The Quiet

It’s nice that somebody noticed the lack of activity on balta blog!  That’s progress of a sort.

Part of blogging is having something to write about, and lately, it’s been …uh….quiet!  Plus, yours truly got a headcold and retired briefly from the blogging world. 

But I’m back now. 

I’d like to publicly apologize to the Gitt/Calendar contingent for standing them up at dinner last Friday night.   I got sick; our message to them went astray, and they had a lovely dinner at a local Indian restaurant sans the Carrolls. 

Anybody else getting together with other Baltans lately?  Let’s beat the bushes and share some recent experiences. 

I was lucky enough to share my…..ahem…blankety-blank….birthday with Hog and his sister, Patty and my Pat, in February.  It was a last-minute deal, but worthwhile.  Patty moved to this area in December.

Hog is recovered from his near-death ordeal and offered to reveal his scar at dinner, but we all politely demurred.  Actually, we yelled and screamed NO!  He’s still trying to sell his scar T-shirts! 

We also discovered a mutual taste for Kate Beckinsale vampire movies at dinner, and Hog shared a couple with us later.  Thanks, Hog.  Back in the mail to you soon.

Let me hear some happenings from all of you!

Dee 

Hibernation is over!

Quiet!  No notes, no letters, no comments.
Nothing new on BALTA Blog in 15 days.

Quiet!
Smoller is in the colonies drinking micro brewed drafts.  Sipper is mangling arson fires in the YOOPERland.
BJ no longer works for Heidi.  Hog is not bitching out loud about anything.  Hannan isn’t traveling.

Quiet!  Scary quiet.
Thunder over Louisville in a month.  BIG fireworks!  Settle down with a julep.  Have one or two, Pat – Dan.

Enjoy the spring! Quietly.

Hibernation is nearly over.

bear.

Some interesting Bad Aibling web sites

Hanni Beer recently sent along these sites:

The first one calls the station “A Suspicious Eye…” and starts like this: 

“BAD AIBLING, Germany – Looking like a set of gigantic golf balls, the high-powered listening post operated by the U.S. National Security Agency in this picturesque village 40 miles south of Munich was long regarded as one of the West’s most formidable assets during the Cold War.”

Next, a story about closing the station.

Then a tourist site with some nice, revolving photos of scenic Bad Aibling.

Hanni has this to say about the history of the name “Bad Aibling”:

Did you know that Bad Aibling was established as a town on January 13th, anno 804 as Epininga, which changed to Epilinga – Eibilinga- Aybling – Aibling. And it wasn’t till 1895 when prince Luitpold made the town into a spa and added “Bad”- meaning “bath” to the name.

Dee

BAR36 Gaines photos

                   

     

Nate Keller

Nate has been much in the news lately for his chef work at Google.

My very own paddydear wrote about Nate on his blog this month. He has a link to the Time Magazine piece and some quotes from it, plus a nice piece from Food Management Magazine about Nate with his photo.  Pat’s blog is called Eating Out in Harrisburg, and there’s also a link to it under my Blogroll.

Now there’s this latest tidbit from Heidi:

If you’re not tired of Chef Nate sightings check out http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032633#
Under 'Video from Today', click next, and click on the picture with bananas - article called "Which is better, organic or locally grown"

Revisiting the ‘73 reunion

Hog came through for us!  Thanks, bud. 

This is the site for a photo of ‘73 with IDENTIFICATIONS!  Yea.

Hit the rails to the reunion

The good news is that Sandusky OH is a stop on the main AMTRAK line between the Northeast and Chicago.  The bad news is that AMTRAK stops there in the “wee small hours of the morning”:

“Pennsylvanian” – Pittsburgh/Chicago – 3:40am (west-bound) and 1:00am (east-bound)
“Lake Shore” – NY/Buffalo/Erie – 1:05am (west-bound) and 2:23am (east-bound)

Transportation between Sandusky and BALTA ‘07 remains an unsolved piece of the puzzle…

Doug

AMGG, anybody?

June 14 – 17 is the United State Grand Prix (Formula 1) at Indianapolis.  Just a VERY preliminary thought; any interest in a Aged Motorhead Group Grope (AMGG), perhaps camping?

USGP Website:  http://www.usgpindy.com/

Doug

Who can ID everyone in the photo?

 Those were the days!  Don and I are in center back…me in white sweater, him with arm draped over my shoulder.  I can identify Brian, Mole, Carl and Terry, Hog, Hannan, Woody D, Bob Keller, Heidi, Jerry Thompson, Sam, Winkler, the Davis’, Cranny and Mimi and I think, Smoller.  There are a few others that I almost have.

Anybody want to take a crack at identifying everybody systematically, left to right, all rows? 

Wait….this just in from Mad Dog.  Thanks, John!

Hi Dee,
  I can fill in a few more names, but not all. To your right between the Mole and Brian is Kerry Vandegrift (He left Bad Aibling from the Rosenheim station at the same time as Hannan and Carl.) Next out from Brian is Ralph Shriver (Uncle Ralph) from Bend or North Bend, Oregon. He was one of the B-Branch pokers along with PJ McCormick, Nick Dostie, and Gary Hendrickson, when I first got to BA in April of 1968.

The next guy with his ladyfriend (wife?) I’m guessing his last name was Hughes, perhaps Jim Hughes. Behind and between them is Stump – the host for next years reunion! I can’t recall the tall fellow in shades. The guy to his right might be Smoller. Ron & Jan Davis you have. The guy with the walking stick I’m guessing is Eric “Zot” Rotenberg (sp?). To the left of the woman to Don Beeching’s left is a long-haired guy that looks a bit like Dan Hayden.

Kneeling between him and Hog might be Hugh Crohn (sp?). Also, I’m guessing that the person who owns the bare feet & hidden by Hog’s arm is Lonnie Gervais. A wild guess – the one behind Bob Keller – is he Bill Maus?
Possibly too gigantic though?
That’s it for now.
John