for the great evening!

And, Mel, the cookies really were good!  And Dave, you look great too!

Everything changes, but everything stays the same.

…here’s a Thanksgiving Memory from Germantown Elementary School.

Yes, I know it’s the worst picture ever.

Back in the day, when I was in the third grade our classes at Germantown Elementary School put on a Thanksgiving Play.

My Dad made my hat, fashioned silver buckles for my shoes out of tin foil, and Mother made the collar and dyed an old white shirt black.

Frankly, I think I rocked the pilgrim look.

I’m the first one on the left in the front row.

I was short then too!

The participants are, just in case you’re reading Valley View, are:  Back Row: all teachers, Miss Pearl Rogers, Mrs. Bernice Gaskins, Mrs. Evelyn Sowder, and Miss Belle Morgan.

Front row, all “pupils”:  UP, Teddy Cottingin, Cassandra Yvonne Mikesell, Charles (Chuck) Kuch, Vicki Clensy, Dwight McElfresh, Randy (Phil) Zehring, and Joanie Dalton.

HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING DAY!